Background:
The initial statewide implementation of EBT services for Food and Cash assistance benefits was completed in 2005. In March 2008, California entered its second EBT services contract with Xerox State & Local Solutions, Inc. The OTSI conducted a third procurement in 2015, and the resulting contract for the EBT services was awarded to FIS and fully executed in June 2016. The California EBT Project completed the transition of Food and Cash EBT services to FIS in June 2018, and WIC EBT services were fully implemented in April 2020. The EBT Project began full maintenance and operations (M&O) in April 2020. In May 2022, California exercised the three (3), one (1) year extensions of the current EBT services contract through June 2026. In June 2023, the State added two (2) additional optional years to the current contract and exercised one (1) of those options, extending the contract to June 2027. In July 2026 the State exercised the second option year and is currently in year eleven (11) of a twelve (12) year contract with an end date of June 2028. The State does not own or operate its California EBT system and associated EBTrelated services (such as the 24/7 cardholder and retailer call centers, card production and mailings services, equipment deployment, etc.).
Instead, the State, like most other states in the nation, procures and contracts for EBT services. The new contractor must continue to adapt its EBT system and other services as required to support California program policies.
California Health and Human Services Agency Office of Technology and Solutions Integration