2025-LBN-0069 QA.pdf

2025-LBN-0069 – Library of Congress – Online Fundraising Solution – Request for Information

Q: “Better integrate data across donor payment systems and constituent management systems” – Can you please elaborate on the current challenges with data integration? How would you prefer the data integration to occur that would reduce or eliminate the manual intervention currently required?

A: Almost all information shared between systems is extracted and entered manually through the use of exports/imports and direct data entry:

- Transaction information from CIR is programmatically extracted and entered into the Library’s financial management system, Momentum – transaction ID, name, address, amount. Financial office staff then access Pay.Gov data reports to identify information needed to enter and/or complete the transaction record in the Library’s correspondence management system and

Momentum including fund ID (specific fund where gift will be available),email address, gift as tribute/memoriam, and other relevant information.

- Gift information is extracted from Pay.Gov through exports (into *.CSV or XLS files) and imported into Raiser’s Edge via batch processing.

The need to maintain records in three systems (financial system of record, official correspondence, constituent management) also brings the need to keep system information in synch and reconcile as needed. “Better integrate data across … systems” would 1) eliminate or program these types of tasks to optimize resource use, 2) eliminate or minimize errors, and 3) better facilitate scalability of online transactions to encompass growing volume through the use of API tools, robotic process automation (RPA), or other means.

Q: “Develop and deploy targeted web pages and donations forms to specific constituents”

A: The Library would like tools to make it easier to create, automate and launch targeted emails, web pages and online donation forms that communicate discrete messages to targeted constituents (ex., via an email campaign) and enable gift transactions, while tracking metrics for each. In the current environment, the time and resources needed to create effective digital marketing and connected online forms can be prohibitive. At the same time, data analysis to understand message effectiveness from marketing link to online form to completed gift is not fully supported.

Q: Reporting – Can you please describe the level of reporting required?

A: Presuming this refers to section C.2.2, Payment Management and Financial Controls Environment. To support the audit of financial statements, the Library requires full information on each gift transaction

(ex., valid identity, address, amount, date, purpose, etc.) as well as any supporting documentation.

Q: Attachment C – “Customization. The payment solution should allow for business users to manage and launch multiple campaign/program specific donation pages to raise contributions for identified purpose(s) without the need for extensive developer support.” – Approximately how many campaigns and unique donation pages are typically required on an annual basis?

A: An exact number is unknown as the Library’s development programs are evolving and current plans are based on limited changes to a resulting Pay.Gov transaction form. Current programs include annual giving with a focus on Friends of the Library of Congress, major donors, institutional partners, and planned giving. Tailored donation pages are possible for individual offices or reading rooms at the

Library such as the National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled, American Folklife Center, Music, Geography and Maps, Prints and Photographs, etc. or specialized programs such as Literacy and

Reading, Veterans History Project, National Book Festival, Poet Laureate Circle, and more. In the past year, specialized fundraising campaigns have also included focus on planned giving and year-end giving.

Q: Attachment C – “Customization. The system shall allow donors to set up and share peer-to-peer

(P2P) fundraising pages” – Can you please elaborate on this item?

A: A donor should be able to create a personalized online fundraising page allowing them to share information about the Library (or a specific program / area of the Library ) and promote donations among their personal network of friends, family, and colleagues. Any page would meet reasonable fundraising standards, including some ability to personalize the page, share via email and/or social media, and facilitate donation tracking toward individual goals.

Q: Is the Library interested in offering an option for the donor to add an additional amount to cover the costs of payment processing?

A: Yes.

Q: Can you please provide the following data relating to current payment processing (calendar year or fiscal year): Number of debit card payments? Debit card dollars processed? Number of credit card payments? Credit card dollars processed? Number of direct debit/ACH payments? Direct debit dollars processed? Other?

A: The Library cannot provide breakdowns between credit or debit card transactions. In FY24, approximately 830 transactions, excluding cash or checks, were conducted electronically accounting for almost $15M. These transactions included credit cards, debit cards, ACH transfers, Fedwire, and other electronic means. More than 80% of transactions were attributed to credit/debit cards but accounted for less than $500,000.

Q: Could you please clarify if LoC will accept working payment processors outside of Pay.Gov/Worldpay?

A: As a U.S. Government agency, the Library of Congress must comply with policies established by the

U.S. Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service in the Treasury Financial Manual, Part 5, Chapter 7000 for

Credit and Debit Card Collection Transactions. Collections and deposits must be processed through a U.S.

Treasury authorized collection method that is reported to the Library through Treasury’s Collections

Information Repository (CIR). Currently, PAY.GOV and Card Acquiring Services (CAS) through Worldpay are authorized to provide federal agencies with the ability to accept online credit card transactions which are settled and reported in CIR. It is the Library’s understanding that CAS may be used to support integrated software vendors; however, Worldpay must be used for processing credit card transactions.

The Library requires that transactions include details such as payor name, payor address, date, and amount for online transactions that have been authorized and settled. CIR transactions are interfaced into the Library’s financial system. However, it is our understanding that CAS / Worldpay transactions do not include payor information in CIR, so this information would need to be available through other sources.

Q: Is a two-week due date extension possible?

A: Yes. See updated SAM.gov posting.

Q: Total amount raised online across all platforms LOC is using?

A: In FY24, online/electronic gifts accounted for almost $15M. These transactions included credit cards, debit cards, ACH transfers, Fedwire, and other electronic means.

Q: Recurring Donors: Total number of monthly donors, are they all on 1 payment processor, and how much do they raise either monthly or annually?

A: The Library currently does not have the capability to support recurring donors/gifts.

Q: Current conversion rate of donation form?

A: Unknown – data collection/flow does not support reliable analysis.

Q: Average gift size

A: Including payments on pledges and other gift agreements, the average online transaction (credit or debit) in FY24 was $600; the median online gift (credit or debit) was $100. Across all payment methods, the average given per gift in FY24 was more than $12,000.