Customer Online Payment System and Merchant Services

The Vendor is required to provide for a customer online payment system and merchant services.
- This would allow customers to call a designated number, hear their current balance via an automated attendant, and make electronic payments that are posted in real time to their account.
- Consistent platform for online payments and self-service account management for citizens
- The payment platform must be payment card industry (PCI) compliant and support web-based payments using multiple payment methods, including debit cards, credit cards, electronic checks (ACH), and electronic funds transfers (EFT). 
- Payment options should also include the ability to pay via text message and through the web using either a PC or mobile device.
- It is preferred that the selected solution incorporate integrated voice response (IVR) services.
- The selected solution should include a robust customer portal that enables users to create an account, manage ongoing payments for one or multiple accounts, store remittance data, and review billing history.
- The system must be scalable and capable of integrating with multiple existing and planned billing systems. It should also support the acceptance of payments for non-invoiced items.
- Online Payment System shall support countywide collections, enabling payments from any payer to any County department or agency.
- The system must be intuitive, user-friendly, and require minimal steps to complete a transaction.
- The system must be available 24/7 via web and IVR channels, with redundant connectivity and a fully redundant hosting environment that includes automatic failover.
- Provide secure hosting and support for all payment applications at its own facilities. 
- Solution must be delivered as a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) model.
•    The system must be cloud-hosted and require no local installation or maintenance by County IT staff.
•    The proposer shall be responsible for all system updates, patches, backups, and infrastructure management.
•    The solution must support scalability to accommodate additional departments or increased transaction volume without requiring County-side infrastructure changes.
•    Proposers shall describe their hosting environment, including uptime guarantees (e.g.,
•    99.9% SLA), redundancy, and disaster recovery capabilities.
- Required Payment Platforms:
•    Web (PC-based)
•    Mobile devices
•    Short Message Service (SMS) text payments
•    Automated IVR: A fully integrated IVR system that allows customers to hear their current balance and make payments by phone.
- The system should support multilingual capabilities for both the user interface and customer communications, including but not limited to English and Spanish.
- Supported Payment Methods:
•    Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express credit cards
•    Branded debit cards (Visa/MasterCard)
•    Electronic checks (ACH)
•    Electronic Funds Transfer (EFT)
•    Credit card data shall not be stored on any County equipment and must reside solely on the proposer’s terminals.
- Billing and Payment Capabilities
•    Users shall be able to generate bills showing past due amounts through a future date and reprint bills as needed.
•    The system shall support payment of current and past due bills (e.g., taxes, water bills).
•    Users shall have access to at least 24 months of billing and payment history via an electronic database maintained by the proposer.
- Account Management Features
•    Register for an account
•    View account history
•    Schedule payments
•    Set up Auto-Pay
•    Create budget payment schedules
•    Store payment methods for future use
- Reminders and Notifications
•    Users shall be able to set up bill reminders that integrate with online calendars.
•    Users shall be able to schedule text reminders with a direct payment link.
•    Users with scheduled or Auto-Pay payments shall receive email notifications with cancellation instructions.
•    The system should support multilingual capabilities for both the user interface and customer communications, including but not limited to English and Spanish.
- Shopping Cart and Fee Transparency
•    The system shall include shopping cart functionality.
•    A customizable menu shall streamline the payment process.
•    All fees must be clearly disclosed before payment confirmation, with an option to cancel the transaction.
- Fee Handling and Invoicing
•    Transaction and merchant fees shall be paid by the customer unless otherwise specified by the County.
•    If the County elects to pay fees, the proposer shall invoice the County separately with itemized charges.
•    All convenience fees must be processed as separate transactions and not embedded in the total amount due.
- Transaction Confirmation and Tracking
•    A confirmation number shall be provided for every successful payment.
•    The system shall support secure, online payment tracking.
•    The proposer shall provide timely email notifications to both the user and the County for all chargebacks.
•    The system shall maintain a full audit trail of each transaction.

- Contract Period/Term: 2 years
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: November 19, 2025