ACTION REQUESTED:
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Communication from the City Manager and Finance Director/Comptroller with a Request to APPROVE and Authorize the City Manager to Enter into a CONTRACT with GROUP O, INC. to Provide CALL CENTER SERVICES for the City of Peoria Relating to the Public Safety Pension Fee for a Six Month (6) Period with an Estimated Beginning date of October 1, 2019, in an Amount Estimated at $90,000.00.
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BACKGROUND: As part of the 2019 Revised Annual Budget, the City implemented a Public Safety Pension Fee to assist in the funding of the City’s Police and Fire Pension Funds. In October the City will send out in excess of 45,000 bills to all non-governmental properties assessing the Public Safety Pension Fee. Based upon previous experience regarding new fees, establishing a call center to answer questions from citizens when the bill is received will provide the most prompt, professional and efficient solution to responding to citizens questions. The initial program will be for six (6) months with an option to extend if necessary.
A Request for Proposal (RFP) was issued on August 16, 2019 for Call Center Services. The City received ten (10) responses. The responses were evaluated independently by five (5) raters from the Treasurer’s office, Finance Department and Information Systems based on the following criteria:
Approach to the Project (40 Points) - Describe your understanding of the project, critical elements, and goals
Previous Experience (25 points) - Include detailed relevant experience of similar work, with appropriate references.
Pricing (Costs) (25 Points)
MBE/WBE Participation (10 Points) - Describe your firm’s efforts to achieve a diverse workforce.
Based upon the above criteria, the evaluators selected Group O, Inc. in Milan, Illinois. Attached is a summary of ratings by evaluator for the ten (10) responses.
Group O, Inc. is a 100% Hispanic-owned National Minority Supplier Development Council (NMSDC) certified MBE and is recognized as one of the largest Hispanic-owned businesses in the United States and the largest in the State of Illinois. While we do not anticipate the need, Group O utilizes other W/MBEs whenever possible to assist in providing Group O and their clients with the necessary products and services, better, faster and more cost effectively.
FINANCIAL IMPACT: The cost of collecting the public safety pension fee was included in the Police and Fire Pension Fund as part of the 2019 Revised Annual Budget.
NEIGHBORHOOD CONCERNS: None
IMPACT IF APPROVED: The City will retain Group O, Inc. to provide call center services for the City to address citizen’s questions regarding the Public Safety Pension fee in a prompt, professional and efficient manner.
IMPACT IF DENIED: The city will not have a call center to answer numerous calls regarding the Public Safety Pension Fee which would rely on limited City staff to answer calls and return calls causing longer response time to the citizens and additional frustration. The City’s phone system is not equipped to handle the volume of anticipated calls.
ALTERNATIVES: Hire additional employees to answer numerous calls regarding the Public Safety Pension Fee and enhance the City’s phone system to accommodate the anticipated volume of citizen calls.
EEO CERTIFICATION NUMBER: Will be assigned upon approval of the contract.
WHICH OF THE GOALS IDENTIFIED IN THE COUNCIL’S 2017 - 2032 STRATEGIC PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION ADVANCE?
1. Financially Sound City
2. Safe Peoria
WHICH CRITICAL SUCCESS FACTOR(S) FROM THE COMPREHENSIVE PLAN DOES THIS RECOMMENDATION IMPLEMENT?
1. Have an efficient government.
2. Keep taxes and fees competitive.
DEPARTMENT: Finance