SOURCES SOUGHT
R -- Replacement of Billing systems
- Notice Date
- 7/25/2007
- Notice Type
- Sources Sought
- NAICS
- 541219
— Other Accounting Services
- Contracting Office
- Bureau of Indian Affairs; Reston, VA
- ZIP Code
- 00000
- Solicitation Number
- HP-07-08
- Response Due
- 8/9/2007
- Archive Date
- 8/15/2007
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- Project Description This project addresses the replacement of four billing systems (three for power and one for irrigation that serves sixteen irrigation projects) that are not integrated, and three of which are obsolete, with one cost effective current technology system that meets the needs of both BIA power and irrigation projects. The benefits of utilizing one system are significant and include: 1.Increased efficiencies and/or productivity 2.Compliance with applicable federal laws (i.e., the Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA)), which promotes standardization and allows for easier automatic interface capability with the BIA accounting system 3.Improved ability to meet Departmental, OMB, and BIA reporting requirements 4.Cost savings through server-based modernization Purpose 1.Standardization of billing systems 2.Compliance with applicable laws and regulations 3.Automated interface with the BIA accounting system 4.Replacement of existing manual or obsolete subsidiary systems/modules (i.e., staking, engineering analysis Business Assumptions -Existing service providers, custom designs and COTS products shall be considered. -If no satisfactory single solution can be identified, sources shall be sought for power and irrigation separately. -If the solution includes a COTS product, then database administration and system administration resources shall be required to support implementation efforts and on-going system operation and maintenance. A portion of the cost for these services is included in the estimated fees for this project. -An individual major application security plan shall be prepared as part of the project development lifecycle. This shall include a risk assessment, threat analysis, physical, management, and operational controls, and a contingency plan. The system shall conform to P.L. 100-235 and OMB circular A-130. -Funding for irrigation shall come from program funds. -Funding for power will come from power utility revenues. -The vendor shall provide a comprehensive training plan. Interfaces to External Systems SPIBS shall interface to the BIA Trust Asset Accounting Management System (TAAMS). SPIBS shall interface with the federal financial system of record. SPIBS shall interface with the U.S. Department of Treasury for referring delinquent debt. Background - Irrigation The National Irrigation Information Management System (NIIMS) is the legacy system used to assist BIA in the billing, collection and debt management processes for 16 irrigation systems located in the western United States. The system generates, contains and manages the detail for the billing, collection and debt management of irrigation operation & maintenance (O&M), and it is a subsidiary to the Federal financial system of record of record, which houses the information at a summary level for regulatory reporting. The irrigation systems, referred to as ?Projects,? have debt related to O&M which are reimbursable to the federal government. Each irrigation project is managed by the agency having operation and maintenance responsibility over the irrigation facilities involved. NIIMS maintains the detail of accounting transactions for interfacing to the BIA Federal financial system of record. By court order in December of 2001, the current NIIMS system, along with other systems considered to be at risk for breach of security and subject to unauthorized access, was taken offline. The Court placed a restriction on all systems designated to contain Individual Indian Trust Data (IITD) eliminating internet access. For NIIMS, this designation and the ensuing restrictions remain in effect. The application resides on a secure intranet network Background - Power BIA?s three power projects have either poorly designed, non-integrated, and/or outdated systems to satisfactorily meet the requirements of electrical utilities. Two of the power projects? systems perform billing and collections functions only and none of the three systems interface with the BIA?s Federal financial system of record of record. Two of the power projects are operated by BIA while the remaining power project is operated by a tribe under P.L. 93-638 contract. Customers for all three power projects total nearly 40,000 accounts, comprising both Indian and non-Indian and span on and off-reservation. Irrigation Irrigation Operation and Maintenance (O&M) Assessments (Billing) The O&M charges are assessed on both trust and fee land that are designated as Presently Assessable (PA). The information contained on the Project and Bureau parameter files as well as land, owner, lessee and verbiage information are used in the billing process. Basically, to determine the amount to be charged to each debtor, a calculation is made of the number of assessable acres in the tract, multiplied by the rate, multiplied by the share of ownership in the tract. Some projects assess surcharges and minimum billing charges. Rates shall be maintained historically, and are relevant to each bill year. The lessee or owner is then responsible for payment of the charges levied on an annual basis. Some projects stipulate minimum billing amounts in their Project parameter file. Some projects stipulate surcharges, by bill or by unit/serial, or using any other criteria. Most projects bill annually, although there some projects bill semi-annually. Projects shall have the ability to issue bills outside of the annual processes to accommodate errors, late receipt of proper billing information, changes in land ownership, changes in leases and any information which impacts the