Industry Billing & Assessments

The IUB invoices companies for two types of assessments:

Industry direct assessments reflect IUB or Office of Consumer Advocate (OCA) staff time directly related to a docket or project for a specific company.
Remainder assessments are costs for staff time that is related to work within an industry type but not billable to a specific docket.

Iowa Code § 476.10 authorizes the IUB to invoice and collect remainder and industry direct assessments based on each company's net assessable revenues as reported in its most recent Annual Report filing. The net assessable revenues used to compute the fiscal year remainder assessments are listed on an invoice sent to each utility. Direct assessments are invoiced quarterly and remainder assessments are invoiced annually.

IUB Billing Events

BILLING EVENT	PERIOD COVERED	INDUSTRY TYPE	INVOICE DATE	DUE DATE
FY23 Q1 Direct	7/1/2022-09/30/2022	All	11/09/2022	12/09/2022
FY23 Q2 Direct	10/1/2022-12/31/2022	All	02/01/2023*	03/01/2023*
CY22 Dual Party Relay Assessment	1/1/2022-12/31/2022	Telecom	05/01/2023*	06/01/2023*
FY23 Q3 Direct	1/1/2023-3/31/2023	All	05/15/2023*	06/15/2023*
FY23 Q4 Direct	4/1/2023-6/30/2023	All	08/01/2023*	09/01/2023*
FY23 Remainder	7/1/2022-6/30/2023	All	11/01/2023*	12/01/2023*

*expected

The IUB FY2023 remainder/industry direct assessment rates by industry type are:

Billing factors

To determine the billable amount for invoices, the IUB uses a billing rate that is evaluated each year. The billing rate is the hourly rate determined by staff's job classification and is designed to recover IUB’s total budgeted expenses less receipts from other sources (such as federal support, intrastate receipts, fees, licenses or permits). IUB and OCA staff track their time on an hourly basis for dockets and other projects, and the billing rate is calculated using actual salary and benefit data. Overhead costs are calculated and included in the billing rate.

The billing rate is set using a base rate times a factor as follows:

Rate-Regulated Companies

Electric Utilities — $0.0007176183 or $0.72 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
Gas Utilities — $0.0012923743 or $1.29 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
Water Utilities — $0.0004096832 or $0.41 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
Telecom Service Providers — $0.0036324413 or $3.63 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue

Non-Rate-Regulated Companies

Electric Utilities — $0.0003588092 or $0.36 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
Gas Utilities — $0.0006461871 or $0.65 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue
Telecom Service Providers — $0.0018162206 or $1.82 Per $1,000 of Assessable Revenue

Base Rate = Average Salary ÷ 1,700 Hours
Factor = FY Legislative Authorization amount as determined by Administration and Regulation Bill (SF 2385) ÷ total direct billed salaries

For current calculations used, see this FY23 Billing Rates presentation.

Payment options

Companies may pay assessment invoices electronically or by check. To pay the invoice via credit card, debit card, or ACH debit, the company must first verify it does not have a debit block on its bank account, then contact its financial institution to allow the IUB's ACH company ID numbers (426004579Q and 426004579R) to bypass the block and debit the account.

Electronic payment may be made using the State of Iowa Simple Pay site.

To pay by check, please include a copy of the invoice and mail to:

Iowa Utilities Board
ATTN: Accounting & Assessments
1375 E. Court Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50319-0069

Companies may file an objection to invoices or assessments by following IUB rules found at 199 Iowa Administrative Code 17.10.

For information or assistance, contact the IUB at 515-725-7300 or iub.billings@iub.iowa.gov.