Project Overview

Propoint Technology, Inc. (Propoint) was selected to provide transition services, to represent the State of California in transitioning Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) services from the current vendor to a new solution. Due to the large scale of the project, Propoint was engaged to provide transition project management, county transition, and technical support to facilitate a smooth transition of benefits statewide.

EBT is the system used in California for the delivery, redemption, and reconciliation of public assistance benefits, such as CalWORKS or cash aid benefits, CalFresh or SNAP benefits, California Food Assistance Program benefits, and Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) food assistance. California EBT cards can be used at thousands of businesses and ATMs throughout the state.

Customer Pain Point

The EBT program provides CalWORKS, CalFresh, and WIC benefits to over 4 million California residents. The EBT solution is vendor-hosted.

Periodically, when the contract for the solution provider expires, the State issues a competitive procurement for an updated EBT solution. To facilitate the decommission, implementation, and transition to the new system, the Office of Technology and Solutions Integration (OTSI) needed to augment its team with skilled project managers, business analysts, and technical resources.

Propoint was selected to conduct these transition activities in connection with the transition of existing EBT services from the active EBT vendor to the new vendor and to assist in implementing new EBT services.

Transition service needs included representing the state’s interest, by promoting oversight and support for implementing the new EBT Host and related technical, process, and customer services which comprise the EBT project scope as described at a high level in the bullets below:

 

• Retailer Conversion – Convert 1000s of retailers and farmers’ markets to new EBT Contractor owned, point-of-sale devices

 

• Telecommunication and Interfaces – Install and test all telecommunications and interface network corrections

 

• Host System Installation – Install and configure the new EBT system for California and its counties and other interface partners

 

• Host System Conversion – Migrate food and cash data from the incumbent EBT contractor’s system to the new EBT contractor’s system

 

• County Transition – Conduct all county transition and training activities to prepare for the new system

 

• Cardholder Education – Update all training materials including the cardholder pamphlet, wallet card, poster, and training videos

 

• Cardholder and Retailer ARUs and Call Center – Implement a response system and scripts and provide customer service staff to support inquiries from cardholders and retailers

 

• Cardholders and Retailer Websites – Support queries and provide access to balances, transactions, and other information

 

• Additional Applications – Including mobile device applications, ticket management, data warehouse, and reporting applications

Project Implementation

Propoint provided transition services, project management, program expertise, technical support, county transition facilitation, and deliverable quality assurance, with a team of seven experienced consultants in several workstreams.

 

• Transition Project Management

 

• County Transition

 

• Technical Support

 

Transition Project Management – The primary objective of this work was to assist the state leadership team in managing the implementation of the new EBT solution and interfacing directly with the new vendor project management team on risks, issues, schedules, tasks, scope, quality, and other aspects of project management.

County Transition – The primary objective of this work was to ensure that all 58 counties were ready for cutover to the new EBT system. At cutover to the new solution, county staff needed to establish and maintain cases in their Statewide Automated Welfare Systems (SAWS) and the new EBT host. EBT cardholders needed to access and use all authorized benefits without a break in service.

Technical Support – The new EBT vendor was responsible for building, configuring, testing, and implementing all system components and 10+ critical system interfaces. Propoint provided a Technical Lead to represent the State and work directly with the vendor Implementation Service Lead in managing and monitoring progress on the development of the EBT System and Interface Development, participating in all aspects of system and interface development.

Following the Transition – Propoint analyzed as-is and defined to-be processes for 20+ targeted operational process areas, continued support for the team in SharePoint, and is currently providing project management and business analysis support for the expansion and continuation of new EBT benefits.

Project Results and Benefits

The project management support provided by Propoint enabled a seamless transition for EBT from outgoing vendor to FIS. This transition support allowed:

 

• Continuity of service to millions of benefit recipients during the transition

 

• Thousands of retailers and farmers’ markets to be effectively prepared for the transition with proper resources and training

 

• The OTSI team to benefit by receiving knowledge transfer from the Propoint team

The added expertise and technical knowledge of the Propoint team supported the configuring, testing, and training of the new system to ensure this transition was smooth for both the internal state team and several million EBT cardholders. Today, thousands of retailers and farmers’ markets can service EBT recipients thanks to this transition and the support provided.

Learn More

Oversight and support services are essential to successful project execution. Project support can come in various forms and stretch across all lines of business. While we supported the transition services for EBT in this case study, we also have a long history of supporting a large state pension in a variety of projects. Check out our Private Equity Solution Case Study that outlines our implementation support relating to private equity investment.

If you would like to discuss how Propoint can best support your business and projects, please contact us at info@propoint-technology.com or on LinkedIn

About Propoint

Since 2005 Propoint has proudly delivered a full suite of information technology (IT) and management consulting services to a wide array of State of California departments and programs. We provide services that are tailored to individual client needs. Our philosophy is to listen first, ask the right questions, and then “get to the point” – providing our customers with the relevant and timely direction needed to reach core business objectives.