Implementation of the Proposal for Outsourcing of Shimotsuke City Water and Sewerage Charges Collection Services

Shimotsuke City Water and Sewerage Charges Collection Services Outsourcing Proposal Implementation Guidelines August 2026 Shimotsuke City 1. Purpose These guidelines establish the necessary matters for selecting a contractor with excellent operational capabilities that will lead to further improvement of citizen services and increased operational efficiency, through the "public recruitment proposal" method, regarding the implementation of the Shimotsuke City Water and Sewerage Charges Collection Services Outsourcing (hereinafter referred to as "outsourcing services"). 2. Overview of Outsourcing Services (1) Service Name Shimotsuke City Water and Sewerage Charges Collection Services Outsourcing (2) Service Details Details are as specified in the "Shimotsuke City Water and Sewerage Charges Collection Services Outsourcing Specifications." (3) Service Performance Period etc. The performance period shall be from June 1, 2027, to May 31, 2030. The period from the contract signing date to the day before the start of outsourcing services shall be a preparation period, and the costs incurred during this period shall be borne by the contractor. (4) Scope of Outsourcing Services A. Administrative work related to counter services (including telephone support). B. Administrative work related to water meter reading (including meter reading for suspended services, well water meter reading, etc., and operation of equipment associated with meter reading). C. Administrative work related to billing. D. Administrative work related to collection. E. Administrative work related to delinquency management. F. Administrative work related to service connection and disconnection and settlement. G. Administrative work related to the execution of water supply suspension. H. Administrative work related to refunds and appropriations. I. Administrative work related to leakage certification. J. Administrative work related to water meter management. K. Administrative work related to the operation of the water charge system and data input. L. Administrative work related to document creation. M. Administrative work related to the collection of benefit contributions and assessments for public sewerage projects, specific environmental conservation public sewerage projects, and connection fees for agricultural drainage projects. N. Other administrative work incidental to the foregoing. (5) Maximum Proposal Amount (excluding consumption tax and local consumption tax) Total service fee for the period from June 1, 2027, to May 31, 2030: ¥155,880,000 3. Participation Qualifications Any party that meets all of the following requirements shall be eligible to participate in this proposal. ① Must not fall under the provisions of Article 167-4 of the Local Autonomy Act Enforcement Order (Cabinet Order No. 16 of 1947). ② Must be registered in the "Services (Human Resource Dispatch)" category of the list of registered contractors for the Shimotsuke City Bidding Qualification Application for Reiwa 7/8 (2025/2026). ③ Must not be subject to a designation suspension measure based on the Shimotsuke City Construction Work and Other Contractor Designation Suspension Measures Ordinance. ④ Must not have filed for commencement of rehabilitation proceedings under the Corporate Rehabilitation Law (Law No. 154 of 2002). However, this does not apply to those who have received a decision to commence proceedings and have undergone a re-examination of their bidding qualifications. ⑤ Must not have filed for commencement of rehabilitation proceedings under the Civil Rehabilitation Law (Law No. 225 of 1999). However, this does not apply to those who have received a decision to commence proceedings and have undergone a re-examination of their bidding qualifications. ⑥ Must have paid all corporate city taxes, corporate prefectural taxes, consumption tax, and local consumption tax for the most recent two fiscal years. ⑦ Must have obtained public certification related to personal information protection or public certification related to information security. ⑧ Must have at least 3 years of experience in performing services similar or equivalent to water and sewerage charge collection services for water utilities with a service population of 50,000 or more in Tochigi Prefecture since fiscal year 2016, and must be able to assign a certified water supply facility technician who can supervise technical operations. ⑨ Must be able to assign a work manager with at least 3 years of practical experience in water and sewerage charge collection services for water utilities with a service population of 50,000 or more. 4. Proposal Schedule (Planned) The procedures and timing leading up to the contract signing are as follows. No. Procedure Period 1 Announcement of Proposal Guidelines etc. Monday, August 31, 2026 2 Question Submission Period for Implementation Details Monday, September 7, 2026, 9:00 AM - Monday, September 14, 2026, 3:00 PM (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) 3 Answers to Questions Regarding Implementation Details Thursday, September 24, 2026, 3:00 PM 4 Expression of Intent to Participate Submission Deadline Friday, September 18, 2026 - Wednesday, September 30, 2026, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) 5 Notification of Participation Confirmation Results and Proposal Submission Request Wednesday, October 7, 2026 3 6 Proposal and Quotation Submission Period Tuesday, October 13, 2026 - Wednesday, October 21, 2026, 9:00 AM - 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) 7 Presentation Implementation Mid-November 2026 8 Notification and Publication of Review Results Early December 2026 9 Outsourcing Contract Signing January 2027 10 Preparation Period Contract Signing Date - Monday, May 31, 2027 11 Service Commencement Tuesday, June 1, 2027 5. Participation Application Businesses wishing to participate in this proposal shall