Title
Treasurer/Tax Collector recommending the Chair be authorized to sign Amendment II to Agreement No. 239-S0111 with HP Enterprise Services, LLC, to expand the scope of services to provide credit card payment of legally permissible fines, taxes, and fees for said Department.
Body
Fiscal Impact/Change to Net County Cost: There is no Net County Cost associated with this agreement. Fees are paid by cardholders. Estimated equipment and service costs related to implementing and maintaining the convenience pay system are not anticipated to exceed $1,000 per year. These costs are included in the Treasury / Tax Collector budget.
Background: The Treasurer / Tax Collector's Office currently has a system in place to allow cardholders to pay taxes by phone and through an on-line payment system. It is the desire of the Office to expand on these services and allow cardholders to pay taxes by credit card at the counter of the Treasurer/Tax Collector's Office.
The convenience fee charged to the cardholders at the counter is $3 plus 2.2% of the tax payment amount.
Reason for Recommendation: The Treasurer/Tax Collector's Office has contracted with HP Enterprise Services, LLC to provide an Interactive Voice Response Unit to accept County tax payments and provide a hosted website for on-line tax payments with a credit card. Procurement and Contracts has processed Amendment II to the subject agreement.
In accordance with Board of Supervisors Policy C-17, Section 7.4.2, County Purchasing concurs with the department's request to amend this agreement. The amendment engages HP Enterprise Services, LLC to provide a system for over-the-counter payments for secured, unsecured, supplemental property taxes.
The Treasurer/Tax Collector's Office conducted research on the availability of firms to perform these services and solicited informal proposals during the 1999/2000 fiscal year. The department selected Electronic Data Systems Corporation (now known as HP Enterprise Services, LLC) as the successful firm capable of meeting the department's needs. It would produce no economic benefit to the County for these services to engage in a competitive selection process and there is no cost to the County for these services. Additionally, switching to a new form for a new system would require a complete change in system processing at a significant cost to the County.
The County Purchasing has reviewed the department's request to amend the contract with HP Enterprise Services, LLC and concurs that the continued use of this consultant is appropriate in order to secure an over-the-counter payment processing system for the convenience of the taxpayers.
Action to be taken following Board approval:
1. Chairman to execute the agreement.
2. Treasurer/Tax Collector's Office to distribute contract as appropriate.
3. Treasurer/Tax Collector's Office to implement the contract and begin acceptance of alternative additional forms of payment.
Contact:
Todd Hall or Louise Gresham, Treasurer/Tax Collector's Office
Concurrences:
County Counsel and Risk Management have approved this contract agreement.