Vendor Question and Response Addendum to Greenville Utilities Commission RFP Number: 14-06 March 21, 2014
Written Questions Received After the Vendor Conference Call 1) Per #4.6 on page 46, does GUC intend to issue two contracts for the award? i.e., one contract for the T&M phase and the 2nd contract for the Fixed Price phase. If so, how will the contracting timing work? Since the fixed price contract may be contingent upon the T&M phase, does GUC plan to execute the fixed price contract upon completion of the T&M work? If so, what plans should we make relative to retaining the project team during this lapse? GUC Response: These details will be worked through with the selected vendor. For purposes of the response, vendors should assume there will be a seamless transition (no time lapse) between the T&M work and the Fixed Price phase. 2) Interface #16 (CodeRed) Which system interfaces with CodeRed and what types of SMS messages/events are sent? GUC Response: Strike the SMS Text of the requirement. A flat file of active customer phone numbers is created from our current Customer Information System to be used by CodeRed. This is an automated job that is scheduled to run weekly. 3) Interface #37 (Backflow Program) What systems are involved in the two-way interface and what data is required (message content, frequency, volumes)? GUC Response: The systems involved are an in-house written Backflow application and our current Customer Information System. In our current Backflow Program a user enters the premise number for a location and it populates the address information from our CIS system into the Backflow Program. No information is passed back to the CIS system at this time from the Backflow Program. GUC is open to consider other options regarding the Backflow process. 4) Interface #38 (Job Scheduler) Is GUC looking for guidance on selecting a Job Scheduler or do we need to interface with an existing one? GUC Response: GUC has not purchased a job scheduler at this time. We have considered UC4 and Control-M (BMC). 5) Does GUC have an existing source control system or are they looking for guidance on selecting one? GUC Response: GUC does use a source control system. 6) In Appendix C, Row 20, MWM - Direct integration with mobile dispatching system: Does this mean GUC wishes to dispatch activities from the Realtime Planning and Scheduling component of MWM to the existing GUC mobile devices deployed for WAM rather than the native Mobile Communication Platform included with MWM? GUC Response: We d like to use the native Mobile Communication Platform included with MWM if it can be supported on GUC mobile devices (currently ios) at the time of implementation. Specifically for this project, our objective is to use the out of box Oracle mobile application as well as being able to extend the solution to support multiple platforms including ios. Our current expectations are that the SI will deliver an API providing access to the MWM Realtime Planning and scheduling component. However, we are open to suggestions on the best way to meet our objective. 7) Per the GUC project team listed on pages 25 and 28 of the RFP, who on the GUC side would be responsible for setting up rates? GUC Response: GUC s initial thought is that the SI will perform the majority of rate configuration within CC&B. The GUC Billing Process Owner would have oversight of the process and be the business-side knowledge SME. For knowledge transfer purposes GUC will support 25% of the rate entry/rate configuration through the Billing Process Owner resource. 8) Per the GUC project team listed on page 28 of the RFP, can you detail the number of developers and Subject Matter Experts? GUC Response: GUC will have availability of 10 SMEs, which are part time team members above and beyond the full time core team. GUC will have one developer. The team will be finalized based on the proposed approach of the selected Offeror.
9) Per the GUC project team listed on page 28 of the RFP, can you detail the staff that will be responsible for end user training? GUC Response: GUC will have a Training and Change Lead, plus availability of SMEs and 1-2 additional trainers. The team will be finalized based on the proposed approach of the selected Offeror. 10) Per the GUC project team listed on page 28 of the RFP, can you detail the IT staff responsible for: a. Reports b. Interfaces c. Legacy data conversion GUC Response: GUC will have availability of one developer who is expected to contribute to the vendor-side development team across the three categories listed above. The team will be finalized based on the proposed approach of the selected Offeror. 11) Of the 16 CSRs listed in Appendix E, GUC Metrics, does each CSR handle all customer services (electric, gas, water), or do they specialize due to different business processes? If they specialize, can you describe the differences or is there an opportunity to standardize across the services? GUC Response: All of the 16 CSR s listed in Appendix E, GUC Metrics, handle all types of customer service requests (electric, gas, water). We do have additional administrative personnel in our operating sections that specialize in their respective areas for orders/inquiry from within the billing system. 