SFIOD QA_ 11_29_2022.pdf

U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Washington, D.C. 20410

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICER

Visit our web page at http://www.hud.gov/offices/cpo/index.cfm

Reference: Questions in response to Solicitation Number 86615722R00011

To: Prospective Offerors

The following questions and answers addressed below are hereby incorporated into this solicitation:

THE CLOSING DATE OF THIS SOLICITAITON is extended from November 29, 2022, at 2 PM EST to Monday, December 12, 2022, at 2 PM EST

Q1 Whether companies from Outside USA can apply for this? (like, from India or Canada)

A1 This is an 8a competitive acquisition which mean you must be an 8a certified established in the USA for the award.

Q2 Whether we need to come over there for meetings?

A2 No.

Q3 Can we submit the proposals via email?

A3 Anyone who is 8a certified can submit a proposal.

Q4 Is there an incumbent?

A4 Yes.

Q5 Is the incumbent eligible for the recompete?

A5 Yes, as a subcontractor.

Q6 What is the estimated time for a transaction?

A6 The average call time is approximately 3 minutes.

Q7 How many FTEs are presently are currently required to complete the task?

A7 The contractor is required to determine their FTE’s; however, there is a requirement for 2 bilingual employees in English and Spanish.

Q8 What ACD is the government using currently?

A8 Information not known.

Q9 Will the government provide an 800 number?

A9 Yes.

Q10 What are the IT requirements for this contract?

A10 This is not an IT contract. See Section 4 Contractor-Furnished Items and Services of the PWS page 10.

Q11 No laptops or tablets are allowed, would the government reconsider the use of laptops?

A11 No See Section 4.2 of the PWS, page 11.

Q12 Would the government consider adding a ODC CLIN for Transition period and the out years for computers, faxes, ACD etc.?

A12 CLIN 0001 in the base year is for transition in and CLIN 0002 in option period 4 is transition out. See the Pricing Sheet Attachment B.

Q13 What is the date by which you will answer these questions?

A13 There is no date.

Q14 Why has this bid been released at this time?

A14 This is not a bid; it is a solicitation for a re-procurement.

Q15 Is there a deadline for questions?

A15 Yes, November 9, 2022.

Q16 When is the anticipated award date?

A16 January 26, 2023

Q17 When is the anticipated contract start date?

A17 January 26, 2023

Q18 Are bidders permitted to deviate in any way from any manner of quoting fees you may be expecting? For example, if there is a pricing page in the RFP, can bidders submit an alternate fee structure? If there is no pricing page in the RFP, do you have any preference for how bidders should quote fees or can bidders create their own pricing categories?

A18 This is a fixed price contract, fees are included.

Q19 Please describe your level of satisfaction with your current or recent vendor(s) for the same purchasing activity, if applicable.

A19 Information not available

Q20 Has the current contract gone full term?

A20 Yes.

Q21 Have all options to extend the current contract been exercised?

A21 Yes.

Q22 Who is the incumbent, and how long has the incumbent been providing the requested services?

A22 MM IT Solution LLC.

Q23 To what extent will the location of the bidder’s proposed location or headquarters have a bearing on any award?

A23 There is no proposed location.

Q24 How are fees currently being billed by any incumbent(s), by category, and at what rates?

A24 Information is not available.

Q25 What estimated or actual dollars were paid last year, last month, or last quarter to any incumbent(s)?

A25 Information is not available.

Q26 Is previous experience with any specific customer information systems, phone systems, or software required?

A26 No.

Q27 What is the minimum required total call capacity?

A27 See Section 5.1, Call Center Support Center, of the PWS page 13.

Q28 What is the minimum simultaneous inbound call capacity?

A28 See Section 5.1, Call Center Support Center, of the PWS page 13.

Q29 What is the maximum wait time?

A29 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q30 What is the maximum hold time?

A30 There is no maximum hold time. Dropped calls are tracked and complaints are tracked.

Q31 What percentage of inbound calls must be answered by a live operator?

A31 There is no requirement for answered inbound calls. Dropped calls are tracked and complaints are tracked.

