26-26-ARRC_Electronic_Payment_Solution.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

26-26-214617

ARRC ELECTRONIC PAYMENT SOLUTION

JULY 23, 2026

ALASKA RAILROAD CORPORATION

327 WEST SHIP CREEK AVENUE

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA 99501

327 W. Ship Creek Ave.

Anchorage, AK 99501

Phone 907-265-4467

HOPEM@AKRR.COM

July 23, 2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS 26-26-214617

Response Requested, This form must be completed and returned to ensure receipt of future addenda or additional information. Email this form to: Hopem@akrr.com. Addenda will be emailed to the contact listed below; however, it is the responsibility of the offeror to make sure they have received all addenda, and have acknowledged all addenda on their Proposal Bid Form.

Firms that have not returned this cover sheet will not be informed of addenda and will only be alerted to addenda by checking with the ARRC procurement officer or by checking ARRC’s internet site: www.alaskarailroad.com. Offerors must acknowledge the receipt of all issued addendum on their Proposal Bid Form.

Company ______________________________________________________

Address ______________________________________________________

Contact ______________________________________________________

Phone ______________________________________________________

Email ______________________________________________________ mailto:BatesT@akrr.com mailto:Hopem@akrr.com

July 23, 2026

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) is soliciting proposals from interested offerors for the following:

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (“ARRC”) is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors to provide, implement, integrate, and support a secure, customer-facing Accounts Receivable (AR) Payment Portal solution fully integrated with Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne (JDE E1).

26-26-214617

IMPORTANT

Proposals will be received until 3:00 PM LOCAL TIME on Thursday, August 13, 2026 via Dropbox.

One electronic copy of your firms Proposal must be submitted using Dropbox. Proposals shall be submitted to the Dropbox link https://www.dropbox.com/request/ioejyywe56d6po8opjx5 by proposal due date/time. It is the offeror’s responsibility to verify with the Contract Administrator that their proposal was received timely. If your firm has restrictions on Dropbox submittals, you must contact your Contract Administrator at least seven days prior to the proposal due date to discuss alternatives.

File naming convention shall be: Firm Name-RFP#-RFP Name

The original copy of your proposal will need to be mailed to the address provided below by the proposal due date. This Original shall be fastened with one staple, binder clip, or rubber band. No other form of binding shall be used and no cover or dividers shall be included. The Dropbox submittal date/time will be used for the official receipt. Your proposal package (qualifications and proposals) must be complete.

Alaska Railroad Corporation Attn. Michele Hope, 2nd Floor 327 W. Ship Creek Avenue Anchorage, Alaska 99501

Proposals received by email will not be considered for award. Proposals shall be submitted on the forms furnished herein. Amendments or withdrawals must be received by ARRC’s Contracts Section via Dropbox prior to the date and time listed above.

Alaska Railroad Corporation 327 W. Ship Creek Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501

P.O. Box 107500, Anchorage, AK 99510-7500 Telephone 907.265.4467

Pre-Proposal Conference: A pre-proposal conference will not be held. Send all questions to the Contract Administrator.

The ARRC may award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror(s) whose offer conformance to this solicitation will be most advantageous to the ARRC.

ARRC may reject any or all offers if such action is in the best interest of ARRC and waives informalities and minor irregularities in offers received. ARRC may award a contract on the basis of initial offers without discussion. Therefore, each initial offer should contain the offeror’s best terms from a technical standpoint. Any contract(s) resulting from this solicitation shall incorporate ARRC’s Standard Terms and Conditions contained in this solicitation package.

This Request for Proposals is not to be construed as a commitment of any kind nor does it commit the ARRC to pay for any cost incurred in the submission of an offer or for any other cost incurred prior to the execution of a formal contract.

Green Star recognizes organizations that demonstrate an ongoing commitment to reducing waste, preventing pollution, and conserving energy. The railroad has repeatedly recertified the Green Star Award and earned an additional Green Star Air Quality Award in 2007. In 2011, Green Star Inc. presented the Alaska Railroad with its premier new "Super Nova Award" recognizing a higher level of leadership and commitment to doing business in an environmentally responsible manner. ARRC continues to pursue programs and initiatives that promote environmental stewardship.

Please direct all responses and/or questions concerning this Request for Proposals to Michele Hope, Alaska Railroad Corporation, Supply Management, 327 Ship Creek Avenue, Anchorage, AK 99501, telephone number (907) 265-4467. Email: HopeM@akrr.com mailto:HopeM@akrr.com

SOLICITATION INDEX

SECTION A STATEMENT OF SERVICES

PROJECT TASK ORDER PROCESS

SECTION B PROPOSAL INFORMATION, CONDITIONS & INSTRUCTIONS

SECTION C PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT

SECTION D EVALUATION CRITERIA

SECTION E SELECTION PROCESS

SECTION F CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITY QUESTIONNAIRE & SERVICE BID FORM

SECTION G GENERAL TERMS & CONDITIONS

(PROFESSIONAL SERVICES CONTRACTS)

ATTACHMENTS:

Attachment 1 2025-2026 YTD Credit Card Sales

Attachment 2 Functional Requirements Response Matrix

This document can be downloaded from https://www.dropbox.com/scl/fo/hhaizpm2r3g9dnsswmldr/AP8ArBnMPCNrg5Oriz mztyg?rlkey=u9w8qo55omiq1jjjp6k5b43bu&st=l7fjiu00&dl=0

SECTION A

STATEMENT OF SERVICES

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The Alaska Railroad Corporation (“ARRC”) is soliciting proposals from qualified vendors to provide, implement, integrate, and support a secure, customer-facing Accounts Receivable (AR) Payment Portal solution fully integrated with Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne (JDE E1).

