The City currently utilizes merchant services providers and gateways in processing the City’s receipts at several points of sales including cashiering, online, pay by phone, and autopay. These receipts are collected for the City’s revenues including, but not limited to parking, utilities, City bills, permits, Resort Tax, Parks & Recreation fees, and Police Off-Duty Billing. The numerous gateways and merchant providers were selected based on either the conformity to the billing application, IT infrastructure, or capabilities at the time of selection. The variety of payment sources utilized by the City has directly impacted the amount of gateways engaged, and provides various operational challenges. Therefore, the City requires a Consultant to review, analyze and provide recommendations on the current merchant services environment, in order to improve the City’s operational efficiencies. 

In order to assure that the City is processing credit card processing services in the most streamlined and cost effective (as well as assuring internal controls), proposals are being sought from consultant(s) with comprehensive knowledge of the merchant services industry to assist the City, including, but not limited to the following three (3) areas:  1) reviewing, evaluating and reporting on the City’s present merchant services processes and procedures, 2) provide recommendations for possible improvements and efficiencies, including within existing credit card processing applications, and 3) provide recommendations for obtaining lower associated merchant fees.

Merchant services providers and gateways are currently used in processing City revenues including cashiering (both in-person and online), parking, utilities, City Bills, EnerGov Invoices (EnerGov is a permitting software system), Resort Tax, Parks & Recreation, and Police Off-Duty Billing. The City uses numerous gateways and merchant providers that were selected based on either the conformity to the billing application, IT infrastructure, or capabilities at the time of selection.

The Consultant shall be required to review, develop, analyze and report on the City’s current merchant processing and gateway systems, while also providing strategic recommendations in regards to cost efficiencies, industry best practices, infrastructure vulnerability and security enhancements. The Consultant shall also provide recommendations on the practice of transferring merchant fees from the City to the customer, commonly utilized in other municipalities. 

The Consultant shall be required to provide the City with a report of their independent assessment of the City’s merchant processing and gateway systems. The report shall include considerations and recommendations for improvements and enhancements to critical and standard infrastructure, vulnerability spaces, identified security weaknesses, and shall alert the City to any banking/credit card compliance requirements. At the Consultant’s request, the City will provide the Consultant with all necessary current and historical data, payment channels, merchants, related providers, and pertinent financial information, as allowed by the City.

Additionally, the Consultant shall meet with City staff in-person as often as the City requires such meetings. Meetings may be conducted, at the City’s discretion, by phone, email, or web-conferencing. The City desires to be advised of alternative payment gateway services and available payment solutions in order to achieve the maximum results of the RFQ requirements, and further the City’s strategic goals. The Consultant may be expected to be available to assist the City with the implementation of such solutions.

·        SUBMITTAL REQUIREMENTS.  Please Reference Section 0300, Page 13, RFQ 2018-005-JC Merchant Industry Consulting Services.

·        CRITERIA FOR EVALUATION.  Please Reference Section 0400, Page 15, RFQ 2018-005-JC Merchant Industry Consulting Services.