follow the procedures below. (1) Documents to be Submitted ① Proposal Participation Expression of Intent Form (Form No. 1) ② Copy of Articles of Incorporation and Company Brochure ③ Copy of Corporate Registration Certificate or Certificate of Full Registration of Matters Concerning the Corporation ④ Documents confirming payment of corporate city tax, corporate prefectural tax, consumption tax, and local consumption tax (e.g., tax payment certificate) ⑤ Record of Past Performance Table (free format) and copy of contract(s) proving past performance ⑥ Copy of documents certifying acquisition of public certification related to personal information protection or public certification related to information security ⑦ Copy of license for the planned water supply facility technician ⑧ Work Experience Statement of the planned work manager (free format) (2) Number of Copies to Submit 1 copy of each document listed in (1) (3) Submission Method In person or by mail (4) Submission Period Friday, September 18, 2026 - Wednesday, September 30, 2026 Reception hours for in-person submissions shall be from 9:00 AM to 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. However, Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays are excluded. Mail submissions must be sent by registered mail and must arrive by the deadline. 4 (5) Submission Location Same as "13. Document Submission and Contact Information" (6) Notification of Participation Qualification Review Results The city will conduct a documentary review of the participation qualifications for applicants who submit the participation application. Those who meet the qualification requirements will be notified of the results via the Participation Confirmation Results Notification and Proposal Submission Request Notification. 6. Inquiries and Responses If there are any unclear points regarding the preparation of the proposal, etc., inquiries will be accepted by the following method. (1) Inquiry Content Inquiries should be regarding the content of the guidelines and outsourcing specifications, and the preparation of proposals, etc. Inquiries regarding evaluation and review will not be accepted. (2) Inquiry Submission Method Submit the inquiry content concisely in the "Proposal Inquiry Form (Form No. 2)" via email. Clearly state "Inquiry Regarding City Water and Sewerage Charges Collection Services Proposal" in the subject line. Please also contact us by phone to confirm receipt of the submission. (3) Inquiry Acceptance Period Monday, September 7, 2026, 9:00 AM - Monday, September 14, 2026, 3:00 PM (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) (4) Submission Location Same as "13. Document Submission and Contact Information" (5) Response Method Answers to submitted inquiries will be provided to the inquirer via email by 3:00 PM on Thursday, September 24, 2026, and will also be published collectively on the city's website. No further questions regarding the answers will be accepted. The answers shall have the same effect as the present guidelines. 7. Proposal Documents etc. (1) Preparation Method ① Bind the proposal with a cover page (Form No. 3) and a table of contents (free format). ② The proposal shall be A4 size, portrait orientation, horizontal writing, within 30 pages (cover page and table of contents are not included in the page count), with a font size of 11 points or larger. The cost of preparing the proposal shall be borne by the participating business. (2) Items to be Included in the Proposal The content of the proposal shall be as follows. Items for which a format is specified must be prepared according to the prescribed format. ① Company Overview and Financial Status (Form No. 4) 5 ② Record of Similar Services Received Table (Form No. 5) ③ Approach to Operational Structure and Execution Plan ④ Approach to Reception Services (Telephone, Visitors) ⑤ Approach to Meter Reading Services ⑥ Approach to Connection and Disconnection Services ⑦ Approach to Collection of Water Charges and Sewerage Fees etc. ⑧ Approach to Delinquency Management and Water Supply Suspension Services ⑨ Approach to Human Resource Development ⑩ Approach to Personal Information Protection ⑪ Approach to Crisis Management such as Disaster Prevention, Disasters, and Emergencies ⑫ Other Service Proposals (3) Submission of Proposal Quotation and Breakdown of Costs Prepare a proposal quotation (Form No. 6) and attach a breakdown of costs (free format) as its basis. (4) Submission Method In person (5) Number of Copies to Submit 11 copies (1 original, 10 copies) (6) Submission Period Tuesday, October 13, 2026 - Wednesday, October 21, 2026, between 9:00 AM and 12:00 PM and 1:00 PM and 5:00 PM (excluding Saturdays, Sundays, and public holidays) (7) Submission Location Same as "13. Document Submission and Contact Information" (8) Handling of Submitted Proposal Documents Changes, replacements, resubmissions, or withdrawals of submitted documents will not be permitted after the submission period specified in (6). (Minor changes that do not affect the review are excluded.) (9) Withdrawal of Participation If an applicant who has been notified of the proposal submission request wishes to withdraw from further participation, they may submit a "Proposal Withdrawal Notification" (Form No. 7) in one copy, in person or by mail (must arrive by deadline), by the day before the deadline for proposal submission. 8. Review Method (1) Review Method A presentation method will be used. (2) Review Date Mid-November 2026 (3) Venue etc. The date and time, venue, etc., will be notified separately to the proposer. (4) Selection Committee Vice Mayor, Director of Urban Development, Director of General Policy, Director of General Affairs, Director of Citizen Life, Director of Health and Welfare, Director of Water and Sewerage Bureau (7 members) 6 (5) Evaluation Criteria The evaluation items, perspectives, and points are as follows. The individual evaluation points of the selection committee members (100 points per member x 7 members = 700 points) will be averaged for each scoring item and converted to a 100-point scale (points for each scoring item will be rounded to the first decimal place, with the second decimal place rounded off). The price score (20 points) will be added for a total of 120 points. Evaluation Item Evaluation Content Points Business Structure etc. ① Are the approaches to operational structure and execution plan proposed? 