Federal Student Aid Next Gen Payment Card Program Pilot

This is a PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE to announce the anticipated release of a solicitation for contractor support for Federal Student Aid (FSA)'s Payment Card Program Pilot on or about February 2, 2018 and to share a draft of the solicitation.

FSA intends to launch a FSA Payment Card ("FSA Payment Card Program") to facilitate FSA loan refunds, along with other funds, originated by participating schools. Currently, FSA loan money is received directly by the Institutions of Higher Learning whereby schools apply those funds to student accounts for tuition and fees. The Institutions of Higher Learning then refund the overage to the student which is accomplished in a variety of ways: cards, ACH, manual checks, and even cash disbursements.

The purpose of the FSA Payment Card Program Pilot ("Pilot") is to test, with a select number of schools, an FSA Payment Card whereby federal student loan customers ("Customers") will have a consistent, economically advantageous and timely method to receive FSA loan refunds. To meet FSA's "best possible" approach to customers' needs, the Program Pilot will likely require a unique card product, different from existing credit, debit, or prepaid cards and checking accounts. FSA's focus for the Pilot would be delivering the FSA Payment Card Program for current, in-college student customers who receive regular refunds of FSA student loans throughout the year.

More details regarding the Program and the requirements of the anticipated contract can be found in the attached draft document.

Questions or comments MUST be submitted IN WRITING to FSAEAT@ed.gov. NO PHONE CALLS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

The Solicitation will be made available on http://www.fbo.gov.

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This is a PRE-SOLICITATION NOTICE to announce the anticipated release of a solicitation for contractor support for Federal Student Aid (FSA)'s Payment Card Program Pilot on or about February 2, 2018 and to share a draft of the solicitation.

FSA intends to launch a FSA Payment Card ("FSA Payment Card Program") to facilitate FSA loan refunds, along with other funds, originated by participating schools. Currently, FSA loan money is received directly by the Institutions of Higher Learning whereby schools apply those funds to student accounts for tuition and fees. The Institutions of Higher Learning then refund the overage to the student which is accomplished in a variety of ways: cards, ACH, manual checks, and even cash disbursements.

The purpose of the FSA Payment Card Program Pilot ("Pilot") is to test, with a select number of schools, an FSA Payment Card whereby federal student loan customers ("Customers") will have a consistent, economically advantageous and timely method to receive FSA loan refunds. To meet FSA's "best possible" approach to customers' needs, the Program Pilot will likely require a unique card product, different from existing credit, debit, or prepaid cards and checking accounts. FSA's focus for the Pilot would be delivering the FSA Payment Card Program for current, in-college student customers who receive regular refunds of FSA student loans throughout the year.

More details regarding the Program and the requirements of the anticipated contract can be found in the attached draft document.

Questions or comments MUST be submitted IN WRITING to FSAEAT@ed.gov. NO PHONE CALLS WILL BE ACCEPTED.

The Solicitation will be made available on http://www.fbo.gov.