Explanation
1. BACKGROUND
This legislation authorizes the Chief Innovation Officer to enter into a professional services contract with Bytemark, Inc., hereafter referenced as Bytemark, in an amount of up to $264,800.00 to become the Merchant of Record for the Smart Columbus Common Payment System (CPS) project which will process payments for the Smart Columbus Multi-Modal Trip Planning Application (MMTPA) project and provide incentives for participants.
The Smart City Challenge was a U.S. Department of Transportation (USDOT) grant program that sought to “create a fully integrated, first-of-its kind city that uses data, technology and creativity to shape how people and goods move in the future.” In 2016, the City of Columbus, acting through the Department of Public Service, applied for and won the Smart City Challenge, receiving a $40 million dollar grant from USDOT and a $10 million grant from the Paul G. Allen Family Foundation (Vulcan).
As part of Columbus’ overall response to the Smart City Challenge, efforts were focused on a system that will provide travelers with a single, common platform that integrates with the MMTPA, known as the CPS. The benefits of providing travelers with a centralized, account-based payment system are increased convenience and customer satisfaction as well as improved access to mobility options through integration with transportation providers. Travelers will be able to fund accounts using a variety of payment methods such as credit cards, debit cards, and cash via pre-paid debit cards or COTA Connector account. Users will be able to reload CPS accounts at point of sale retailers.
The Merchant of Record role is responsible for all payment transactions involving all mobility providers, parking providers, and CPS users. This was originally slated to be held by a Smart Columbus partner but through project development and contractual considerations, the team decided Bytemark would be a better fit. Bytemark is the lead sub-c...
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