12) Topic: OUCSS; RFP Section: Introduction; Are you looking at any additional recommendations on functionalities like Outage Reporting, CSR self-service view, Mobile views of self-service applications, Web Analytics etc. which we suppose are not currently available. GUC Response: GUC would like to keep base functionality. However, today we have the ability to sign up for online account access, pay bill, view bill, view payment history, view usage history by meter, pay bill with one time bank draft, sign up for monthly bank draft, provide link to 3 rd party payment provider for credit card transactions, request connect/disconnect/transfer service, and contact GUC via email. At a minimum we must provide the same functionality that we currently have today. However, future needs include mobile views of self-service applications. 13) Topic: MWM; RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements/Customer; Currently MWM can handle short cycle work (i.e., Tasks which can be completed usually in a single day) and MWM cannot handle long cycle work (i.e., Typically Tasks which takes more than a days time. For Example: construction of street light) and which system handles the long cycle work? GUC Response: GUC will use WAM for long cycle work. The system can create one service order for multiple tasks occurring at one premise. Whereas long cycle work may be tracked through WAM, there needs to be integration into CC&B to keep the Service Request status updated. 14) Topic: Environments; RFP Section: APP-J Greenville-Logical-Physical-Architecture; How many non production environments does GUC have - for the implementation we would require - Dev, Sandbox, SIT, UAT, Data Mig GUC Response: As noted in section 3.3.9, GUC is expecting the following environments: development, conversion, test, training, and production. For production systems, we currently try to stick with a DEV, TEST and UAT environment. However, we understand for initial implementation of the solution we may have many more. We have attempted to purchase hardware to support 6-8 non-prod environments for the initial project. We will work with the selected vendor to meet the environment needs of their project methodology. 15) Topic: License; RFP Section: Current State Technology; Does GUC have licenses for any ETL tool like Informatica? GUC Response: Yes. GUC has purchased the following Business Intelligence tools: Human Resources Analytics Fusion Edition Financial Analytics Fusion Edition Project Analytics Procurement and Spend Analytics Fusion Edition Supply Chain and Order Management Analytics Fusion Edition
Oracle Business Intelligence Foundation Suite Data Integrator Enterprise Edition Informatica PowerCenter and PowerConnect Adapters Oracle Utilities Customer Care and Billing Extractors and Schema Oracle Utilities Customer Analytics Oracle Utilities Revenue Analytics Oracle Utilities Credit and Collection Analytics Oracle Utilities Mobile Workforce Mgt Extractors and Schema Oracle Utilities Mobile Workforce Analytics Oracle Utilities Work and Asset Management Extractors and Schema Oracle Utilities Work and Asset Analytics 16) Topic: Tools; RFP Section: Current State Technology; Does GUC have defect and issue tracking tools? GUC Response: Yes. For this project, GUC would use SharePoint project sites/sharepoint lists for issue and risk tracking. GUC would use a BOSS Support Central ticketing system for defect tracking. 17) Topic: Testing; RFP Section: Current State Technology; Does GUC have any performance testing tools? GUC Response: No. 18) Topic: Infra; RFP Section: Current State Technology; Can we assume all infra and DBA support for all environments will be provided by GUC? GUC Response: No. As per the RFP Page 36, the SI will be responsible, with the assistance of GUC IT, for establishing at least five system environments. These environments are: Development, Conversion, Test, Training, and Production. 19) Topic: Customer Self Service; RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements / Account; What are the payment gateways in scope for this proposal and required for integration with the proposed self-service solution GUC Response: At minimum we would need a one-time pay via a bank account (checking/savings), sign up for the automated monthly draft (ACH), and access to link to our 3rd party credit card vendor passing some account information. 20) Topic: Customer Self Service; RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements / Account; What is the current alert notification system in place for GUC which controls the alert mechanism from various GUC systems to customer? GUC Response: Today we do not have an alert system. If the reference for this question is line 197 on the APP-A Account tab (The system can automatically send electronic notification to designated staff when customer updates certain information on customer self-service website), the answer is we do not have this today, but believe it is needed functionality. 21) Topic: Customer; RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements/Customer; How many types of Non-Utility Customers does GUC have. GUC Response: GUC has times when a non-utility person needs to be billed and collected from. This is due to situations such as a pole replacement, retirees insurance, etc. 22) How are the non-utility customers billed in the legacy system? GUC Response: Our current legacy CIS system handles all utility based customer bills. Any non-utility related bills are handled from within our Finance section at this time outside of our legacy CIS system. 23) Do you have separate Bill formats for Non-Utility Customers? GUC Response: We currently handle this process through our Finance section which does not require or use a separate bill format.
