Prepaid debit cards, purchase/ delivery/management of

The State of Florida, specifically the Department of Children and Families (DCF) and Palm Beach County, is procuring prepaid debit card purchase, delivery, and management services through this competitive solicitation. The procurement encompasses the acquisition, production, personalization, and distribution of Visa or MasterCard branded prepaid debit cards for state benefit distribution programs, including emergency hotel shelter, transportation, and cellular phone services. The selected vendor must provide comprehensive services including card issuance, activation, fund loading, 24/7 customer service support, real-time transaction reporting, fraud monitoring and prevention, and ongoing account management capabilities. Key qualifications for vendors include demonstrated experience managing high-volume prepaid card programs for government or institutional clients, Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) certification, compliance with anti-money laundering and consumer protection regulations, and ability to handle system integration with state agency platforms. The contract evaluation criteria emphasize vendor experience with large-scale prepaid card programs, system security and fraud prevention capabilities, customer service quality, cost-effectiveness, and compliance with state and federal regulations. The estimated annual quantity is approximately 30 cards, with pricing submitted on a firm, fixed unit price per card basis including all management services, mailing, and delivery costs. The proposal deadline was July 21, 2022, with an addendum issued on August 4, 2022, and subsequent amendments on August 22, 2022, and October 24, 2022, indicating modifications to requirements and evaluation criteria throughout the solicitation process.

The solicitation is subject to federal funding requirements and may include set-asides for minority-owned enterprises, women-owned enterprises, disadvantaged business enterprises, or veteran-owned businesses in accordance with Florida procurement policies. Bidders must submit a minimum of three professional references demonstrating experience providing similar goods and services within the past three years, and compliance with federal regulations including debarment and suspension certification, drug-free workplace certification, E-Verify employment eligibility verification, and nondiscrimination statutes are mandatory. The contract will be awarded on an all-or-none basis to the lowest responsive and responsible quoter, with a 12-month initial term and options to renew for four additional 12-month periods subject to Board appropriation of funds and mutual written agreement. Delivery must occur within 15 calendar days of the delivery order, and all unspent card balances must be returned to the County upon request. While specific budget amounts and incumbent vendor information are not comprehensively detailed across all solicitation documents, the state maintains existing infrastructure and reporting requirements that successful vendors must integrate with, and the contract structure allows for scalability based on demand fluctuations and ongoing reconciliation of card-related activities. The contract funding derives from the state's operational budget with allocations designated for prepaid debit card services across relevant state agencies and programs.