MERCHANT CARD PROCESSING SERVICES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION

Transcription

1 COLLEGE OF WESTERN IDAHO REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS MERCHANT CARD PROCESSING SERVICES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION RFP RESPONSE DUE: DECEMBER 1, 2017 AT 5:00 P.M. Mail sealed proposals to: College of Western Idaho Attn: RFP Merchant Card Processing Services MS 1000, P.O. Box 3010 Nampa, ID FED Ex, UPS or Hand Deliver to Physical Address: College of Western Idaho Attn: RFP Merchant Card Processing Services 6056 Birch Lane, Suite 200 Nampa, ID Page 1 of 38

2 CONTENTS 1. SCOPE OF RFP Authority Current Operations Summary of Services INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS Submittal Directions Schedule of Events Contact with College Personnel Proposal Opening Errors in Proposals Withdrawing Proposals Limitations Public Records SUBMITTAL INCLUSIONS Proposal Format Proposal Content Eligibility for Award PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND AWARD Evaluation Criteria Unresposive Proposals Discussions/Negotiations Interview Contract Period Contract Award COMPANY DESCRIPTION Staff Resources Financials References PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS E-Commerce Gateway Processes Authorization Processing Settlement Processing Page 2 of 38

3 6.4 Disputed Card Items Debit Card Processing Student Tuition and Fee Processing Reporting Implementation and Timeline Customer Training and Support Security and Disaster Recovery Transition Plan Fees ADDITIONAL OR OPTIONAL SERVICES 22 APPENDIX A MERCHANT CARD PROCESSING SERVICE FEE SCHEDULE 23 APPENDIX B TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT 26 APPENDIX C INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS 31 APPENDIX D DATA SECURITY AGREEMENT 32 APPENDIX E CONFLICT OF INTEREST/DEBARMENT 37 APPENDIX F SIGNATURE BLOCK 38 Page 3 of 38

4 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS MERCHANT CARD PROCESSING SERVICES FOR HIGHER EDUCATION INSTITUTION 1. SCOPE OF RFP The College of Western Idaho (CWI/College) is a public, open-access and comprehensive community college, providing higher education programs to residents of Western Idaho, with campuses currently located in Nampa and Boise, Idaho. CWI is committed to providing affordable access to quality teaching and learning. CWI offers a full range of academic and professionaltechnical courses leading to an Associate of Arts or Science degree, transfer degrees, professionaltechnical degrees, continuing education, and certificates. CWI also offers basic academic skills to help prepare for a GED, dual credit for high school students, and fast-track career training for working professionals. CWI s credit and debit card transactions are generally payments made to the College for student tuition and fees. The College of Western Idaho accepts credit cards at four locations for student payments (CWI One Stops), in addition to online payment for our students. The College s present system also processes ACH electronic checks. Currently there are no convenience fees applied to student transactions, however, the college may require the new merchant service provider, within the proper payment card industry standards, to support the application of convenience fees for all credit and debit card transactions including tuition and related student fees. As CWI grows and expands its services will need to include more Traditional Retail transactions such as sale of merchandise, special events, food and beverage, and other sales where the College is charged for all the costs and fees associated with accepting payments from credit and debit card transactions. The successful Vendor will be able to support both student payments and retail transactions, assist the College in a review of payment operations to ensure compliance with all rules and standards related to convenience fees, monitor and update payment card industry standards, present a pricing model that is acceptable and competitive, and minimize the fees paid. 1.1 AUTHORITY This RFP is issued under Idaho Code et seq., and Idaho Code Section (2). All proposals submitted in response to this solicitation shall be subject to the State of Idaho procurement law. Both state and federal law prohibits bribes, gratuities and kick-backs. All responses to this Request for Proposals become the property of the College and will become public information upon completion of the contract negotiation process unless exempt under the law. Primary responsibility for administration of the merchant card services agreement resides with the Vice President of Finance and Administration and the Comptroller who will monitor the Page 4 of 38

5 Vendor s performance against provisions of the agreement, including the Vendor s proposal submitted in the response to this RFP. The Vice President and Comptroller will also be responsible for administering the agreement with respect to day-to-day activities. A list of College personnel authorized to deal directly with the Vendor will be provided following award of contract. The Vendor shall provide the College with a similar list of authorized personnel. 1.2 CURRENT OPERATIONS For the period of July 2016 through June 2017 the college processed over $9 million in credit card payments. Transaction volume is over 20,000 transactions per year. The average ticket is approximately $450. CWI accepts MasterCard, VISA, and Discover at all locations. All transactions are processed as credit or debit. The College does not presently have pin capability. Student payment transactions are entered into the College s ERP system Ellucian Colleague. ACI is the current payment gateway. Merchant fees are debited to our settlement bank account daily. We have access to detailed statements for each merchant account on a daily and monthly basis. The College currently has minimal chargeback activity. CWI also processes student checks electronically through the Federal Reserve Bank s Automated Clearing House (ACH) system. 1.3 SUMMARY OF SERVICES The following is a summary of the desired Merchant Card Services that must be provided by the Vendor: Electronic payment processing services by credit/debit card payments and ACH electronic check through internet interface over the web Client web application with ability to provide financial management for monitoring transactions Provide processing services for MasterCard, VISA, Discover and American Express Validate bank transit routing number, validate ACH eligibility of bank transit routing number. Provide client services and products to address all payment needs for the College Confirm dollar amount of each payment and the corresponding convenience fees associated with all payments Have the ability for additional options for College clubs and other events, and the technology to take miscellaneous payments either on site or off site with mobile devices Ability to set up PCI compliant machines at College locations Have ability to set up storefront for miscellaneous events Real time reporting and timely billing on all products for ease of reconciliation Settlements and deposits to CWI bank within 24 hours. Page 5 of 38