1.1 Purpose

ARRC seeks a focused AR payment and invoice presentment solution specifically designed for and proven in Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne environments. The preferred solution shall specialize in:

• JD Edwards-integrated AR workflows

• Customer invoice presentment

• ACH and credit card payment processing

• Automated payment reconciliation

• Customer self-service account management

• PCI-compliant payment processing

• Direct/native JD Edwards integration

ARRC is not seeking a generalized eCommerce platform or broad customer engagement suite.

1.2 Background

ARRC is Alaska’s statewide railroad, providing freight, passenger, real estate, and related business services across a broad customer base. As part of these operations, ARRC manages a high volume of customer billing and receivables activity that requires secure, accurate, and efficient payment processing. ARRC is seeking a solution that supports customer self-service, improves payment visibility and reconciliation, reduces manual effort, and integrates reliably with its existing Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne environment.

1.3 Current Environment and Existing Payment Processing Environment ARRC currently utilizes on-premise Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne on IBMi infrastructure utilizing IBMi DB2 database as its enterprise resource planning (ERP) platform for finance and operational processes.

ARRC currently utilizes Wells Fargo Merchant Services for payment processing. ARRC currently processes credit card payments manually

2.0 SCOPE OF WORK

Under this contract, the selected contractor shall provide the software, implementation services, technical expertise, documentation, training, and support necessary to deliver a secure, customer-facing Electronic Payment Solution for ARRC. The contractor shall work collaboratively with ARRC project staff throughout planning, configuration, integration, testing, deployment, and knowledge transfer activities. The solution shall enable customers to view invoices and account balances, make ACH and credit card payments, access payment history, and manage payment methods, while integrating with Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne for customer, invoice, payment, and reconciliation data. The contractor shall provide implementation guidance, system configuration, deployment support, and post-go-live support necessary for ARRC to place the solution into operational use.

2.1 The solution shall modernize and streamline current customer payment operations through implementation of a secure, PCI-compliant online payment portal that allows customers to:

• View open invoices and account balances

• Make ACH and credit card payments

• Access payment history and statements

• Manage payment methods

• Reduce manual AR processing effort

• Improve customer self-service capabilities

The solution must integrate directly with JD Edwards EnterpriseOne Accounts Receivable modules and customer master data.

2.2 ARRC is open to alternative payment processors, gateways, or merchant service models where vendors can demonstrate meaningful operational, technical, or financial advantages.

Vendors proposing alternative payment processing solutions shall clearly identify:

• expected transaction fee impacts or savings,

• gateway and processor licensing costs,

• migration requirements,

• reconciliation and settlement workflow impacts,

• PCI and security considerations,

• processor portability limitations,

• and any contractual or operational dependencies.

ARRC prefers solutions that preserve long-term flexibility and avoid unnecessary processor or gateway lock-in.

2.3 Preferred Architecture Principles

ARRC strongly prefers solutions and implementation approaches that align with the following architectural principles:

• Minimize middleware complexity and operational overhead

• Utilize native or direct Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne integration methods wherever possible

• Avoid duplicate customer, invoice, and payment repositories.

• Support real-time or near-real-time synchronization between the payment portal and JD

Edwards

• Minimize custom code ownership and long-term maintenance burden for ARRC

• Minimize PCI scope and exposure to ARRC systems, infrastructure, and personnel

• Utilize tokenized payment processing and secure hosted payment workflows

• Support future JD Edwards upgrades with minimal integration rework

• Provide strong auditability and reconciliation capabilities

• Support scalable SaaS or cloud-hosted deployment models

• Provide resilient, supportable, and commercially mature architectures

• Reduce dependency on third-party integration platforms wherever feasible

• Support modern API-based integration approaches and/or JD Edwards Orchestrator capabilities

• Provide clear operational ownership boundaries between vendor-managed and ARRC-managed components

• Support maintainable and well-documented deployment architectures suitable for long-term enterprise support

• Support Wells Fargo Merchant Services integration or provide alternative commercially supported processor/gateway architecture

• Avoid proprietary payment processor lock-in that would limit ARRC’s future flexibility

ARRC strongly prefers commercially mature solutions with proven production deployments in JD Edwards EnterpriseOne environments on IBMi and IBMi DB2.

