Streamline the RFP Process to Find a New Payments Vendor
November 18, 2025 by Emma Lunceford
In a recent International City/County Management Association webinar, Morgan Jines, vice president of Payments, discussed how cities and counties can simplify often complex payment procurement processes with best practices for success.
RFPs can be time-consuming journeys that can lead to frustration for local and state government agencies, but they don't need to be that way. The RFP evaluation and procurement process can be streamlined to benefit agencies and help them find the right payments vendor to ultimately deliver a better experience for staff and residents.
Planning for an RFP
Setting your agency up for success to select the right payments vendor starts by assessing the current state of your payments systems, including key stakeholders in the process, researching all procurement options, and developing a timeline. When evaluating your agency's current systems, identify gaps, the pros and cons of your technology, and how it affects each department that uses it. By including key stakeholders from the beginning of the planning process, agencies can ensure they select the vendor that meets the current and future needs of staff and residents. Jines stresses that identifying and including key stakeholders early in the process "allows for full organizational buy-in" by enabling each department to voice its needs and requirements.
Another aspect of the planning process includes assessing whether an RFP is required and understanding alternative procurement options. Cooperative purchasing contracts such as Sourcewell and NASPO, as well as existing state agreements may help agencies find the vendor they need without going through the formal RFP process.
Finally, Jines believes that agencies should set realistic timelines for evaluation, selection, and implementation that align with the current contract's expiration date. By creating a thoughtful timeline, agencies ensure stakeholder readiness and a smooth go live.
Drafting an RFP
Crafting an RFP can be challenging due to the many components needed. Still, it is also an exciting opportunity to detail exactly what your agency needs in a payments partner. Jines also touches on the importance of distinguishing between what is essential and what is nice to have. She shares, "There are more and more things in the payments industry that are no longer nice to have, but essential. Agencies should use the RFP process to explicitly note non-negotiable items that will improve the resident and staff experience, as well as security and compliance, such as a NACHA- and PCI-compliant vendor, support for omni-channel payments, and a detailed cost structure.”
Ensuring a Strong Vendor Partnership
Creating a good environment is key to any working relationship. Through the RFP process, agencies should consider the steps they can take to build a partnership with the selected vendor from award and through the lifetime of the contract. Jines highlights a few action items to foster this relationship, including rigorously testing the solution with the vendor, training staff, establishing performance monitoring, and prioritizing communication for upgrades, change requests, and incident management. She stresses the importance of being in-tune with internal stakeholders, payer expectations, and evolving industry trends and "taking what you need and voicing it back to the vendor to make sure you're choosing someone that has that in mind for the future."
With a thoughtful approach to payments procurement, agencies can streamline the path to find the right partnership to benefit their staff and residents. Learn more about how to create a seamless RFP and procurement process by watching the webinar here.