36C10X19R0016-0001000.docx

5. PROJECT NUMBER (if applicable)

CODE

7. ADMINISTERED BY

2. AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION NUMBER

CODE

6. ISSUED BY

8. NAME AND ADDRESS OF CONTRACTOR

4. REQUISITION/PURCHASE REQ. NUMBER

3. EFFECTIVE DATE

9A. AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION NUMBER

9B. DATED

PAGE OF PAGES

10A. MODIFICATION

OF CONTRACT/ORDER NUMBER

10B. DATED

BPA NO.

1. CONTRACT ID CODE

FACILITY CODE

CODE

Offers must acknowledge receipt of this amendment prior to the hour and date specified in the solicitation or as amended, by one of the following methods:

The above numbered solicitation is amended as set forth in Item 14. The hour and date specified for receipt of Offers

E. IMPORTANT:

is extended,

(a) By completing Items 8 and 15, and returning __________ copies of the amendment; (b) By acknowledging receipt of this amendment on each copy of the offer submitted; or (c) By separate letter or electronic communication which includes a reference to the solicitation and amendment numbers. FAILURE OF YOUR

ACKNOWLEDGMENT TO BE RECEIVED AT

THE PLACE DESIGNATED FOR THE RECEIPT OF OFFERS PRIOR TO THE HOUR AND DATE SPECIFIED MAY is not extended.

12. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA

(REV. 11/2016)

is required to sign this document and return ___________ copies to the issuing office is not, A. THIS CHANGE ORDER IS ISSUED PURSUANT TO: (Specify authority) THE CHANGES SET FORTH IN ITEM 14 ARE MADE IN THE CONTRACT ORDER NO. IN ITEM 10A.

15C. DATE SIGNED

B. THE ABOVE NUMBERED CONTRACT/ORDER IS MODIFIED TO REFLECT THE ADM

INISTRATIVE CHANGES

SET FORTH IN ITEM 14, PURSUANT TO THE AUTHORITY OF FAR 43.103(b).

RESULT IN REJECTION OF YOUR OFFER. If by virtue of this amendment you desire to change an offer already submitted, such change may be made by letter or electronic communication, provided each letter or electronic communication makes reference to the solicitation and this amendment, and is received prior to the opening hour and d ate specified.

C. THIS SUPPLEMENTAL AGREEMENT IS ENTERED INTO PURSUANT TO AUTHORITY OF:

D. OTHER

Contractor

16C. DATE SIGNED

14. DESCRIPTION OF AMENDMENT/MODIFICATION

16B. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Except as provided herein, all terms and conditions of the document referenced in Item 9A or 10A, as heretofore changed, remains unchanged and in full force and effect.

15A. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER

16A. NAME AND TITLE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER

15B. CONTRACTOR/OFFEROR

STANDARD FORM 3

PREVIOUS EDITION NOT USABLE

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.243 (Type or print) (Type or print) (Organized by UCF section headings, including solicitation/contract subject matter where feasible.)

(Number, street, county, State and ZIP Code) (If other than Item 6) (Specify type of modification and authority) (such as changes in paying office, appropriation date, etc.)

(If required)

(SEE ITEM 11)

(SEE ITEM 13)

(X)

CHECK

ONE

13. THIS ITEM APPLIES ONLY TO

MODIFICATIONS OF CONTRACTS/ORDERS,

IT MODIFIES THE CONTRACT/ORDER NO. AS DESCRIBED IN ITEM 14.

11. THIS ITEM ONLY APPLIES TO AMENDMENTS OF SOLICITATIONS

AMENDMENT OF SOLICITATION/MODIFICATION OF CONTRACT

(Signature of person authorized to sign) (Signature of Contracting Officer) 05-01-2019 21703 Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick MD 21703 36C10X Strategic Acquisition Center - Frederick Department of Veterans Affairs 5202 Presidents Court, Suite 103 Frederick MD 21703 To all Offerors/Bidders

36C10X19R0016 04-16-2019

X X

See CONTINUATION Page X 1 (one) The purpose of this amendment is to:

1) Respond to Vendor's Questions and Responses;

2) Revise the Performance Work Statement;

3) Add Claise FAR 52.222-43 to Section C; and

4) Revise the Section E instructions to offerors.

CONTINUATION PAGE

White House VA Hotline Call Center Questions and Responses

Question 1. Whether companies from Outside USA can apply for this?

(like, from India or Canada)

Response 1. No, this contract activity will be for U.S. companies and they will need to be registered in SAM.gov.

Question 2. Can we perform the tasks (related to RFP) outside USA?

(like, from India or Canada)

Response 2. Tasks are required to be performed at the location specified.

Question 3. Can we submit the proposals via email?

Response 3. Yes, please read the “Instructions to Offer” (Section E) in the RFP.

Question 4. Who is the incumbent on this work?

Response 4. The IT infrastructure and staffing were an award with AT&T. The staffing solution, which the majority of this requirement, was a portion of the current contract.

