Project_Goals_History_v1.0_(2).docx

PROJECT GOAL

Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources (PCR) intends to replace and enhance the existing parking fee management process with a new state-of-the-art enforcement, citation, permit, and customer relationship management solution capable of data analytics through consolidating multiple data sources and providing citation processing services.

BACKGROUND: Pinellas County Parks and Conservation Resources manages approximately 5,437 public parking spaces at County-owned beaches and boat ramps that require fees for use. Detailed information for all fee spaces, including maps, rates, and hours of enforcement, is available at https://pinellas.gov/beach-and-boat-ramp-parking

Current Payment Systems:

· PCR employs a combination of Flowbird pay stations, mobile payment systems, virtual permits, and whitelists. (managed on separate contracts).

Existing equipment and services include:

· Mobile Payment Systems – ParkMobile, Flowbird mobile, and Text pay Flowbird pay stations (managed on separate contracts).

· Current contract vendor - Enforcement and Citations – UPP Global utilizes subcontractors -

1. Vigilant Systems for plate scanning and whitelist management (parking passes)

2. IPS Group US for the citation management platform.

Need To Implement a Customer Portal:

Over the last two years, PCR has recognized that managing this system would be greatly improved by implementing a customer portal. A public-facing portal can offer significant advantages for both PCR and its customers. Here are some key reasons why PCR should implement a customer portal.

Improved Customer Experience

· 24/7 Access: Customers can access information and services at any time, increasing convenience and satisfaction.

· Self-service: Customers can perform tasks like updating their information, tracking orders, and managing preferences.

· Personalized Experience: A portal would allow PCR to tailor content.

2. Reduced Support Costs

· Decreased Dependency on Customer Service: A portal reduces the need for customers to reach out to support for basic questions or tasks, freeing up resources for more complex inquiries.

· Knowledge Base: A portal often includes a searchable FAQ or help section, empowering customers to find solutions on their own.

3. Marketing and Communications:

· Branding: Vendors provide PCR with the ability to customize with Pinellas County branding.

· Updates and Notifications: PCR can send targeted messages, updates, or alerts directly to customers, keeping them informed about services, weather events, and account statuses.

4. Increased Efficiency

· Centralized Information: A portal would allow PCR to store and manage customer data on the vendor back-office site, improving workflow and operational efficiency.

· Automation: Application workflows, managing payments and citations, and customer accounts in the portal, saving time and reducing errors.

5. Streamlined Transactions

· Easy Payments: Customers can pay and complete transactions directly through the portal, making the process more efficient.

6. Increased Loyalty and Retention

· Convenient Access to Services: The portal fosters a deeper engagement, improving customer retention over time.

7. Security and Control

· Secure Access: Customer portals allow secure logins, ensuring that sensitive information is protected.

· Privacy Control: Customers can manage their personal information, privacy settings, and preferences directly, providing a sense of control over their data.

Scalability

· Growth-Friendly: A customer portal can scale with PCR. It can handle more customers, provide more services, and integrate with new systems as needed. Implementing a customer portal can foster stronger customer relationships, improve efficiency, and increase customer satisfaction and PCR performance.

Parking Management RFP - Project goals and history

Field Equipment Needs:

Current Equipment in the Field:

· 22 handheld citation units with Bluetooth printers.

· 5 Truck/Cart Mounted LPR systems Projected Equipment Needs by Group:

Fort DeSoto Boat Ramp

Sutherland Boat Ramp

Madeira Beach

Cart mounted

Cart mounted

Truck Mounted

ALPR 1

ALPR 1

ALPR 3

· 18ea Handheld units with wireless Bluetooth printers (All-in-one units would be preferred).

· Fort DeSoto – Will need three (3ea) truck mounted LPR systems.

· Fred Howard Park does not use their system and has requested a cart-mounted scanner system.

· Sand Key – Requested a cart-mounted scanner system.

Parking Enforcement Staffing:

· 4 part-time equivalent positions at Fort DeSoto Park –

· Of the Rangers, 85% of PCR Ranger staff are certified parking enforcement specialists.

· (5) Customer Service phone center staff.

· (1.5) Parking accounting assistant

· parking system manager.

PCR Authority to Issue Parking Citations:

PCR staff are certified by St. Petersburg College and sponsored by the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office. The fees parking areas are managed seven days a week, 52 weeks a year, except for two official PCR holidays.

For the fiscal year 2023-2024, approximately 12,620 citations were issued, and a similar number is projected for FY 2024-2025. Most citations carry a fine of $30.00. Of this amount, $22.00 is allocated to the general fund, $3.00 to the Clerk of the Court for processing the citation, while $5.00 supports the Pinellas County Sheriff's Office's School Crossing Guard program. A study conducted by the City of Clearwater in 2024 found that this fine amount is comparable to those of most other municipalities.

The authority for parking fines can be found in the Pinellas County Ordinances, Chapter 90, Section 90-5.c (“Traffic and Motor Vehicles”), Section 90-16. a-g (“Boating, Docks, and Launching Ramps”), and Section 90-17. a-d (“Public Access; Hours; Fees; Regulations”). Uniform Traffic citation for handicap parking violations § 316.1955 Fla. Stat. (2014).

PCR Parking Management System - History:

PCR started fees management efforts in FY 2004-2005 using an honor system at boat ramps and beaches.

FY 2006- PCR moves to pay stations and Pay and Display system with manual citations and warnings.

· The ranger would patrol the parking area, checking the dashboards of each vehicle for a receipt displaying the current day's date as proof of payment for the parking fee.

· If no receipt was visible, the ranger would issue a three-part paper citation:

· The white copy would be placed under the vehicle's wiper blade (customer copy).

· The yellow copy would be sent to the administrative offices, which would record the citation information and forward it to the Clerk of the Courts.