2.4 Out of Scope/ Non-Goals

ARRC is seeking a focused Electronic Payment Solution integrated with Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne. The following initiatives are considered outside the scope of this procurement unless explicitly proposed as optional services:

• Full eCommerce platform replacement

• Customer Relationship Management (CRM) replacement

• Retail point-of-sale (POS) systems

• General customer portal modernization unrelated to AR workflows

• ERP replacement or ERP modernization initiatives

• Custom application development unrelated to payment processing

• Large-scale digital commerce transformation initiatives

3 SCHEDULE

Project Start 8/19/2026 Project Completion 11/1/2026

4 CONTRACT PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE

The contract will be effective upon execution and will remain in force for an initial term of two (2) years, with up to three (3) additional one (1) year renewal options that may be exercised by ARRC at its sole discretion and upon mutual agreement of the parties. Due to the nature of ARRC’s operational and system integration needs, ARRC may, if the solution proves successful and continues to meet ARRC’s requirements, establish the selected solution as its long-term standard and continue its use for up to ten (10) years before evaluating replacement or alternative solutions. Any continuation beyond the initial term and renewal options would be subject to ARRC’s procurement requirements, funding availability, satisfactory contractor performance, and execution of any required future agreement documentation. This contract shall remain subject to ARRC’s Cancellation/Termination provisions set forth in Section G, including ARRC’s right to cancel the contract for convenience or terminate for default in accordance with those terms.

5. Cybersecurity Requirement All cybersecurity practices shall comply with applicable federal, state, and ARRC policies, including any standards if incorporated in the solicitation or subsequent task orders.

6. Data Protection and Handling The Contractor shall protect all ARRC data, including confidential, sensitive, and personally identifiable information, against unauthorized access, disclosure, alteration, and destruction.

Contractor shall ensure that such data is collected, stored, transmitted, and disposed of in a secure manner. The Contractor may be held liable for costs, damages, or remedial actions resulting from cybersecurity incidents caused by the Contractor’s failure to comply with the requirements of this clause.

SECTION B

PROPOSAL INFORMATION, CONDITIONS & INSTRUCTIONS

1. Pre-Submission Proposal Inquires Offerors shall promptly notify ARRC of any ambiguity, inconsistency, conflict, or error which they may discover upon examination of the solicitation documents. Verbal inquiries regarding this RFP are not permitted. All inquiries must be made in writing and received at ARRC’s offices 10 days prior to submission deadline. Written inquiries must be submitted to Michele Hope hopem@akrr.com.

ARRC will respond to all or part of the written inquiries received through the issuance of a written Addendum to the RFP, if in the opinion of ARRC, such information is deemed necessary to submit proposals or if the lack of it would be prejudicial to other prospective Offerors. Oral and all other non-written responses, interpretations and clarifications shall not be legally effective or binding. Any Offeror who attempts to use or uses any means or method other than those set forth above to communicate with ARRC or any director, officer, employee or agent thereof, regarding this RFP shall be subject to disqualification.

2. Proposal Submission Deadline Proposals will be received until 3:00 PM LOCAL TIME on Thursday, August 13, 2026 via Dropbox.

One electronic copy of your firms Proposal must be submitted using Dropbox. Proposals shall be submitted to the Dropbox link https://www.dropbox.com/request/ioejyywe56d6po8opjx5 by proposal due date/time. It is the offeror’s responsibility to verify with the Contract Administrator that their proposal was received timely. If your firm has restrictions on Dropbox submittals, you must contact your Contract Administrator at least seven days prior to the proposal due date to discuss alternatives.

File naming convention shall be: Firm Name-RFP#-RFPName

The original copy of your proposal will need to be mailed to the address provided below by the proposal due date. This Original shall be fastened with one staple, binder clip, or rubber band. No other form of binding shall be used and no cover or dividers shall be included. The Dropbox submittal date/time will be used for the official receipt. Your proposal package (qualifications and proposals) must be complete.

Alaska Railroad Corporation Attn. Michele Hope, 327 W. Ship Creek Avenue Anchorage, Alaska 99501

Proposals received by email will not be considered for award. Proposals shall be submitted on the forms furnished herein. Amendments or withdrawals must be received by ARRC’s Contracts Section via Dropbox prior to the date and time listed above.

Proposals received after the time and date set forth above shall be rejected. All proposals submitted in response to this solicitation must be signed by an individual with the legal authority to submit the offer on behalf of the company.

mailto:hopem@akrr.com https://www.dropbox.com/request/ioejyywe56d6po8opjx5

3. Proposal Open and Subject to Acceptance All proposals shall remain open and subject to acceptance by ARRC for ninety (90) days after the deadline for proposal submission.

4. Proposal Opening Proposals will be opened privately at ARRC’s convenience on or after the proposal due date.

5. Reserved Rights In addition to other rights in this RFP, ARRC reserves, holds and may exercise at its sole discretion, the following rights and options:

(a) To supplement, amend, or otherwise modify or cancel this RFP with or without substitution of another RFP.

(b) To issue additional or subsequent solicitations for proposals.

(c) To conduct investigations of the Offerors and their proposals.

(d) To clarify the information provided pursuant to this RFP.

(e) To request additional evidence or documentation to support the information included in any proposal.

(f) To reject any and all proposals, or parts thereof, and/or to waive any informality or informalities in any of the proposals or the proposal process for the RFP, if such rejection or waiver is deemed in the best interest of ARRC.

(g) To award a contract or contracts resulting from this solicitation to the responsible Offeror whose proposal conforming to this solicitation will be most advantageous to ARRC.

(h) To negotiate any rate/fee offered by a Offeror. ARRC shall have the sole right to make the final rate/fee offer during contract negotiations. If the selected Offeror does not accept ARRC’s final offer, ARRC may, in its sole discretion, reject the proposal and start negotiations with the next highest ranked Offeror.