15 Service Performance Method etc. ② Are the approaches to reception services (telephone, visitors) proposed? 15 ③ Are the approaches to meter reading services proposed? 10 ④ Are the approaches to connection and disconnection services proposed? 5 ⑤ Are the approaches to collection of water charges and sewerage fees etc. proposed? 10 ⑥ Are the approaches to delinquency management and water supply suspension services proposed? 15 ⑦ Are the approaches to human resource development proposed? 5 Personal Information Protection and Crisis Management ⑧ Are the approaches to personal information protection proposed? 10 ⑨ Are the approaches to crisis management such as disaster prevention, disasters, and emergencies proposed? 10 Other Service Proposals ⑩ Are other service proposals made? 5 Total Evaluation Points 100 Total Price Points 20 Total 120 (6) Scoring Method for Price Points Calculated using the following formula (rounded to the second decimal place). [Formula] *The benchmark amount will be defined by the selection committee at an amount lower than the upper limit. If the calculated value in parentheses (rounded to the fourth decimal place) is less than 0, it will be treated as 0 in subsequent calculations. Score (20 points) x 1 - (Proposal Amount - Benchmark Amount) / (Upper Limit Amount - Benchmark Amount) *7 (7) Benchmark Score The total evaluation score shall be 60 points or more. 9. Selection and Review Results (1) Selection Method The evaluation for selection will be conducted by the Shimotsuke City Water and Sewerage Charges Collection Services Outsourcing Proposal Selection Committee (hereinafter referred to as the "Selection Committee") to ensure fairness, transparency, and objective evaluation. The Selection Committee will review the presentations, determine the ranking in descending order of total evaluation score, and select the proposer with the highest score as the preferred contractor, and the second highest as the runner-up contractor. If there are two or more proposers with the same highest score, the proposer with the fewest lowest scores in the evaluation items will be selected as the preferred contractor and runner-up contractor in order. If there is still a tie, the proposer with the lower proposed quotation amount will be ranked higher. If there is only one proposer, that proposer will be selected as the preferred contractor if they meet the benchmark score. (2) Handling of Review Results The review results will be notified to each proposer via a review results notification and published on the city's website. The scheduled date for notification and publication of review results is early December 2026. Proposers cannot appeal the review results. 10. Contractor Selection (1) The preferred contractor identified in "9. Selection and Review Results" will engage in detailed negotiations with the city. Upon reaching an agreement in the detailed negotiations, they will submit an itemized quotation based on the final proposal, as designated by the city, and will be awarded a contract through a negotiated contract pursuant to Article 167-2, Paragraph 1, Item 2 of the Local Autonomy Act Enforcement Order. Costs incurred until the contract is concluded shall be borne by the preferred contractor. (2) The contract shall be concluded in accordance with the content and price of the proposal. (3) If the contract with the preferred contractor cannot be concluded for any of the following reasons, detailed negotiations will be held with the runner-up contractor. When holding detailed negotiations with the runner-up contractor, the procedures up to the contract in these guidelines shall be read as if the preferred contractor were the runner-up contractor. ① When the selected contractor is found to fall under Article 167-4 of the Local Autonomy Act Enforcement Order. ② When the selected contractor is subject to a designation suspension by the city. ③ When the selected contractor is disqualified for falling under the disqualification criteria listed in these guidelines after being selected. ④ When a contract cannot be concluded as a result of soliciting quotations from the selected contractor. ⑤ When the selected contractor withdraws from the contract for this project. ⑥ When the content of the proposal is determined to be impossible to implement. ⑦ When it becomes impossible to conclude a contract with the selected contractor for other reasons. 11. Disqualification Criteria If any of the following items (1) through (6) apply, the eligibility to participate in this proposal or the selection as a contractor may be revoked. 8 ① When the participation qualifications are not met. ② When false information is provided in the submitted documents. ③ When a proposal is made exceeding the upper limit specified in "2. Overview of Services" (5). ④ When actions that affect the fairness of the review are recognized. ⑤ When assistance related to the proposal is sought directly or indirectly from a review committee member or related party through means other than the procedures specified in these guidelines. ⑥ When it is recognized that these guidelines have been violated in any other way. 12. Handling of Submitted Documents Submitted proposals will not be returned. The submitted proposals will not be used without the proposer's permission. However, the secretariat may duplicate, record, and store the proposals to the extent necessary for the proposal procedures and related administrative processing. 13. Cost Bearing All costs incurred for this proposal shall be borne by the participating businesses.