121962 O3 United Way of the Midlands Attachment 1.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 31 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- 121962 O3
- Issued by
- Douglas County, Nebraska
About this file
This document is a completed Response Form for a Request for Proposal (RFP) from the Nebraska Department of Labor (NDOL) for call center support services for Unemployment Insurance. United Way of the Midlands (UWM) is proposing to provide comprehensive call center services, including managing approximately 71,000 annual calls with multilingual support, operating an onshore call center from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST, Monday through Friday. The contract is for an initial one-year term with options to renew for four additional one-year periods, with an anticipated award date of September 10, 2025. The proposal includes detailed capabilities for handling call volumes, integrating with NDOL's systems, providing real-time reporting dashboards, and maintaining strict data security and quality assurance protocols.
UWM's proposal demonstrates capabilities to meet specific performance metrics, including an Average Speed to Answer of 3 minutes, Average Handle Time of 10 minutes, and a Customer Satisfaction Score of 85%. The bid includes using iCarol CRM system, 100% call recording, multilingual support (with 25% Spanish-speaking staff), and comprehensive reporting capabilities. While no specific budget ranges are mentioned, the proposal outlines detailed cost considerations including labor, benefits, and operational expenses. The vendor will provide dedicated, secure workspace in Omaha, Nebraska, with robust training programs, quality monitoring processes, and the ability to quickly adapt staffing to fluctuating call volumes while maintaining high service standards.
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Instructions
| Instructions |
| Bidder must complete the following tabs. |
| The Minimal Requirements tab consists of yes/no questions. Bidder shall reply Yes or No in column C confirming if the bidder is able to meet requirements. Column A references the origin of the requirement in Section V. of the RFP. |
| The Required Response tab has a field with questions and spaces provided for bidder responses. Please be sure to address mandatory requirements referenced next to the questions in response. |
Minimal Requirements
| Bidder will indicate yes or no that bidder is able to meet Mandatory Minimum Requirements. | ||||
| RFP Section V Project Description and Scope of work | Mandatory Requirement | Bidder Respond: Yes or No | ||
| A. PROJECT OVERVIEW | ||||
| Additionally, the day following State holidays sees a significant increase in calls, which the vendor shall be prepared to manage effectively. | Yes | |||
| Callbacks shall be scheduled and tracked accurately, ensuring all necessary claimant information is captured and reported. | Yes | |||
| Given the high volume and fluctuating demand, the vendor shall operate an onshore call center from a secure, dedicated office within the United States. | Yes | |||
| The vendor shall ensure sufficient levels and resource allocation to maintain service levels during peak times and manage increased call volumes after State holidays. | Yes | |||
| B. | BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS: General Operational Requirements | |||
| 1.a. | 1. | Contractor Location and Eligibility | ||
| a. | The Contractor shall be based and operate within the United States. | |||
| Yes | ||||
| 3.a vi | vi. | Contractor shall provide an (800) number for routing of calls. Contractor shall also be able to work with an existing (800) number. | ||
| Yes | ||||
| 3.a vii | vii. | Contractor shall ensure all agents are supplied with telephony software, telephony equipment, computer equipment and software, including customer relationship software and all network infrastructure to provide the service. | Yes | |
| 4.a 4.b | 4. | Service Hours | ||
| a. | Contractor shall provide inbound call services for NDOL UI claimants from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM CST, Monday through Friday, excluding State holidays as defined by state law. | |||
| b. | Any adjustments to service days or hours shall be mutually agreed upon in writing. | Yes | ||
| B. | BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS: Call Center Service Requirements | |||
| 1.b | b. | Contractor will integrate their system with NDOL’s phone system. | ||
| Yes | ||||
| 1.c | c. | Contractor shall develop call scripts. All scripts shall be approved by the State before being used by the contractor. | Yes | |
| 2.a | 2. | Data Entry Services | ||
| a. | Contractor shall input the name, address, claim number, phone number, mother’s maiden name, at a minimum into the contractors CRM as well as the NEworks | Yes | ||
| 5.a ii, iii | ii. | Contractor shall assign a dedicated contact who will serve as the primary point of contact for all program-related matters. This contact should have experience in managing call center operations, preferably in the government or public sector. | ||
| iii. | Contractor shall have a direct supervisor and quality assurance analyst onsite during service hours. | Yes | ||
| C. | SCOPE OF WORK | |||
| 3.A.x | x. | Contractor shall develop and implement an after-call survey. The survey shall be approved by the state before first utilization. Survey results will be provided to NDOL. | Yes | |
| 3.B.i | i. | Contractor shall provide and utilize a CRM system to document claimant information. | Yes | |