6 Process refunds through Ellucian Colleague interface for previous credit card payments Provide efficient customer service and on demand support Comply with PCI security specifications Provide and maintain current technology services for payment processing Storefront capability On-line payment option for third party Accounts Receivable (AR) types in addition to student accounts Chip processing capability. 2. INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS 2.1 SUBMITTAL DIRECTIONS All proposals will be forwarded by subject line RFP Merchant Card Processing Services and should be directed to RFP Coordinator, Janet Gonzalez, at Vendor s will receive a response that proposal was received. If this response is not received by Vendor, call (208) Five sets in hard copy format of the proposal is also required. Both electronic version and hard copies must be submitted on or before December 1, 2017 at 5:00 PM MT to either of the addresses shown below: Mail to: College of Western Idaho Attn: RFP Merchant Card Processing Services MS 1000, P.O. Box 3010 Nampa, ID or Fed Ex, UPS or Hand deliver to Physical Address: College of Western Idaho Attn: RFP Merchant Card Processing Services 6056 Birch Lane, Suite 200 Nampa, ID Vendors are responsible for ensuring that proposals are received at CWI by the due date and time as stated above, whether electronic, mailed, parcel or hand delivered. Proposals must be in a sealed package. Proposals received after the designated time and date indicated will not be considered for evaluation. Page 6 of 38

7 2.2 SCHEDULE OF EVENTS Event Date and Time 1 Request for Proposal Issued and Advertised October 31, November 1, November 2 and November 7, 2017 Question Period Ends November 17, 2017 Proposals Due December 1, 2017 Proposal Opening Date December 4, 2017 Evaluation Period December 4, 2017 to December 22, 2017 Tentative Interviews/Demonstrations for Top Ranked Vendors January 4 and January 5, 2018 Intent to Award January 8, 2018 Tentative Commencement of Contract January 22, The noted dates and times are tentative and subject to change. 2.3 CONTACT WITH COLLEGE PERSONNEL All communications by Vendor shall be made via the below named contact. No other communication with CWI should occur until interviews have been scheduled. Address all communications in writing or concerning this RFP to: Contact Name: Janet Gonzalez, RFP Coordinator Address: MS 1000, P.O. Box 3010, Nampa, ID Address: janetgonzalez@cwidaho.cc Please enter as the subject line of your Q&A RFP Merchant Card Processing Services All questions must be submitted by November 17, 2017 at 5:00PM MT. If you do not intend to submit a question but would like to receive the question/answer document, please send an and use the subject line Q&A RFP Merchant Card Processing Services. Answers to questions will be posted on CWI web site under Purchasing Notices. No other communication of questions and answers will be made. Page 7 of 38

8 The College reserves the right to modify the Scope and Specifications of this RFP, as circumstances require. The RFP and all subsequent addenda may be found at the CWI website. It will be the responsibility of potential respondents to check for updates/amendments at: PROPOSAL OPENING All proposals received by the time and due date will be publicly opened by representatives of the Evaluation Committee on December 4, 2017 at 9:00 AM MT at the CWI Administration Building, 6056 Birch Lane, Suite 200, Nampa, Idaho. At the time of opening, only the names of the Vendors will be shared. Upon receipt of proposals, an evaluation committee will select qualified candidates based on criteria contained herein. The RFP Evaluation Committee reserves the option to request a presentation from the Vendor(s). 2.5 ERRORS IN PROPOSALS The College will not be liable for any errors in proposals. Modifications to proposals will not be accepted after the deadline. 2.6 WITHDRAWING PROPOSALS Vendors may withdraw a proposal at any time prior to the deadline by submitting an to janetgonzalez@cwidaho.cc sent by an authorized representative of the Vendor. After withdrawing a proposal, the Vendor may submit another proposal at any time prior to the proposal due date. 2.7 LIMITATIONS The College will not be obligated in any way by any Vendor s response to this RFP. The selection of a Proposal and the accompanying award of a contract are to be based on evaluation criteria established in this RFP and described in the Evaluation and Award Section. The selection is at the sole discretion of the College. The issuance of this RFP does not constitute an assurance that any contract will actually be entered into by any parties and the College expressly reserves the right to: Request additional information and data from any or all Vendors Supplement, amend, or otherwise modify the RFP or cancel this request with or without the substitution of another RFP. Page 8 of 38