Q32 What percentage of calls must be resolved without a transfer, second call, or a return call?

A32 Not a requirement. Average calls per day is tracked. Dropped calls and complaints are tracked.

Q33 What is the maximum percentage of calls that can be terminated by the caller without resolution?

A33 There is no maximum.

Q34 Is there a minimum or maximum number of operators and supervisors?

A34 See Section 4.5, Contractor Personnel, of the PWS page 12. Also see A7.

Q35 What are the required language options?

A35 Spanish and English.

Q36 What is the required degree of dedication for the call center?

A36 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q37 What is the required degree of dedication for the operators?

A37 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q38 Are callers required or allowed to connect with a message verification system or pre-recorded message before connecting to a live operator, or must a live operator be the initial contact?

A38 Callers are not required but would be allowed if this service is provided.

Q39 What are the recording requirements for inbound and outbound phone calls and how long must recordings be maintained?

A39 There are no recording requirements.

Q40 What are the recording and storage requirements for non-phone communications?

Q40 There are no recording and storage requirements.

Q41 What is the current number of seats for operators and supervisors at your existing call center?

A41 Information not available.

Q42 What is the current average wait time for phone calls?

A42 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q43 What is the current average handle time for phone calls and other types of communications?

A43 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q44 What is the current average after-call work time for operators?

A44 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q45 Over the past year, what is the percentage of calls received in English versus non-English?

A45 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q46 Over the past year, what percentage of calls received were in Spanish?

A46 Information not available.

Q47 What time of day, days of the week, or times of the year do calls typically peak?

A47 Information not available.

Q48 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average number of incoming calls to SFIOD per week?

A48 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q49 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average talk time per week?

A49 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q50 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average number of completed outbound calls per day or week?

A50 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q51 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average number of calls retrieved from the after-hours voice mail box per week?

A51 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q52 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average number of applications for Premium Refund or Distributive Share Payment reviewed per month?

A52 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q53 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average number of outbound cased received from SFIOD per month?

A53 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q54 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the current number of the call center staff that supports the current incumbent contract?

A54 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q55 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average number of incoming e-mails to

A55 Information not tracked.

Q56 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average number of incoming faxes to

A56 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q57 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the average number of inquiries from Third Party Tracers to SFIOD per week?

A57 Information not tracked.

Q58 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the maximum hold time?

A58 There is no maximum hold time. Dropped calls are tracked and complaints are tracked.

Q59 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What percentage of inbound calls must be answered by a live agent?

A59 There is no minimum requirement.

Q60 What percentage of calls must be resolved without a transfer, second call, or a return

A60 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q61 What is the maximum percentage of calls that can be terminated by the caller without

A61 There is no minimum requirement.

Q62 Is there a minimum or maximum number of agents and supervisors?

A62 The contractor makes the determination in accordance with the PWS.

Q63 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What are the recording and storage requirements for non-phone communications?

A63 For the non-phone communications, there is no requirement for the vendor to record or store.

Q64 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What is the current average wait time for phone calls?

A64 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q65 PWS 5.1 Call Center Support Services. What time of day, days of the week, or times of the year do calls typically peak?

A65 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q66 Solicitation, technical and price proposal submission, pg. 58. The instructions indicate that the DUNS No. is to be included on the cover page.

A66 Yes.

Q67 Please confirm if the Unique Entity Identifier (UEI) is acceptable for this requirement?

A67 Yes.

Q68-A

Q68-B

A Solicitation, Past Performance, page 64. The instructions indicate that Offerors are not required to submit surveys for references where past performance is available in the Past Performance Information Retrieval System.

Please confirm if CPARS can be submitted with the proposal as well as being available in the Past Performance Information Retrieval System.

A68-A

A68-B

Yes. See Solicitation Past Performance on page 65.

No. See Solicitation Past Performance on page 65.

Q69 Solicitation, Past Performance, page 64. If CPARS can be submitted with the proposal as well as being available in the Past Performance Information Retrieval System, please confirm the CPARS will not be included in the page count.

