CCP 11-29-2004 - Laserfiche WebLink

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. . . Memo Credit Card Acceptance - vendor selection 2 the user as such. As a result of this rule, or as a courtesy, cities contacted do not charge a fee to the users of the credit card. This rule does not apply to transactions conducted over the internet. At the April's Work Session, the Council discussed the acceptance issue and was in favor of accepting the credit cards, At this meeting, Council directed staff to engage in conversation with service providers and requested staff to budget adequate funds in 2005 Budget to cover the servicing costs. A determination was made to implement the credit card acceptance procedure in January 2005. DISCUSSION: Since April, staff had engaged in conversation with three vendors (service providers) and reviewed their pricing structurc. Staff had engaged in conversation with US Bank, Anchor Bank, and Certegy Card Services. The pricing structurc for all institutions was within an acceptable range, with Certegy being the lowest with a local representative. Certegy, formerly known as Equifax Card Solutions, has been in the transaction processing business for over 25 years serving both merchants and financial institutions. By contracting with Certegy, the City will be going directly to the source. Most service providers require a three year contract or a commitment. Staff is not comfortable with a long-term commitment with a vendor for a scrvice that is new to the City. Certegy is willing to enter into a one year contract with a renewal option. Certegy's services will also allow us to accept debit cards that bear a Visa or MasterCard logos. These are known as "off-line" cards that do not require a PIN number. Service charges for debit cards are lower than the credit card charges. RECOMMENDED ACTION: Staff recommends lhat the Council authOlize staff to enter into a contract with Certegy Card Services for the processing of the City's credit card transactions for a term of one year, with an option to renew.