RFI Back Office System Innovations - Final_2_2~1.pdf

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION (RFI)

Back‐Office System Innovations BidBuy # 21‐557THA‐BUSSY‐B‐16031

Request for Information (RFI) ‐ Back‐Office System Innovations BidBuy # 21‐557THA‐BUSSY‐B‐16031 1

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Back-Office System Innovations

BidBuy # 21-557THA-BUSSY-B-16031

Agency Background Information:

The Illinois Tollway is a self‐funded administrative agency of the State of Illinois which exists to provide for the construction, operation, regulation, and maintenance of a system of toll highways within the State of Illinois. The

Tollway’s main source of revenue is derived from the tolls and related fees it collects from users. The Tollway is also empowered to enter into contracts; acquire, own, use, lease, operate, and dispose of personal and real property, including rights of way, franchises, and easements; establish and amend resolutions, by‐laws, rules, regulations, and toll rates; acquire, construct, relocate, operate, regulate, and maintain the Tollway system; exercise powers of eminent domain and condemnation; raise or lower toll rates; and contract for services and supplies, including services and supplies for the various patron service areas on the Tollway system. The Tollway does not receive federal highway funds and no funds are appropriated by the Illinois General Assembly. It is fully funded through toll revenues.

The Tollway reported $1.42 billion in toll and evasion recovery revenue in 2018, with 2.8 million daily toll transactions, of which 90.2% were electronic toll transactions. The Tollway is a full member of the E‐ZPass Inter Agency Group and collects 6.8% of its toll transactions from out‐of‐state E‐ZPass customers. Of those electronic tolls collected from commercial vehicles, 35% are from out‐of‐state E‐ZPass customers. The Tollway has the most toll transactions, and most electronic toll transactions, of any toll agency in North America, and is one of the largest revenue‐generating toll roads.

The Tollway provides additional information at https://www.illinoistollway.com/ .

The Tollway is a Level 1 PCI merchant accepting credit card payments for I‐PASS account replenishment and individual transactions on the roadway utilizing self‐service Automated Toll Payment Machines (ATPMs). The Tollway currently has 4.5 million I‐PASS accounts.

Description:

The Illinois State Toll Highway Authority (ISTHA) hereinafter referred to as “The Illinois Tollway,” “Tollway,” or “Agency,” seeking information from leaders in various industries regarding design, implementation, and maintenance of back‐office systems (BOS). The Tollway welcomes information from transportation, tolling and technology industries, and companies that offer services and products for transaction and payment processing, fee for service and mobility payment.

The tolling industry is changing with the growth of toll operators and facilities, new customer service models, new payment technologies, enhanced performance‐monitoring and analytics tools, and new opportunities for outsourcing of operational functions. The Tollway would like to understand how these emerging trends are changing the way back‐office and customer management systems best work in tolling and other industries.

As a point of reference, background information is provided below to depict the function, scope and technology infrastructure of our current BOS. The Tollway is seeking to learn best practices from all vendors in those industries which provide parts or entire back office services and products.

Current Toll System Overview:

The entire toll system is comprised of two large systems; the Roadside Toll System and Back‐Office System.

Request for Information (RFI) ‐ Back‐Office System Innovations BidBuy # 21‐557THA‐BUSSY‐B‐16031 2

The Roadside Toll System is installed in 581 toll lanes and 87 toll plazas, including 113 multi‐lane open road tolling

(ORT) or All Electronic Toll (AET) toll lanes, 115 attended manual lanes and 136 lanes with coin machines or ATPMs (signed as “self‐service” toll lanes). There are 6 AET toll zones, 22 ORT toll plazas, 11 AET ramps and 52 unattended ramp toll plazas with self‐service cash lanes. The Tollway’s system may grow further as additional toll facilities may be added in the future.

The Tollway Back-Office System is comprised of a toll transaction and revenue Host, an Operational Back‐Office (OBO) that processes the and maintains business rules, a Commercial Back‐Office (CBO) environment for customer account management, a self‐service web eCommerce portal for customer access with account management, as well as a wide range of other commercial or custom software applications. The Tollway integrates multiple back‐office support vendors that provide specific services such as the call center, fulfillment and mailing, and license plate recognition and certification. The Tollway system interfaces with these vendors as well as with other financial institutions and toll agencies. The Tollway expects that future of tolling will accommodate additional interfaces to vendors and institutions as services and customer sources expand.

RFI Purpose:

The Tollway’s focus of interest is on learning about best practices for back office architecture and systems and interconnectivity of sub‐components. The Tollway would like to take measure of where the market is moving and what products, services, and commercial information and payment processing concepts are emerging.

Today’s back‐office system is a high‐volume, high throughput, customer relationship, account management, vendor relationship management, analytics, reporting, and enterprise resource system. We are interested in learning how the best back‐office deployments incorporate greater scale and processing capacity, application of COTS software for ERP

(inventory, financial management systems), CRM, middleware, big data platforms and analytics/decision making, business rules engine/management systems, self‐service portals and high performing data platform architecture.

