Electronic Payment Processing Solution

Denver Water is conducting a Request for Proposal (RFP No. 506333) to procure a comprehensive electronic payment processing solution for its municipal utility serving over one million people in Colorado. The agency seeks a vendor to provide an innovative, self-service platform capable of processing payments through multiple channels including ACH, credit cards (Mastercard, Visa, Discover), debit cards, and cash payments at retail stores. The solution must integrate with Denver Water's existing Oracle JD Edwards Enterprise One and Oracle Customer Care and Billing systems, offering features such as mobile payment integrations, API-first approach, PCI DSS compliance, and a robust customer self-service portal. Key objectives include enhancing customer experience, reducing contact center calls, and improving reporting capabilities. The RFP was issued on June 2, 2025, with proposals due by July 18, 2025 at 2:00 PM MST, and potential interviews and demonstrations scheduled for the week of July 28th. Evaluation criteria will likely include technical capabilities, security compliance, integration potential, user experience, and overall solution effectiveness in meeting Denver Water's payment processing requirements.

The RFP appears to encourage participation from diverse vendors, with an emphasis on supplier diversity and potentially supporting small, minority, and women-owned businesses. The contract term is anticipated to be either three or five years, with an expected implementation start in late Q2 or early Q3 2025 and phased deployment beginning in Q4 2025 or early Q1 2026. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the existing payment infrastructure processes approximately 210,611 monthly transactions totaling $34,972,150.64, indicating a significant volume of payment processing. The solution must support approximately 245,296 active water service agreements, including 21,190 commercial and 211,493 residential accounts, with payment amounts ranging from $20 to $999,999.99. Vendors must demonstrate comprehensive capabilities including cybersecurity compliance, technology accessibility standards (WCAG 2.1 Level A and AA, US Section 508), and robust information security controls. The contract will require detailed vendor assessments, including a Technology Accessibility Vendor Questionnaire and a Vendor Security Assessment Questionnaire to ensure comprehensive compliance and capability.