(i) If an award is made and, prior to entering into a contract, subsequent information indicates that such award was not in the best interest of ARRC, ARRC may rescind the award without prior notice to Offerors and either award to another Offeror or reject all proposals or cancel the RFP.

(j) To terminate the contractor at any point in the evaluation process or after award if the approved personnel become unavailable, are switched off project by the firm, or the qualifications are generally found to be inadequate. All personnel reassignments to and from the project will be approved by ARRC.

6. Proposal Costs Each Offeror shall be solely responsible for all costs and expenses associated with the preparation and/or submission of its proposal, and ARRC shall have no responsibility or liability whatsoever for any such costs and expenses. Neither ARRC nor any of its directors, officers, employees or authorized agents shall be liable for any claims or damages resulting from the solicitation or collection of proposals.

By submitting a proposal, Offeror expressly waives (i) any claim(s) for such costs and expenses, and

(ii) any other related claims or damages.

7. Taxes Pursuant to AS 42.40.910, ARRC is exempt from all forms of state or local sales, property and other taxes. Accordingly, any Offeror who submits a proposal shall not include any such tax in any of its proposal prices or in any calculation thereof.

8. Proposal Format Interested firms shall submit one electronic (soft copy) proposal, containing a statement of qualifications and a concise narrative that fully addresses each evaluation criteria. Proposals shall have a maximum of twenty (20) pages. Page count does NOT include the 2-page cover letter, services bid form, software scoring matrix, or the questionnaire response.

A signed cover letter of a maximum two pages should introduce the proposed firm,

• summarize the main qualifications of the firm and verifying that the firm meets the minimum qualifications (item #14) and whether the firm qualifies for the Alaska Bidder/Offeror’s Preference – if applicable (item #15)

• disclose any information that may pose an actual conflict of interest in providing these services or give the appearance of a conflict of interest

• provide a representative list of clients including addresses, contact names and phone numbers

• include any other information the Contractor deems will emphasize the Contractor’s ability to successfully perform the services required and demonstrate why selection of Contractor would be advantageous to ARRC

Important Instructions To be considered responsive, Offerors must submit the following with their proposal

a. Service Bid Form (signed and with all addendum acknowledged)

b. Software Scoring Matrix

c. Bidders Questionnaire in Section F

• Part VII -Verification and Acknowledgement notarized

9. Capacity to Perform Any Offeror considered for award as a result of this solicitation may be required to make assurance to the Contract Administrator concerning the Offeror’s capacity and capability to perform. Previous contracts of a like nature, financial solvency, and other information may be requested of the considered Offeror. Failure to provide assurances requested in a timely manner may be cause for rejection of the Proposal.

10. Costs Other direct costs (ODC) on contracts incurred shall be billed at cost. If travel is required, ARRC will be billed per diem for meals and incidentals using the current State of Alaska rate, or at actual costs, as identified in the Task Order. Airfare will be billed at cost with coach airfare only, no first class or business class. Lodging must be reasonable. ARRC will not pay for alcohol, valet parking, or expenses it considers to be exorbitant. No mark-up shall be included on ODCs unless otherwise approved in the Task Order Scope of Work. Allowable costs will be included in Appendix C of the Agreement.

11. Purchase Obligation ARRC and responding firms expressly acknowledge and agree that ARRC has made no express or implied promises to expend any dollar amounts with respect to the services addressed by this RFP. By submitting a proposal in response to this RFP, each firm acknowledges and agrees that the provisions of this RFP, and/or any communication, statement, act or omission by representatives of ARRC (including Contractors) in the selection process, shall not vest any right, privilege, or right of action in any Offeror.

12. Exceptions to Terms, Conditions and Specifications Any contract resulting from this solicitation shall incorporate the General Terms and Conditions contained in this solicitation package. Each Offeror shall indicate all exceptions to terms, conditions, and specifications of this solicitation individually in its proposal. Exceptions received or placed after the proposal submission date will be considered as counter offers and as such will render the entire proposal non-responsive.

13. Public Information All submitted proposals will be considered confidential until notice of intent to award is issued. After notice of intent to award is issued, all proposals will become public information.

14. Qualifications of Offerors Minimum Qualifications:

Offeror must have minimum of 5 years’ experience providing the services similar in scope and size of this project.

General Qualifications:

Offerors will be evaluated by ARRC based upon their experience in performing the services requested, financial stability, appropriate personnel, responsiveness, technical knowledge and general organization. ARRC reserves the right to take any actions it deems necessary to determine if Offerors have the ability to perform the services outlined in the Scope of Work in a satisfactory manner. Such actions will include an evaluation of the Offeror’s qualifications and references prior to Contract Award.

Offerors may be disqualified, and their Proposals rejected, for any reason deemed appropriate by ARRC including, but not limited to, the following:

(a) Evidence of collusion between an Offeror and any other Offeror(s).

(b) An unsatisfactory performance record on prior projects for ARRC, or any other organization.

(c) The appearance of financial instability (in the opinion of ARRC) and/or evidence that

Offeror may not be financially able to complete the work required by the Scope of Work in a satisfactory manner.