| 3.C. iii | iii. Callback details shall include the caller’s name, phone number, last four (4) of their social security number, the reason for the call (disposition), a summary of the issue, and, if applicable, the scheduled callback time. | Yes | ||
| 3.C. v. | v. | Callback resolution shall be tracked to ensure that NDOL Staff follows up promptly and effectively addresses customer inquiries | Yes | |
| 3. F.iii. | Established performance standards for call center services that shall be maintained throughout the term of the contract to provide acceptable customer service and satisfy the scope of work under the contract. | Yes | ||
| 3. G iii. | iii. | Contractor shall be available to meet in person with NDOL representatives on an as-needed basis for such situations as periodic updates and changes in unemployment insurance laws, rules, and claim processes. | Yes | |
| 3. H. i | Agency shall be entitled to “on site” as well as “on-line” monitoring of call center specialists and call center operations. | Yes | ||
| 3. H. ii | Contractor shall allow NDOL representatives to visit and observe the call center operation as needed. | Yes |
Required Responses
| RFP Section V Project Description and Scope of work | Mandatory Requirement | See also | Question | Bidder response | |
| B. | BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS: General Operational Requirements | ||||
| 1.b. | b. | Contractor shall ensure that agents have a secure and dedicated workspace that prevents unauthorized access to claimant data. | Describe your site security and how you will maintain security. Both physical and technological security. Describe your experience handling Personal Protected Information (PPI) and sensitive information. Describe how you will ensure that any data resulting from services provided is properly secured according to the requirements in this RFP and is not used, accessed, or disseminated by any manor for any reason not authorized by NDOL. | ||
| 2.a | 2. | Legal Compliance | |||
| a. | Contractor shall operate in full compliance with all applicable federal and state laws and regulations throughout the contract term. | United Way of Midlands (UWM) is located in Omaha, Nebraska in the Ashton Building, 4th floor, in Millwork Commons. The office is secured and accessible with security card. The front desk is also handled by onsite security. The Call Center is located in a separate wing of the office. All Call Center staff sign a confidentiality agreement that includes the handling of PII information. Calls are recorded and stored in the cloud with separate storage locations for each contract. iCarol (CRM) stores call information separately for each scope of work. Security Access has levels of security for staff and managment, computer program security access is given on work assignment basis. NDOL data will be kept secure and only authorized staff will have access to the data. This data will only be released at NDOL's request. | |||
| 6.b | b. | Contractor shall supply a method of telephonic interpretation for non-English and non-Spanish language interpretation services. | |||
| Describe your language capabilities, including the percentage of call center staff who are bilingual in English and Spanish, and any other languages available. Describe how you will ensure that call | |||||
| center staff are able to communicate with individuals in multiple languages. | UWM 211 currently has 25% of staff who are fluent in Spanish. We intend to recruit and train a minimum of 25% staff to be fluent in Spanish for this contract. For other languages, we utilize the Language Line which has over 240 languages available. CRS have speed dial to contact the language line and codes are utilize to separate contracts. The IVR is utilized to direct calls by language to routing queues. | ||||
| B. | BUSINESS REQUIREMENTS: Call Center Service Requirements | ||||
| 3.a i thru iv | a. | The IVR shall: | |||
| i. | Process calls per NDOL approved scripts | ||||
| ii. | Offer multi-language support | ||||
| iii. | Monitor system performance continuously | ||||
| iv. | Provide detailed IVR reporting to NDOL. |
See also V.C.3.E.v
| The IVR shall provide monitoring and reporting capabilities to track the status and workload of agents, enabling management and NDOL to oversee queue performance and analyze key customer service metrics. | Describe in detail your Interactive voice response system. Include the total capabilities and any self-service options. | UWM 211 utilizes InContact by NICE platform to support our call center operations. This system includes a robust IVR system that enhances customer experience, increrases operational efficiency and enhances accessibility for all callers. The IVR sytem is designed to answer calls immediately on first ring and route them efficiently based on caller needs. It supports English and Spanish language options, with additional languages available through a direct connection to the language line which offers interpretation in over 240 languages. IVR features and capabilities include: multilingual support, automated call routing, callback scheduling, queue messaging, and disaster recovery. Self service options include: general unemployment program information, office hours, documentation requirements, and program deadlines, answer frequently asked questions, and give status updates and confirmation messages if integrated with NEworks. The IVR system is fully customizable and scalable allowing UWM 211 to make real time updates to call flow and messaging as program needs evolve. It integrates seamlessly with our workforce management and call analytics tools, enabling adaptive staffing and prioritization based on real-time caller input. UWM 211 is committed to leveraging this IVR system to improve the claimant experience while maintaining high service levels and meeting all contractual performance standards. | |||
