SUBJECT/RECOMMENDATION:
Title
Approve a Performance Agreement with United Public Safety, Ft. Washington, PA., for a three-year term, December 1, 2019 through November 30, 2022, with an option of two one-year renewals for parking violation, permit processing, and collection agency services in the not-to-exceed amount of $876,600, and authorize the appropriate officials to execute same. (consent)
Body
SUMMARY:
The current agreement with Data Ticket for parking violation processing and collection agency services recently expired. The City intends to keep current in-house customer service functions, including acceptance of walk-in payments; establishment of a local and toll-free telephone line going directly to city staff; city staff review, and adjudication of citation appeals in person; and routine correspondence (citizen questions, complaints, concerns, etc.).
Twelve firms responded to RFP 20-19 seeking new parking management services and five firms made presentations to the selection committee. The selection committee ranked United Public Safety as the top firm. The selection committee was comprised of representatives from Internal Audit, Finance, Information Technology (IT) and the Parking System Division of Engineering.
United Public Safety’s top ranking is based on their experience and qualifications, project approach, financial stability/references, customer service approach, hardware/software and fees.
This is a 3-year agreement with two one-year renewal options, upon the written mutual agreement of both parties. A parking violation processing fee of 2.9% of the amount processed plus $.25 per citation and/or permit applies to years one through five of the agreement. Approximately 42,500 citations are issued annually. The estimated annual cost to the City under the proposed contract is $175,000. Staff anticipates $1,600 in additional start-up costs during the first year of the contract.
The terms of the parking violation and permit processing services agreement include: all hardware/software for noticing and coordination with the State Division of Motor Vehicles for registration holds; processing of all delinquent notices; delinquent collections; city lease of eleven handheld ticket writers with integrated printer and color photography; and establishment of a web site with the following capabilities:
• View real-time citation(s) data, including pictures taken by the issuing officer
• Accept payment via VISA, MasterCard, Discover and American Express credit/debit cards, check or money order
• Process insufficient-funds-requests and refunds
• Reduce or increase violation amounts, dismiss citations, void citations and place a citation on hold
• Change citation data, including violations, date, time, plate, location, comments, make, model, color, registration expiration date and others
• Perform administrative reviews online by entering the disposition directly online
• Generate a time expired or letter of non-responsibility for a citation in the adjudication process
• View the complete reason for the review request and supporting documentation provided by the appellant directly online
• Edit appellant information
• Upload disposition documents sent to the City via US Mail
• Add a note to a citation and see all comments added to the citation
• View the reason for the 2nd Level Administrative Hearing Request online and view the supporting documentation provided by the appellant, directly online
• Print a receipt with or without registered owner information
• Provide a website for digital permit purchasing
• Software integration with Vigilant, Cale, Park Mobile and Tyler-Munis software
Many of these website integration features are intended to provide customers with any available information, in real time, related to their citation or permit. This will likely result in a reduction in the number of citation disputes and cases brought to court while also providing more convenience to the public.
Citations that are unpaid after 90 days are forwarded to the delinquent services, Municipal Collection of America, who retains 30% of the funds they collect.
Current average annual gross parking fine revenue is $1,071,000 with $5 for every citation collected, or an estimated $160,000, funding the School Crossing Guard Program.
APPROPRIATION CODE AND AMOUNT:
4351333-530300 $ 3,883.74
4351334-530300-$172,710.00
A first quarter budget amendment will increase Parking Enforcement cost code 4351334-530300 (Contractual Services) by $96,710 to fund this contract. Parking Fund revenues are sufficient to cover this expenditure increase.
Funds are available in cost codes in amounts of $3,883.74 from 4351333-530300, (Contractual Services), and $76,000 from 4351334-530300, (Contractual Services), to fund the contract for Fiscal Year 2019/20. Funding will be included in the Parking System and Parking Enforcement Operating Budget requests for Fiscal Years 2020/21 through FY2023/24 to fund the contract.