(d) If Offeror has failed to complete one or more public contracts in the past.

(e) If Offeror has been convicted of a crime arising from previous public contracts.

(f) If Offeror is not authorized to perform work in the State of Alaska.

15. Alaska Bidder’s Preference For the purposes of evaluating the price evaluation criteria, the proposed price of a Offeror who qualifies as an Alaska Bidder shall be reduced by 5%. The preference will be given to Offerors who:

(a) hold a current Alaska business license;

(b) submit a proposal for goods or services under the name on the Alaska business license;

(c) have maintained a place of business within the state staffed by the Offeror, or an employee of the Offeror, for a period of six (6) months immediately preceding the date of the proposal;

(d) are incorporated or otherwise qualified to do business under the laws of the state, is a sole proprietorship and the proprietor is a resident of the state, is a limited liability company organized under AS 10.50 and all members are residents of the state, or is a partnership under AS 32.05 or AS 32.11 and all partners are residents of the state; and

(e) if a joint venture, are composed entirely of entities that qualify under (a)-(d) of this subsection.

Offerors seeking an Alaska Bidder’s Preference must include a statement within their cover letter certifying that the Offeror meets the above requirements and is eligible to receive the Alaska Bidder’s Preference. Copies of any relevant documentation should also be provided (this documentation does NOT count towards your 20-page limit.)

16. Contract Period The contract will be effective upon execution and will remain in force for an initial term of two (2) years, with up to three (3) additional one (1) year renewal options that may be exercised by ARRC at its sole discretion and upon mutual agreement of the parties. Due to the nature of ARRC’s operational and system integration needs, ARRC may, if the solution proves successful and continues to meet ARRC’s requirements, establish the selected solution as its long-term standard and continue its use for up to ten (10) years before evaluating replacement or alternative solutions. Any continuation beyond the initial term and renewal options would be subject to ARRC’s procurement requirements, funding availability, satisfactory contractor performance, and execution of any required future agreement documentation. This contract shall remain subject to ARRC’s Cancellation/Termination provisions set forth in Section G, including ARRC’s right to cancel the contract for convenience or terminate for default in accordance with those terms.

17. ARRC Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Program:

ARRC is an equal opportunity corporation that encourages the participation of DBEs as prime contractors and subcontractors on its contracts funded in whole or in part by the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) or the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). ARRC has a race neutral DBE Program and does not set DBE goals on individual solicitations. Nonetheless, the ARRC aspires to achieve an overall DBE participation of 4.0% in federal fiscal years 2025-2027 on contracts funded by agencies within the U.S. Department of Transportation. If this contract is funded in whole or in part by funds from the FTA, FEMA or the FHWA, it is imperative that you consult the Federal Terms and Conditions portion of this solicitation.

18. DBE Reports Firms are required to report annually to the ARRC Contracting officer all work by DBE contractors or subcontractors and the dollar amount. ARRC will provide the Firm a 14-day notice, by email, when to provide the information.

19. Protests A protest based on alleged improprieties or ambiguities in a solicitation must be filed at least 10 days before the due date of the bid or proposal, unless a later protest due date is specifically allowed in the solicitation. If a solicitation is made with a shortened public notice period and the protest is based on alleged improprieties or ambiguities in the solicitation, the protest must be filed before the due date of the bid or proposal.

20. Alaska Business License.

Per AS 43.70.020(a) a business license is required for the privilege of engaging in a business in the State of Alaska.

An Alaska Business License is required of Contractors who do business in Alaska at time of award.

Information regarding applying for an Alaska Business License can be found on-line at https://www.commerce.alaska.gov/web/cbpl/BusinessLicensing.aspx or by calling 1-907-465-2550.

The business license must be in the name of the company under which the proposal is submitted.

SECTION C

PROPOSAL FORMAT AND CONTENT

Alaska Railroad Corporation (ARRC) is requesting proposals from interested firms qualified to perform the work described in the Scope of Services. This is intended to be an unbiased evaluation. ARRC reserves the right to determine that proposed services will meet ARRC requirements. ARRC reserves the right to withdraw this RFP, reject any and all proposals, advertise for new proposals, or accomplish the work by other means including issuing only some of the tasks defined in the Scope of Services above, that ARRC in its sole discretion, determines to be in its best interest. ARRC may request additional information from any firm to make a proposal responsive to this RFP or otherwise obtain clarification or additional information that ARRC, in its sole discretion, deems necessary to analyze and compare proposals.

Proposals must be complete as to the requested information.

Failure to follow this format in a proposal or failure to include complete information as requested will result in a lower score and may result in rejection of the proposal.

Prepare a distinct Response for each criterion. Failure to respond directly to any criteria will result in an evaluation score of zero for that criteria. Acceptable Responses must be specific and directly related to the proposed Statement of Services. Marketing brochures, marketing resumes, and other non-project specific materials will be discarded without evaluation and should not be submitted.

Each criterion Response must be titled, numbered and assembled in the order in which the criteria are listed in Section D, so the criterion to which information applies shall be plainly evident. Material not so identified or assembled may be discarded without evaluation.