Question 5. What is the value of the current contract/contract number?

Response 5. The IT solution and staffing contract is VA118A-17-F-0707 with a total contract value of $648,197.07.

Question 6. Average salary of the Agents, Supervisors, and the PM?

Response 6. This is to be determined by the offer and is subject to the Service Contract Act.

Question 7. The VA's level of satisfaction with the incumbent?

Response 7. The incumbent is fully satisfactory or better.

Question 8. Page 9. Essential Responsibilities of Contractor’s Program Manager, last bullet.

· Please clarify the following statement: New hires shall start only during regular training cycle and should be hired prior to the start of the training cycle.

Response 8. New hire training classes are scheduled to align with the start of Federal pay periods, as needed. All hiring prerequisites should be completed prior to training.

Question 9. Page 9, Paragraph 4.2 Place of Performance.

· The solicitation mentions a potential second facility that would be staffed outside of the DC Metro area, does the Government anticipate any of the optional surge activity listed being performed outside of the Shepherdstown, WV facility?

· If so, please identify which optional tasks will be performed outside of the WV facility and the location of that facility.

Response 9. Any of the optional tasks may occur outside of the Shepherdstown, WV facility. The location will be identified prior to the option being exercised.

Question 10. Page 8, 2nd paragraph provides that the Government FTE Workforce Management Section will be responsible for scheduling contractor personnel. Page 10, Paragraph 5, 3rd section states that the Contractor shall staff, schedule, and monitor the call center.

· Please clarify, will the Contractor be responsible for scheduling the work schedules for its personnel?

Response 10. The Workforce Management (WFM) Section will forecast and monitor staffing requirements. Schedules are currently established. They will establish new schedules based upon new demand. The contractor will provide the staff. If new schedule requirements exceed capacity optional tasks may be executed.

Question 11. According to the solicitation, only the PM is considered key personnel.

· Are Supervisors considered to be key personnel?

Response 11. Supervisors are considered key personnel. See revised PWS section 6.1 for details.

Question 12. Page 13, 2nd paragraph talks about replacement of staff at the Supervisor level.

· Please explain the process for Operations Team Leadership’s determination for suitable replacements.

· Can the Government provide the makeup of the Leadership for the Operations Team?

Response 12. Suitable supervisor replacements would have contact center and supervisory skills and experience. The Operations Team Leadership is comprised of the White House VA Hotline Director and Deputy Director as well as Workforce Management, Quality, Knowledge Management, Training, Analytics and Technology Managers. See revised PWS section 6.1 for details.

Question 13. No question submission date is provided in block 20 of the SF1449.

Response 13. If you have further questions please submit by May 6th, 2019 at 12 PM ET

Question 14. Page 50, Paragraph 4 Price Evaluation.

· There is no B.4 Price Schedule as referenced within the solicitation.

Response 14. The pricing attachment attached as: D.4 – ATTACHMENT D- PRICE SPREADSHEET should be used. See revised section E, Question 15. Will the new awarded contract continue to work side-by-side with Gov FTEs? Or is the intent to consolidate into all contractor agents?

Response 15. This new contract is expected to have Government Full Time Employees (FTEs) working alongside of contractor agents.

Question 16. New hires shall start only during regular training cycle and should be hired prior to the start of the training cycle.

· What is the training cycle for planning purpose?

Response 16. New hire training classes will be scheduled to align with the start of Federal pay periods, as needed. All hiring prerequisites should be completed prior to training.

Question 17. Is it correct that the Project Management Plan is not required until Kickoff meeting?

Response 17. Yes, the Project Management Plan is not required until the Kickoff meeting.

Question 18. Page 8 refers to Attachment 1 of VA Contact Center Ops

· Will the government provide this attachment?

Response 18. The referenced performance criteria are located in the PERFORMANCE METRICS table in Section 9 of the PWS.

Question 19. Is there a transition in timeline of when the incoming contractor is expected to complete staffing and be fully operational?

Response 19. Yes, from date of award to an anticipated September 5th, 2019 fully operational date.

Question 20. Para 1. Will this contract consolidate all or some of the Government Full Time Employees?

Response 20. The Government will keep and maintain Government Full Time Employees, there is no plan to consolidate or replace Government Employees.

Question 21. If the answer is yes, how many of the total of 42 FTEs are now Government Employees that are expected to transition to this contract?

Response 21. None are expected to transition.

Question 22. Past Performance. Will the VA evaluate successful past performance as a prime contractor higher than a contractor that is dependent on their performance as a subcontractor?

Response 22. Past Performance will be evaluated in accordance to Section E.1, either as a prime or subcontractor on relevance (based on size, scope, and complexity of requirement).

Question 23. Para 2. Scope. Last un-numbered paragraph before the bulleted list, states, “. . .The will actively participate in improving the White House VA Hotline’s performance. . .”

· Are there historical benchmarks based on metrics capture and/or surveys? If so, request the VA provide these benchmarks to all offerors.

