Pay-by-Plate Multi-Space Parking Meter System

RFP for an integrated pay-by-plate multi-space parking meter system in Iowa, supporting multiple payment modes, mobile app integration, and citation management system compatibility.

Provide and install a fully integrated, online, real-time, multi-space parking meter (PbP MSM) system
Supply 263 multi-space meters (248 on-street, 13 in surface lots, 2 spares)
Integrate with Central Management System (CMS), Mobile License Plate Recognition (LPR) system, Pay by Cell (PbC) system, and existing Citation Management System (AIMS)
Equipment must accept payments using license plates as identifiers (credit, debit cards, coin)
Achieve 100% accuracy for fee calculation and revenue amounts
Ensure data transmission with less than one message re-transmission per hour
Provide text message receipts (no paper receipts initially)
Supply durable, vandal and weather-resistant cabinets with a 10-year lifespan
Ensure mounting holes are accessible only from inside cabinets
Utilize modular internal components for easy maintenance and replacement
Design an ergonomically friendly and ADA-compliant user interface with color LCD touch screens
Maintain microprocessor-controlled, on-line, virtual real-time communication with CMS
Transmit all transaction data to CMS immediately, with availability within 30 seconds
Support future system expansion (adding/removing MSMs, changing payment modes, adding printers)
Ensure full operational capability in extreme weather conditions (0 F to +120 F and 95% RH)
Provide annual pricing for a Maintenance, Service, and Parts Contract for five years after the initial one-year warranty period
Provide and install sign poles and MSM signage using rust-resistant 8-foot U-channel signposts and 18"x24" reflective aluminum signs
Achieve PCI compliance certification
Provide all spare parts, stock material, and manuals on site
Complete all test checklists, documentation, and training
Conduct a 30-day operational test for final acceptance
Coordinate installation diagrams, details, and templates, and interfaces with other systems
Conduct a pre-installation meeting
Coordinate data communication, internet connectivity, and network requirements with the Owner's IT Representative
Coordinate PA-DSS compliant installation for PCI Compliance
Submit total system cost, per unit cost, and a separate cost sheet for recommended spare parts
Submit product data for each component, including user interface, operating ranges, housing material, installation requirements, solar-panel performance, vault locking system, and modular components
Submit a description of the CMS software, including configuration, platforms, communication protocol, and fault tolerance
Provide sample screenshots of dashboards, payment processes, revenue, and maintenance reports
If cellular communication is proposed, provide technology details, cut sheets, monthly service costs, end-of-service dates, compatible carriers, and a site survey plan
Submit a Specification Exception List for any non-compliance or substitutions
Provide a detailed installation schedule with milestones
List the manufacturer of each primary system component
List all 1st and 3rd party Pay by Cell (PbC) phone apps for integration, including costs
Provide company information including overview, years in business, number of employees, annual sales volume, key accounts, and contact information for principals/local contacts
List all subcontractors, their business addresses, and roles
Describe the Contractor's presence in the United States and Iowa, and the location of the nearest service center
Manufacturer must have been in continuous operation for the previous five years and have installed similar systems in three or more garages
Installer/Service Provider must demonstrate proven ability, three years of work with the equipment manufacturer, manufacturer approval, and training within the last two years
Submit a copy of the warranty and Return Merchandise Authorization (RMA) procedures
Submit regular service hours, hourly rates, and maximum remote/on-site service response times
Furnish one spare coin vault for every two MSMs
Provide identical locks and keys for all like equipment, unique to this project, and three sets of maintenance, vault area, and vault keys to the Owner
Ensure all components and installation comply with all applicable laws, ordinances, codes, rules, and regulations
Provide an open-architecture system where all interfaces conform to ISO standards
Ensure all materials and equipment are listed, labeled, or certified by a nationally recognized testing laboratory (UL, NEMA, IP, ANSI)
Ensure equipment housings exposed to weather meet or exceed NEMA 3SX or IP54 standards
Contractor is responsible for insuring all shipped items and replacing damaged items at no additional cost
Contractor is responsible for protecting equipment from theft and damage until final acceptance
Provide a one-year warranty (100% parts and labor) from the date of final acceptance, including preventive maintenance and software upgrades
Provide immediate telephone support from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Central Time, Monday-Friday, and next-day on-site technical support by 12:00 PM the following weekday
Ensure MSMs wirelessly communicate complete transaction logs to CMS and can operate in off-line mode, storing a minimum of 1,000 transactions during communication failure
Provide a hosted CMS system with continual software updates at no additional fees for the life of the contract
Enable field programmable functions for each meter from CMS, including rate structures
Maintain a secure connection for CMS access with automatic log-off after inactivity
Allow remote access to CMS over standard TCP/IP connection (web browser-based applications)
Provide browser-based user-interface modules with Windows-based graphical user interface, standard and custom report formats, and adequate security levels
Ensure system backup in less than three hours
Integrate with the Owner's Pay by Cell (PbC) provider for combined payment and financial reporting
Implement security protocols and passwords to prevent unauthorized access and manipulation of data
Provide multiple levels of access authorization to operational, administrative, and reporting functions
Ensure credit and debit card acceptance hardware, software, and other system components are PCI DSS and EMV compliant
Implement MSM equipment monitoring with self-diagnostic routines and real-time wireless reporting of warning alarms
Ensure all transaction data is available to CMS workstations and mobile enforcement devices within thirty seconds for PbP enforcement integration
Provide web-based, viewable, and printable reports of all meter and mobile payments for enforcement purposes
Offer remote programming of MSM parking rates with easily changeable rate tables in a Windows format
Support various rate structures including day, evening, night, weekend, weekly/monthly permit, grace periods, flat rates for events, holiday, and residential rates
Allow initial payment and/or adding time at any MSM in the system
Provide programmable time slots as small as ten minutes and user-defined maximums (2, 4, 12, 24-hour)
Include automatic adjustment for daylight saving time and leap year in fee calculations
Ensure MSM operational modes are Pay by Plate (PbP) with the ability to convert to Pay by Space (PbS) or Pay & Display (P&D)
Allow parking sessions to be extended if compliant with parking rules, including sessions created by MSM or PbC apps
Fabricate MSM cabinets and component brackets from 100% high-grade stainless or cold-rolled steel
Include a heating source for extreme cold temperatures within the MSM
Provide Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) color display screens with instructional prompts, user error recognition, remote programmability, backlighting, UV resistance, and on-screen menus for technicians
Ensure the card reader accepts VISA, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, and Bank Debit Cards with Credit Card Logo
Implement a credit card approval system with wireless connection to a server, real-time approvals, contact chip/mag stripe/contactless reader capabilities (Apple Pay, Google Pay), PCI P2PE gateway, and encryption at the card reader
Provide a solar-powered battery with a 36-month life, commercially available, and replaceable in less than two minutes without tools
Include programmable low battery alerts and a separate backup battery for clock, calendar, audit information, and RAM
Offeror must perform an independent site evaluation and confirm reliable power and communication from all MSM locations
Provide an Acceptance Testing Plan to demonstrate system functionality and compliance with specifications
Fully instruct Owner's designated personnel in the operation, adjustment, and maintenance of all MSM products, equipment, and systems
Provide experienced instructors and all required documentation, including hard and electronic operation and maintenance manuals with photos, diagrams, and schematics
Proposer must read, understand, and agree to include the Contract Terms and Conditions listed in Appendix C in the final signed contract

