Budget Mailer

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This service provides for the creation, printing and mailing of the district's 6-day School Budget Notice to every district household showing annual school budget amounts, percentage of increase/decrease, location, date and time of the budget vote, contingency and STAR information. A WNYRIC liaison works with NYSED to determine most current data requirements for mailers.

Districts may print via a third party mailing service, or on their own in-district printer. The full sheet mailers are folded and tabbed. Vendor-printed notices may be drop shipped in bulk to the district for local distribution, or mailed using the RIC postal code. The WNYRIC works consistently with the Buffalo Post Office to secure the lowest bulk mailing rates available at the time of mailing. Mail-by dates for RIC-printed mailers must be at least 6 days in advance of delivery date to allow for printing, handling and mail time.

Details Requirements Responsibilities Service Level Agreement

This service may be used by any New York State school district.

Deliverables:

Web-accessible application for district to create, save, edit, print budget mailers annually.
Budget Mailers printed at the WNYRIC are printed on White Card Stock.
Full sheet mailers.
Multiple address options available.
Creation of labels from district-supplied electronic file if requested for full-sheet.
Folding, tabbing, sorting by postal route, delivery to Buffalo Post Office, if desired
Mailing using WNYRIC postal code or district code if desired.
UPS or hand delivery to district's local post office if desired.

Pricing:

Fee is calculated per form printed. Bulk rate postage will be added at cost if WNYRIC postal code is charged. UPS charges will be added if completed mailers are shipped directly to local post office branches or to district office. Additional fees for third party mailing service, customization of forms or special print shop features will be added to billing.

Options:

Districts may choose to add the following at an additional cost:

1. Creation and application of mailing labels from district-supplied electronic file, or pickup and application of district-produced labels.

2. UPS Shipping of sorted mailers to local Post Office branches or directly to district office to use district's postal codes.

Hardware: Internet capable computer; for in-district printing of mailers, a networked printer is needed

Software: Internet software and Internet Service Provider.

DISTRICT RESPONSIBILITIES:

Notify the WNYRIC of any problems with software or networking, training needs or difficulties.
Purchase necessary hardware and Internet connections.
Designate one district contact person whose task it will be to oversee the ongoing needs of the district and act as a liaison with the WNYRIC.
Notify the WNYRIC when this person changes.
Enter the district's budgetary figures, STAR and voting information on the application screens, verify for correctness and print a draft copy for final authorization.
For mailers printed by the WNYRIC, complete, verify and request printing of mailers at least 12 days prior to annual budget vote date.
Provide the WNYRIC staff with an accurate, verified annual list of school district (not county) postal routes or electronic file for residential mailing labels.
For mailers sent to district's local Post Office using a district Postal account, maintain a balance in district Post Office account to cover mailing if that account is to be used for budget mailer forms.

WNYRIC RESPONSIBILITIES:

Provide access to software and periodic upgrades
Provide documentation for district employees.
Provide one day of district wide training in the first year.
Provide three hours of district wide online training during each subsequent year.
Provide training at a per diem rate
Provide phone support and assistance.
Notification of district staff prior to the start of the mailing season.
Liaison with NYSED to determine most current data requirements for mailers.
Provide a means for purchasing hardware necessary to utilize this service at bid prices.
RIC staff maintain strict confidentiality while performing their duties for this and all services.

Data Backup: Budget Mailer data is backed up each night using Tivoli Storage Manager (TSM). TSM backup data for this node is retained for at least 21 days. The WNYRIC tests restores once per year. Media condition is monitored regularly and media is replaced as needed. Any data that is backed up by the WNYRIC TSM service is backed up to disk (IBM DS storage in server room) using IBM TSM software and then an onsite and offsite tape copy are created. The offsite copy is taken to the WNYRIC storage site at a secure location in Western New York and the onsite is kept in the WNYRIC automated tape library at the service center.

The WNYRIC utilizes cost effective best practices determined by research that allows our experienced and trained technical staff to perform robust testing and support of the WNYRIC network in the areas of security, infrastructure, energy management, virtualization strategies, disaster recovery and business continuity. Therefore, we are able to be a district advocate for vendor contract issues and aggressively negotiate contract pricing and performance terms.

Staff follow best practices in order to provide necessary security as it relates to the most recent student, teacher and principal data security and privacy regulations.

Service Desk can be reached Monday –Friday from 7:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. by calling (716) 821-7171, 1-800-872-0780 or by e-mail at servicedesk@e1b.org. A representative will be available from 4:30 p.m. through 11:00 p.m to assist you with calls regarding emergency situations. During all other hours and holidays, a caller will receive important information regarding coverage.

"Staff follow best practices in order to provide necessary security as it relates to the most recent student data security and privacy regulations".