Response 23. The White House VA Hotline is a new customer service organization and, as such, has been making incremental adjustments based upon customer demand and feedback. Customer satisfaction surveys and associated service recovery activities were recently implemented so historical data isn’t yet available. Telephony data is available. Since inception of the White House VA Hotline the cumulative Average Speed to Answer (ASA): .22 seconds, Abandonment Rate: 2.8%, Average Handle Time: 15.04 minutes/seconds.

Question 24. Para 2. Scope. Page 7. Bullets under, Essential responsibilities. . .last bullet states that, “New hires shall start only during regular training cycle and should be hired prior to the start of the training cycle.”

· What is the periodicity of this training and the hours/days required to complete? (For example, is it once a quarter and 5 full days?)

Response 24. New hire training classes will be scheduled to align with the start of Federal pay periods, as needed. All hiring prerequisites should be completed prior to training. New hiring training will consist of full-time training for three (3) weeks followed by approximately four (4) weeks of closely supervised work, followed by one (1) week of additional week of training. At that point in time the contractor should function independently using the tools provided. Refresher training will be provided thereafter on a biweekly basis.

Question 25. Para 4.2 Place of Performance. This para indicates a potential second VA facility with examples in Salt Lake City UT or Austin, TX.

· While we understand this is TBD, is this statement for informational purposes only or is a response expected and evaluated?

Response 25. This is for informational purposes and no response is expected.

Question 26. Multiple places in the RFP refer to the contractor supporting or receiving training from “Division(s)” and “Operations Team”.

· Request the VA provide a short description of these two entities and their basic functions.

Response 26. Instances of Division in the solicitation relate to legislative requirements. The Operations Team is comprised of the White House VA Hotline Director, Deputy Director and Workforce Management, Quality, Knowledge Management, Training, Analytics and Technology teams.

Question 27. Para 5. Specific Tasks and Deliverables. CLINs. Base period indicates a total of 35 agents; however, the remaining option years indicate 38 agents.

· What is the rationale for the increase in agents? This will necessarily mean that option years will be priced higher than the base year.

Response 27. The increase in agents is aligned with Surge Option A. Additional Agent hours of up to 5880 is the equivalent of 3 agents.

Question 28. Para 5. Specific Tasks and Deliverables.

· What is the rationale for all the surge options? There does not seem to be a pattern for the numbers provided.

Response 28. The surge options are designed to provide the ability to increase the number of agents on a temporary, short-term basis (Surge Option A) and/or to incrementally increase the number of agents on a permanent basis.

Question 29. Para 5.3 Contact Center Metrics, states, “The Vendor shall develop mechanisms and metrics to measure against the action plan as well as monitor its success and adjust the plan as needed” The para goes on to describe 5 or 6 Contact Center Metrics (number 5 is missing). Survey Data, including survey scores and number of participants is a separate sentence here.

· Will the contract be issuing surveys after calls?

· Who is responsible for administration of surveys?

Response 29. The contractor will not be responsible for issuing or administering surveys. They will be responsible for activities related to the contractor survey service recovery and identification of best practices.

Question 30. If we are using the “knowledge management tool”, “CRM tool” and provided by the VA per para 1 on page 7, and the “newly implemented tracking software” described in para 2…

· What are the expectations for mechanisms and metrics captured inside or outside of these tools?

Response 30. Metrics are indicated in the PWS, Section 5.3, Contract Center Metrics on page 12, and in PWS, Section 9, Performance Metrics on page 15.

Question 33. Will the Government provide the applicable DOL wage determination or CBA for this effort as well as identify the positions/categories that will classified as covered by the SCA? If so, please provide the applicable occupational codes that industry should use to price the labor categories.

Response 33. All agents are subject to DOL wage determinations. The applicable occupational codes that industry should use are as follows:

Question 34. Is the current contract operating under SCA? If so what positions/categories are currently operating under SCA?

Response 34. The current contract is in accordance with the GSA schedule rate. However this contract is open market and subject to SCA.

Question 35. Which software systems (i.e. knowledge management tool, tracking software, and CRM tool) will the Contractor be required to use in facilitating the operation of the Tier 1 Contact Center?

Response 35.Currently we are using Salesforce (CRM), Salesforce (KM), Calabrio (WFM), Calabrio (Quality) and CISCO Finesse (Telephony). We may be transitioning to a different CRM and KM system.

Question 36. Does the VA have an initial staff allocation plan, or identified expectations, with respect to ensuring optimal coverage 24/7 by the 35 Call Agents and six Supervisors that will be hired to launch the contract? If so, can you please tell us how many Call Agents are expected to be assigned to each shift to effectively manage call volume on a daily basis? For example; 3 Shifts….Day Shift = 0700-1530 / Mid-Shift = 1500 – 2330 / Night Shift = 2300 – 0730 How will the allocations change with each surge?

Response 36.

There are dozens of schedules; not just three. The Workforce Manager (WFM) uses the WFM software to forecast and monitor demand. Schedules are built to address the demand. Schedules vary depending upon the day of the week and the hour of the day.