$3,000,000 – $5,000,000

Questions must be submitted by April 1st, 2026.

Proposals must be submitted by April 13th, 2026.

Upon successful completion of the Vendor RFP review process, the RFP Selection Committee will recommend a Vendor to the City Manager.

The City Manager will then make a formal recommendation of award to the Dubuque City Council.

After authority is granted, the Vendor and city staff will jointly prepare a final detailed scope of work and negotiate a fee structure.

City Of Dubuque

Organization overview and procurement intelligence available on paid plans.

The project seeks a vendor to provide a fully integrated, online, real-time Pay-by-Plate Multi-Space Parking Meter (PbP MSM) System. The system must accept payments for parking using a license plate as the identifier, compatible with both credit/debit cards and coins, while retaining existing single-space meters in designated on-street paid parking areas.

Vendors should offer the option to include a cellphone payment application, either as a proprietary solution or in partnership with an established provider. The new system should also be capable of integrating with a Mobile License Plate Recognition (LPR) system and interface with the existing Citation Management System (AIMS). Flexibility to switch payment modes between Pay-by-Space (PbS) and Pay-by-Plate (PbP) is required.

Questions related to this RFP must be submitted no later than April 1, 2026.

Pay-by-Plate Multi-Space Parking Meter System

Overview

Fit Score

SUMMARY

KEY REQUIREMENTS

BUDGET

CONTRACT DURATION

TIMELINE

QUESTION DEADLINE

Issuing Agency

DESCRIPTION

Similar RFPs