Public Funds Signal gives merchant services and government payments sellers early notice when a city, county, utility, court or other agency is likely to replace its card processor, payment portal or fee model for tax, utility, court and permit payments.
Get a free sampleIn local government, payments aren't one decision. The tax collector, utility billing, the courts and the permit office may each run their own processor and portal, on different contracts and timelines. A change can start with a contract nearing its end, complaints about convenience fees, a new billing or tax system, or a push to consolidate vendors.
By the time a merchant services RFP is posted, the office has usually decided what it wants. Sellers who were already talking to the treasurer or utility director helped decide it.
Catch county and city tax offices planning to replace online property tax payment portals or card processing.
See when utilities are changing billing systems, adding payment channels or rebidding processing.
Know when courts and clerks are modernizing how they take fines, fees and costs.
Find permit and licensing offices adding online payments or moving to a new platform.
Many government payment RFPs turn on the fee model: whether the government absorbs processing costs, passes them to the payer as a convenience or service fee, or asks for a no-cost or revenue-sharing arrangement. Card network rules and state policies shape what's allowed.
Early notice gives you time to understand what the office is trying to fix before you propose a model.
How these RFPs are titled, what they ask for, and how convenience fees and service fees differ for government.
Each alert gives you what you need to decide whether to call this week or plan for next quarter.
Current processing contract nearing its end; office looking to add mobile and text-to-pay options and revisit how convenience fees are charged. Supporting documentation included.
Illustrative example. Entities, details and timing are fictional.
Plans cover the territory you sell into, from a metro area to several states, and include every product line. Tell us your territory when you request a sample so we can follow up with pricing for your market.
Public Funds Signal is for merchant services, payment processing and government payments sellers who work with cities, counties, utilities, courts and other public agencies.
Get a free sample of government payments signals.
See exactly what a government payments signal report looks like, delivered to your inbox.