Question 37. Section 5.3 (page 12) - What is the fifth metric (currently blank) that must be measured and included in the monthly Contact Center Program Metrics Report?

Response 37. There are only 5 metrics.

Question 38. Is there a required pay differential for overnight and/or weekend shifts?

Response 38. This is a business decision of the contractor as they are not Government employees.

Question 39. Is the Program Manager required to be on-site?

Response 39. Yes, the Program Manager should be physically on site.

Question 40. Is there a past performance questionnaire #2, if so it is not an attachment on FBO?

Response 40. Yes, it was included as an attachment and resides in the FBO posting.

Question 41. Are there requirements for contractors to be paid for lunch, break times, holiday, vacation, etc?

Response 41. This is a business decision of the contractor as they are not Government employees.

Question 42. Can you provide a detailed description for the pricing spreadsheet and where the numbers are generated from to ensure nothing is lost in translation?

Response 42. These are the numbers of hours required for the surge periods.

Question 43. Which background check is required by the VA as far as low to high risk? Since the costs vary greatly, it is necessary to build into our pricing.

Response 43. NACI is required.

Question 44. Can you provide a breakdown of the current employee schedules, call volumes, data metrics with the existing call center?

Response 44. Employee schedules are established based upon forecasted demand identified in the workforce management tool. Current call volume is approximately 5,400 per week. Customer satisfaction surveys and associated service recovery activities were recently implemented so historical data isn’t yet available. Telephony data is available. Since inception of the White House VA Hotline the cumulative Average Speed to Answer (ASA): .22 seconds, Abandonment Rate: 2.8%, Average Handle Time: 15.04 minutes/seconds.

Question 45. In the event of escalation, will the call be forwarded to one of our existing staff or a VA representative?

Response 45. Escalation activities are covered by both contract and government supervisors and program managers, depending upon who is available when needed.

Question 46. Is overtime paid for anything over 8 hours daily or over 40 weekly?

Response 46. This is a business decision of the contractor as they are not Government employees.

Question 47. Does the VA want us to use our own calling/messaging platform as well as telephony and data metric system? Or, use current platform?

Response 47. The current platform will be used.

Question 48. Does the contract allow for a full-time designated Quality Assurance position, not included as a Supervisor or Project Manager, due to the stringent abandonment rate and quality control metrics? A dedicated QA personnel would allow us to provide the highest quality and support and is our current model.

Response 48. The Operations team has staff dedicated to quality assurance; a contracted quality position is not included.

Question 49. What is the training timeline for new staff before commencement of contract that VA will allow at the current site? Where should we provide the pricing for this since it is not a line item on the spreadsheet?

Response 49. Training will commence at the VA site after the staff have been hired. Initial training will be their first three (3) weeks of work, followed by approximately four (4) weeks being closely supervisors on the phone and one (1) additional week of training.

Question 50. Is the VA responsible for scheduling forecasts or us, the contractor? There are two pages that conflict with each other as to who the responsibility falls on.

Response 50. The VA is responsible for scheduling forecasts.

Question 51. Is the shrinkage rate of 10% monthly or annually?

Response 51. The shrinkage rate is monthly.

Question 52. What are the specifics of surges? During surges, what is the timeline for implementing? During a ramp-up for a surge, is their SLA forgiveness since there is a tremendous boost in call volume?

Response 52. Option 1 is intended to bridge the gap on a temporary basis when a surge starts until staff can be hired.

Question 53. Post-surge, if VA wishes to ramp back down, what is the timeline to do so? This is in order to be fair to contracted staff members that may be terminated if surge option is abandoned.

Response 53. Short term surges will be addressed through option 1. Other options are intended to be long term increases. If decreases are indicated, appropriate notification will be provided.

Question 54. Will the contractor incur any cost associated with Government FTE training sector development and delivery of training content?

Response 54. The contractor will not incur any cost associated with Government FTE training sector development and delivery.

Question 55. On page 8, there is a reference to “Attachment 1, on page 9” there seems to be nothing included.

Response 55. The referenced performance criteria are located in the PERFORMANCE METRICS table in Section 9 of the PWS.

Question 56. Can you please provide the telework policy and agreement cited on page 9 of 73?

Response 56. Telework has not been implemented so there isn’t a policy in place yet.

Question 57. Is there a template you wish us to use for the Project Management Plan?

Response 57. There is no required template for the Project Management Plan.

Question 58. Can you please provide a copy of the Quality Assurance Surveillance plan?

Response 58. The Quality Assurance Surveillance plan is located in section 5.3, Contract Center Metrics.

Question 59. FAR clause 52.222-41, Service Contract Labor Standards (MAY 2014) (41 U.S.C. chapter 67) is checked as a required clause. Can the government verify that WD 15-4285 Rev11 is the current Wage Determination to use.

Response 59. Yes.