9 2.7.3 Disqualify any Vendor who fails to provide information or data requested herein or who provides inaccurate or misleading information or data Disqualify any Vendor on the basis of any real or apparent conflict of interest Disqualify any Vendor on the basis of past performance on other projects The College may negotiate with any Vendor to this RFP and shall have the sole discretion to choose the best combination of qualifications and price for the project and services described in this RFP The College shall have the sole discretion to select one or none of the vendors to provide the services, or portions thereof, as described in this RFP. 2.8 PUBLIC RECORDS Pursuant to Idaho Code section et seq., information or documents received by the College of Western Idaho in proposals from the respondents may be open to public inspection and copying following the announcement of a contract award, unless exempt from disclosure. If a Proposal contains any information that is considered exempt under Idaho Code et seq., such information must be clearly marked with the following clause: This information is exempt under the Idaho Public Records Act. The College assumes no liability for disclosure of proprietary material submitted by a respondent. If the exempt status of this information is challenged, the information will not be released, if and only if, the respondent executes an agreement to defend and indemnify the College. A respondent shall not label an entire document as exempt merely because a portion of that document is or may be a trade secret. If a Proposal is marked as exempt in its entirety, it will be considered public record in its entirety, and will be disclosed, if requested. 3. SUBMITTAL INCLUSIONS 3.1 PROPOSAL FORMAT Each official paper response should be bound separately in a simple, effective manner, and printed on standard 8½ x 11 inch paper clearly indicating the name, phone number and address of the Vendor contact(s) responsible for the proposal, along with the company name, address, phone number, fax number, and web address. The Vendor must provide written, point-by-point narrative responses to each proposal requirement; simply stating "agreed" or "complies" is not acceptable. Supplemental technical information, product literature, and other supporting materials that further explain or demonstrate the Vendor s capabilities may also be included within the proposal response. Page 9 of 38

10 All Vendors to this RFP are responsible for all costs associated with the preparing of their proposal, answering all questions, and providing the College with requested information. CWI is under no obligation to incur or reimburse any Vendor for any proposal costs. 3.2 PROPOSAL CONTENT The proposals should include a detailed table of contents that follows these sections: Section 5, Company Description; Section 6, Proposal Requirements; Section 7, Additional or Optional Services; and the Appendices (A-F). This will allow the Evaluators to more objectively compare proposals. All proposals should respond directly to all requirements and questions posed in these sections of this RFP and comment on capabilities to meet such requirements. The emphasis should be on clarity and brevity. Any additional material that Vendor deems necessary should be attached as appendices. 3.3 ELIGIBILITY FOR AWARD In order for a Vendor to be eligible for an awarded contract, the proposal must be responsive to this RFP and the Evaluators must be able to determine that the Vendor is responsible and has the resources and capacity to perform the resulting contract satisfactorily. Eligible Vendors, at a minimum, must meet the following requirements: Have adequate financial resources, or the ability to obtain such resources as required during the performance of any resulting contract Be able to comply with the required performance schedule, taking into consideration all existing business commitments Have a satisfactory record of past performance Have necessary personnel and management capable of performing requirements on a resulting contract Be qualified as an established vendor regularly engaged in the type of business necessary to fulfill the contract requirements Have experience in Higher Education services Be otherwise qualified and eligible to receive an award under applicable laws and regulations. 4. PROPOSAL EVALUATION AND AWARD 4.1 EVALUATION CRITERIA An Evaluation Committee will carefully review all proposals submitted to determine which proposal best meets the needs of the College. CWI may choose to use competitive negotiations to develop the final contract or agreement with the company whose proposal best suits the needs of the College, based upon the sole discretion of the Evaluators. Proposals will be evaluated based on the requirements outlined in this RFP. Section 2, Instructions to Vendors, and Section 3, Submittal Inclusions, will be evaluated as Pass or Fail. Page 10 of 38

11 Proposals receiving a Fail for these sections will be deemed non-responsive and will not be evaluated. The Evaluation Committee may not make their decision solely on the basis of cost. The Committee will use the following criteria to evaluate each proposal on their responses. The Vendors receiving the most points totaled from the evaluation may be considered for an interview. The number of Vendors to be interviewed is at the discretion of the Evaluation Committee. Criteria Vendor meets requirements of Section 2 and 3. Company Description demonstrates experience, staff support and adequate financial stability. Points P/F 10 E-Commerce Gateway application features. 20 System processes. 20 Reporting features. 20 Implementation, Training and Support. 20 Security and Disaster Recovery plan. 20 Customer Service. 20 Vendor s fees are reasonable, clearly detailed, and cover all possible costs. 30 Total Possible Points UNRESPOSIVE PROPOSALS Proposals not meeting the following requirements may be deemed unresponsive and may not be afforded consideration: A submitted proposal may be deemed unresponsive if the Vendor does not specifically offer all services as specified in the RFP The proposal must acknowledge that all services, terms and conditions specified in this proposal are included in the quoted price The proposal must state that this RFP and the proposal submitted by the Vendor in response to this RFP will be made a material part of any contract executed. Page 11 of 38