24) Topic: Customer Self Service; RFP Section: General; We understand GUC has a web portal technology in use today. Is this something you would like to retain as part of this initiative or replace with CSS or other viable self service capabilities? GUC Response: We will continue to use our main web page (www.guc.com). Our customers should be able to access their account via a click from the main web page. Today we use a link directing them to a log in page. 25) Will the fixed price estimate provided for the initial response be used for budgeting purposes only? GUC Response: GUC will consider the full proposal cost when evaluating the responses. GUC also realizes that there will need to be a true-up checkpoint at the end of design that will reconcile the assumptions included with the proposal versus the actual results of the integrated design in order to arrive at the fixed price amount for the remainder of the project. GUC expects that the selected vendor and GUC will manage the analysis and design phase of the project to the assumptions noted in the proposal to minimize the financial impact of this true-up. 26) Is it acceptable for vendors to provide a fixed price for all of the phases of the project? GUC Response: Yes, vendors may choose this option if they prefer. Note that GUC will consider the full proposal cost when evaluating the responses. 27) What is GUC s timeline expectation for Option #2: Partial Scope? GUC Response: GUC believes both approaches should fall within the 1.5 2 year schedule, but is open to best practices from the Offerors. 28) Topic: Billing; RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements/Billing; Billing for third party agencies: Please provide more details on the billing for third party agencies. This is for which service (Electric, Water, Gas)? How is consumption collected for this billing? How many such agencies does GUC have? GUC Response: We currently bill refuse and stormwater for the City of Greenville. The refuse charges are fixed charge fees on accounts. The stormwater fees were originally set up to be billed in our legacy system as fixed charges. However they are based upon impervious surface area which may be handled in a different manner in our new billing system based upon the area at $x.xx amount. 29) Topic: Billing; RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements/Billing; The system can accommodate bill images produced from bill print vendor to be uploaded for viewing on-line. Does GUC have a document management system? If so, what system is it? GUC Response: To view bill images, GUC uses an in-house application and makes the PDF available from within our current CIS and customer self-service. This will need to be revisited with the CC&B project. 30) Topic: Billing; RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements/Billing; From the interfaces sheet we understand GUC sends the bill data and letters to a third party for formatting and printing. Does GUC also expect an internal solution also to be developed to generate and print the letters and invoices internally at GUC for adhoc print requirements? Can we assume that the print requirement will always happen through the 3rd party and the CC&B system will show the PDF copy of the bill once it is available from the 3rd party vendor? GUC Response: It is our assumption at this time that all bills and invoices will go through our third party bill print provider. We would like to view the PDF copy of the bill/invoice from within CC&B once it is available. Our third party bill print vendor does not store PDF s. Today we store them in-house. 31) Topic: Testing; RFP Section: Testing; How many devices are in scope for testing? Has GUC made any decision on the device (Toughbook, Android or Windows Mobile (MC75A) devices) to be used for the field force team? GUC Response: Today GUC uses Toughbooks and ipads for mobile field devices. 32) RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements/Credit & Collections; Collection processes generally have notifications like Dialers, door hangers before the disconnection. What are the different steps in the Collection process? GUC Response: GUC sends a late notice letter and sends a final disconnect letter. For some customers, GUC issues door hangers. Also, for some customers, GUC places a call for disconnect alerts.
33) RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements/Credit & Collections; There is no mention about writing off the customer's debt? Is Write off process part of Credit and Collection process? GUC Response: Currently we do not write off debt other than escheatments to the State of North Carolina. 34) Topic: Rates & fees; RFP Section: APP - A Functional Requirements/Rates & fees; The system has the ability to provide interval data (containing 15 and 60 minute intervals and KWH register readings), CP hour and summary read report electronically to Commercial customers - Is GUC collecting the interval data in 15 and 60 minute intervals today? Is GUC expecting the new solution to collect the data in CC&B in 15 minutes interval? GUC Response: We are collecting 15 min interval data on CP customers and around 300 recorders monthly either manually, IP network intranet, or wireless IP modems. This is the data we process through MV-90. The Billing department receives the CP billing data in spreadsheet format from the Electric department. We do not have AMI at this time. The MV-90 system and spreadsheets are used to handle the data for billing these customers. 35) May we receive an extension of two weeks for the RFP response shifting due date from 4/2 to 4/16? GUC Response: We are unable to extend the deadline for the RFP responses due to our scheduling and delivery commitments. 36) Does GUC comply with a reference architecture and technology decision criteria for OSB, BPEL, and BAM? GUC Response: It is GUC s goal to comply and is moving in that direction. 37) Are Responder interfaces with CCB, MWM, and WAM (as shown in APP-K GUC System Diagram) in scope? If yes, please clarify which rows in APP-C GUC interfaces pertain to these interfaces GUC Response: MWM should have capabilities of interfacing with our Outage Management System Responder. Also CC&B should interface with Outage Management. Our expectations are that an API would be delivered by the SI. However, we are open to suggestions on the best way to meet our objective.