Ohio Treasurer of State

Request for Proposal–Banking Services Agreement

Respondent Questions and Treasurer’s Office Answers

December 4, 2017

Respondent Questions / Treasurer’s Office Answer
  1. Please explain how warrant processing is handled.
/ Warrant processing services are not part of this RFP. The financial institution that processes warrants for the Ohio Treasurer of State’s Office (“Treasurer’s Office”) receives warrant images from the banks of first deposit, bundles those images, and sends image cash letters to the Treasurer’s Office for review, adjustment, and final settlement on a daily basis. Upon completion of settlement, the Treasurer’s Office electronically delivers all return and adjustment files to the financial institution, as well as wires payments for settled warrants.
  1. Are the current lockboxes considered seasonal? If yes, provide seasonal volume fluctuation information by month including agency name.
/ No, the Treasurer’s Office does not classify any lockboxes as seasonal. All lockboxes are set-up per the individual agency specifications.
  1. Please provide examples of each potential lockbox coupon/payment stub that may be returned with payment. Please indicate agency associated with each coupon.
/ Each agency determines its own forms. The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Do you use lockbox OCR coupons today? If yes, which agencies use these?
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not facilitate the use of OCR coupons. Each agency determines its own forms.
  1. What, if any, data entry is being captured for the current lockboxes? If it is being captured, please indicate which agencies are using this functionality.
/ Each agency sets its own data capture specifications.
  1. Are balances fairly consistent throughout a year? If they are not, please provide monthly fluctuation information.
/ Each agency has its own revenue collection schedule and fluctuations, and therefore, we cannot determine what a “fairly consistent” balance is for each agency.
  1. Will the State consider awarding business based on solution? For example, X Bank will be the provider for all lockbox?
/ The Treasurer’s Office will review all responses and consider all options presented under the RFP.
  1. Is the State using any methods to collect invoices and route internally for approval? If yes, please describe.
/ Each state agency receives, routes, and approves their own invoices in their own manner, except for those agencies who have engaged Ohio Shared Services to perform accounts payable services on their behalf.
  1. Does the State have any payment portal(s) available for incoming payments? If yes, please describe.
/ The Ohio Business Gateway is an online portal for reporting, payments, and licensing. Various agencies also have individual payment portals in order to collect electronic payments.
  1. What does the Treasurer of State mean by mobile banking functionality; is this over-and-above normal business online capability?
/ It means the use of a mobile device (e.g. smart phone or other cellular device) to perform banking functions.
  1. Can you verify that there is need for merchant services as there was a zero dollar volume in that section? If there is a need, do you require a convenience fee model? What is the volume of transactions?
/ The Board of Deposit(BOD)issues a separate RFP for merchant services. Merchant services are not covered by this RFP.
  1. Please confirm the number of providers that are currently supporting the services in scope of the RFP today? Does the State envision awarding specific banking services to multiple providers while consolidating certain banking services under a single provider? Which services are most likely to be centralized under a single respondent?
/ The State of Ohiocurrently has six depositories that hold active deposits for the state. The Treasurer’s Office will review all responses and consider all options presented under the RFP.
  1. Can a respondent bid for specific only specific banking services (identified under 5.1, 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.6, 6.0 and 7.0) and elect to not bid on certain other services?
/ The Respondent should provide any relevant answer for all sections of the RFP.
  1. Is an Ohio deposit branch network required for a financial institution to be considered an Approved Qualified Depository for Public Funds?
/ Pursuant to ORC 135.03, an active depository must be located within the state of Ohio.
  1. Please provide one year’s history of the average monthly deposit balances(s) associated with the scope of services 1-8 that the respondent would be required to pledge collateral against. Please indicate if balances are volatile, and if so when and by how much can we expect them to fluctuate?
/ Representative account balances were provided in the RFP appendices.
  1. The RFP mentions that this services encompass over 300 accounts across 45 state agencies. Please provide the number of personnel from the Treasurer’s Office and the account holder staff that will require access to account information and be set up with the respondent’s online banking and set up to be trained.
/ At a minimum, 25-30 employees of the Treasurer’s Office will have access depending on the account. In addition, individual agencies determine staff requiring user-level access.
  1. Will the EDI 822 files for each be sent to one single destination or multiple destinations based on the account holder agency?
/ The EDI 822 files are sent to the Treasurer’s Office; however, other state agencies may also request EDI 822 files.
  1. Please confirm that the account analysis statement can be sent to the account holder via email?
/ Account analysis statements may be sent via email. However, account analysis statements must be available online at the bank site. Some agencies request paper copies in addition to electronic versions. A financial institution may email a statement, but it is not a substitute for online access.
  1. The requirement states that ECR should be carried forward year to year and requirement 8.0 states what the ECR calculation should consist of. Will the Treasurer’s Office accept an alternative ECR rate calculation, if defined in the response? How should a deviation from this requirement be communicated in the response?
/ The Treasurer’s Office may accept an alternative ECR rate calculation, if defined in the response. The Treasurer’s Office will review all responses and consider all options presented under the RFP. Exhibit 3 allows for Respondent deviations to the RFP.
  1. Approximately how many state agencies and accounts would be considered for the requirement[in Section 5.0.1 – Depository and Controlled Disbursement Services of the RFP]?