12 4.3 DISCUSSIONS/NEGOTIATIONS The College reserves the right to conduct discussions with Vendors, to accept revisions of proposals, to negotiate price changes, or to negotiate separately with any source whatsoever, if no acceptable proposals are submitted in order to best serve the interests of CWI. 4.4 INTERVIEW The College may choose to interview a short listed group of Vendors and may require a demonstration of the Vendor s Merchant Card Processing system in order to make an award recommendation. Vendors with the highest scores based on proposal review, will be interviewed against a set of standard questions (same questions for all short-listed proposers) and/or clarifying questions (proposal-specific with the intent to clarify issues), and shall be evaluated according to the following criteria and points: Understanding of the College s Requirements 20 Relevant Experience 20 Unique Qualifications 20 Overall Approach, Methodology, and Ability to Perform Contract 20 Costs for Services 20 Total Points: CONTRACT PERIOD The intent of this RFP is to contract with the successful Vendor for a period of three (3) years beginning upon signing of the contract, with the option to renew for an additional two (2) years. At the end of the third year, the College shall have the option to renew based on performance review and criteria identified in Section 4.1 Evaluation Criteria. The contract may be extended under the same terms and conditions for one (1) year intervals. Such option to renew must be in writing. 4.6 CONTRACT AWARD The award, if any, shall be made to the Vendor whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to the College based on the evaluation factors described in the RFP. Price, although a consideration, may not be the sole determining factor. The College will name the apparent successful respondent(s) in a Notice of Intent to Award. Identification of the apparent successful Page 12 of 38

13 respondent is procedural only and creates no right in the named Vendor to award of the contract. All respondents will be provided evaluation results and notified in writing of the selection of the apparent successful Vendor. The resultant contract will constitute the College s acceptance of the signed and dated proposal in response to the Request for Proposals Merchant Card Services. The RFP, it s Appendices and any amendments, and the Proposal submitted by the successful Vendor will be incorporated into and become the contract. The contract, in its incorporated, composite form, represents the entire agreement between the Vendor and College and supersedes all prior negotiations, representations, understandings or agreements, either written or oral. Where Vendor s proposal differs or conflicts with from CWI s Request for Proposal (RFP) or Appendices, as provided in this solicitation, the terms and conditions of this RFP shall apply. Where Vendor s proposal or the special Merchant Card Processing service agreements, licenses, maintenance terms or other terms supplements the terms and conditions of this RFP and Appendices, the supplemental terms and conditions shall apply only if specifically reviewed, approved and accepted by the College in a written Addendum. License, service, maintenance or any other type of agreements desired by the Vendor to be signed by the College, are only binding upon the College to the extent they are in full agreement with the RFP terms and conditions and have been specifically reviewed, approved, and accepted by the College in writing. This RFP does not commit to awarding a contract, pay any costs incurred in the preparation of a proposal, or contract for the services described herein. 5. COMPANY DESCRIPTION The College will need to understand the knowledge and support your company has to provide the College of Western Idaho s merchant service needs. Please provide a detailed description of the Vendor s experience and the services it can provide. 5.1 STAFF RESOURCES Vendor must include an explanation of company staff resources and how those staff resources will adequately meet the College s merchant card processing service needs. This should include the following: One point of contact for all services Key staff the college will work with on various steps of service (implementation, training, ongoing merchant card services, maintenance, technical advisor..). 5.2 FINANCIALS Vendors are required to provide copies of their latest two (2) years of audited financial statements (for privately held companies) or current SEC form 10-K (for publicly held companies) along with a current D&B Comprehensive Insight Plus credit report or current Experian ProfilePlus report, and the appropriate NAICS code or SIC code. The College will review the Vendor financials as a pass/fail item for evaluation purposes. If your organization is selected Page 13 of 38

14 to provide CWI s Merchant Card Processing Services, the College will also require a copy of your SOC 2 Report. The Vendor should stamp Exempt or Confidential on each page of financial information that it does not want released. The information will be held in confidence to the extent that law allows. 5.3 REFERENCES For references, include at least three (3) clients with whom the Vendor has work experience that is similar in nature, including convenience fees, to the services being requested by this RFP, and are within the last three (3) years from the date of this RFP. Include contact name, title, address, telephone number, and address for each reference. Indicate the areas in which the reference is related to higher education (if applicable) and length of service to date. 6. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS 6.1 E-COMMERCE GATEWAY PROCESSES CWI will accept Visa, MasterCard, Discover and possibly American Express credit cards, off-line (signature) debit cards, on-line (PIN-based) debit cards and electronic checks (Automatic Clearing House -ACH) when presented as payment for goods and services at its offices, facilities, and through its internet portal. The Vendor must be able to provide equipment and/or software including terminals, key pads or alternative devices necessary to process card transactions at merchant/sales locations. All equipment provided will be new, commercially-available equipment. The Vendor will only provide and/or use PCI-compliant equipment and software. The Vendor shall offer POS terminals capable of accepting EMV/CHIP-enabled cards. Vendors must provide a descriptive answer for the following: Does the Vendor support all major payment types, debit cards, ACH electronic check, gift cards, corporate cards, and other emerging options? Does support vary for any of these? Describe the hardware necessary for acceptance of credit and debit cards (a) with card present, (b) with card not present, (c) via e-commerce (Internet), (d) pin-based debit and ACH electronic check. What equipment is the Vendor recommending or requiring for the College? Does the Vendor provide the equipment on a lease or purchase basis? Does the Vendor offer an equipment maintenance plan? If so, what is the turn-around time and costs involved? Describe the software necessary for acceptance of credit and debit cards (a) with card present, (b) with card not present, (c) via e-commerce (Internet), (d) pin-based debit and any systems needed for the convenience fee portion of the transaction. Describe the interface requirements and all compatibility issues Describe the process involved for acceptance of credit and debit cards in the situations described above What supplies will be provided by the Vendor with a maintenance contract, if applicable? Page 14 of 38