A69 See A68 of the Solicitation. CPARS cannot be submitted with the proposal.

Q70 RFP, III CONTRACT CLAUSES Is this contract covered by the Service Contract Act (SCA)?

A70 No.

Q71 5.1 Call Center Support Services; 6. Case Status Tracking the PWS states: “The Contractor shall provide a system generated weekly status report.” What elements of this report are generated by a government system?

A71 None.

Q72 5.1 Call Center Support Services; 6. Case Status Tracking. What system is currently being used for case tracking?

A72 Information not available. See Section 4 Contractor-Furnished Items and Services of the PWS, page 11.

Q73 5.1 Call Center Support Services; 6. Case Status Tracking Does the Contractor need to provide its own system for any aspect of the case tracking, or are all systems provided by the government?

A73 See Section 4 Contractor-Furnished Items and Services of the PWS, page 11.

Q74 PWS 3.4 Materials (pg. 11) – will the government provide sample weekly and monthly report to offerors now?

A74 See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q75 PWS pg. 14 – item #4 – Approximately how many application reviews are required per month? And, what is the average length of time required per review?

A75 There is no minimum or maximum review requirement, and there is no review time requirement.

Q76 PWS pg. 14 – item # 5 – Approximately how many incomplete applications are received monthly? And, what is the average length of time it takes to obtain missing documentation?

A76 There is no tracking requirement. The length of time is not tracked, and each application can vary.

Q77 PWS Pg. 15 item (3) – who provides the 800 number, the contractor or the government?

A77 The Government.

Q78 PWS Pg. 14-15, item # 6, sub-items (1) – (16). Will the government provide all the metrics for items (1) through (16) to include the actual number for each item listed across the last year period on performance on the current contract so that the Offeror can correctly plan and price staffing the contract and meeting the AQLs?

A78 Information not available. See Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.

Q79 PWS 6.1 (pg. 17) Please confirm a Quality Control Plan is required with proposal submission.

A79 Yes.

Q80 RFP Pg. 52, item (c) states that the proposal validity is for 30 calendar days. Pg. 58, #3 states that proposal validity is for 120 calendar days. Please confirm correct proposal validity period.

A80 120 calendar days.

Q81 RFP pg. 63 – Technical Approach required Offeror to respond to requirements in PWS task 5.1 through 5.2e. We are having difficulty locating PWS tasks labeled in this manner (i.e., 5.2a – 5.2e). Please clarify if the government wishes offerors to respond to PWS tasks 5.1 – Call Center Support Services items 1-6 and PWS tasks 5.2 Transition items

5.2.1 and 5.2.2

A81 Offeror needs to respond to Task 5.1-5.2.

Q82 RFP pg. 64, Past Performance bullet 3. If an offeror has a CPARS on a specific past performance submitted, does a Past Performance Survey (Attachment E) need to be submitted as well?

A82 No.

Q83 For past performance, do you require 5 from the Prime and 5 from the sub, or can both be combined to total 5?

A83 See page 64 of the solicitation.

Q84 Will the government consider giving a 14-day extension on submission?

A84 Yes.

Q85 1.11 Status Meetings: “The Contractor shall apprise the Government of problems, if any, being experienced.”

What type of task-specific problems should the new vendor be aware of in order to build mitigation mechanisms during transition?

A85 Any problems that may arise that will prevent the vendor from meeting task within the

PWS.

Q86 1.11 Status Meetings: “Appropriate action shall be taken to resolve outstanding issues.”

Please provide examples of the issues.

A86 This is a Performance Based contract and the results and outcomes are the responsibility of the Contractor.

Q87 1.13 Transition In: “…the Contractor shall become familiar with the requirements in order to commence full performance of services by the end of the contract Transition-In period.”

A87 There is no question stated.

Q88 Are there additional requirements outside of PWS that describe full performance of services? If so, what is the size and scope of that material? Does it require financial or any other specialized degree from the performing personnel?

A88 No.