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Approximately how many municipal governments are in scope for the requirement[in Section 5.0.2 – Depository and Controlled Disbursement Services of the RFP]?
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Please provide background on what a potential ZBA structure would consist of? What Treasurer and state agency account are in scope?
/ This RFP requests the Respondent’s current ZBA structure and functionality. Any state agency requesting a ZBA account may be in scope.
  1. What payment types are being facilitated through the ACH and wire process? For example, payments to businesses and vendors or payments to Citizens or a mix of both?
/ The ACH and Wire processes are used to pay businesses and individuals.
  1. The requirement outlines the file process for ACH/wire payments. Can you please confirm if the respondent will be receiving one consolidated daily file encompassing payments from the Treasurer’s Office and State agencies or files from multiple state sources? In addition, will any related confirmation files be sent to single destination or multiple destinations?
/ The Respondent may receive one file or multiple files from the Treasurer’s Office and/or various state agencies. A Respondent may need to send confirmation files to multiple destinations.
  1. Can you please provide an example file format of the requirement [in Section 5.2.12 – Electronic Funds Transfer of the RFP]?
/ File formats will vary depending on the agency, addenda record, and the requirements of Respondent.
  1. The requirements [in Section 5.4 – Controlled Disbursement and Positive Pay of the RFP] outline the controlled disbursement and positive pay process. Can you please confirm if the respondent will be receiving one daily consolidated issuance file from the Treasurer’s Office encompassing payments across all State agencies or multiple files from multiple state sources? In addition, will any relate confirmation files be sent to single destination or multiple destinations?
/ The Respondent may receive one file or multiple files from the Treasurer’s Office and/or various state agencies. A Respondent may be required to send confirmation files to multiple destinations.
  1. How many controlled disbursement accounts will be required? If multiple, how are the accounts segregated?
/ Currently, there are more than 50 controlled disbursement accounts; however, this number is subject to change. Account segregationis dependent on the agency’s requirements.
  1. What payment types are being facilitated through this controlled disbursement activity. For example, payments to businesses and vendors or payments to Citizens or a mix of both?
/ The ACH and Wire processes are used to pay businesses and individuals.
  1. Will the funding be managed by managed by the Treasurer’s Office or also by State agencies[in Section 5.4.4 – Controlled Disbursement and Positive Pay of the RFP]?
/ The funding may be managed by the Treasurer’s Office and/or state agencies.
  1. Which State agencies or departments are currently leveraging the existing Treasurer’s Office 2016-2018 banking services contract for prepaid card services. We believe that the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services (OH JFS) does so and the provider is US Bank, please confirm and indicate if they will continue to do so.
/ Various agencies, including ODJFS, utilize the Banking Services Agreements held by the Treasurer’s Office for prepaid card services. Some agencies have separate authority to procure prepaid cards without the involvement of the Treasurer’s Office.
  1. Can the State confirm that the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services currently leverages the existing Treasurer’s Office 2016-2018 banking services contract for prepaid card services? Are there any other Ohio agencies or departments utilizing or have utilized this contract for prepaid card services?
/ Please see the response to Question #30.
  1. Can the State confirm that the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services will leverage the Treasurer’s Office 2018-2020 banking services contract for prepaid card services?
/ No, each agency determines its required services.
  1. Can the State confirm that U.S. Bank is the current provider of prepaid card services for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services? How long has US Bank been the provider of prepaid card services for the Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services?
/ U.S. Bank is a prepaid card provider to ODJFS. Please see the response to Question #30.
  1. Can the State provide the dollar amount which was loaded onto the prepaid card services program for calendar year 2016 or any other period of the contract?
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Please provide the total dollar amount loaded and number of prepaid cards by program / agency / department for the most recent fiscal or calendar year.
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Please provide the following data for the prepaid card services programs for the most recent fiscal or calendar year:
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
a.Number of cardholders receiving 1st time payments and average number of payments for the life of a card
b.Average amount of benefits loaded per card per load
c.Number and dollar amount of signature transactions
d.Number and dollar amount of PIN-based transactions
e.Number and dollar amount of in-network ATM withdrawals
f.Number and dollar amount of out-of-network ATM withdrawals
g.Number and dollar amount of of in-network teller cash withdrawals
h.Number and dollar amount of out-of-network teller cash transactions
  1. Can the state provide the following metrics for the prepaid card services program for calendar year 2016 or any other period of the contract?
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
a.Number of recipient cardholders receiving 1st time payments
b.Average amount of benefits loaded per card
c.Number of signature transactions including average transaction size
d.Number of PIN-based transactions including average transaction size
e.Number of in-network ATM transactions including average transaction size
f.Number of out-of-network ATM transactions including average transaction size
g.Number of in-network teller cash transactions including average transaction size
h.Number of out-of-network teller cash transactions including average transaction size
  1. Can the State provide the complete cardholder fee schedule as referenced by the OH JFS website?
/ Please see the attached pricing information. The Treasurer’s Office does not control the information contained on the ODJFS website.