The Tollway is seeking to learn how firms have eliminated duplications of functions between the Host, OBO and CBO, and methods used to streamline data processing business rules. We are interested in obtaining information on products or services that support expanded business rules options for existing payment technologies (radio frequency ID, or RFID, and license plate video tolling). Additional information is desired from firms with services and products that support simple interfaces and configurations (modular / plug and play), changeouts and upgrades to existing in‐lane technology such as RFID and video toll cameras and use of non‐RFID technologies such as Bluetooth or cell‐phone‐based, and fee‐ for‐service platforms. We are seeking insights from firms that provide a greater level of flexibility for creating and changing business rules and account enhancements that back office systems incorporate currently and in the future.

Further, we are interested in learning about how firms:

Identify and integrate new payment methods/forms and/or source/services, and technologies

Deliver flexible invoicing, revenue enhancement, collections, and recovery platforms

Advance opportunities for partnerships and forms of interoperability with both existing/new tolling/mobility entities, non‐traditional mobility service providers, and customer service models

Provide enhanced scalability, standardized integration methods, and real‐time processing/payment functionality

Leverage emerging technologies such as blockchain, machine learning (AI), autonomous vehicle protocols

Integrate newer OCR platforms, and augmented/extended reality platforms/frameworks, and IoT technologies

Provide for additional services and functions such as ODV/Permitting, moving violation payments, fulfilment services, third‐party payment providers/mechanisms, contact center and alternate customer service channels

Request for Information (RFI) ‐ Back‐Office System Innovations BidBuy # 21‐557THA‐BUSSY‐B‐16031 3

The Illinois Tollway shall incur no cost for any such information.

Firms responding to this RFI will not be prohibited from participation if the Tollway subsequently releases an RFP towards procurement of such product and services.

This RFI does not constitute a solicitation for bids or proposals, and as a result, no contract will be awarded.

Apart from guidelines and requirements, this Request for Information (RFI) contains information related to the product and service requirements as expected by the Tollway. If interested and able to meet these requirements, the Tollway appreciates and welcomes a response.

The RFI package consists of:

INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTING RESPONSES TO THIS RFI

SECTION 1 PROCESS, DATES, RESERVATIONS, AND OTHER GENERAL INFORMATION

SECTION 2 HOW THE TOLLWAY WILL REVIEW VENDOR RESPONSES

SECTION 3 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

SECTION 4 TOPICS AND AREAS OF INTEREST TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE RFI RESPONSE

EXHIBIT A: TOLLWAY INTEGRATED BOS GLOSSARY

These sections provide information necessary for submitting a Response, set forth the basic legal and policy requirements associated with this request for information, and tell how the Tollway will review Responses.

SECTION 1 - PROCESS, DATES, RESERVATIONS AND OTHER GENERAL INFORMATION

1.1 PROJECT CONTACT: If Respondent has a question or suspect an error, please notify the Project Contact identified in this section.

Senior Contract Negotiator Mary Hart Phone: 630/241‐6800 extension 4620

Illinois Tollway Fax: 630/795‐7908

2700 Ogden Avenue TDD: 630/241‐6898

Downers Grove, Illinois 60515 E‐mail: mhart@getipass.com

1.2 VENDOR CONFERENCE / SITE VISIT: Yes No Mandatory Attendance: Yes No

1.3 RFI RESPONSE SCHEDULE AND SUBMISSION DATE:

RFI Responses Due May 19, 2021

Integrated Back‐Office System (BOS) RFP Not determined

DUE DATE: MAY 19, 2021; TIME: 2:00 PM. CENTRAL DAYLIGHT TIME (CDT)

Request for Information (RFI) ‐ Back‐Office System Innovations BidBuy # 21‐557THA‐BUSSY‐B‐16031 4

SUBMIT ELECTRONIC RESPONSES ONLY TO THE RFI THROUGH THE BID

AS ADVERTISED IN BIDBUY.

The Tollway will electronically open RFI responses at the Due Date and Time through BidBuy. Electronic Responses

Only. No paper responses will be accepted. Prior to the due date, Respondent may electronically submit responses, modifications, and withdrawals through BidBuy. The Tollway will not fully review any RFI responses, modifications or withdrawals submitted after the due date and time. All times are State of Illinois local times.

1.4 ELECTRONIC SUBMISSION: Respondent shall electronically submit responses to the RFI through the bid as advertised in BidBuy. More information on Response format is located in Section 3. As there will be no contract award resulting from the RFI, there shall be no expectation on the part of the Respondent as to a request for confidential treatment.

1.5 PUBLIC RECORDS AND REQUESTS FOR CONFIDENTIAL TREATMENT: Respondent’s Response will be open to the public under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) (5 ILCS 140) and other applicable laws and rules.

Respondent agrees the State may copy the Response to review information, or to respond to requests for public records.