15 6.1.6 How does the Vendor test/confirm PCI compliance? What requirements does the Vendor have? What testing or support is available? How does the Vendor qualify the merchants? Describe the Vendor s solution(s) in the event a customer calls in to make a credit-card payment due to the lack of access to the Internet, calling in from outside the state, or does not have access to a smart phone. 6.2 AUTHORIZATION PROCESSING The Vendor shall provide an on-line authorization service that is capable of capturing and verifying data necessary to electronically process the card transactions. The service must support separate authorization and settlement to accommodate the operating needs of CWI. Batch processing of authorizations is unacceptable. The on-line authorization service must operate at the level of % reliability. The Vendor shall ensure that each transaction is assigned a unique identification or tokenized card number that will be stored and remain with the transaction through the transaction cycle including authorization, adjustment, settlement, funding and reconciliation. The Vendor shall support fraud detecting services including but not limited to Address Verification Service and Security Code Verification in authorization requests. Vendor must provide a descriptive answer for the following: What authorization methods does the Vendor support and which are recommended for the College (e.g., dial, mainframe dial remote job entry, lease line, frame relay, Internet)? List and describe alternatives. List any processor specific hardware needed to support each option Describe any limitations on processing such as assigned windows for obtaining authorizations or settlement, number of files allowed per day, the number of transactions and/or dollar limits per file, or dollar amount per transaction authorized and settled? What limitations are set by batch? Daily processing? Are there any limitations on the number of files transmitted each day? Any limitations at all daily? Does the Vendor maintain direct authorization and settlement links to the various card organizations, or do you utilize a third-party network for authorizations? Describe the Vendor s configurations. Do merchants incur any monthly access fee to connect to the authorization network? Describe the Vendor s AVS (address verification and shipping date compliance) process Provide any authorization differences between various card types Provide the Vendor s average response times for dial and lease-line authorization methods for both peak and normal periods. Page 15 of 38

16 6.2.7 What is the Vendor s maintenance and/or replacement policy for leased equipment? Describe the network monitoring system and operation. 6.3 SETTLEMENT PROCESSING The Vendor shall process electronic funds transfer and automated clearing house transactions related to the settlement of the College s credit and debit card transactions. The period of time between the presentment of all card transactions to the Vendor and the credit of funds to the College s designated demand deposit account should be within 24 hours, but no later than 48 hours following a transaction. Vendors must provide a descriptive answer for the following: Describe the settlement process workflow for all parties explaining any differences by card type Provide a funds-availability schedule by card type. Is this negotiable? Is all funding within 24 hours? Describe. Is any expedited funding available? What is the settlement transmission time frame for Visa, MasterCard, and Discover? Does this differ at any time? Include daily cut-off times. Will holidays affect the settlement process or timing? What is the cut-off time that sales transactions can be transmitted to meet settlement times? Is settlement made by ACH or Fed wire? Do you allow for multiple settlement accounts by merchant or institution? Are settlement amounts listed separately on the bank statement or will they appear as one daily sum? What level of detail is available? Will Saturday and Sunday activity be combined into Monday activity? Are settlements on gross amount and fees charged monthly? Describe recovery procedures for lost batches. above Describe any settlement processes for convenience fees if not the same as 6.4 DISPUTED CARD ITEMS The Vendor shall cooperate with CWI to resolve any disputed card items that may occur in accordance with applicable law, regulation, and the applicable rules, regulations, and operating procedures of Visa, MasterCard, Discover and American Express. Vendors must provide a descriptive answer for the following: Describe the dispute process and procedures for both cardholders and merchants. Page 16 of 38