· The pink copy would be kept at the PCR administrative offices.

· Please note that these paper citations are not weather-resistant.t 2020 –

· Updates Flowbird pay stations to 4g cell service.

· Transitions to a cashless payment model and adds additional payment options – pay by smartphone apps ParkMobile; Flowbird and text-to-pay for visitors who don’t want to download an app. (Mobile payment services managed under a separate contract(s).

· Automates Parking Management system – Pay by Plate, ALPR both hand-held and mobile, cloud-based citation system. This contract is in place until August 2026.

Compiling Reasons for Automation of Fees Management

· Both space constraints and CC processing times caused unacceptable patron wait times for payment and vehicle entry into the park. The bottleneck at the entry booth would often result in vehicle lines extending up to 3-4 miles to the State of Florida Toll Plaza during weekends and busy holidays. (PCR was asked to address this by the BCC).

· A high frequency of fraud; visitors would hand off their receipt to others, share Parking passes, or utilize a prior day’s display ticket with the effective date obscured or hidden.

· Inability for Administrative reporting and tracking.

· Parking passes had to be displayed on the dash of vehicles, and frequently, the plate number would not match the vehicle.

· For customer service, once the citation was issued it was almost impossible to pull information on a citation or warning.

· The Clerk of the Court had to decipher handwritten citations, causing more frequent plate number errors.

· Due to the system's manual nature, each citation required manual entry into the Clerk of Court's citation database. This made citation payments or disputes more difficult and frustrating for customers, as the process could often take longer than the 15 days allotted to pay or dispute.

Pinellas County Purchasing needs to be included in RFP

Enforcement, Citations, Permits - Parking System Management Solution The selected respondent will provide a comprehensive and innovative equipment and software solution that meets Pinellas County's need for an integrated, top-tier parking management system. The proposed hardware and software must be flexible enough to easily accommodate upgrades as the system evolves.

The system should include a back-office database, cloud-based storage, handheld ticketing devices, citation printers, and a forward-facing customer portal, along with the necessary technical support. It must also feature robust analytical capabilities and dashboards to aid in management decision-making. The extraction, analysis, and presentation of data should be user-friendly and adaptable, and the ability to customize the system with integrated data from other sources is essential.

Parking Citation Processing

The successful respondent’s solution will include the capability, support, and equipment to enable citation processing, inclusive of late payment notifications and fees.

Forward-facing customer portal.

The vendor will provide an online payment portal and an interactive voice response (IVR) system through which patrons may view, pay, and dispute outstanding parking citations, as well as view and challenge citations. Customer service will be provided by PCR from internal PCR offices. Proposals must be for a fully tested and functioning solution that includes all hardware, software, database management, communication networks, reports, forms, notices, hand-held ticket issuance with real-time features, real-time support services, and compatibility with Pinellas County’s network. The provider shall have staff with the required expertise to support citation processing, ongoing operation, maintenance, and process enhancements. Strict control of the privacy, integrity, and safety of all data stored or processed must be demonstrated.

Parking Citation Collection Services The County is interested in options for citation collection services as an extension of the parking management solution. Respondents with an established solution or partnership for collection services should provide a detailed explanation of the option(s) available, not limited to support services, hardware requirements, database management, reporting, forms, integration with the parking management solution, 3rd party provider(s), references, accreditation, and working agreements with other states and Canada’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles to facilitate the identity of violators’ registration data.

Collection of Past-Due Fines and Fees - The vendor issues up to four (4) notices for unpaid citations and utilizes the State of Florida's Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles (DHSMV) "registration hold" program for individuals with three (3) or more unpaid citations or one (1) handicap citation. All citation disputes are handled by the Pinellas County Circuit Court and the Parks and Conservation Resources – Business Services section. It is the awarded vendor's responsibility to coordinate, schedule, and follow up on all court dates.

Purchasing Requirement – Project Understanding, Qualifications, Experience, and References.

Provide the following information:

A. Detailed assessment of the proposer’s understanding of the Scope of Services and abilities to meet and satisfy the stated requirements.

B. Detailed overview of the proposer’s staff qualifications and available resources necessary to complete a successful project. Resumes of key staff should be included.

C. An overview of the proposer’s experience (minimum of three [3] projects within the past five [5] years) and References (for each project noted) with other entities for whom you have provided similar services. For each reference, include a contact name, phone number, email address, mailing address, and the dates the services were provided.

Technical Specifications/Requirements. Response information must be detailed to explain the proposer’s ability to provide the goods and services detailed herein, and all exceptions or alternatives must be identified with an explanation to include the ramifications or advantages of such exceptions or alternatives.

Project Method, Approach, Implementation Plan & Timeline, and Management Plan.

A. Fully describe the project method and approach for the development of the parking management solution described herein, not limited to the conversion process, training, cash management, staffing recommendations, and customer service.

B. Provide an implementation plan for the parking management solution, including a timeline for development, testing, and implementation.

C. Fully describe the company’s quality assurance/management approach for this project, not limited to the escalation of issues, financial resources, and solution testing.

Warranty, Training, Maintenance Agreement, and Technical Support. Fully describe these critical elements of the parking management solution and how they are supported and include an explanation of any “level” options associated with each.

Parking Management Solution Costs. The cost portion of the proposal must include all costs associated with the provision of the Parking Management Solution. Costs must be itemized by service type and/or phase of the project and ongoing support.

Citation Collection Services. Pinellas County is interested in options for citation collection services as an extension of the parking management solution. Proposers with an established solution or partnership for collection services should provide a detailed explanation, including 3rd party provider(s), references, accreditation, and working agreements with other states and Canada’s Bureau of Motor Vehicles to facilitate the identification of violators’ registration data.