NIGP 83931: Call Answering Telephone Systems (High Volume)

NIGP 83931 Call Answering Telephone Systems (High Volume), an Item code, encompasses software platforms and outsourced answering services that state and local governments deploy to handle inbound call volume at scale—ranging from dedicated call center software supporting 10,000+ monthly calls to 24-hour dispatch and customer support operations managing simultaneous and surge demand. Recent solicitations show universities, utilities departments, and municipal agencies acquiring both cloud-based or on-premise call handling systems and fully managed answering service contracts structured with base monthly fees plus overage charges, typically including multi-agent call routing, call recording, bilingual support, and integration with existing phone infrastructure. The issuing-body mix spans state university systems (University of Georgia, Middle Georgia State University), county utilities and public services departments (Collier County, Florida), municipal utilities divisions (City of San Marcos, Texas), and city government operations (City of New London, Connecticut). High-volume call center services appear to be a recurring need, with multiple institutions and departments seeking either software or managed-service solutions within the same timeframe.

Recent activity is concentrated in the Southeast and Southwest, with posted solicitations from Georgia (University of Georgia RFP 51800ERFP0018072027 due July 31, 2026, and Middle Georgia State University RFP 58300ERFP0000016882026 closed April 17, 2026), Florida (Collier County ITB 26-8670 due August 13, 2026), and Texas (City of San Marcos RFP 2026-044 closed July 9, 2026). The Collier County opportunity shows typical pricing and performance expectations: approximately $60,000 annual spend, three-year base term with renewal, monthly base fee covering up to 5,000 calls with overage pricing, four-ring answer-time performance, and bilingual capability. University of Georgia is procuring a call center software system with customizable phone trees and advanced routing to handle 10,000 monthly incoming calls on a one-year initial term with up to four annual renewals. Collier County's local-vendor preference under Section 16 of the County Procurement Ordinance applies to vendors maintaining a physical business address within the county, and a 5% bid bond is required. The San Marcos city council will vote on award at its September 1, 2026 meeting.