About LSBS

Lone Star Business Services (LSBS) Overview

Current Projects               Future Projects

In 1994, the Texas Electronic Benefits Transfer (EBT) program was established to electronically distribute food stamp and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) benefits. In 1996, the Lone Star Technology Department (LSTD) was created to manage and monitor the EBT program. LSTD developed unique and highly successful public/private partnerships while overseeing multiple vendors for the EBT system, and eventually for the Lone Star Imaging System (LSIS). The partnerships have been so successful that state and federal leaders have studied the Texas EBT system as the means for delivering other state services. On April 1, 2004, state services were consolidated and LSTD was transferred to the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) within the Office of Family Services. In 2006, LSTD became Lone Star Business Services (LSBS).

The LSBS team manages and supports the Texas EBT system which uses the Lone Star card to electronically distribute food stamp and TANF benefits to more than 1.3 million cardholders at approximately 11,000 retailer outlets across Texas—24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Each month, more than 8 million food stamp and TANF transactions are processed through the Texas EBT system, making it one of the largest and most successful EBT systems in the nation.

The LSBS team also manages the Lone Star Image System (LSIS), supports new business ventures, and provides technical consultation to other states, federal partners and private entities within the EBT and LSIS programs. This often means managing unfamiliar business processes and technologies in a highly visible environment.

EBT and LSIS are different from other types of business conducted by state agencies. The LSBS team works with many stakeholders outside the agency and state government and operates under the oversight of the state EBT Task Force. Since the core business of EBT is usually found in the private sector, LSBS functions as a business within a state agency. This business has developed national presence as a leader in the EBT industry by establishing a unique combination of agency-vendor-state-federal partnerships. Texas is looked to as a leader by other states and federal partners for EBT issues and best practices because of the efficiency, quality and productivity of the LSBS team.

LSBS Team

• EBT and LSIS Management

  - Manages and supports Texas EBT operations, LSIS operations, and EBT system integration

  - Provides EBT vendor management and performance monitoring

  - Plans and manages EBT projects and business continuity (disaster recovery)

• LSBS Contract Management

  - Provides contract administration, procurement, performance monitoring, amendment and change proposal

  - Currently manages contracts for EBT Retailer Management, Call Center Services, Central Processing Services, Application Software Support, and for the Lone Star Imaging System (LSIS)

   

• Financial Management - LSBS

  - Oversees daily food stamp and TANF funds settlement and reconciliation for client and retailer accounts

  - Develops and manages LSBS program budgets and cost benefit analysis

  - Manages and resolves financial issues for LSBS program budgets and expenditures

  - Monitors EBT vendor performance

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Updated:  Thursday, April 24, 2008