Description Weight

1. Firm Experience & Schedule 10

2. Solution 10

3. Solution Architecture & Integration 15

4. Payment Processing Commercial & Operational Considerations 15

5. Functional Requirements Response Matrix 20

6. Cost Proposal 30

Total 100

SECTION D

EVALUATION CRITERIA

The selection of a firm to perform the requested services will be made in accordance with Section E.

Proposals will be evaluated on the basis of advantages and disadvantages to ARRC using the criteria described in this Section.

ARRC reserves the right to select the top-ranked firm(s) based solely on the scoring of the written proposals and to enter directly into negotiations with said firm. However, at its sole discretion, ARRC may require the highest ranked firms to make an oral presentation to the evaluation committee. In this event, oral presentations will be scheduled and held via video conference. The selected firms will have an opportunity to summarize the information provided in their written proposals, expand on their capabilities, experience and proposed approach and work plan and answer questions from the selection committee. It is important that the primary individuals servicing the contract are present for this presentation. Scores obtained in the initial phase will not carry over to the presentation phase. Upon completion of the oral presentations, the evaluation committee will review the material presented and determine a ranking order for the firms interviewed.

DESCRIPTION WEIGHT

1. Firm Experience & Schedule 1. Weight: 10

Offerors shall demonstrate their firm’s experience delivering commercially mature, production-ready Electronic Payment Solution solutions integrated with Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne. ARRC will evaluate the extent to which the firm has successfully implemented comparable solutions in production environments, the relevance and quality of that experience to ARRC’s requirements, and the firm’s demonstrated ability to provide long-term implementation, support, and operational continuity.

Offerors shall provide at least three customer references for production JD Edwards-integrated AR payment portal implementations.

Due to ARRC's aggressive implementation schedule, Offerors shall also provide a detailed project schedule that identifies major tasks, milestones, deliverables, required ARRC involvement, testing activities, training, and go-live dates. The schedule shall demonstrate the Offeror's ability to successfully implement the solution within ARRC's desired timeframe and identify any assumptions, dependencies, or constraints that could affect project completion.

ARRC will evaluate the realism, completeness, and feasibility of the proposed schedule, as well as the Offeror's demonstrated history of delivering similar implementations on schedule.

2. Solution 2. Weight: 10 Offerors shall describe the proposed solution and demonstrate how it satisfies ARRC’s functional, technical, security, and operational requirements.

ARRC will evaluate the extent to which the proposed solution supports direct or native integration with Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne; provides real-time or near-real-time invoice visibility; supports automated AR receipt updates; enables PCI-compliant ACH and credit card payment processing; provides customer self-service invoice presentment and payment functionality; and includes audit logging, reconciliation support, and secure tokenized payment workflows.

ARRC will also evaluate the overall architecture, including required middleware, third-party software, and external dependencies; compatibility with ARRC’s existing Wells Fargo Merchant Services environment or the clarity and advantage of any proposed alternative processor or gateway model; identification of operational limitations, unsupported functionality, or roadmap-dependent capabilities; and the completeness of the implementation, support, and operational documentation needed for long-term enterprise supportability.

3. Solution Architecture & Integration 3. Weight: 15 Offerors shall describe the proposed solution architecture, payment processing architecture, and Oracle JD Edwards EnterpriseOne integration approach.

ARRC will evaluate the extent to which the proposed architecture is commercially mature, secure, supportable, and aligned with ARRC’s operational and technical requirements, including the overall solution architecture; JD Edwards integration methodology; middleware requirements, including any ARRC-hosted components or server dependencies; synchronization capabilities; Wells Fargo integration approach or clearly documented alternative processing model; ACH and credit card payment workflows; tokenization approach; PCI boundary architecture;

error handling and reconciliation workflows; ARRC system requirements; operational support model; third-party dependencies; and any known limitations or constraints.

Vendors may attach (up to 5 pages):

• architecture diagrams,

• workflow diagrams,

• PCI boundary diagrams,

• integration diagrams,

• or supplemental technical documentation.

4. Payment Processing Commercial and Operational Considerations 4. Weight: 15

ARRC currently utilizes Wells Fargo Merchant Services; however, ARRC is open to evaluating alternative payment processing and gateway approaches where operational or financial advantages can be demonstrated.

Vendors shall briefly describe:

• Proposed payment processor and gateway approach

• Whether Wells Fargo integration is supported

• Any required processor or gateway changes

• Any significant operational or reconciliation impacts

• Any major third-party dependencies or middleware requirements

• Any known processor portability or vendor lock-in limitations

5. Functional Requirements Response Matrix 5. Weight: 20

Response will be scored as follows: (Offeror’s Requirements Score) x (MPP*) = Criterion Score (Score of Highest Requirements Proposal)

*MPP = Maximum Possible Points = (5) x (Number of Evaluators) x (Weight)

6. Cost Proposal (Spreadsheet is in the Functional Requirements Matrix) 6. Weight: 30

a) Cost shall be submitted on the provided Cost Proposal Excel Spreadsheet Cost shall include the Total cost of ownership over a five-year period.

b) The cost/fee matrix must be submitted as a separate Dropbox submittal.

Response will be scored as follows: (Lowest Total Proposed Price) x (MPP*) = Criterion Score (Offeror's Total Proposed Price)

*MPP = Maximum Possible Points = (5) x (Number of Evaluators) x (Weight)

Per ARRC Procurement Rule 1500.1, for the purposes of evaluating price, the proposed price of an offeror who qualifies as an Alaska bidder under Rule 1500.1 shall be reduced by 5%.