validity of bills and which is received after the annual billing process is completed. Collection SPIBS shall create a collection document using for cash collections and including a transaction code, batch number, document number, budget object code, revenue source code, principal payment, interest payment, penalty payment, administrative fees payment, individual payment. Transaction types: IC ? Cash, check, money order IT ? Appropriated funds payments N3010 funds to project IM- IPAC (Treasury fund transfer) Details of all transactions shall be traceable to the deposit and be reportable at any time. Partial payments are allowed. Payment Plans The Debt Collection Improvement Act of 1996 (DCIA) allows for an offer of a payment plan to individuals with delinquent accounts and who are determined by the O-i-C to be financially unable to pay. Full payments not received by the due date specified in the payment plan (plus any defined grace period) are considered in default and shall be referred to Treasury. Payment plans may only be extended to landowners. A payment plan is not allowed for debtors who have prior year delinquencies on the books. If a debtor owes money, a payment plan shall be allowed after the debt is cleared. If a debtor defaults on a payment plan, a future payment plan will not be allowed for six (6) years from the date of the default. Power Electrical Usage and Miscellaneous Billing SPIBS shall comply with BIA standards and Departmental regulations applicable to BIA?s power projects. SPIBS shall provide system modules typical in the utility industry; to include, but not limited to: Accounting (General Ledger, Accounts Receivable, Accounts Payable), Payroll, Purchasing, Customer Service, Billing/Collection and Deposit Account (method for tracking the activity in the two different appropriations-Billing/Collections vs. Deposit), automated process for working delinquent accounts (e.g., issuing disconnect work orders for those who received and don?t pay by the date in the above 31 day letter), Fixed Assets, Inventory, Mapping, Automated Meter Reading, Work Order System, Service Orders, Outage Tracking and Reporting, Report Writer, Geographic Information Systems (GIS), must be able to interface with Power system modeling software e.g., Milsoft, Siemens), and Engineering & staking. SPIBS shall conform to the Generally Accepted Accounting Practices (GAAP), the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) system of accounts, and the American Public Power Association reporting requirements. SPIBS shall have flexibility in developing special ad hoc financial reports. Delinquent Debt Management (Irrigation & Power) Interest Posting On a regularly scheduled basis, beginning 30 days after the due date on a bill - irrigation (15 days after the due date ? power), interest shall begin accruing. Interest is calculated on a monthly basis, using 30 days in a month, and posted according to the schedule (daily or monthly). The interest rate charged is that in effect at the time and dictated by the Department of the Treasury. Penalty Posting On a regularly scheduled basis, beginning 90 days after the due date on a bill, penalty shall begin accruing. Penalty is calculated on a monthly basis, using 30 days in a month, at a current rate of 6% per year. Demand Letter Processing Thirty-one days after the due date on a bill ? irrigation (16 days after the due date ? power), a demand letter is sent to the delinquent debtor. There is a charge (administrative fee) for the issue. The administrative fee posting is associated with a revenue source code. An adjustment is made to the accounts receivable in SPIBS, and an irrigation adjustment transaction (transaction type IRX) is created for the Federal financial system of record. NOTE: In lieu of interest, penalty, demand letter and administrative fees, power projects may have the option to assess service, delinquent account, or disconnect/reconnect fees in line with standard utility business practices. Treasury Referral Processing All outstanding debts 120 days past due shall be referred to the Department of Treasury for collection. BIA has the authority to change the number of days before referral to Treasury and SPIBS shall have this capability. Exemptions are allowed under certain conditions. Once at Treasury, Treasury may collect on an account or return the debt as uncollectible, After write off, the debt shall be moved to the currently non-collectible (CNC) portion of the database while it awaits proposal for, and acceptance of, termination by the Assistant Secretary ? Indian Affairs. While it is in CNC and termination is not final (signed), collection by miscellaneous receivables account 5914 is permitted, with a journal voucher field entry to note late payment of this debt. Once such an account is terminated, the status is regarded as closed, the debt is discharged and no action may be taken on this account. All related records shall then be moved to a historical file, for viewing only. SPIBS shall have reports to perform the following reconciliations: - Reconciliation between SPIBS and the Federal financial system of record - Reconciliation between financial system of record and Treasury - Reconciliation between SPIBS and FedDebt - Reconciliation of assessable acreage among irrigation, Realty and SPIBS - Reconciliation of fractionation information among irrigation, Realty SPIBS records SPIBS shall comply with BIA and Departmental standards for Information Technology systems. You may submit your interest via fax to Herbert Payne at 703-390-6582. Please include your POC information, fax number, email address with your request.
- Place of Performance
- Address: 2051 Mercator Drive, Reston, VA
- Zip Code: 20191
- Country: US
- Zip Code: 20191
- Record
- SN01352266-W 20070727/070725222132 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps Link to This Notice
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