| 5.b. iii a) thru e) | iii. | The Contractor shall train and manage agents assigned to the call center as follows: | |||
| a) | Develop, conduct, and maintain a comprehensive and continuous training program providing agents with the appropriate knowledge and current information to perform services required by the State Agency. | ||||
| b) | Ensure that all agents are trained in Federal, State, and Local policies, procedures, and State Agency operations, with approval/agreement by the State agency. | ||||
| c) | Develop and update training manuals and training records for the State Agency’s review and approval. | ||||
| d) | Provide copies of all training materials to the State Agency on an ongoing basis. | ||||
| e) | Implement a procedure and schedule for ongoing training, refresher training, and have a dedicated trainer onsite to conduct trainings that will be monitored by the State Agency. | Describe your capacity of in-house trainers and approach to on-boarding new call center staff to the project. | UWM 211 has a robust training and onboarding available to new staff. Kevin Richardson, Training and Quality Assurance Manager leads the development, coordination and delivery of training. Kevin is assisted in training delivery by the 211 Leadership Team and Managers. The onboarding process includes: office tour, desk and equipment set up, shadowing like position staff, human resources information. Training includes information on United Way of the Midlands, United Way Worldwide, 211 for mission, programs and purpose. Staff is trained on telephony operation and iCarol CRM along with additional programs that maybe needed tp perform the duties. Staff recieve training in customer service, listening and communication, confidentiality and security, operational and program specific policies, procedures, scripts and program regulation or specific information. Training is delivered in the classroom, 1:1, and online. Staff utilize scenarios, role play, and shadowing to practice and demonstrate proficency. Knowledge testing and skill demonstration must be at an acceptable level before taking calls. Staff are give access to online notebooks to assist with policies, and procedures. The trainer assists in supporting the staff during the first 90 days to build confidence in the work. | ||
| 6. a i-vi | Report Requirements | ||||
| a. | The contractor shall provide a real-time dashboard that displays the most important KPIs. This dashboard should be accessible to NDOL daily, ensuring continuous monitoring and immediate visibility of the call center's performance. Required KPIs include, but are not limited to: | ||||
| i. | Call Statistics Reports: Detail and summary reports, aggregated and detailed data for calls received, abandoned, answered, resolved, etc. | ||||
| ii. | Interval Reports: Ability to filter and sort reports by specific intervals such as hourly, daily, weekly, etc. | ||||
| iii. | Real-Time Call Volume: A live feed showing the current call volume and any fluctuations in real time. | ||||
| iv. | Service Level Compliance: Monitoring adherence to agreed-upon service levels (e.g., response time, abandonment rates). | ||||
| v. | Agent Performance: Metrics on agent effectiveness, including call handling time, resolution rates, and customer satisfaction scores. | ||||
| vi. | Call Categories: Detailed breakdowns of call categories, including volumes, common issues, and customer feedback. | Describe your ability to meet the reporting requirements set forth in Section V.C.6. including ad hoc reporting capabilities including online reporting capabilities and client accessibility. | UWM is well postioned to meet the reporting requirements outlined, including the ability to produce standard, ad hoc and real time online reporting with client accessibility. UWM has extensive experience manageing data reporting for large scale call center operations and for federal and state funded programs. Our internal Data and Analytics Team, led by a dedicated Community Research Analyst, has the skills, tools and infrastructure in place to ensure timely, accurate and accessible reporting aligned with NDOL's expectations. UWM utilizes Power BI, data management platform, that allow for automated and customized reporting on all KPI's/ Reports can be customized to NDOL's specifications and delivered in multiple formats such as excel, pdf, or direct dashboard access. We are also able to produce detailed ad hoc reports on request typically within 24 to 48 hours depending on complexity. UWM will offer NDOL secure, real-time access to key metrics through online dashboards. The dashboards can be customized to display live call data, CRS performance summaries, callback queue and claimant survey data, historical data and other metrics. Access to online dashboards is role based ensuring appropriate NDOL staff can securely view data relevant to their oversight responsibilities. UWM is committed to transparency and client engagement. In addition to reports delivered through NDOL's requested formats and intervals, we also offer monthly summaries, data visualization and are available for review sessions to rwalk through findings and respond to inquiries. Quality Assurance will offer twice yearly meetings to review performance and trends. All data reporting and access protocols adhere to strict confidentiality and security standards, ensuring conpliance with state and federal data protection requirements. | ||