Question 60. With the FAR clause 52.222.41 applying to this contract and the fact that there are both occupation codes 01041 Customer Service Representative I, 01042 Customer Service Representative II, 01043 Customer Service Representative III and 01111 General Clerk I, 01112 General Clerk II, 01113 General Clerk III, listed. Are any of the positions required to be SCA labor using the WD 15-4285 Wage Determination? Which labor category will the government want us to utilize for the Agent and Supervisor?

Response 60. The only positions required under the SCA are the “agents”.

Question 61. If FAR clause 52.222.41 applies to this contract, why doesn't 52.222-43 or 52.222-44 or 52.222-62 also apply?

Response 61. FAR 52.222-43 is added to the requirement.

Question 62. Surge Option A: Additional Agent hours up to XXXX hours (varies between base and option years). Note: Agent can receive over time rate (1.5x hourly rate). Can the government describe how this option when exercised will be managed?

Response 62. A modification will be issued to include these surge hours and the contractor will invoice monthly for the hours worked.

Question 63. It is our understanding that the government is paying a shift differential. Will the government consider allowing a similar shift or holiday differential for personnel asked to work nights, Sundays and holidays equal to the percentages that the government applies? And make this a requirement for all bidders to comply with?

Response 63. This is a business decision that the contractor must include in their pricing.

Question 64. Kick Off Meeting - This section notes the requirement for a transition-in plan. However it does not provide a transition in time period. Please note the time period allocated for successful transition-in (i.e. 30 days).

Response 64. The anticipated award is August 6, 2019 and the start will be September 5, 2019.

Question 65. The second paragraph on page 8 states "Refer to Attachment 1, on page 9, VE Contact Center Operations,…" We could not locate an attachment one but assumed you where referencing this document page 10 section 4.4. Please confirm.

Response 65. This sentence was removed as the schedules are modified often due to demand. Additionally, the call center uses the dynamic scheduling concept.

Question 66. We assume this 24x7 operation is also manned 365 days of the year please confirm.

Response 66. Yes, this is confirmed.

Question 67. In regards to the exercising of the surge CLINS, how much lead time does the Government intend to provide so that the personnel meet the same performance criteria requirements, i.e. necessary clearances and training may be obtained?

Response 67. The surge options are included as the Government cannot predict the future call volume, thus the optional CLINs may be exercised quickly without much notice. Since the initial Surge (A) provides availability to pay 1.5 times the pay, this should take care of the initial surge as the contractor would not need to bring on more people. Once this initial surge is exercised, the contractor shall begin preparing for future surges and or turnover. However, this is a business decision on behalf of the contractor.

PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

1. BACKGROUND

The Secretary of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is working to rebuild trust with Veterans and the American people, improve service delivery, set the course for long-term VA excellence/reform and deliver better access to care and benefits for the long term. The Veteran Experience Office (VEO) is supporting VA in this transformation with the White House/VA Hotline (WH/VA HL), which was created in response to the President’s promise to Veterans made in July 2016 to allow Veterans to directly call and begin resolution of their challenges and navigation of the broad business lines of VA.

The WH/VA HL began operations in September 2017 using improved User Experience (UX) as its guiding objective and provided for 24/7 Tier 1 Contact Center at VA’s Shepherdstown, West Virginia facility. Veterans or immediate family members of Veterans comprise 97% of the team that supports current operations. This is a foundational expectation for future contractor staffing. VEO now operates this Tier 1 Hotline center as a referral contact center to resolve Veteran problems as they come in, or refer them to the appropriate business line that will work on their case or claim issue, such as health, pharmacy, benefits, compensation, pensions, education, loans, or insurance, etc. In FY19, WH/VA Hotline is picking up additional VA Tier 1 Call Center tasks and become a general Tier 1 Contact Center for the VA (see discussion of Tier 1 description below in Section 2 SCOPE). VEO is focused on creating a Veteran-centered VA and placing Veterans in control of how, when and where they want to receive services.

Agents, comprised of both contractor staff and Government Full time Employees (FTEs) shall answer inquiries, provide directory assistance, document concerns about VA care, benefits and services, and route contacts and cases to the appropriate organization/person within the VA to resolve the concern. Agents undergo currency and competency training on VA benefits and services based on trends and are assisted by a knowledge management tool and newly implemented tracking software to help VA capture and improve its response, referral and resolution processes to best support Veterans. Other Tier 1 responsibilities include on-line navigation and assisting with simple technical problems like password resets. Data captured by the agents in the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool is used by VA stakeholders to identify local, regional and enterprise-wide program and process Veteran experience improvement opportunities.

1. SCOPE

The scope of this effort is solely focused on obtaining contact center staffing for an established Tier 1 Level Contact Center leveraging existing contact center technology/tools. This does not include the requirement for IT hardware/software to include telephony or customer relationship management solutions. Of note, Tier 1 is the initial support level responsible for customer issues.

A significant portion of the contact volume are complaints, which requires all staff to have service recovery skills. Service Recovery is the process or reaction taken to return an aggravated, dissatisfied customer to a state of calm satisfaction. The successful bidder must understand and have experience with the process of effectively engaging customers to recover the damage done from a prior poor customer experience. This could originate from direct (i.e.; phone) and indirect (i.e.; survey) customer interactions.