17 6.4.2 Describe the ticket retrieval request process along with turn-around times. Is this accomplished totally electronically? Does the Vendor support document imaging other than facsimile for transmission of or response to a retrieval request? What response times and process does the Vendor require for ticket retrieval? How do these time frames compare to Association rules? State the average elapsed time from receipt of a retrieval request to merchant receipt Define the chargeback cycle. What percentage of chargebacks is handled without merchant involvement? Does the Vendor have a standard rule-based logic to facilitate dispute resolution processing? On average, how often are chargebacks reversed? Will the Vendor provide a designated contact person or a department to help the College manage chargebacks specifically? What reporting is used? Define and give examples. What tools does the Vendor have for reconciliation and reporting on chargebacks? Are credit card chargebacks and debit adjustments netted from daily proceeds, or are they debited separately? Are funds debited from the operating account or a separate escrow account? Can the information be tied back later? Show examples Will the College receive credit of merchant fees for chargebacks? When are they credited? Does the Vendor have the capability to archive, retrieve transaction information, including signatures for bankcard transactions and non-bank card transactions? What information is stored and for what period of time? What system is available to the merchant to enable retrieval of this information online? What are the procedures to correct duplicate transactions? Does your system identify and eliminate duplicate transactions automatically? Describe process. 6.5 DEBIT CARD PROCESSING Vendors must provide a descriptive answer for the following: Does the Vendor support BIN (Bank Information Number) file management to differentiate between debit and credit card transactions? Describe the Vendor s debit card processing capabilities. Which networks are used? Which are supported? What differences, if any, in workflow occur from credit cards? Describe the Vendor s PIN and PINLESS debit-card processing. Page 17 of 38

18 6.5.4 Are debit-card transactions routed automatically to the lowest cost network? Describe Describe convenience fees for debit card transactions. 6.6 STUDENT TUITION AND FEE PROCESSING As stated above, currently the bulk of the College s credit and debit card payments are for student tuition and fees. A comprehensive, compliant framework for institution wide ecommerce system with automated billing, student credit card payments and refunds, sponsor payments, and other accounts receivable payments in a live, real-time environment for student accounts will be required. Please provide a descriptive response to the following: Does the Vendor have experience with payment gateways for higher education? Experience with higher education ERP systems? Does the Vendor have the capability to process payments at departments across campus and securely accept credit/debit card or ACH payments without capturing or storing card information, keeping the College information secure and compliant? Describe the Vendor s mobile access capabilities for students, staff and campus constituents Describe the Vendor s plan for a campus wide financial management command and control center Describe the online storefronts for College use. The storefront should have capability of direct integration with our ERP Ellucian Colleague and other related third party systems; payments are to be processed in Colleague as they are received automatically with no extra intervention Does the storefront have the ability to take a single payment and have it apply to multiple GL (general ledger) accounts in Colleague (sales tax, sales revenue, non-taxable revenue etc. )? Does the storefront have the ability to make all lines be separate for manual entry or consolidated for automatic allocation of percentages of the College s choosing? 6.7 REPORTING Does the Vendor provide automated sponsor contract payments for students? Complete and timely online reporting is a critical factor for the College. The College requires full online reporting and download capabilities including the ability to define and sort information at various levels. Reporting should be comprehensive and allow for customization. Vendors must make every effort to fully describe and illustrate the reporting capabilities in their response. Vendors must provide a descriptive answer for the following: Page 18 of 38

19 6.7.1 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. Is all information and are all reports available on the Internet? Define the download capabilities, level of customization, and drill-down capabilities available on online reporting and reports. Describe the daily and/or monthly reconciliation reports available to the merchant Describe: standard reports (transaction reports, funding reports, etc.) special reporting capabilities level of detail available retrieval capabilities imaging capabilities access mode reporting frequency What is the standard delivery time-frame for reports and statements? What alternatives are available? What delivery methods are used for reports (e.g., mail, , and fax) on reports and statements? Does the Vendor retain or archive reports for clients? Can all reports be downloaded? Can reports be tailored to specific financial accounting time schedules? Describe ad hoc reporting capabilities Provide a sample statement. 6.8 IMPLEMENTATION AND TIMELINE The implementation target date for these services is April 1, The system should be implemented and tested prior to the go-live date. The Vendor shall provide all technical assistance, staff and materials for implementation of specific programming required for conversion. The Vendor shall develop and implement a plan for the College rollout of services to smoothly transition from the current environment. Vendors must provide a descriptive answer for the following: Address how the Vendor will schedule implementation for all locations to come online as quickly as possible Describe the expected time frame for implementation. Page 19 of 38

20 6.8.3 Describe the process to interact with Ellucian Colleague and the payment gateway include any additional software or College IT services required Indicate services the Vendor will provide for the transition and implementation, and any work needing to be performed by the College Describe the testing process you use to ensure successful implementation Specify the people, by name and function, who will have primary responsibility for merchant implementation and training How are updates and dissemination of PCI and industry-related rules or regulatory changes accomplished? Does the Vendor publish a newsletter covering industry issues, rules, and regulations? How often is this published? Provide the latest copy Does the Vendor provide fraud-management training or awareness programs? Describe the merchant training process (including any costs) with regard to (a) new merchant training or re-training from a prior processor and (b) ongoing training After initial implementation, how will the College setup new merchant accounts? How long is that process? Does the Vendor have documents implementation methodology? Provide details If there is a transition in services, does the Vendor provide technical and user interface documentation to the College that would cover the services under this contract? 6.9 CUSTOMER TRAINING AND SUPPORT The Vendor shall provide training sessions through delivery methods including but not limited to webinars and in-person at locations determined by the College, and at times mutually agreeable to both the Vendor and the College. In addition, the Vendor will provide continuation training by telephone to CWI staff members as part of its regular merchant services. Such training shall include but is not limited to applying for new Merchant IDs, authorization and settlement processes, reporting, and dispute and chargeback processes. Vendors must provide a descriptive answer for the following: Is customer service available 24/7? How is it provided (phone or )? Are there any charges for technical or customer support services? Are customer services centralized or decentralized? Page 20 of 38