| 7. a. | Disruption in service | ||||
| a. | In the event of a disruption in service, Contractor shall notify NDOL POC immediately and provide a timeline for resolving the issue. | Describe your quality monitoring process. | UWM is committed to delivering a high- quality, claimant- centered experience though our Unemployment Insurance Call Center.. To ensure consistent service excellance, we implement a robust quality monitoring process designed to evaluate, support and continuously improve call center performance. Our approach includes ongoing call reviews, staff coaching, performance benchmarking and collaboration with NDOL Our quality assurance program is structured aroudn three pillares: Accessibility, Customer Experience, Consistency and Accuracy. All calls are recorded, QA staff review two (2) calls per CrS each week. Callls are evaluted using a standard QA scoring tool. The review form will be developed and approved by NDOL prior to implementation. In addition to call reviews, supervisors will conduct live call monitoring for immiediate support and resolution and calibration sessions with NDOL to make sure we are reviewing consistently. All CRS recieve bi-weekly performance feedback and coaching meetings with supervisor to review performance, recognize success and work on areas of improvement. An action plan will be written for areas that need improvement. Coaching sessions are structured supportive and documented. An after call survey will be utilized to gain customer feedback. Monthly QA reports will be reviewed to look for trends and areas of improvement for the call center. Quality improvement strategies will be developed and implemented to work towards continuous improvement. If a KPI metric falls below the standard a corrective ation plan will be developed and implemented to get the KPI metric back in range. The corrective action plan could include: schedule adjustments, additional training, script revision, and temporary staffing increases. | ||
| C. | SCOPE OF WORK | ||||
| 3.A.v. | The contractor shall notify the NDOL POC if the queue wait time exceeds 3 minutes and provide the corrective action plan. | ||||
| 3.B. iv | CRM shall integrate with third party systems and provide easy access to data for integration with other systems, reports, and data analysis. | Describe the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) system used and weather it was developed in-house or off-the-shelf. If off the shelf, please specify the product and company. Please describe the capabilities of the Customer Relationship Management systems in use. | |||
| 3.B. v | v. | CRM shall allow for data to be exported in multiple formats (such as, excel, word, PDF) | |||
| 3.B. vi | vi. | CRM shall allow for customizable workflows that allow for NDOL management to easily assign out callbacks and address NDOL management level escalations | |||
| 3.B. viii | viii. | The CRM shall contain at least the following functionality: | |||
| 1. | Case management (real-time reporting) | ||||
| a. | End-to-end case tracking | ||||
| b. | Quality assessment | ||||
| c. | Customer service representative performance rating | ||||
| 2. | Dashboard (real-time reporting) | ||||
| a. | Review of team activity | ||||
| b. | Team performance tracking | ||||
| c. | Customer satisfaction tracking | ||||
| d. | Key metrics | ||||
| e. | Overall performance | ||||
| f. | Team member performance | ||||
| g. | Progression over time | ||||
| h. | Reporting functions | UWM utilizes iCarol, a commercially available, cloud based CRM system specifically designed for information and referral, case management and contact center operations. iCarol is an offf-the-shelf solution developed and maintained by Harris Computer Systems, a division of Constellation Software Inc.. iCarol is a robust, secure and highly configurable platform that supports UWM 211 Call Center and will support the Unemployment Insurance Call Center operations by streamlinging client interation management, data collection and reporting. Key capabilities include: 1. Contact Management 2. Workflow and Documentation 3. Data security and Accessibility 4. Real-Time Monitoring and Supervision 5. Reporting and Analytics 6. Integration Capabilities. UWM maintains a team of system administrators responsible for configuring, maintaining and optimizing iCarol to meet the evolving needs of the Unemployment Insurance Call Center. We also maintain a direct support agreement with iCarol for technical issues, system upgrades, and customization support. | |||
| 3.B. ix | ix. | The CRM shall provide monitoring and reporting capabilities to track the status and workload of agents, enabling management and NDOL to oversee queue performance and analyze key customer service metrics. | |||
| 3.C. ix. | ix. | Contractor CRM shall provide for NDOL staff to review, prioritize, and assign out callback requests to optimize resource allocation. Daily callbacks should be able to be assigned out by NDOL to several staff members within 15 minutes time. | |||
| 3.D. ii | ii. | If the abandoned call rate exceeds 10%, corrective action shall be taken and the NDOL POC will be informed of performance issues and the corrective action plan. | Describe your approach to workforce planning, including the speed, agility, and flexibility necessary to match your workforce to the fluctuating demand of this contract. |
Include the processes in place to adjust staffing, workflows, or resource allocation in response to sudden changes in call volume or unexpected events. How will you ensure KPIs are met in the performance of this contract?
