ADDENDUM NO. 2 Dated: 03/26/13

Transcription

1 PROCUREMENT AND PROPERTY SERVICES P. O. Box NACOGDOCHES, TX REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL RFP NUMBER CCMS-FY13 ADDENDUM NO. 2 Dated: 03/26/13 PROPOSAL MUST BE RECEIVED BEFORE: 5:00PM, MONDAY, APRIL 1, 2013 MAIL PROPOSAL TO: HAND DELIVER AND/OR EXPRESS MAIL TO: Stephen F. Austin State University Stephen F. Austin State University Procurement Services Procurement Services P. O. Box Wilson Drive Nacogdoches, TX Nacogdoches, TX Show RFP Number, Due Date and Time on Return Envelope NOTE: PROPOSAL must be time stamped at Stephen F. Austin State University Procurement Services before the hour and date specified for receipt of proposal. REFER INQUIRIES TO: Diana Boubel Stephen F. Austin State University Procurement Services dboubel@sfasu.edu

2 STEPHEN F. AUSTIN STATE UNIVERSITY Request for Proposal #CCMS-FY13 ADDENDUM NO. 2 THIS ADDENDUM DOES NOT REQUIRE ACKNOWLEDGEMENT IN ORDER FOR THE RESPONSE TO RECEIVE CONSIDERATION. Please note the following responses to questions received by 1. In addition to the bid packet are there other applications / forms required in advance of placing bids with the University? If yes, how do I locate the applications / forms? Answer: No, Please see section a. Required Submittal in the RFP. 2. Based on the RFP page 4 Section 1.7 am I correct in understanding my HUB supply company cannot subcontract on this contract? Answer: Your HUB supply company can subcontract on this contract. It was determined that a HUB Subcontracting Plan does not need to be submitted. 3. Does the Credit Card Merchant provider have to be a HUB? Answer: No 4. Will a Bid Tab be available? Answer: A weighted evaluation will be provided to all respondents after finalization of award at the April board meeting. 5. Are you currently processing any face to face transactions through Touchnet (i.e. within the Business Office)? Answer: Yes, we use Touchnet cashiering in the business office. 6. If the business office is using another solution outside of Touchnet, can you provide the name of that third party and any payment gateways they may use? Answer: The paystation at UPD uses Authorize.net, Fine Arts is using Tickets.com, CPM is using Amazon.com, Athletics sales go through Fanatics Retail Group and you can also pay using PayPal as the gateway, Admissions is using PayPal 7. Is the University assessing a convenience fee on American Express as well? Answer: Yes, but only on payments made online through Touchnet gateway.

3 8. Our question is in reference to the following statement from the RFP document: Can settlement details be passed via CTX on ACH transactions? We just need clarification as to what exactly is CTX? Is this a current software that you are using for only ACH transactions? Answer: A template was used to formulate the questions for the RFP. The reference to CTX was an oversight and should not have been included. Please disregard. 9. Since the University currently processes credit cards do you require a manual close capability? Answer: Yes 10. Do you have a need to close a batch more than once a day? If so, please explain. Answer: Yes. During our heavy registration and payment periods we close and balance our cashiers multiple times during the day. 11. Since the University currently uses point-of-sale terminal(s) to process transactions, what is the make and model of the credit card terminal(s) i.e. Hypercom T7P, Verifone Omni 3750, Nurit 8320 etc.)? Answer: See Exhibit C, Item 3. For a more detailed list see Addendum Do you own, rent or lease the equipment? Answer: See Exhibit C, Item 3. For a more detailed list see Addendum How many terminals are currently deployed? Answer: See Exhibit C, Item 3. For a more detailed list see Addendum The point-of-sale terminal(s) must have a dedicated line to dial out for approvals- does your telecommunication system require a 9 to access an outside line? Answer: Yes 15. Is this dedicated line or telephone system analog or digital? Answer: Analog 16. Do you accept PIN-driven Debit cards transactions? If so, how many locations accept this type of transaction? Answer: Yes, one location with 6 machines. 17. If accepting PIN-driven transactions what kind of PIN pad do you use? i.e. Verifone PIN pad 1000se, Hypercom P1300, etc. Answer: Ingenico i6550