Q89 Outgoing calls: "The Contractor shall perform the following: “SFIOD will provide up to 2,000 cases of homeowners owed a refund per month. The contractor shall locate people and notify them to contact the Call Center.”

A89 There was no question.

Q90 Will the Government provide all necessary means for “location” of the people, or should the vendor provide special search services to locate people?

A90 See PWS para 4 and 4.2

Q91 Is the contractor expected to pay the users' fees for missing documents? If so, could the Government provide the approximate number of paid documents per a year? Is there a list of paid services the vendor can use to draft expect estimations? What are the services that the offeror/contractor might find it best to be subscribed to? For example, is the Government expecting offeror to subscribe to an open records searching service?

A91 approximate number of paid documents per a year? None so far, the expectation is this would be on a case-by-case basis.

Is there a list of paid services the vendor can use to draft expect estimations? The contractor would be responsible to find services paid and free.

What are the services that the offeror/contractor might find it best to be subscribed to? The contractor would need to determine this.

Q92 6) Case Status Tracking: “(1) Identify significant problems and their impacts, causes, proposed corrective actions, and the effect such corrective actions will have on the accomplishments and costs of the contract objectives.”

Is the Government planning to equitably adjust the contract price should the outcome of this cost study result in exceeding estimations than the original contract price?

A92 No, this is a firm fixed price contract.

Q93 7) Case Status Tracking: “(3) Total number of telephone calls processed each week, including all incoming commercial and 800 number calls and all outbound calls generated by the system only.”

Is the contractor expected to set up an automated call system for outbound calls? If so, could the Government provide more information on this task, including the purpose, volume of calls, number of adjustments to the system per a month/year?

A93 No, automated outbound calls are not expected.

Q94 Q94 8) Case Status Tracking: “The Contractor shall track cases from the time of contract award.“ According to PWS, the vendor is expected to meet with the Government within 5 days from the contract award for the Kick-off meeting following by the 60-day transition period. During these first days followed by transition period, what is the process of obtaining this case study tracking information as the vendor will not be in full operation?

Will the incumbent share the case study information with the vendor so that the vendor can provide it to the Government under this requirement?

A94 Refer to 5.2.2 Transition-Out

Q95 Attachment+D+Past+Performation+Information.docx 1 What is the minimum number of the past performances the offeror needs to submit?

A95 Reference page 64, Past Performance.

Q96 Sol_86615722R00011+(1) (2).pdf 64. Quality Control plan (QCP) is required as a part of the management plan. Can the government increase the page limit of Management Section so that the offerors can provide a comprehensive QCP?

A96 Offeror makes this determination.

Q97 Sol_86615722R00011+(1) (2).pdf 58. We respectfully request a one-week extension to adequately address any items that might come out of the Q&A. Can the government extend the due date to November 23, 2022?

A97 Yes.

Q98 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, SUBCONTRACTORS (e), p. 57: Solicitation states, "A complete business proposal in the same format as the offeror's".

Please confirm this refers to a Price Proposal Volume II in its entirety for each subcontractor, made out to be from the subcontractor, and not the subcontractor.

Or does it mean that the Prime itself makes a separate Price Proposal Volume II with the Prime Contractor's costs for any subcontracted staff?

A98 Yes.

Q99 The Price Proposal Volume II may also contain reps & certs, other certifications (for example on size standard), signed SF-forms, and acknowledgement of mods. Please confirm that none of these elements are required in the subcontractors' Price Proposal Volume II.

A99 Yes.

Q100 If the Prime Contractor adds an indirect cost to the subcontractors cost, how should that be represented in the Prime Contractor's Volume II vs. the Subcontractor's Volume II?

(The "Labor Breakdown" tab of "Attachment+B+Pricing+Sheet+SMIOD.xlsx" does not have a provision to indicate a markup in a labor price.)

A100 A subcontractor cost.

Q101 Should Subcontractor's "Labor Breakdown" tab of its "Attachment+B+Pricing+Sheet+SMIOD.xlsx" show the labor price of a subcontract resource to the Prime Contractor, and then Prime Contractor's "Labor Breakdown" tab of its "Attachment+B+Pricing+Sheet+SMIOD.xlsx" show that same subcontracted resource with the additional indirect cost added?