Agents will undergo currency and competency training on VA benefits and services based on hotline trends and are assisted by newly implemented tracking software to help VA capture and improve its response, referral and resolution processes to best support Veterans. A Government FTE Training Section will be responsible for development/delivery of initial, new and refresher training content. Contract supervisors will be responsible for coaching agents in accordance with established standard operating procedures and training curriculum. Agents will use resources available such as Job Aids, Knowledge Management, FAQs, email alerts, Bulletins, SOPs, mandated scripts, and reference materials to improve knowledge and utilize these materials as the first source of needed information or guidance.

This contact center will be operated 24/7, with staffing adjusted to meet varying call volume. A Government FTE Workforce Management Section will be responsible for forecasting labor requirements and creating staff schedules. A rapid surge capability is part of this PWS (see options for details). The contractor staff with be comprised of agents and supervisors and will follow the same performance criteria of government full time employee (FTE) agents and supervisors. Refer to Attachment 1, on page 9, VE Contact Center Operations, that shows 24/7 hours deployed by agents and supervisors to man the WH/VA HL.

Tier 1 support includes being the first line of resolution for technical call inquiries and include answering general inquiries about VA benefits and services, directory assistance, communicating with customer through a variety of communication channels, basic assistance with navigation of online resources, triaging issues for proper disposition, escalation of issues beyond the Tier 1 level to the appropriate resource, documenting into a customer relationship management (CRM) tool and troubleshooting basic access issues.

At the Supervisory level, the Contractor shall provide the Government with call data metrics. Of note, none of the contractor staff will be supervising Government FTEs. Supervisors will interact with clients and other members of the Hotline team with respect, courtesy, focus and professionalism. They will actively participate in improving the White House VA Hotline's performance by assisting in balancing all workload requirements, responding in a positive manner to management requests for information or ideas that enhance the effective operation of the Hotline, and completing or reinforcing training on matters regarding the Hotline.

These services shall lead to:

· Recommendations for and participation in contact center planning.

· Perform a supervisory review of 15 cases in Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software per agent each month using criteria established by the operations team.

· Perform a supervisory review of 5 calls using quality software per agent each month using criteria established by the operations team.

· Perform a supervisory review of customer satisfaction survey call scores below an average score of 3 and above a cumulative score of 21.

· Complete training on content provided by the Operations Team and other VA subject matter experts.

· Identify calls that must be escalated to management.

· Determine most appropriate course of action or identifies alternatives in resolving issues.

· Ask appropriate probing questions to clarify complex or vague requests.

· Prepare well defined case notes during the call.

· Work well under pressure, remain calm and effective while dealing with escalating and difficult calls.

· Respond to Veteran through approved communication channels such as phone, chat, text, or other forms of messaging.

· Stay organized and prioritized regarding multiple tasks.

· Meet the requirements for delivering excellent customer service.

This PWS requires a Contractor’s Program Manager to manage, monitor, and control all subsequent tasks completed by contractor staff and initiated to obtain services required to satisfy the WH/VA Hotline objectives. The Program Manager required by this PWS shall oversee and provide direction and guidance to the Supervisors and Agents of the Contact Center. The Program Manager shall coordinate efforts between all tasks and projects.

Essential responsibilities of the Contractor’s Program Manager in respect to all tasks:

· Identify, monitor, and control interdependencies between tasks

· Manage escalated issues amongst the tasks that compromise the program

· Track the call center metrics weekly and monthly of assigned agents and report analysis results to VA Management weekly and monthly

· Participate in call calibration and other quality review activities

· Participate in post complaint and post survey service recovery activities

· Always maintain appropriate level of staffing for 24/7 service to include the hiring and replacement of agents or supervisor. New hires shall start only during regular training cycle and should be hired prior to the start of the training cycle.

1. CONTRACT TYPE

The contract type will be a hybrid of firm fixed price as well as labor hour CLINs.

1. PERFORMANCE DETAILS

3. PERFORMANCE PERIOD

The anticipated period of performance for this contract is Aug 5, 2019 through Aug 4, 2024 to include a one-year base period with four option years (OY). Note: The optional tasks will be executed anytime throughout the year and prorated for the period of performance.

3. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE

The place of performance is at a VA secure facility located at 239 Lowe Drive, Shepherdstown, WV 25443. A potential second VA secure facility would be staffed outside of the DC Metro area, as an example, Salt Lake City UT or Austin TX. This second staff location is a TBD.

3. TELEWORK

Agents may be eligible for telework if performance standards are met. Supervisors may be eligible for telework on an ad hoc basis. Any telework considerations must comply by telework policy and agreement.

3. HOURS OF OPERATION

This is a 24/7 operation and considered an essential operation thus the contractor shall ensure it is staffed appropriately at all times.