4 18. Do you accept transactions via a telephone-based Interactive Voice Response (IVR) system? If so, what is the name of the system, the middleware (with version) used to handle the credit card processing and vendor that provides the service? Answer: No 19. Do you use an integrated Point of Sale (POS) system to process credit cards? If so, What s the name of this system and please confirm TouchNet is used as the payment gateway / software to handling the credit card processing? Answer: Yes. We use Touchnet Cashiering and Touchnet is the payment gateway. 20. Do you process GSA/Government Procurement Cards, Corporate Cards that require Data Rate I, II or Commercial Cards that require Level II or Level III reporting? Answer: We do process GSA/Government Credit Cards. I am unsure if they require Data Rate I, II. 21. Do you process large ticket Visa/MasterCard transactions? i.e., sale amounts in excess of $ per transaction? Answer: Yes 22. Since the University accepts credit card payments on-line please confirm you use TouchNet as the payment gateway? Answer: Yes, Touchnet is the payment gateway. 23. Do any of the locations issue Gift Cards? If not, would the University be interested in receiving some information about the program? Answer: No 24. Who is the current provider of the credit card processing service? Answer: Bank of America 25. At various points the RFP asks for transaction fees. We would expect SFAU to be asking only about one fee. Are you being charged numerous fees at this time, and if so why? Answer: We are being charged multiple fees depending on the transaction type, by department.

5 26. Is the RFP asking only for bids on credit card processing that goes through TouchNet? Why is SFAU requesting an RFP credit card for processing costs when they are not incurring such costs because of the convenience fee, which goes to TouchNet? Answer: Touchnet processes the online student tuition and fee payments for a convenience fee. Different departments across the university may accept credit card fees (for example, the fine arts box office tickets), and those payments are not run through Touchnet. 27. Or, is it asking for the best pricing for processing because SFAU intends to keep the profit from the convenience fees for themselves? Answer: The fee we have assessed as a convenience fee is what Touchnet charges us for processing the student online payments. We currently do not charge a convenience fee for other payments we receive. 28. General Answer: The Schedule of Fees worksheet is a template designed to standardize the terminology of fees that will be charged in order to facilitate comparisons between respondents. We realize not all fees may apply depending on services offered or recommended in the RFP, nor may the template include all fees. In cases where the fee does not apply to services being quoted or where no fee is separately assessed, please note with either N/A or $0.00. In cases where a fee listed is already included in another category, a notation to this fact will help us in our evaluation. In cases where a fee is not represented in the table, please add. The university realizes that the credit card industry is continually evolving, we will look to recommendations offered by respondents to improve our current set up and best serve our customers. The university is currently being charged various fees, below is a sample of fees currently being assessed to the university through our current merchant. Please be advised that we are unable to disclose specific amounts for fees. Requests for specific amounts should be submitted through a public information request and the response may take up to 60 days.

6 Sample Fees: VISA NETWORK APF VS VSP CNP VS ISA VS PREMIUM CARD MC CRBDR DOMESTIC FEE MC NABU FEE MC INT COM PM MC FOREIGN STD DS COMM ELEC DS EMRG MKT P+ DS DATA USAGE FEE MC MERIT 1 MC PUBLIC SECTOR MC MERIT3 DS EMG MKT MC HV MERIT 1 MC COMM DR 2 MC ENH MERIT I MC WRD MERIT I VS CHECK CARD VS CPS/RETAIL 2 VS BUS ELECT VS BUS ENH ELEC VS FOREIGN STANDARD MC ELITE MERIT 1 VISANET AUTHORIZATIONS AMEX AUTHORIZATIONS 29. On p. 13, FINANCIAL PROPOSAL SCHEDULE OF FEES, under Processor Levied Fees, the RFP asks for Debit Card network Fee. We are not clear what the RFP is asking for. We do not charge a debit card network fee. Are you presently being charged this fee, and if so, how much? Answer: It is very difficult to establish whether we are currently being charged this fee or not. We have a NABU fee.

7 30. Next item on same page, Proprietary Card Transactions. Does SFAU already have a proprietary card? If so, what type and for what purpose? Answer: No, see general answer 31. Next item on same page, Discount Rate Qualified We re not clear what s being asked. This category is consistent with tiered rates, but not with Interchange Plus. Please clarify. 32. Next item on same page, Discount Rate - Non-Qualified We re not clear what s being asked. This category is consistent with tiered rates, but not with Interchange Plus. Please clarify. 33. Next item on same page, ACH Fees Please clarify: Is this question about settlement of credit card purchases/daily closeout fees or about transfer of funds? ACH can be defined either way. Answer: Please provide both if applicable 34. Next item on same page, Per authorization Fee This is already included in item 2, Credit Card Transaction fee, unless you are already being charged this fee. Is SFAU presently paying this fee? Is this a split transaction (revenue would go to the U, fees would go to processor)? 35. Next item on same page, Voice and VRU Authorization We expect this to be a rare event for SFAU. About how often does SFAU need to use this? Answer: Currently we are not using voice authorization; however, the university would like to be made aware of charges for future consideration. See general answer 36. Next item on same page, Dial Up Are you being charged extra fees now? 37. Next item on same page, Wireless fees We don t see in the proposal that the SFAU has a wireless terminal, so we re wondering why are you asking about wireless fees? Is this something you re looking to add?

