Virginia
eWIC
Retailer Kick-off
Meeting
September 8, 2011
Page 1
Opening
Comments
Jerry Owens
Program Manager
ACS, a Xerox Company
Page 2
ACS Corporate Overview
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Xerox, a Fortune 500 company with more than 130,000 employees
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ACS, State and Local Solutions employs approximately 3,700 professionals
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Operations in all 50 states and more than 100 countries
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Provider of Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) Services programs in 12 states as prime
contractor and 3 states as subcontractor
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Currently manage over 7.4 million SNAP households
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Ranked #1 MasterCard Prepaid processor in 2007
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Provider of 28 branded debit card programs in 21 states
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Operate the first statewide on-line WIC Program (Michigan)
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ACS Card Services Overview
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Dedicated to providing affordable, leading-edge solutions that maximize
government service capabilities
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Family and Community Services line of business provides solutions for:
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Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT)
Women Infant Children (WIC)
Child support disbursements
Electronic Payment Card (EPC) for child
support/payroll/unemployment insurance
Electronic childcare
Workforce services
Eligibility services
ACS, a Xerox Company
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eWIC Services and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
(SNAP)
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Implemented first online eWIC solution in Michigan- 2007
• Provides eWIC services to more than 145,000
households/month
• Performs more than 1 million eWIC transactions/month
• Reconciles more than $14 million/month in e-WIC
purchases
• Supports 2000 eWIC retailers in Michigan
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Provide SNAP services for 15 states, including VA
Provide SNAP services to more than 8 million people/month
Perform more than 70 million transactions/month as host
processor
Support more than 80,000 retailers nationwide
Introductions/Project Roles
Role
Assigned To
Assignment Specifics
Program
Manager
Jerry Owens
• Ensure overall success of project and attention to stakeholder needs
• Pursue new and existing eWIC integration opportunities
• Guide retailers and other stakeholders through eWIC integration and
certification process
Retail Manager
Ed Yorkavich
• Oversee retail POS installation and training needs
• Serve as liaison between retailers and POS installers
• Provide guidance and direction for retailers during deployment process
Retail
Coordinator
Steve Gibson • Coordinate POS installation and training needs
• Manage scheduling and installation activities of installers and
equipment depot to ensure it meets the needs of the project
• Troubleshoot and problem solve for retailers going through installation
and training
• Serve as backup to Retail Manager and provide ongoing project
support
Deputy Program Russell Trahan • Serve as backup to Program Manager
Manager
Page 6
Other Participants
Role
Assigned To
Assignment Specifics
POS
Media Riders, Inc
Installation/Trainin
g/Testing
Value Added
Multiple Companies
Resellers
(VAR)/ECR
Service Provider
• Onsite equipment deployment and testing
• Onsite retailer training
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Installation of eWIC functionality into a client retailer ECR
Testing of installed eWIC functionality
Complete pre-certification testing
Participation in certification/acceptance testing
Third Party
Multiple Companies
Processors (TPP)
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Enabling of retailer account to accept eWIC transactions
Attended testing for pre-certification activities
Reconciliation for testing efforts
Participation in certification/acceptance testing
Certification
Page 7
VDH/FNS/Booz Allen • Review and approval of certification test scripts
Hamilton
• Observe test script execution
• Confirm accurate reconciliation
Introduction to eWIC
Jerry Owens, Program Manager
Page 8
Introduction to eWIC
eWIC is simply the electronic processing of WIC benefits
Page 9
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Participants redeem benefits using a magnetic stripe card and PIN
similar to how SNAP (food stamp) benefits are redeemed in VA
today
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Benefits are issued to participant accounts at the household level
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Participants may redeem benefits as needed (it is not required to
redeem all benefits at the same time)
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The system only allows redemption of products that are both
approved for WIC and available in the participant account balance
eWIC – Approved Product List (APL)
The WIC Eligibility System sends a list of
approved products to the host system
• Category/Subcategory/UPC 1
• Category/Subcategory/UPC 2
• Category/Subcategory/UPC 3
• Category/Subcategory/UPC 4
• Etc.
EPPIC
WIC Clinic
The POS/ECR downloads the APL on a
daily schedule from the FTP Server
The Host System
formats this
information along
with other data,
creates an APL
and places it on
an FTP Server
APL
POS/ECR
Page 10
FTP Server
Retailer Benefits
eWIC improves WIC redemption process
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Page 11
Lane flow is smoother and faster than the paper process
No returned checks
Faster payment, usually within 24 hours
System approves only WIC allowed items prescribed to participant
Fewer administrative tasks - i.e., no batching paper, no vendor
stamps, no price surveys, etc.