1. SPECIFIC TASKS AND DELIVERABLES

The Government will provide clarification on requirements, templates, standards, and guidelines on all deliverables when clarification is not provided in this PWS prior to any action taken by the Contractor.

The Contractor or Vendor shall be required to support the Government Divisions with the tasks listed in this PWS.

The contractor shall staff, schedule, and monitor the center which currently includes the following contractor staff: 35 35 Call Agents, six Supervisors and one Program Manager.

The Vendor shall identify a Program Manager (PM) who shall be the single Point of Contact (POC) with overall responsibility for the performance of the work.

The following is a representation of the base CLINs as well as the surge options:

Base Period:

Contact Center (CC) Support, Program Mgr (1) Supervisors (6), Agents (35) Surge Option A: Additional Agent hours up to 3920. Note: Agent can receive over time rate (1.5X hourly rate) Surge Option B: Additional CC Personnel 40+2 Surge Option C: Additional CC Personnel 20+1 Surge Option D: Additional CC Personnel 60+5 Surge Option E: Additional CC Personnel 40+3 Option Year One OY1:

Contact Center (CC) Support, Program Mgr (1) Supervisors (6), Agents (38) Surge Option A: Additional Agent hours up to 5880. Note: Agent can receive over time rate (1.5X hourly rate) Surge Option B: Additional CC Personnel 20+1 Surge Option C: Additional CC Personnel 40+2 Surge Option D: Additional CC Personnel 40+3 Surge Option E: Additional CC Personnel 60+5

Option Year Two OY2: Contact Center (CC) Support, Program Mgr (1) Supervisors (6), Agents (38)

Suge Option A: Additional Agent hours up to 5880. Note: Agent can receive over time rate (1.5X hourly rate) Surge Option B: Additional CC Personnel 20+2 Surge Option C: Additional CC Personnel 40+2 Surge Option D: Additional CC Personnel 40+3 Surge Option E: Additional CC Personnel 60+5

Option Year Three OY3: Contact Center (CC) Support, Program Mgr (1) Supervisors (6), Agents (38)

Surge Option A: Additional Agent hours up to 5880. Note: Agent can receive over time rate (1.5X hourly rate) Surge Option B: Additional CC Personnel 20+1 Surge Option C: Additional CC Personnel 40+2 Surge Option D: Additional CC Personnel 40+3 Surge Option E: Additional CC Personnel 60+5

Option Year Four OY4: Contact Center (CC) Support, Program Mgr (1) Supervisors (6), Agents (38) Surge Option A: Additional Agent hours up to 5880. Note: Agent can receive over time rate (1.5X hourly rate) Surge Option B: Additional CC Personnel 20+1 Surge Option C: Additional CC Personnel 40+2 Surge Option D: Additional CC Personnel 40+3 Surge Option E: Additional CC Personnel 60+5

4. KICK OFF MEETING

Kickoff meeting. The kickoff meeting shall be held within two (2) business days of contract award inclusive of an initial PMP. The initial PMP shall include a transition-in plan for full staffing that describes the contractor’s plan to ensure continuity of support activities being transferred from outgoing contractors. The kickoff meeting shall be held at 239 Lowe Dr. Shepherdstown WV 25443. Attendance is recommended.

Deliverable:

Kickoff meeting notes/slides.

4. PROJECT MANAGEMENT PLAN

The Contractor shall deliver a Project Management Plan (PMP) that lays out the Vendor’s approach, timeline and tools to be used in execution of this contract. The Plan should take the form of both a narrative and graphic format that displays the schedule, milestones, risks and resource support. The Plan shall also include how the Vendor shall coordinate and execute planned, routine, and ad hoc data collection reporting requests as identified within the PWS. The Vendor shall update and maintain the approved Plan throughout the period of performance.

Deliverable:

PMP

4. CONTACT CENTER METRICS

The Contractor shall deliver a monthly Contact Center Program Metrics Report and Assessment. This report shall provide the Government with a summary assessment of contacts received and outcomes derived from contractor supported calls. Any problems or pertinent issues shall be addressed in this report. The Vendor shall develop mechanisms and metrics to measure against the action plan as well as monitor its success and adjust the plan as needed.

Contact Center Metrics include the following:

1. Call Abandonment Rates less than 3%

1. Average Speed of Answer of 10 – 20 seconds

1. Shrinkage below 10%

1. Service Recovery for 99% of surveys and complaints involving the contract staff 1.

1. Agent & Supervisor performance metrics Survey Data, including survey scores and number of participants Deliverables:

Contact Center Program Metrics Report

1. PERSONNEL

5. KEY PERSONNEL

The Program Manager is defined as key personnel and shall not be removed, diverted or replaced from work without approval of the Contracting Officer (CO) and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR). Additionally, the Program Manager should have at least eight (8) years of progressive management experience with Call Centers and Customer Service centers in supervisory roles.

Another role defined as key personnel is the supervisor. Supervisors are required to have 4 years of contact center and supervisory skills and experience.