21 6.9.3 Describe the promotional support the Vendor provides (e.g., signs, supplies, funds for specific purposes, advertising allowance). Is there any additional cost for this support? Describe the Vendor s customer-service organizational structure. Is the customer service function performed in-house, or is it outsourced? Where would the College s support team be located? Will a specific customer-service representative be assigned to handle the College business? Describe the responsibilities of the customer-service personnel, including the chain-of-command for problem resolution Does the Vendor have scheduled periodic meetings with customers or client advisory groups to review the service? Does the Vendor s organization host or sponsor focus groups, on-site training, user groups, etc.? If so, describe the frequency and topics of discussion What are the hours of operation for the customer-service unit in the Mountain Time Zone? What is the Vendor s history in meeting established response times? Does the Vendor offer technical support for the software you provide? If so, provide the hours of support operations Does the Vendor periodically provide cost-of-acceptance analyses for clients to ensure the best application and advantage? 6.10 SECURITY AND DISASTER RECOVERY The Vendor shall ensure that all transactions are compliant with the most current version of PCI DSS or its successor. The Vendor will maintain and ensure data integrity and user confidentiality and privacy. The Vendor will report any compromise or breach of network security involving the College s transactional data. Vendors must provide a descriptive answer for the following: How does the Vendor handle PCI compliance initiatives? How does the Vendor qualify merchants? How does the Vendor make clients aware of new PCI initiatives and general information? What PCI training is available? What consulting is available? Are there charges for these services? Describe the security measures used to prevent unauthorized user access to either the system or the data Describe the security measures used to protect Internet transactions. Page 21 of 38

22 Describe the procedures and policies in place to prevent internal fraud. Where does liability fall in the process of recouping loss due to such fraud? Describe all fraud protection tools. What options are available (Verified by Visa and MasterCard Secure Code) or does the Vendor have other/additional proprietary security functions? Describe the Vendor s disaster recovery and system recovery processes. Provide a copy of the public disaster recovery plan Does the Vendor have a continuity plan for your processing system and platforms in a disaster situation? Describe the Vendor s local and system-wide back up and/or redundant systems. Provide a copy of the public continuity plan What is the expected time frame to become operational should a catastrophic event occur at a merchant site? What is the Vendor s role in the process? 6.11 TRANSITION PLAN The Vendor must be willing to provide all the College s data to CWI if for some reason their Merchant Card Processing Service is replaced. It must be in a format required by the College. The service provider must also provide CWI both technical and user interface documentation in an electronic format on the system (from set-up to training documentation) FEES The proposal shall contain all costs for providing the services contained in this RFP for the College. Appendix A shall contain an example format for costs. This format is not required, however, College evaluators will be basing their cost review on whether the Vendor s costs are clearly and adequately covered in their fee schedule. 7. ADDITIONAL OR OPTIONAL SERVICES CWI although not incorporating the following features in the present RFP, would like to know the capability of Vendor to provide other optional services including but not limited to: payment plan capabilities, reoccurring payments and scheduled payments. Provide a narrative description of any other features or functionality available to CWI outside the scope of this RFP that can be added to the contract. For each new feature provide the proposed pricing. Page 22 of 38

23 APPENDIX A MERCHANT CARD PROCESSING SERVICE FEE SCHEDULE Please provide pricing model for Merchant Card Processing Services: 1. Flat rate pricing 2. Interchange Plus pricing 3. Tiered (or Bundled) pricing 4. Other Provide a complete fee schedule applicable to this Merchant Card Processing Service RFP. All fees must be included. Please note below if there is no convenience fee tied to a specific service. Description Proposed Fee Notes/Explanation Merchant Account Set-Up Fees Bank Setup Fees System Integration/Implementation Fees Customization User Access Fees Program Maintenance Reporting Maintenance Training (On-site and Telephone) Technical Support Any other set-up or maintenance fees. Processing Fees (include wholesale plus markup) Interchange Reimbursement Fees VISA Swiped VISA Non-Swiped Page 23 of 38

24 Master Card Swiped Master Card Non- Swiped Discover Swiped Discover Non-Swiped Processing American Express Debit Card (with PIN) Debit Card (without PIN) Rewards Card Assessment Fees VISA per transaction Master Card per transaction Discover per transaction Access/Transaction Fees VISA per transaction Master Card per transaction Discover per transaction American Express Fees (all) Switch Fees (PIN debit cards) Any other processing fees. Page 24 of 38

