UNSPSC 81162001: Call center software as a service

Call center software as a service allows users by purchasing a right to access a remotely hosted software to receive a similar functionality through their Web browsers/cloud as they would with desktop applications.

UNSPSC 81162001 Call center software as a service, a Commodity code, encompasses inbound and outbound call handling, workforce management, contact routing, and customer interaction management platforms that state and local governments deploy to manage high-volume constituent communications, from crisis helplines and healthcare enrollment to transportation scheduling and customer service hubs. State and local buyers solicit call center services and platforms through RFPs, RFQs, and informal procurement notices; the work ranges from fully managed vendor-operated call centers to software-as-a-service platforms that agencies operate in-house. Issuing bodies span state health and human services departments (Texas HHSC, Illinois IDVA, Illinois IDHR), county health plans (Inland Empire Health Plan, San Mateo County), cities (Fort Worth, District of Columbia), school districts (Cleveland Metropolitan School District, Florida Virtual School), state departments (Texas Department of Agriculture), and cooperative purchasing vehicles (Sourcewell). Texas Health and Human Services Commission and Inland Empire Health Plan appear as repeat buyers, with HHSC issuing multiple solicitations for managed care enrollment and helpline operations while IEHP posted both an enterprise cloud contact center RFP and a separate omnichannel platform RFI within weeks of each other. The scope of work reflects two dominant use cases: vendor-operated call centers handling inbound member/patient calls, enrollment intake, and outreach for healthcare programs, and software platforms that agencies integrate with existing systems to manage workforce scheduling, AI-driven routing, analytics, and omnichannel customer engagement (voice, chat, SMS, web).

Recent activity concentrates in Texas, California, Illinois, Ohio, Florida, Minnesota, and the District of Columbia. Texas leads with multiple HHSC procurements including a $86.4 million to $120 million annually Medicaid dental managed care contract (RFP HHS0017108, due December 7, 2026) and a $75 million to $82 million annually enrollment broker operations solicitation (RFP HHS0016867, due September 4, 2026), alongside the Texas Department of Agriculture's re-solicitation for a $100,000+ Texas Farmer Mental Health and Suicide Prevention Helpline (Solicitation 5510001033, due July 23, 2026). California health plans and county systems are active—Inland Empire Health Plan solicited Enterprise Cloud Contact Center Services for 24/7 transportation call handling (RFP 2607203, due October 17, 2026, now closed) and a separate omnichannel call center platform RFI (RFI 2607416, due October 3, 2026); San Mateo County procured live agent services for patient welcome calls and SMS campaigns for San Mateo Medical Center (RFP 66000-2526-246, five-year term, due June 4, 2026, now closed). Illinois Department of Veterans Affairs executed emergency call center bridge contracts for the Warrior Assistance Program (Emergency Purchase B-52990 and Solicitation 27497DVACENTRB54444, due October 20, 2026, now closed); Illinois Department of Human Rights awarded a $904,715 sole-source State Use Program contract to Chicago Lighthouse for helpline operations. Cleveland Metropolitan School District issued an RFP for a customer care call center partner serving 34,000 students across 63 sites with 5,000 calls monthly baseline and 12,000 monthly peak capacity (RFP 21439, due May 13, 2026, now closed). Fort Worth's City of Fort Worth procured a complex AI-based Interactive Voice Response solution serving 1 million residents across seven call centers with 24/7 multilingual support, SOC 2 Type II requirements, and a 30% Small Business participation goal (RFP 260263, due October 22, 2026 as extended by Addendum No. 2). District of Columbia posted two separate call center services RFPs for HBX (Health Benefit Exchange) and one for District Direct Contact Center operations (RFP FY 27 - DCAS, due November 9, 2026). Sourcewell, a Minnesota cooperative purchasing vehicle, issued a unified communications and contact center solutions RFP to establish a contracting vehicle for its Participating Entities statewide (RFP 26RFP092926, due September 29, 2026, now closed). Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity renewed a statewide call center contract for LIHEAP and CSBG programs at $2,242,800 annually (Renewal Notice 27420DCEOCOMMAB52572, due June 9, 2026, now closed). Orange County Transportation Authority solicited telephone town call services software at $35,000 for one year (RFP 250173, due March 25, 2026, now closed). State and local procurement under this code emphasizes healthcare program administration (enrollment, dental, behavioral health crisis response), transportation logistics, school district student services, and municipal constituent engagement, with increasing emphasis on AI-driven routing, omnichannel integration, workforce management analytics, and compliance with HIPAA, CJIS, SOC 2, and security standards including NIST SP 800-53 and TX-RAMP certification. Set-asides and preferences are common—VetHUB 26% participation goals in Texas HHSC procurements, 30% Small Business requirements in Fort Worth, 5% to 10% local business preference in San Mateo County, and State Use Program sole-source set-asides in Illinois.