Respondent warrants that such copying will not violate the rights of any third party.

1.6 GOVERNING LAW AND FORUM: Illinois law and rule govern this Request. Respondent shall bring any action relating to this Request or any resulting contract in the appropriate court in Illinois. The Tollway does not allow binding arbitration.

This document contains statutory references designated with “ILCS”. Respondent may view the full text at http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs.asp. The Illinois Procurement Code (30 ILCS 500, specifically section 30 ILCS

500/50‐10.5[e]) and the Standard Procurement Rules (44 Ill. Adm. Code 1, specifically sections 44 Ill. Adm. Code 1.15, 44

Ill. Adm. Code 1.2050 [j], and 44 Ill. Adm. Code 1.2005(v)), are applicable to this Request and may be viewed by users registered for the Illinois Procurement Bulletin.

SECTION 2 - HOW THE TOLLWAY WILL REVIEW VENDOR RESPONSES

2.1 REVIEW PROCESS: The Tollway will review all responses to gain a better understanding of industry and technology best practices.

SECTION 3 - TERMS AND CONDITIONS

This RFI and Responses make no contractual obligations on the Respondents or on the Tollway with respect to any potential procurement.

Respondents should provide an electronic, written response in the form of a white paper, exhibit, or other descriptive document showing how products or services may address one or more items discussed in this request.

Firms interested in sharing with the Illinois Tollway information regarding services or products described below are invited to respond in writing.

Responses should include, at a minimum:

1) Contact information, including address, phone, and email.

2) Description of the company.

3) Description of the services or products offered, including functionality and, as applicable, technical design.

4) Description of the services or products history, including key existing installations.

5) Description of how the services or products provide best practices and efficiencies for processing.

6) Addresses the items identified under the RFI Purpose section.

Request for Information (RFI) ‐ Back‐Office System Innovations BidBuy # 21‐557THA‐BUSSY‐B‐16031 5

SECTION 4 - TOPICS AND AREAS OF INTEREST TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE RFI RESPONSE

4.1 REQUESTED INFORMATION AND DISCUSSION TOPICS

Information is requested to address the features and services described above, and in any of the following topic areas below. Information sought should provide insights into future systems design and leverage the capabilities of today’s leading information technology trends in the following areas including but not limited to:

Advantages/disadvantages of cloud computing

Best practices from the non‐tolling industries which process large numbers of small value transactions

Design/development process

Data Migration

Data Storage

Middleware design and standardized API integration services

Business rules management processes

Big data analytics, predictive modeling, customer insights, and business intelligence reporting

Highly extensible and scalable integration processing and platforms

Data Security

Data integrity mapping and tracking throughout the transaction process

Open Architecture to best support flexibility in adding or substituting back‐office support vendors

New, robust and integrated self‐service payment channel/method

Services or products that offer greater modularity, configurability and scalability

Multi‐channel communications, social networking, and messaging functionality

4.2 TEMPLATE FOR RESPONSE

Firms are requested to complete the following section titled “Contact Information and Company Description.” All following sections are to be completed only insofar as the firm is offering information on industry and technology best practices. The firm should complete all information requested in the provided table, with an eye toward including reference to any of the applicable items described in the above summaries. Documents to support the response, or to elaborate on the response, should be identified and referenced in the table, and included within the same tabbed section of the submitted response (Further instruction related to requested formatting of each response is contained in Section 5).

Contact Information and Company Description

Requested Information Response

Name of Contact Person

Title

Telephone Number

Email Address

Description of Company’s Primary Line of Business

Request for Information (RFI) ‐ Back‐Office System Innovations BidBuy # 21‐557THA‐BUSSY‐B‐16031 6

Company’s Website

Request for Information (RFI) ‐ Back‐Office System Innovations BidBuy # 21‐557THA‐BUSSY‐B‐16031 7

SECTION 5 – GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR RESPONSE SUBMISSION CONTENT AND FORMAT

The Tollway requests that the responses to this RFI be organized in the manner described below. Include an executive summary of the highlights of the submittal. Charts, exhibits and other illustrative and graphical information may also be electronically submitted through BidBuy, as the Tollway will not accept any paper submissions.

Responses are requested in the following format:

Tab 1 Transmittal Letter: The person who signs the transmittal letter will be considered the contact person for all matters pertaining to the response unless the Firm designates another person in writing. The letter shall include the firm’s mailing address, e‐mail address, fax number and telephone number.

Tab 2 Table of Contents: The firm is asked to include a table of contents in its response.

Tab 3 Executive Summary: The firm is asked to include an Executive Summary in its response.

Tab 4 Services and Products Described – The firm is asked to complete each applicable table and to create a separate tabbed section for each completed table. Each tabbed section will contain any documentation supporting the completed table. Include the Company Description Table in Section 3 in this tab.

The firm is asked that no Confidential or Proprietary Information and Pricing be submitted with the RFI response.

End