Pasadena’s debt collection software has become obsolete. Now officials are asking the City Council to approve a new system.
The council will consider a contract Monday with Avenu Insights & Analytics for upgraded collections software. The five-year deal would cost up to $443,290, according to a recommendation by the Department of Finance.
The current system, Columbia Ultimate Debt Collection System, no longer receives support from its vendor, the Finance Department said. The software has been replaced by a newer version. City staff cannot maintain or update the legacy system.
Pasadena’s Municipal Services Collections Division handles delinquent accounts for property damage, ambulance services and returned checks. The division also collects on utility accounts, civil citations and various fees.
The division receives about 120 new accounts monthly. Each account averages $700. The division collected $2,034,536 in fiscal year 2025.
Staff issued a request for proposals in June. Thirty-two vendors received notification. Thirty-six downloaded the document.
Five companies submitted proposals by the July deadline. One was based in Pasadena. A committee from Finance, Water and Power, and Information Technology departments reviewed them.
The panel selected two finalists for interviews in August. Avenu Insights received the highest overall score.
The new software will track customer accounts and payment plans. It can generate letters and send automated text messages. The system includes customizable reports and dashboards.
Avenu Insights, headquartered in Virginia, was founded in 1978. The company serves more than 3,000 state and local governments nationwide. Clients include Los Angeles and Sarasota, Florida.
The company already works with Pasadena on utility users tax and transient occupancy tax management, the Finance Department said.
The contract includes a one-time implementation cost of $96,700. Funding will come from existing and future Finance Department budgets.
Get our daily Pasadena newspaper in your email box. Free.
Get all the latest Pasadena news, more than 10 fresh stories daily, 7 days a week at 7 a.m.