CONTRACT AWARD

Once ranking has been established, ARRC will begin negotiations with the highest ranked firm. If an agreement cannot be reached on contract terms, negotiations will be terminated, and negotiations will be conducted with the next highest ranked firm, until an agreement is reached, or until ARRC exercises its right to cancel the solicitation.

SECTION E

SELECTION PROCESS

Evaluation of Proposals

Proposals will be evaluated by a committee. Evaluation of responses to criteria set forth in Section D results in a numerical score for each proposal. Each criterion has an assigned weight for this RFP which demonstrates its relative importance. The total of all weights is 100 (100%). Each one- percent weight equates to a range of 0-5 points per Evaluator. The maximum points (score) obtainable for any proposal is equal to the product of 500 multiplied by the number of Evaluators.

1. Scoring of proposals will be accomplished as follows:

1.1 Each Evaluator will individually read and rate each Offeror’s response to each criterion described in Section D - Technical Proposal. Ratings will be based solely on contents of proposal and in compliance with the ARRC’s Instructions for Evaluation Committee. Except as may be stated within any criterion description, a rating of “5” = Best Response from all Offerors; “4” to “1” = Progressively Less Responsive; “0” = Non-Responsive. Ratings are multiplied by the assigned weights for each criterion to obtain criteria scores.

1.2 After completion of individual ratings, the Evaluation Committee will meet to discuss proposals. Evaluators may then alter their ratings; however, any changes shall be based solely on the criteria set forth in Section D.

1.3 After scoring Section D - Technical Proposal, criteria scores - Cost (if applicable), will be calculated based on criteria descriptions.

1.4 The total score for each Offeror will be obtained by summing the scores determined for each criterion in Section D. The order of ranking for negotiations shall be as follows: highest scored Offeror will be ranked first, next highest scored second, and etcetera.

2. Evaluators may discuss factual knowledge of, and may investigate Offerors’ and proposed Subcontractors’ prior work experience and performance, including projects referenced in proposal, available written evaluations, etcetera, and may contact listed references or other persons knowledgeable of a Contractor’s and/or a Subcontractor’s past performance. Factors such as overall experience relative to the proposed contract, quality of work, control of cost, and ability to meet schedules may be addressed. If any issues of significant concern to the proposed contract are discovered, the Committee may:

2.1 Provide written recommendations for consideration during contract negotiations;

2.2 Conduct discussions in accordance with paragraph 3, below.

3. The Committee may decide to conduct discussions (or “interviews”) with responsible Offerors whose proposals are determined to be reasonably susceptible of being selected for award for the purpose of clarification to assure full understanding of, and responsiveness to, the solicitation requirements. Offerors selected by the Committee for discussions may be permitted to submit Best and Final Offers (BAFO) for final Committee Evaluation. After discussions and any BAFO’s, Evaluators will determine the final scoring and ranking for contract negotiations by evaluating written and oral responses using only the criteria set forth in Section D.

4. All Offerors will be advised of the Offeror selected for negotiation and, after completion of negotiations, a Notice of Intent to Award will be provided to all Offerors. If contract negotiations are unsuccessful with Offeror(s) selected for negotiation, the Contracting Agency may either cancel the solicitation or negotiate with other Offerors in the order of ranking.

SECTION F

CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITY QUESTIONNAIRE

PART I - INSTRUCTIONS

1. All Bidders/Offerors submitting a Bid/Proposal for federally funded contracts are to complete and submit all Parts of this Questionnaire with their Bid or Proposal. Failure to complete and return this questionnaire, any false statements, or failure to answer question when required, may render the bid/proposal non-responsive. All responses must be typewritten or printed in ink. All information must be legible.

2. Please state “not applicable” in questions clearly not applicable to Bidder/Offeror in connection with this solicitation. Do not omit any question.

3. The completed Questionnaire must be sworn to by a partner (if partnership), a duly authorized officer or individual (if a corporation or LLC), or a principal (if a sole proprietorship).

4. The term “Offeror” includes the term “Bidder” and also refers to the firm awarded the Contract.

The term “Proposal” includes the term “Bid”.

5. ARRC reserves the right to inquire further with respect to Offeror’s responses; and Offeror consents to such further inquiry and agrees to furnish all relevant documents and information as requested by ARRC. Any response to this document prior or subsequent to Offeror’s Proposal which is or may be construed as unfavorable to Offeror will not necessarily automatically result in a negative finding on the question of Offeror’s responsibility or a decision to terminate the contract if it is awarded to Offeror.

PART II - IDENTITY OF OFFEROR

1. Offeror's Full Legal Name: ________________________________________

2. The Offeror represents that it operates as the following form of legal entity: (Check whichever applies and fill in any appropriate blanks.)

� an individual or sole proprietorship � a general partnership � a limited partnership � a joint venture consisting of: ________________________________________ and ___________________________________ (List all joint ventures on a separate sheet if this space is inadequate.)

