B21000593 Merchant Services/Payment Gateway

The Hawaii Department of Agriculture (HDOA) has issued an Invitation for Bid (IFB) for Merchant Services and Payment Gateway procurement, soliciting proposals from credit/debit card processors to provide comprehensive transaction processing and related ancillary services. The procurement specifically seeks a vendor capable of supporting multiple payment methods and channels, including point-of-sale terminals, mobile applications, website integration, and virtual point-of-sale systems. Key requirements for the selected vendor include full PCI DSS compliance, advanced fraud detection capabilities, recurring billing functionality, and e-check processing. The solicitation involves the installation of two new contactless payment terminals and the upgrade of three existing terminals across various HDOA locations. The contract will be awarded to the lowest compliant bidder, with the HDOA estimating annual transaction volumes of 500 gateway transactions and 1,500 terminal transactions, representing approximately $250,000 in annual revenue. The bid was posted on December 23, 2020, with a response deadline of January 20, 2021, and requires vendors to demonstrate technical capability to support comprehensive payment processing needs.

The solicitation does not explicitly outline specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. The procurement appears open to qualified merchant services providers who can meet the technical and compliance requirements. The contractor will be responsible for issuing separate merchant numbers for each HDOA branch and must ensure a smooth operational transition to a successor contractor at the contract's conclusion. While specific budget ranges are not definitively stated, the estimated annual transaction revenue suggests a contract value around $250,000. The vendor must possess the technical infrastructure to integrate with existing HDOA systems and provide a robust payment gateway solution. Importantly, the selected vendor will be expected to assist the HDOA in achieving and maintaining PCI certification as necessary, indicating a collaborative approach to payment processing technology and security compliance.