Merchant Card Services

Background
The Texas A&M University System (A&M System) is one of the largest systems of higher education in the nation, with a budget of $7.3 billion. It comprises 11 universities and various state agencies, educating over 165,000 students annually. The A&M System is seeking proposals for merchant card services to enhance its payment processing capabilities across its member institutions. The current contract for these services will expire on March 31, 2026.

Work Details
The selected Respondent will provide comprehensive merchant card services including:

1. PCI DSS compliant merchant card processing for MasterCard, Visa, Discover, American Express, and debit networks.
2. Daily batch processing with scheduled or host-initiated settlements.
3. Transfer of funds to bank accounts with one ACH credit per Merchant ID (MID).
4. Security measures to protect data during transactions.
5. Support for digital payments such as ApplePay and GooglePay.
6. Sale and support of PCI-compliant POS terminals.
7. Management of chargebacks and refunds with detailed reporting capabilities.
8. Robust online reporting tools that meet accessibility standards and allow for customizable reports.

Period of Performance
The initial term of the agreement will be five years, with an option to extend for an additional five years upon mutual agreement.

Place of Performance
Services will be performed across various locations within the Texas A&M University System's member institutions throughout Texas.

Bidder Requirements
Respondents must demonstrate financial stability and experience in providing merchant card services, particularly in the higher education sector. They are required to submit a HUB Subcontracting Plan indicating their efforts to utilize Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs), aiming for a participation goal of 15%. Additionally, Respondents must provide audited financial statements if requested.