| (a) Each telecommunications services user shall be
billed for its respective use of telecommunications goods and services
on a monthly basis. Telecommunications services users will be billed
for the following:
(1) variable recurring costs for usage sensitive services;
(2) fixed recurring costs for non-usage sensitive services;
(3) telecommunications services user's proportionate
use of common telecommunications services, operational costs, administrative
costs and/or equipment for said services provided to all or some users;
(4) telecommunications services user's nonrecurring
charges for any telecommunications services and/or equipment provided
by the department;
(5) employee fringe benefits; and
(6) bill rate intervention.
(b) Each telecommunications services user shall notify
the department in writing within twenty-one (21) days of receipt of
a billing of any errors in the bill, including all requests for additional
time to research billing issues. All telecommunications services user
requests for additional time beyond the twenty-one (21) day period
are subject to written approval by the Chief Financial Officer of
the department, or designee. The notice must provide details as to
the nature of the error and all information the user may have to assist
in resolution of the error(s). All allegations of errors in bills
must be based on a good-faith belief that the charges in question
are not the responsibility of the user. Each telecommunications services
user shall make payment in the amount of the bill not found to be
in error within thirty (30) days of receipt pursuant to the Prompt
Payment Act, Chapter 2251, Government Code. Upon resolution of the
alleged error(s), if the telecommunications services user owes the
department, the payment shall be paid within ten (10) days of the
date of resolution. Upon resolution of the alleged error, if the billing
was found to be in error, the department shall make a notation in
the user's billing record and no further collection attempts shall
be undertaken against the user.
(c) In order to maintain sufficient amounts in the
telecommunications revolving account to make timely payments to the
telecommunications service providers, the department may require any
telecommunications services users to make advance payments based on
80% of the average of each user's prior three-month billing exclusive
of charges described in subsection (a)(4) of this section. Advance
payments which are not equal to the actual amount due for the subsequent
payment period will be adjusted accordingly.
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