Payment System
Overview
Buyer
Place of Performance
NAICS
PSC
Set Aside
Original Source
Timeline
Qualification Details
Fit reasons
- NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
- Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.
Risks
- Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
- Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.
Next steps
Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.
Quick Summary
The U.S. Department of the Treasury has issued a Request for Information (RFI) for a Payment System to gather industry feedback on commercial payment platforms. This RFI is for market research and acquisition planning, not a solicitation. The Treasury seeks a secure, scalable, and integrated digital payment platform for electronic payment collection, processing, settlement, and reporting. Responses are due by April 13, 2026, at 2:00 PM ET.
Purpose & Scope
Treasury aims to refine the scope and structure for an anticipated acquisition of a payment system. The desired solution must facilitate end-to-end payment processing, including embedded checkout, server-side payment flows, refunds, vaulting, reconciliation, reporting, and administrative management. Key outcomes include WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility, support for major card networks and digital wallets, and reliable event delivery.
Anticipated Contractual Model
The Treasury primarily seeks direct relationships with payment platform owners. The anticipated award will likely be a multiple-award Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity (IDIQ) contract or a similar flexible vehicle, with a period of performance of one base year and up to four option years. Evaluation may use streamlined approaches like oral presentations or demonstrations. Treasury is interested in pricing models reflecting direct OEM engagement and high-volume government usage. There is no incumbent contractor for this effort.
Key Requirements & Compliance
The solution must adhere to stringent security and regulatory standards, including PCI DSS Level 1, FedRAMP Moderate (or higher), FISMA, NIST SP 800-53, and Zero Trust principles. It must also meet WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility standards and support integration with federal identity providers (e.g., Login.gov, SAML, OIDC, PIV/CAC). Performance objectives include 99.99% annual uptime and median authorization latency of ≤ 500 ms.
Anticipated Evaluation Criteria
Future solicitations may evaluate submissions based on:
- Technical Capability and Platform Maturity
- Security and Regulatory Compliance (e.g., PCI-DSS, FedRAMP status)
- Cost Efficiency and Pricing Structure
- Value-Added Capabilities and Innovation
- Implementation and Transition Approach
Information Requested
Vendors should provide company details, existing government contract vehicles, questions, recommendations, and identify potential barriers. Detailed responses are requested for 17 specific questions covering:
- End-to-end payment processing capabilities and supported methods.
- Experience with federal agencies or similar large organizations.
- PCI-DSS and FedRAMP status.
- Hosting environment, integration methods, and transaction pricing structure.
- Data ownership, reporting, and transition considerations.
- Capabilities not currently supported by the platform.
- Platform origin (government-built vs. commercial adaptation) and differentiating features.
- Feedback on potential competition-limiting requirements or alternative commercial approaches.
- Funds flow model and integration with federal identity providers.
Pilot Opportunity
Treasury is considering optional pilot or phased evaluation engagements, including sandbox testing or limited-scope operational demonstrations. Participation is voluntary, for market research only, and will not affect eligibility for future solicitations. Vendors can indicate their willingness and ability to support such a pilot.
Submission Instructions
Responses must be submitted via email to purchasing@fiscal.treasury.gov with the subject line "Treasury Notice – Payment System – April 2026". Submissions should be in searchable Adobe PDF format (version 7.x or earlier), with at least 0.5-inch margins and no smaller than 10-point font. The deadline is April 13, 2026, at 2:00 PM Eastern Time.