8 38. Next item on same page, Processing of Diners Club Cards Are you being charged extra now? 39. Last item under Processor Levied Fees, Non-Qualified Surcharges Please clarify was previous processor charging for this? This category is consistent with tiered rates, not interchange 40. On p. 13, Pass-through Fees, Interchange Fees based on type capture and merchant category code Please clarify These are set fees that do not vary from provider to provider. What is your current experience with these fees with your present provider? 41. Assessment Fees - Already included in original assessment fees. Please clarify. Is the SFAU now paying additional assessment fees? 42. Under Assessment Fees, Visa per transaction Is this another instance in which the SFAU is asking about multiple transaction fees, when there is really only one under Interchange Plus? 43. Or is there a gateway that the RFP is not mentioning? Answer: We have payments that are processed by Gateways other than Touchnet. They include: Amazon.com, Authorize.net, Tickets.com, and PayPal. 44. First Data North is a platform for merchant accounts. The platform is free, but a gateway has charges. Is there a gate way on the SFAU side 1) that we have to integrate with, 2) that would incur these extra costs and 3) for which we have to provide a figure in the bid? Is there an extra gateway that isn t mentioned in this RFP? Answer: SFA does not process credit card payments except through the above mentioned. 45. American Express Fees - Is SFAU aware that AmEx has public sector prices? If so, and this is your present processing cost, it s best for the SFAU to use its existing AmEx merchant number. If not, we suggest that you go directly through AmEx and enroll in this program.

9 46. P. 14, under Terminal and PC Services, Pinpads Under the Durbin amendment, most merchants get a lower rate by simply swiping check/debit card as opposed to putting in PIN number. Is SFAU aware that due to Durbin Amendment, you probably don t want to use the pinpad? 47. P. 14, under Terminal and PC Services, Software Please clarify. SFAU already has software (TouchNet) for processing. We would not expect to replace any of that software. As per the RFP are we supposed to be providing software? 48. Are you looking for an alternative to the software you presently have? Answer: Recommendations proposed by the respondent that will assist the university in best serving our customers will be considered. See general answer 49. P. 14, under Account Opening and Maintenance Services, Interface software fees by product Please clarify what information this line is asking bidders to provide. SFAU already has software for processing. We would not expect to replace any of that software. 50. P. 14, under Account Opening and Maintenance Services, Interim account opening fees Please clarify what information this line is asking bidders to provide. There should be no interim account opening fee. 51. P. 14, On-site training Is this a requirement? 52. P. 16, Section F, Authorization, Question #4, re limitations on processing. We have no limitations in any of the categories named in this question. Is SFAU experiencing any such limitations now? Answer: No. We need to be able to settle multiple times during the day during our high registration periods. We must be aware of any settlement limitations if they exist. 53. P. 17, under Settlement Processing, item 7, Is settlement made by direct account credit, ACH or Fed wire? Can settlement details be passed via CTX on ACH transactions? How are funds currently being settled for the SFAU? What bank are you using? Answer: Our current processor provides daily ACH deposits to our local bank.

10 54. P. 18, under H. TICKET RETRIEVAL AND CHARGEBACKS, item 4, Describe the chargeback cycle. What percentage of chargebacks is handled without merchant involvement? 0% Please clarify this question. Answer: When a customer issues a chargeback, the merchant must be involved to supply necessary data and circumstances that created the chargeback. How does SFAU currently handle chargebacks? SFASU receives paperwork from the different card company. We then investigate the charge and determine what department actually processed the charge. We then make copies of the sales slip or print a copy from the internet if the charge was processed on the web. An explanation of the charge and which student or web purchaser the charge affects and what they were actually paying for or purchasing. This information along with the case number is then returned to the card company for processing. Then we wait to hear back from the card company as to whether the charge will be returned to SFA or the cardholder. Once we receive this information, SFA determines whether to place a charge on the students account or charge the department for the loss of revenue. 55. P. 18, under H. TICKET RETRIEVAL AND CHARGEBACKS, item 5, How often are chargebacks reversed? Chargeback reversal varies from merchant to merchant. What is SFAU s current percentage of chargebacks that are reversed? Answer: Approximately 30% of the time. 56. P. 20, under information Reporting, item 1. Describe all reports available and the software used to receive and view reports. Provide an overview of reporting cycles, procedures, and capabilities. Provide a sample of each detail and summary report available or a link to sample reports online. Are all information and all reports available on the Internet? Does the SFAU s existing system provide these reports? It should. If not we can provide these reports. Answer: SFA currently receives various reports. Please list the various reports you can provide and the formats that are available.