Any personnel the Vendor offers as substitutes shall have the ability and qualifications equal to or better than the key personnel who are being replaced. Requests to substitute personnel shall be approved by the COR and the CO. All requests for approval of substitutions in personnel shall be submitted to the COR and the CO within 30 calendar days prior to making any change in key personnel. The request shall be written and provide a detailed explanation of the circumstances necessitating the proposed substitution. The Vendor shall submit a complete resume for the proposed substitute, any changes to the rate specified in the order (as applicable) and any other information requested by the CO needed to approve or disapprove the proposed substitution. The CO will evaluate such requests and promptly notify the Vendor of approval or disapproval thereof in writing.

5. NON-KEY PERSONNEL

The Vendor staff shall be fully qualified and have the level of experience necessary to accomplish the requirements of this PWS. In addition, Vendor personnel shall be acceptable to the Government in terms of personal and professional conduct, and in technical knowledge. Furthermore, Vendor personnel are expected to be proficient in using office automation equipment and software and have sufficient written and verbal communication skills to support the Department. Should any Vendor personnel be determined to be unacceptable in terms of technical competency or unacceptable personal conduct while on-site or while working on contract activities, the Vendor shall immediately remove and replace the unacceptable on-site personnel at no additional cost to the Government. Vendor personnel are to serve in a support role, final decisions regarding the Department business will always be made by Government personnel.

Replacement of staff, at the Supervisor level, must be approved by the Operations Team leadership. The staff member being brought on should have the same level experience as the staff member being replaced. The Vendor shall submit the candidate’s resume along with a summary of the candidate’s qualifications that match the requirements of the position.

1. OTHER APPLICABLE CONDITIONS

6. PROGRAM AND SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & DOCUMENT OWNERSHIP

The Vendor shall adhere to the Government Contract terms for title to and ownership of all property. Notably, all documentation and related deliverables generated and/or delivered by the Vendor within the scope of this Contract shall be the sole property of the Government without exception and shall be housed in a Government owned repository.

6. OTHER DIRET COSTS (ODCs) Not applicable.

6. TRAVEL

Contractor travel is not anticipated in support of the requirements for this contract. Travel on any basis must be approved by the COR a minimum of five (5) days in advance by the Government and shall be reimbursed in accordance with the Federal Travel Regulations. Travel reimbursement will not include G&A charges.

Travel performed for personal convenience and daily travel to and from work at the place of performance shall not be reimbursed. The Government shall not be responsible for any relocation expenses associated with moving Vendor personnel to the Washington, D.C., commuting area or other job sites as may be identified either initially, or if necessary, with replacement of personnel, even if replacement of personnel is required.

6. GOVERNMENT FURNISHED EQUIPMENT

Government Furnished Equipment (GFE) will be provided. The VA shall provide, where required, Government furnished facilities and workspace (i.e., cubicle), Government furnished systems and network access (i.e., laptops/desktops and email access) and access to other VA program offices and partner agencies for the contractor to perform its duties. The Contractor will be billed for unreturned GFE checked out to individual employees who fail to return GFE.

1. GOVERNMENT TERMS & DEFINITIONS

Table 1 – Government Terms, Definitions, and Acronyms

1. PERFORMANCE METRICS

The table below defines the Performance Metrics associated with this effort.

Performance Standard for Agents

Indicator: A random review will consist of a sampling of recorded telephone calls, or live telephone calls totaling five (5) per month.

Indicators: Demonstrated by an average combination of monthly post survey scores for question 3 and 4 of at least 3 (rounded). Management verified complaints/compliments documented in the CRM will replace post survey scores for that month. Complaints will be scored as a zero. Compliments will be scored as a 5. Significant acts observed by a supervisor/manager/Operations Team member that exemplify the embodiment of world class customer service may also be scored as a 5 and replace post survey scores for that month.

Indicator: The WFM tool will be used to track agent monthly and annual compliance with a 90% adherence rate.

Indicator: On a monthly basis, the Supervisory or a designee will randomly review 15 cases of the contractor’s agent's complaint routing actions. Errors are determined by the Sampling quality criteria (SQC) criteria.

1. Proficient in typing, writing skills, grammar and spelling.

Ability to type case notes into the Customer Relationship Management (CRM) tool during engagement with the contact that capture the key points the contact is seeking assistance with.

Performance Standard for contractor Supervisors who supervise contractor staff

1. Complying with agencies policies, directives, and labor practices.

1. Recognize problems and effectively resolve them while fully communicating with upper management.

1. Providing employees with performance standards.

1. Maintain accurate documentation of employee’s performance.

1. Complete monthly performance /expectations about performance.

1. Addressing performance deficiencies as soon as possible.

1. Process personnel actions within required time frames.

The Supervisor must show a pattern of good supervision skills as shown by positive feedback, Management observation or other documented evidence, with no instances of unusual Manager level intervention during the performance appraisal period and failure to comply with guidelines concerning the implementation of their employee's performance plan.

Indicators: Management observation, Manager’s records and peer-to-peer recognition.