� a non-profit organization � a corporation organized or incorporated under the laws of the following state or country:

___________________________ on the following date: _________________________ � a limited liability company organized under the laws of the following state or country:

____________________________ on the following date: ________________________

3. Offeror's federal taxpayer identification number: _______________________

4. Offeror's Alaska business license number: _____________________________

5. Offeror's contractor’s license number (for construction only): _______________

6. Offeror's legal address: ___________________________________________

Telephone Number: (____) ___________________

7. Offeror’s local or authorized point of contract address:

Name:_________________________________ Title:_____________________

Address: ________________________________________________________

Telephone Number: (____) _______________ Email: ____ __________

8. How long has the Offeror been in business? __________________________

9. Has Offeror been in business under another name? If so, identify name and dates used.

10. Does your firm consider itself to be an MBE, WBE or DBE?

YES � NO �

If answer is “YES,” attach a copy of certification.

11. Number of employees: _______________ including ____________ employees in the State of Alaska.

PART III - CONTRACTING HISTORY

1. Has the Offeror been awarded any contracts within the last five years by ARRC, the State of Alaska, or any other public entity for the same or reasonably similar goods or services sought by this solicitation? If none, answer “No”. If yes, on a separate sheet of paper describe those contracts beginning with the most recent. State the name of the contracting entity; give a brief description of the contract and the contract number, the dollar amount at award and at completion, date completed; state the contract period, the status of the contract, and the name, address, and telephone number of a contact person at the agency. Indicate if award was made to Offeror as prime contractor or joint venture.

Offeror need not provide more than three such descriptions.

YES � NO �

2. Has the Offeror been awarded any private sector contracts within the last five years for the same or reasonably similar goods or services sought by this solicitation? If none, answer “No.”If yes, on a separate sheet of paper provide the name and address of the contracting entity, a brief description of work, the dollar amount at award and at completion, date completed, status of the contract and name, address and telephone number of contact person as to each, beginning with the most recent. Indicate if Offeror acted as prime contractor or joint venture. Offerors need not provide more than three such descriptions.

NOTE: ANY “YES”ANSWERS TO #3 BELOW MUST BE FULLY EXPLAINED ON A SEPARATE

SHEET OF PAPER AND ATTACHED TO THIS QUESTIONNAIRE.

3. In the past five years has the Offeror been the subject of any of the following actions?

A. Been suspended, debarred, disqualified, or otherwise declared ineligible to bid?

B. Failed to complete a contract for a public or private entity?

C. Been denied a low-bid contract in spite of being the low bidder?

D. Had a contract terminated for any reason, including default?

E. Had liquidated damages assessed against it during or after completion of a contract?

F. Been a defaulter, as principal, surety or otherwise?

G. Been denied an award of a public contract based upon a finding by a public agency that your company was not a responsible contractor?

YES � NO �

H. A public entity requested or required enforcement of any of its rights under a surety agreement on the basis of your company’s default or in lieu of declaring your company in default?

YES � NO �

I. Been denied a performance or payment bond by a surety company?

YES � NO �

J. Been required to pay back wages and/or penalties for failure to comply with state or federal prevailing wage or overtime laws?

YES � NO �

4. Does Offeror currently possess the financial, organizational, technical, equipment, facilities, and other resources necessary to supply the goods or services sought by this solicitation? If no, on a separate sheet of paper describe how you intend to obtain the resources necessary to supply the goods or services sought by this solicitation.

YES � NO �

5. Does Offeror have any present or anticipated commitments and/or contractual obligations that might impact its ability to meet the required delivery or performance requirements of this solicitation? If yes, on a separate sheet of paper describe any apparent conflicts as between the requirements/commitments for this solicitation with respect to the use of Offeror’s resources, such as management, technical expertise, financing, facilities, equipment, etc.

PART IV-CIVIL ACTIONS

If “Yes” to Parts IV or V, provide details on a separate sheet of paper including a brief summary of cause(s) of action; indicate if Offeror, its principals, officers or partners were plaintiffs or defendants; define charges explicitly, by what authority, court or jurisdiction, etc. In the case of tax liens, please indicate whether the liens were resolved with the tax authorities. Please submit proof of payment or agreements to pay the liens. Complete details are required!

1. Violations Of Civil Law. In the past five years has Offeror, any of its principals, officers or partners been the subject of an investigation of any alleged violation of a civil antitrust law, or other federal, state or local civil law?

YES � NO �

2. Lawsuits With Public Agencies. At the present time is, or during the past five years has Offeror, any of its principals, officers or partners been a plaintiff or defendant in any lawsuit or arbitration regarding services or goods provided to a public agency?

YES � NO �

3. Bankruptcy. During the past five years, has the Offeror filed for bankruptcy or reorganization under the bankruptcy laws?

YES � NO �

4. Judgments, Liens And Claims. During the past five years, has the Offeror been the subject of a judgment, lien or claim of $25,000 or more by a subcontractor or supplier?

YES � NO �

5. Tax Liens. During the past five years, has the Offeror been the subject of a tax lien by federal, state or any other tax authority?

PART V-COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS AND OTHER REGULATIONS

1. Criminal: In the past five years has the Offeror, any of its principals, officers, or partners been convicted or currently charged with any of the following:

A. Fraud in connection with obtaining, attempting to obtain, or performing a public contract, agreement or transaction?

YES � NO �

B.