Reduced risk of non-compliance
Reduced training for personnel, less time to train cashiers
Participant are not required to redeem all benefits at once
• Results in additional trips to the store – increased traffic
• Higher benefit utilization – more items purchased/increased
sales
Vendor Portal
• Query
payment
information by
date range
• View
transaction
data
• Check to see
what UPCs are
on the
Approved
Product List
Page 12
Project Overview
Jerry Owens, Program Manager
Ed Yorkavich, Retail Manager
Page 13
Project Objective – Retailer Enablement
The goal of this effort is to enable all WIC-authorized retailers to
electronically process WIC transactions for benefit redemption and
payment
Retailer Enablement Methods
– Integration
• Process eWIC transaction via the
existing electronic cash register (ECR)
system just like any other transaction
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Stand-Beside POS
• Install a stand-beside point-of-sale
device so that a retailer may process
eWIC transactions electronically
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Retail Integration
High Level Overview – eWIC Integration
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Requirements
• ECR must have eWIC processing functionality (most platforms already
have available or are under development)
• FNS must certify system as approved for eWIC transaction processing
Certification Process
• Third party processors (TPP), ECR service providers, retailer IT
departments make software modifications based on ACS-provided
integrated retailer specifications
• ECR service providers and TPPs perform integration testing
• ECR service providers and TPPs use ACS test environment to perform precertifications
• FNS and the state oversee execution of approved certification test scripts
and if executed successfully, approve system for integration
In Store
• A final certification, generally completed by the retailer, is performed at the
store level
Page 15
Stand-Beside POS Enablement
High Level Overview – Stand-Beside POS Deployment
Requirements
• Power must be available at lane location where POS device will be installed
(1 outlet for scanner and 1 outlet for POS)
• Either broadband internet or analog dial-up connectivity must be available
at the lane location where POS device will be installed
• Setup Process
• ACS sets up WIC authorized retailers in the National Retail Management
Center (NRMC) database, sends/receives retailer agreement, and creates
work order
• ACS NRMC builds profile and enters retailer banking information in EPPIC
• ACS Retail Manager manages installation contractor as retailers are
scheduled for installation and training during pilot and statewide rollout
• Training
• Retailer training is performed at the retailer location after successful
installation
• Retailer POS operations manual, quick reference guide and helpdesk
Page 16 information is also provided at this time.
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Retailer Enablement Summary
ACS works with retailers to provide a solution that best meets their needs
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Coordinated efforts by ACS with retail service providers and third
party processors provide most retailers with the option of integrating
with their existing system
For those retailers that do not have integration capabilities, standbeside POS devices provide a safe and reliable method of eWIC
transaction processing
Experienced ACS retail enablement team coordinates deployment
and integration efforts providing strong support for retailers
The Vendor Portal provides instant access to transaction and
settlement reports
24/7 retailer helpline is provided to answer questions and/or
troubleshoot issues
Project Timeline
Jerry Owens, Program Manager
Page 18
VA WIC Retailer Enablement Schedule
Sept
‘11
Oct
Nov
Dec
Jan
‘12
Feb
Mar
Apri
l
May
Jun
e
July
Aug
Sept
Oct
TPP/VAR Outreach
Retailer/TPP Certification
FNS Certifications
Retailer
Kickoff
Meeting
Pilot Operations
Retailer Call
Center Go Live
Install/Train State POS (Stand-Beside)
Retailer Outreach
Page 19
Retailer Outreach
Transaction Processing
Jerry Owens, Program Manager
Page 20
Online eWIC Transaction Flow
WIC Purchase Flow
 Card Swipe at POS and client enters PIN
 Prescription balance is downloaded to store
 Items are scanned and checked against client
balance
 UPCs are verified against local APL file
at store
 POS transmits items scanned to EPPIC system
for approval
 EPPIC responds with approval and remaining
prescription balance
Page 21
Transaction Processing Methodologies
Third Party Processor
Retailers have the ability to leverage their existing third
party processor services
Direct Connect
Retailers have the ability to send EBT transactions directly
from their system to the EBT host, no transaction fees
Stand-beside POS Terminals
Retailers have the ability to use the Agency supplied POS,
no fees
Value to WIC Programs: Provides Retailers with processing
options to better manage their POS infrastructure and
associated costs.
Page 22
Slide 22
eWIC Third Party Processing Model
• Majority of Chain Merchants use the TPP Model
TPP Merchant
Client
• TPP provides value-added service to retailer
• No Certification Required by the Merchant
• TPP generally processes other types of transactions for retailer
EBT Host System
Transaction Processor
Third Party
Processor
Page 23
eWIC Stand Beside Model Example
Stand Beside Merchant
• Utilized by most SNAP EBT-Only
• Proven reliable transaction processing model
• Issued at no cost to the merchant
• All Merchants have the option to utilize Stand-Beside Terminals
EBT Host System
Transaction Processor
Inbound/Outbound Data Flow
Page 24
Slide 24
FNS Testing and
Certification
Jerry Owens, Program
Manager
Page 25
FNS Testing and Certification
ACS Four-Phase Certification Approach
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Phase 1 - Initiation
• Integration specification reviewed with TPPs and Retailers, high-level
timeline reviewed, and objectives set
Phase 2 – Integration Testing
• Retailers and TPPs provided with test cards and test environment for
development integration testing to ACS. Regular calls are held to track
progress
Phase 3 – Precertification Testing
• Testing block of time is scheduled, retailers and TPPs are provided with
precertification test scripts, and testing is performed remotely while ACS
monitors and validates execution in real time. Successful precertification
indicates readiness for acceptance testing.
Phase 4 – Acceptance Testing
• Formal execution of FNS approved test scripts validating full system
functionality from transaction processing to settlement. Testing is generally
performed at retailer location and takes 2 to 5 days to complete.
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Questions?
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