  1. Please provide the number of accounts/cardholders who have had activity in the prior 30 days for any of the current prepaid card services programs.
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Please provide the current cardholder fee schedule for the OH JFS program including the number of free ATM and teller withdrawals, telephone balance inquiries, and ATM balance inquiries.
/ Please see the response to Question #38.
  1. How many free transactions are provided in the current prepaid card services program for Teller withdrawals, ATM balance inquiries and telephone balance inquiries per week/month/pay period?
/ Please see the response to Question #38.
  1. Please describe any current limitations for accessing funds including withdrawal limits in the current program.
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Please describe any cardholder spending limits in the current program.
/ The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Does the prepaid card have a unique card design and will it be continued? If so, please provide an image.
/ Any unique card design is determined by each state agency and the continued use of any such design will be the agency’s discretion.
  1. Does the OH JFS Card currently have a unique card design? Will the State wish to continue using this design in the new program?
/ Any unique card designed is determined by each state agency and the continued use of any such design will be the agency’s discretion.
  1. What languages are supported for cardholder servicing?
/ The necessary cardholder servicing languages are determined by the state agency. The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Are there currently any languages supported in any of the prepaid card services program other than English and Spanish? If so, please provide any necessary requirements and the approximate number of cardholders who require additional language printed materials.
/ The necessary cardholder servicing languages are determined by the state agency. The Treasurer’s Office does not have this information.
  1. Please describe the sources of checks that are to be processed through the remote deposit capture program?
/ Any check issued to the state of Ohio may be processed through the remote deposit capture program.
  1. Approximately how many state agencies will requirea remote deposit capture scanner?Approximately how many deposit accounts are required or will they be deposited to single consolidated Treasurer’s account?
/ Currently, there are approximately 30 state agencies that have remote deposit capture scanners.Any state agency may request the use of remote deposit capture scanners. Multiple accounts may be utilized for remote deposit capture.

  1. Who is the current provider of the agency’s custom remote deposit capture application?
/ Multiple depositories provide software for remote deposit capture. In addition, an agency may utilize their own software solution.
  1. If possible, can you please provide the excel format for the data outlined in appendix 2 Accounts and Balances?
/ Please see the attached excel file of Appendix 2 – Accounts and Balances.

  1. If possible, can you please provide the excel format for the data outlined in appendix 3 Transaction Volumes?
/ Please see the attached excel file of Appendix 3 – Transaction Volumes.

  1. Does US Bank charge the State for any services related to the prepaid card program such as monthly or per card fees?
/ No.
  1. How or where in the proposal should prepaid card pricing be provided?
/ Please see Section 9 – Fee Proposal of the RFP. Pricing should be separate from the response to the RFP.
  1. How the State currently compensate US Bank for any services related to the debit card (i.e. monthly fee, account fees, ACH fees, deposit fees, per card fees, etc.?)
/ Please see the response to Question #53.
  1. In which template does the responder indicate the description and unit price for prepaid card services?
/ Please see Section 9 - Fee Proposal of the RFP. Pricing should be separate from the response to the RFP.
  1. How does the State determine/evaluate a cardholder fee schedule for any agencies/departments which leverage the banking services contract for prepaid card services?
/ Please see Section 1.10- Respondent Evaluation Process of the RFP.