Out of Area Credit System

INTRODUCTION

The primary focus of Gopher State One Call (GSOC) is public safety.  This cannot be compromised or in any way diminished.  Society is demanding more sophisticated technology be used to solve the problem of protecting the underground infrastructure.  Further, world events have increased the costs and responsibilities on organizations such as GSOC.

The 2004 uniform billing rate for GSOC tickets is competitive to other surrounding states.  When compared to states such as Wisconsin, it is substantially lower, particularly when one take into account that GSOC does not currently assess additional charges for services that are often charged in addition to the ticket cost ( data base updates, search and status, annual membership fees, per mile charges, and advertising surcharges are a few examples.)

GSOC also has a responsibility to be fiscally prudent and provide a strong and broad base of financial support.  This requires that all facility owners recognize that they must contribute towards one state wide notification center, independent of the individual benefit they may receive on each and every ticket

GSOC cannot “create” better information than it receives from the excavator.  Many excavators are well prepared, have taken extra steps to provide the most accurate information available and assist GSOC in delivering a ticket that is appropriate in size and accurately reflecting the excavation area.  Facility owners must also recognize that sometimes, the nature of the work, the remoteness of the location or other factors may prevent even a prudent excavator from narrowing the request.  Lastly, GSOC also asks that facility owners recognize that GSOC must accept tickets from parties that haven’t adequately prepared, are unclear in their request or overbroad in what they want us to do because it is prudent from a public safety standpoint to do the best we can, rather that refuse the excavator’s request and risk that they dig without a ticket.

OUT OF AREA CREDIT

1. All decisions of GSOC are final.
2. No out of area credit will be issued for the first 10 tickets meeting the out of area credit in any calendar month.
3. No credit will be issued for a ticket, if the ticket relates to the quarter section identified by the excavator ( in the case of a fax request or any other type of excavation request where the quarter section is used by the excavator as description of the area of work) if the facility owner has identified  any portion of the quarter section as part of their data base on file with GSOC
4. No credit will be issued for any cancellation or corrections.
5. No credit will be issued for a ticket mapped by GSOC if the facility owner has any facilities identified on its data base on file with GSOC within 1000 feet of the information provided by the excavator to GSOC in the call taking process.  The facility owner recognizes that the judgment of GSOC in the actual mapping of the ticket is based on their professional judgment taking into account a series of factors inherent in the call taking process. 
6. Not more than 5% of the tickets received by a facility owner in any calendar month, as indicated by the daily audit reports, can be submitted, with attached documentation and analysis for the reason for the credit, for research for potential issuance of as an out of area credit.  GSOC will research the submissions.  If it is determined that any or all of the submissions meet this criteria, credit will be issued on the subsequent month’s invoice with no assessment of a researching fee.  However, if tickets are submitted to GSOC which: (i) on their face do not meet the above criteria; (ii) when researched are not subject to credit because they do not meet the criteria; or (iii) are not asserted in good faith, then GSOC may assess a research fee of $25 per hour, plus any out-of-pocket costs incurred in conducting the research.
7. All requests for Credit must be received by GSOC within 5 business days of the end of the calendar month in which the ticket was issued.