The University of Alabama

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The University of Alabama

• Becoming A
• Bama Cash
• Vendor
• Presented By
• Robin Coleman

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The Action Card
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The University of AlabamaAction Card Profile

• Public Single Campus University
• - 24,000 Students (approx.) - 3,900
  Faculty/Staff (approx.)
• Card Program Initiated in 1995
• Currently 550 Readers
• - Access Control - Activity
  - Bookstore
• - Copy - Laundry
  - Library
• - Merchant Dial-Up - Parking
  - Online Card Office
• - Vending - Payroll
  Deduction - Point of Sale
• - Network Printing - Kiosk
• 15.9 million annual debit sales
• 6 million annual card swipes

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The University of AlabamaOff Campus Program
Profile

• Program Initiated July 1998
• 50 Off Campus locations (using 80 terminals)
• 9 Modems
• Merchants
• off campus vendors

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The University of Alabama Off Campus Program
Statistics

• Bama Cash
• 2005 2006 Fiscal year
• 196,150 transactions
• 2.3 million in sales

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Action Card OfficeMission and Vision Statement

• Mission
• The Action Card is a service provider to The
  University of Alabama community for efficient
  technological one-card solutions for a variety of
  campus operations including financial, access and
  identification.
• To serve as a central data point for
  management of a variety of campus privileges in
  order to ensure a timely, accurate and consistent
  database for The University of Alabama community.
• Vision
• For the Action Card to become the campus
  communitys key to everyday financial, access and
  identification needs including programs beyond
  the physical boundaries of campus.

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Why expand off campus?

• For UA there was one main reason
• Our town and gown relationship!
• Town and Gown relationship
• Student Demand
• Expand deposits and usage of our voluntary flex
  debit account (Bama Cash)

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Bama Cash Off Campus Recruitment

• RFP (Request for Proposal)
• Initiated by the merchants during the year
• Merchants are looking to
• Increase or maintain student sales
• Access to the student debit card deposits
• Access UA direct marketing capabilities
• web
• orientation

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Bama Cash Off CampusRFP Process

• RFP issued during three annual open enrollment
  periods for new merchants
• History of the card system
• Outlines the Bama Cash flex debit card program
• Lists required equipment
• States program fees
• Lists minimum sales commission
• Outlines merchant program responsibilities
• Outlines UAs program responsibilities
• Includes Off Campus Program Agreement for review

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Bama Cash RFP Evaluation Criteria

• Accessibility of services including location(s)
  and hours available.
• Category(s) of services in meeting program
  variety.
• Acceptance of required equipment and
  communications.

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Bama Cash RFP Evaluation Criteria

• Number and scope of any conditions included in
  the vendors proposal.
• References
• 2 years in business in the United States
• of sales applicable to student market
• willingness to provide training to employees
• permits/licenses
• continued

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Bama Cash RFP Evaluation Criteria

• Vendors ability to execute the contract within
  the time frames outlined in the RFP.
• Skills and experience to efficiently satisfy the
  scope of work described in this RFP.
• Willingness to participate and support joint
  promotional activities.
• continued

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Bama Cash RFP Evaluation Criteria

• For food service operations, evaluation of
  average yearly food service ratings and/or any
  closure of proposed location due to food service
  ratings.
• Agreement to sign the Action Card Merchant
  Dial-Up Terminal Program Agreement.

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Why an annual enrollment period?

• Stability
• Technical
• Modem Pool
• Installations
• Merchant Training
• Business
• Payment Processes
• Marketing
• Orientation
• Web

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Bama Cash Off-CampusFees and Commissions

• 500 per terminal due at contract signing
• 3.5 minimum Sales Commissions deducted from
  sales payment distributions
• Vendor cannot pass on to customer commission
  above regular pricing

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Off Campus ProgramMerchant Training

• Terminal/Printer
• sales
• refunds
• how to change paper/ribbons
• Explanation of Bama Cash debit accounts
• Instruction sheet
• batch
• potential error messages
• 24/7 merchant hotline number

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Technical Information

• 24/7 Merchant Hot Line for troubles
• Leave message
• VM automatically notify on call personnel
• UA not responsible for merchants lost sales
  during scheduled or unscheduled system
  downtime.
• continued

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Technical Information

• Merchant Responsibilities
• responsible for purchase of required equipment
  (no equipment substitutions allowed)
• terminal
• printer
• must have dedicated communications line
• must provide a receipt to cardholder
• provide own supplies (i.e. printer paper,
  ribbons)
• must provide power source for all equipment
• fraud controls

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Reconciliation

• Merchants paid bi-weekly
• Commission is deducted prior to sales
  distribution to merchant
• Off campus merchants are paid by check
• Reporting available on request
• MDT sales are balanced monthly to UAs general
  ledger

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Joint Marketing Programs

• Orientation
• Card books
• coupons
• giveaways
• Bama Cash Promotions
• prizes
• coupons
• Advertisements
• shared costs

• Payroll Deduction Promotions
• prizes
• University Events
• Greek Week
• Financial Affairs Day
• Website
• Merchant listing
• Special Promotions

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Bama Cash Merchants

• 1 Stop Laundry
• 15th Street Diner
• Alabama Book Store
• Arbys
• Bad Ass Coffee Co.
• Bama Tan
• Brunos
• Buffalo Phils
• Chilis
• Cleansing Tide
• Cold Stone Creamery

• Hair Techniques
• Jacks
• Jasons Deli
• Kens Downtown
• Manna Grocery
• McAlisters
• Milagros
• Movie Gallery
• Newks
• Off Campus Bookstore
• Oz Music
• Papa Johns
• Pita Pit
• Pepitos
• Pet supplies Plus
• Qdoba

• Rama Jamas
• Schlotzskys
• Smoothie King
• Sonics
• Subway
• SWEN
• TCBY
• The College Store
• The Corner
• The Trunk
• Tide Clean
• UPS Store
• Video Zone
• Wing Zone

• Crimson Café
• CVS
• Dominos
• Firehouse
• Guthries

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• For Future Reference
• Robin Coleman
• 205 348-9711
• rcoleman_at_fa.ua.edu