TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - Florida officials are expecting big savings from a new contract for handling federal food and temporary cash assistance services.
    
The Department of Children and Families said the contract signed Wednesday will save at least $8.6 million in the next budget year that starts July 1 and an estimated $21 million over three years.
    
The contract is with eFunds, a subsidiary of FIS Government Services, the world's largest provider of banking and payment technologies.
    
The firm will process Electronic Benefit Transfer services that clients receive through plastic cards similar to credit or debit cards.
    
Currently, 3.6 million Floridians receive food assistance, formerly known as food stamps, and 99,823 receive temporary cash assistance.
    
The deal also calls for eFunds to add the state's Women, Infants and Children program to the EBT cards.

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