| 3. F. i | i. The Contractor shall provide staff exclusively dedicated to fulfilling the State’s/Agency’s stated requirements. | ||||
| 3. F.ii. | ii. | The Contractor shall have the ability to add/divert trained staff to handle increasing/decreasing call volume during peak/off periods in compliance of performance standards. | UWM employs a proactive, data driven appoach to workforce planning that ensures we are prepaed to meet the flucuating demand of the Unemployment Insurance Call Center operations. Our model emphasizes speed, agility and flexibility enabling us to match staffing and resources to dynamic call volumes while maintaining consistent service quality and meeting all contractual KPI's. UWM 211 will utilize historical data, anticipated seasonal trends and input from NDOL to forcast call volumes and developing staffing plans. We utilize InContact Workforce Management tool we forcast call volumes, build schedules and continuously monitor and update workforce plans. This predictive planning allows us to anticipate high demand period and prepare staff adjustments in advance. UWM 211 maintains a flexible and scalable staffing structure composed of full time, part time and cross trained back up staff. This model allows up to rapidly respond to flucuating call volumes or unexpected events. Our strategies include: on-call and floating CRS, cross training staff, hybrid or remote staff, and temporary staffing agreements. Our staffing model allows for real-time reallocation of staff to critical queues and supports uninterupted service. Supervisors utilize live dashboards to monitor KPI's such as average speed to answer, abandonment rate, and calls in queue. Real-time data informs immediate adjustments. This operational responsiveness ensures service levels remain high, even under stress. UWM 211 maintains a communication esculation protocal to address unexpected events such as weather, system outage, and policy changes. This protocol includes rapid internal notification through the channels, emergency staffing plan, and NDOL notification and collaboration. We maintain a business continuity plan to ensure uninterupted operations. To ensure contract performance and adherance to KPI's, we implement the following practices: daily performance review by the team, weekly operational review by the team, montlhly reports to NDOL, and quality monitoring and coaching. We commit to meeting all contractual KPI's. Our Quality Assurance Team and Community Research Analyst work together to identify gaps and look for trends to inform staffing, training and workflow decisions with a goal of continuous improvement. This cycle of data collection, analysis and refinement ensures UWM 211 remains responsive and aligned with NDOL's expectations. | ||
| 3. F.iv. | iv. | The contractor shall achieve the following Key Performance Indicators (KPIs): | |||
| o | Average Speed to Answer (ASA): ≤3 minutes | ||||
| o | Average Handle Time (AHT): ≤10 minutes | ||||
| o | After Call Work (ACW): ≤1.5 minutes | ||||
| o | Abandoned Call Percentage: ≤10% | ||||
| o | Repeat Caller Percentage: ≤20% | ||||
| o | Scheduled Callback Percentage: ≤20% | ||||
| o | Customer Satisfaction Score (CSAT): 85% | ||||
| 3. F.v. | Additional performance standards the contractor shall achieve are: | ||||
| o | Capturing accurate and detailed information within CRM and NEworks systems on ≥95% of all calls (including callbacks) | ||||
| o | Answer at least 98% of all incoming calls, one hundred percent (100%) of the time (calls dropped in the IVR are not counted towards this number). | ||||
| o | Callers should not be placed on hold for longer than 2 minutes. | ||||
| 3. I. i. | i. | Contractor shall create and maintain audio recordings of all calls. Contractor shall maintain audio recordings of calls for at least thirty (30) days. | Explain percentage of calls are digitally recorded and how long are these recordings stored? Client requested recordings must be made available within 24 hours of the request. | UWM ensures comprensive digital recording of all Unemployment Insurance Call Center interactions to support quality assurance, training and accountability. All (100%) of inbound and outbound calls are digitally recorded utilizing our InContact platform. This includes all call types related to claimant support, issure resolution, follow-ups and esculations. All call recordings are securely stored for a minimum of one year in accordance with best practices for data security and program transparancy. All recordings are encripted and stored in a secure cloud-based environment with role based access controls to ensure confidentiality and compliance. UWM 211 is fully prepared to respond any NDOL's request for call recording. Upon request, we will retrieve and review the call, make an audio file securely available and deliver the file within 24 hours of initial request. We also maintain a searchable log of call metadata which includes: date, time, CRS name, call duration and contact information to facilitate rapid identification and retrevial of specific recordings. This robust recording and storage infrastructure supports performance evaluation, compliance investigations and continuous improvement in service delivery. | |
| 3. I. ii. | ii. | Contractor shall make call recordings available to NDOL within 24 hours upon request. |
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