25 Monthly Service Fees Statement Fees Online Reporting Network Fees ACH Fees (Electronic Check) PCI Fees Any other monthly fees. Incidental Fees Voice Authorization Fee (VAF) Address Verification Service (AVS) Chargeback Fee Customer Service Fee Batch Fee Any other incidental fees. Terminal and PC Service Fees (Specify Equipment-Manufacturer & Model) Equipment (POS) Terminals (Lease/Purchase) Pin Pads (Lease/Purchase) Scanners (Lease/Purchase) Software Any other equipment fees. Page 25 of 38

26 APPENDIX B TERMS AND CONDITIONS OF CONTRACT The resultant contract will constitute the College s acceptance of the signed and dated proposal in response to the Request for Proposals Merchant Card Services. The RFP and its attachments and amendments, and the Proposal submitted by the successful Vendor will be incorporated into and become the contract. The following terms and conditions will be incorporated. By submitting an offer the Vendor warrants they have reviewed these terms and can abide by them upon any acceptance of a Proposal by CWI: 1. GOVERNING LAW/JURISDICTION The contract resulting from this RFP solicitation shall be governed in all respects (validity, construction, capacity, performance) by the laws of the State of Idaho or applicable federal law. The venue or jurisdiction of any claim arising from this contract shall be in the federal and/or district courts located in Ada County, Idaho. 2. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS Vendor shall comply with all requirements of federal, state and local laws and regulations applicable to Vendor, Vendor s Service or to the Property provided by Vendor pursuant to this agreement. Vendor s obligations under this section include the verification process under Idaho Code Section requiring documentation of lawful presence for all employees. Acceptance of this agreement binds the Vendor to the terms and conditions of Section 601, Title VI, Civil Rights Act of 1964, in that "No person in the United States shall, on the grounds of race, color, national origin, or sex, be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance." In addition, "No otherwise qualified individual with a disability in the United States shall, solely by reason of his or her disability, be excluded from the participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any program or activity receiving Federal financial assistance" (Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973). Furthermore, for contracts involving federal funds, the applicable provisions and requirements of Executive Order as amended, Section 402 of the Vietnam Era Veterans Readjustment Assistance Act of 1974, Section 701 of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 (ADEA), 29 USC Sections 621, et seq., the Age Discrimination Act of 1975, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, U.S. Department of Interior regulations at 43 CFR Part 17, and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, are also incorporated into this agreement. The Vendor shall comply with pertinent amendments to such laws made during the term of the agreement and with all federal and state rules and regulations implementing such laws. The Vendor must include this provision in every subcontract relating to this agreement. The Vendor must comply with all federal laws and regulations governing the privacy and protection of educational records, including but not limited to the Family Education Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Vendor must be a current Payment Card Industry (PCI) Data Security Standard (DSS) Compliant Service Provider. Attach a current Certificate of Validation by a Qualified Security Assessor and your company s current inclusion on both Visa s and MasterCard s List of Compliant Service Providers. Page 26 of 38

27 3. CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION Vendor and its employees agree to maintain the confidentiality of any sensitive or personal data relating to CWI. Vendor and its employees may be privy to financial, personnel or other information that CWI regards as proprietary or confidential. The Vendor shall not disclose such confidential information to any third party without the express consent of CWI. Confidential Information includes (but is not limited to): Personnel records, personal information that is non-public, health records, professional discipline records Trade secrets, information protected by copyright laws, patents or pending patent applications, production records Proprietary information both financial and technical, appraisals, bids, promotional marketing 4. STANDARD OF PERFORMANCE The parties acknowledge that CWI in selecting the Vendor to perform the services of this RFP is relying upon the Vendor's reputation for excellence in the performance of the services required hereunder. The Vendor shall perform the services in the manner of one who is a recognized specialist in Merchant Card Processing Services. The Vendor shall be responsible for the professional quality and technical accuracy of their advice and other services furnished by them. The Vendor shall perform services with the degree of skill that is normally exercised by recognized professionals as the Standard of Care with respect to services of a similar nature. The rights of CWI provided for under this contract are in addition to any rights and remedies provided by law. All deadlines set forth in the contract are binding and may be modified only by subsequent written agreement of the parties. The Vendor shall devote such time to performance of its duties under this contract as is reasonably necessary for the satisfactory performance of such duties within the deadlines set forth herein. Nothing in the foregoing shall be construed to alter the requirement that time is of the essence in this contract. 5. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR STATUS It is understood and agreed that in the performance of the services under this contract, Parties shall at all times act as independent contractors with respect to each other. Nothing herein shall be construed to create a joint venture or partnership between the parties hereto or an employee/employer relationship. Parties shall act as independent contractors pursuant to this agreement. Neither party hereto shall have any express or implied right or authority to assume or create any obligations on behalf of or in the name of the other party or to bind the other party to any contract, agreement or undertaking with any third party. Vendor shall supply, at its sole expense, all equipment, tools, materials and/or supplies to accomplish the work performed. CWI shall not be responsible for providing worker s Page 27 of 38