Next Generation Front End Project Source Selection (RFP 12373)

UPDATE: The Source Selection Process is still ongoing with an award expected in the April timeframe. The Next Generation Front End Project has been initiated to replace the current credit card, debit card and e-check payment system which has been in place since 2015. Newer technologies and software capabilities have been created by multiple vendors in the marketplace since then. An evaluation of these products has necessitated that the Tax Collector Office initiate a Source Selection Process to examine these new alternatives for the benefit of the Orange Community. Bidders are advised to download the Source Selection Documents if they wish to submit a proposal. Proposals are due in the Tax Collectors' Office by January 27, 2023 at 1 P.M. Eastern Time 

RFP 12373 NGFE Source Selection Documents

RFP Q&A

RFP Questions updated 1/10/2023 04:15 PM
  • If I have a question what should I do?
  • All questions should be directed to the tphurley@orange-ct.gov Q&A will be posted here for all bidders benefit.
  • Do you take phone calls regarding the RFP?
  • No, RFP questions must be in writing. Answers will be posted here.
  • I have questions regarding how to price this, what do I do?
  • Remember all questions will be answered here, your specific cost proposals are secured when submitted and not available to others than the Town of Orange Selection team during the Source Selection. So generic requests and answers are available to everyone. There are two major components to the Cost Proposal, costs to the Town and costs for taxpayer usage. Options pricing would be the remaining component.  
  • Can I propose changes to the sample contract?
  • Yes, these should be provided in Volume 4 with the submission. 
  • What is the main deliverable?
  • The SOW and your responses will be the main deliverable. If you put it in the SOW response it will be expected that you are delivering that component unless you are specifically saying you are not delivering something as part of your proposal. Remember Cost components are separated into Volume 2 your pricing part of the proposal.
  • Primary Instructions to Bidder's #3: The Town requires "One electronic submittal in .pdf format. "should this electronic copy be provided on a USB/flash Drive along with our proposal or emailed to the Proposal Contact?
  • Each volume should be submitted as a separate file. USB/Flash Drives are preferred due to the size of the files involved. Email usually has a file size limit and you risk missing the deadline if your file gets bounced because of size. (10 MB max)
  • Primary Instructions to Bidders, #5-8 Does each volume need to be separately bound/submitted as separate documents electronically, or can it all be submitted as 1 proposal with tab dividers/headings?
  • Due to the sensitivity of the Cost Volume. this volume needs to be submitted separately from the rest of the proposal. The other volumes if submitted in the same document need to be clearly identified and broken out. Tab dividers and headings may be used for this purpose. 
  • Requirements document pg 4. #R1.1c: Does the town currently have any kiosks installed for payment processing services? If so, what is the make/model of these kiosks.
  • No, the Town does not have kiosks for payment services. The vendor should provide their solution.
  • Requirements document. p 10 #R6.1.b: Will the town accept a project schedule provided in another format other than Microsoft Project?  
  • Vendor's scheduling system is acceptable provided it has full network and statusing capability and vendor will submit project information in a hard copy format that the Agency can review. Schedule Reports should be provided in a .pdf output. Many of these systems have the capability to export to MS Project formats which would also be acceptable.
  • Statement of Work General: If a vendor has Supplemental information to provide that does not fit in the Statement of Work format, can this be provided as an appendix to Volume One?
  • The purpose of Volume 3 is to accommodate this perceived need. Any reference to volume 3 in the SOW automatically will make that reference a deliverable as well. 
  • Are there additional software solutions the Town of Orange uses in other departments besides the QDS 5 Tax system to collect payments?
  • Yes, the Town has multiple payment systems at this time, the Town Library, the Community Services Department and Park and Rec departments. The Public Works Department for Water and Sewer assessments is transitioning to the QDS 5 System. This RFP should not include these other non-QDS 5 departments. These departments do not wish to change their vendors at this time.
  • How does the Town the Town of Orange, CT process cards in person? 
  • At this time credit and debit cards are only processed online for the Tax office. The kiosks that we wish to consider would be in the Tax and Public Works offices to accomplish this capability. 
  • If the Town of Orange processes credit/debit cards in person, what are the make and model of the credit card machines? and how many?
  • At this time credit and debit cards are only processed online for the Tax office. We do not take credit cards in person at the Tax Window.
  • In requirement R1.1a, the Town expresses interest in sewer tax payments. Can the Town please provide digital payment data for sewer taxes, or have these payments historically only been available offline? 
  • These payments were billed and paid through another system that is slowly be replaced by QDS billing and payment. This is a new transition and as such no statistics are currently available as only a trial subset of users have been transitioned to date.
  • What is the total number of outstanding bills per year for each of the Town’s five tax bills (e.g., 1,000 bills semi-annually, 2,000 annually, etc.)? 
  • The town has to generate approximately 11,500 bills for the July billing cycle. We use QDS club billing to reduce the number of bills sent to the same taxpayer. (i.e., one bill would be generated for multiple vehicles, but each vehicle still has its own separate record) We have supplemental MV bills in December for another 2200 so accounts. For a total annual billing of about 13700+ tax bill records generated annually. We also have escrow payments available for companies like Core Logic and Loretta.
  • Can the Town please provide a breakdown of transactions for each tax type by payment method (e.g., ACH vs. credit card), including sewer? 
  • Sewer payments are new and just beginning to be taken. No such statistics are currently available. e-checks vs credit card information is not currently available. Wireless payments are currently being investigated for our large clients. (Sewer: 1270 TOTAL BILLS. Sewer billings are semiannual 635 per billing cycle.)
  • How many AutoPay accounts does the Town currently have?
  • The Town does not have an AutoPay capability at this time. Taxpayers may pay using the current town website payment site (see website below)
  • How many eBilling accounts does the Town currently have?
  •  The Town does not currently offer e-billing per se but Taxpayers may download their tax bills at:     https://www.mytaxbill.org/inet/bill/home.do?town=orange
  • How many real estate payments are due each semi-annual billing cycle?
  • 5,822 however, some taxpayers elect to pay the full bill on the first payment. Dollarwise $29,803,920 are the billed first installment amounts with $29,798,958 billed as the second instalment. $100 or less payments are due in full in July's billing. At this time, real estate payments tend not to be paid with credit cards, but by debit cards or e-checks when using the front-end systems, due to the interest charges on credit cards. 
  • How many Personal Property payments are due each semi-annual billing cycle?
  • 824 however, many businesses full pay in the July billing cycle. The front end payment system is popular with businesses with the 1st installment $3,422, 295 and the second installment $3,413,469. $100 or less payments are due fully in July.
  • How many motor vehicle excise payments are due each Summer?
  • 15,118 $6,184,817
  • How many supplemental motor vehicle payments are due in January?
  • This value can vary greatly depending on how timely the state DMV files are generated and the vehicle turnover and accident rates etc. of the taxpayers in town. However, for the 2021 General Ledger year, 2216 bills were generated with a tax value of $818,440  
  • How large is the Town of Orange's taxbase?
  • The QDS 5 system handles $73,441,900 in annual taxes not including sewer assessments, currently in test.  
  • What is the average sewer bill?
  • Annual Total Sewer collections divided by users is $1407.75. However, the Derby Sewer District typically averages $550-650 per household (150) and the West Haven District which comprises the Commercial District can run from $100 into the thousands.
  • What types of kiosks are you interested in, counter, indoor mounted on the floor, or outdoor mounted to the ground? 
  • At this time, we would see, indoor, floor mounted stand-alone Kiosks.
  • In R17.3 we need clarification about checks, does this pertain to cash management or lockbox?
  • This applies to any transaction using checks. The date, written portion and signature are the three required fields on any check transaction. If anyone of the three is missing or miswritten, the instrument is defective and will likely be rejected somewhere in the process causing rework and possible fees to be assessed if it gets to the tax office before it is reversed. Hence the statement that we wish the vendor to take responsibility for checks being accepted in the right format assuming you take checks for payment. This includes electronic checks. E-checks also require account and bank routing information to be correct as well!  Having said this, we get most of our payments in the mail paid for by standard check, so we wouldn't likely see the vendor involved in accepting standard checks unless some type of escrowing is proposed by the vendor that allows such payments. Automatic EFT or draft (pre-authorized check) withdrawals for this activity can be envisioned. This rule also applies to vendor checks presented to the Tax Office for payment processing.
  • The SOW document references Requirement R1.1.f on page 4 of 19; however, the Requirements document only reflects R1.1.a through R1.1.e. Was this accidentally left out? 
  • This requirement was moved elsewhere so vendors should just mark the Yes box in the SOW for the R1.1.f requirement.
  • Also, the SOW on page 6 of 19 for End User Training references Requirement R2.2.a, but does not include R2.2.b, but is listed on page 7 of 19 of the Requirements. Should we add in the question with that requirement referenced, along with the 3 boxes for Yes, Qualified, and No?
  • Treat both requirements 2.2.a and 2.2.b in the same response. SOW should have just referenced 2.2
  • On Page 3 of 19 of the SOW document, it instructs vendors to explain any Qualified or No responses. For the Yes responses where the SOW document and/or requirements don't specifically indicate to explain, show, detail, describe, etc., does the Yes by itself suffice?
  • Yes, the selected vendor will be held accountable for delivering the requirement as specified. However, if you want to try to qualify for additional scoring points you might want to add anything that would make us take particular notice of your yes answer. Remember, additional points can be administered by the source selection team per the scoring guidelines for something we feel is over and above the basic requirement. 
  • Can I bring in others like QDS in on my demonstration to the the Source Selection Team?
  • Yes, with the following provisos. 1. Third parties must adhere to the source selection rules and not discuss other bidders during the demonstration. 2. Third parties may not discuss what went on during the demonstration with anyone besides the bidder and source selection team. 3. All discussions must be confidential and not shared until the Source selection is closed. 4. Failure to abide by these rules may subject the bidder to a disqualification. 5. Pricing (Volume 2) shall not be discussed in the presence of the third party.