A101 Yes.

Q102 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, AUTHORIZED OFFICIAL AND SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL, p. 58: Solicitation states, "The proposal shall be signed by an official authorized to bind your organization..."

a) Please confirm that the technical or price proposal volumes can include a signed transmittal letter.

A102 Yes.

Q103 b) Please confirm that the signed transmittal letter is not within the page limitations of the volume.

A103 No.

Q104 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, TECHNICAL AND PRICE PROPOSAL SUBMISSION, p. 58: Solicitation states, "...all documents required for responding to the RFP should be placed in the following order: ... DUNS No.,... and indicate whether the proposal is an original or a copy."

Please confirm DUNS No. may be omitted as use of DUNS numbers in proposals has been replaced.

A104 Yes.

Q105 Please confirm it is no longer necessary to indicate whether proposal is original or copy because of the email submission.

A105 Yes.

Q106 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, Prohibition on Contracting for Certain Telecommunications and Video Surveillance Services or Equipment, pp. 60-61, and (c) Proposal Submission, pp 61-63): These two parts explains the meaning of FAR clause 52.204-25 and states what offerors should do if they select certain options in FAR provisions. However, nowhere in the "Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS" is it said that offerors should complete, sign, or submit representations and certifications, or select any FAR provisions in the proposal, aside from the requirement to submit a certification of size standard.

a) Please confirm that the offeror is or is not required to submit completed reps & certs with their proposal.

b) If the offeror must submit completed reps & certs or just a completed FAR provisions and clause, including 52.204-25, please explain what is required.

A106 Yes.

Q107 Q107 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, TECHNICAL APPROACH, p. 63: Solicitation states, "...described in the Performance Work Statement* Tasks 5.1 through 5.2e..."

A107 There is no 5.2e in the PWS. The PWS only has 5.2, 5.2.1, and 5.2.2.

Q108 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, TECHNICAL APPROACH, p. 63: Solicitation states, "The offeror shall submit a project schedule that demonstrates a clear understanding of the required operations and HUD requirements with realistic timeframes for performing all tasks." The tasks contained in PWS 5.1 are operational tasks which are ongoing and continue indefinitely during performance. It is unclear how one would create a project schedule for them since each element of PWS 5.1 is conducted for the entire period of performance after the transition-in is completed.

A108 The contractor prepares the project schedule. This is an evaluation factor.

Q109 a) If the tasks of PWS 5.1 are included in the meaning of "required operations and HUD requirements" on p. 63, please explain what is meant by the term "project schedule" that can show realistic timeframes?

A109 This is for the contractor to determine.

Q110 b) Is what is meant by "project schedule" an individual timeline, flow chart, or process diagram showing how different PWS 5.1 activities connect to other PWS

5.1 activities? For example, when a telephonic inquiry occurs, how and when is it recorded, what actions does it lead to and when, does the customer get a call back and when, how and when the item is considered closed?

A110 This is for the contractor to determine.

Q111 c) Or does "required operations and HUD requirements" not refer to PWS 5.1 activities, but instead refer to PWS 5.2 and the weekly, monthly, and one-time deliverables of PWS 6?

A111 This is for the contractor to determine.

Q112 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, MANAGEMENT PLAN, p. 63: Solicitation states, "The offeror shall submit a Management Plan that details: ... schedules of all tasks and subtasks..." The tasks contained in PWS 5.1 are operational tasks which are ongoing and continue indefinitely during performance. It is unclear how one would create a project schedule for them since each element of PWS

5.1 is conducted for the entire period of performance after the transition-in is completed.

a) Please clarify how the "schedules of all tasks and subtasks" in the MANAGEMENT PLAN is different and distinct from the "project schedule that demonstrates a clear understanding of the required operations and HUD requirements with realistic timeframes" in the TECHNICAL APPROACH.

A112 This is to be determined by the contractor. The project schedule will outline the timeframe in which the contractor will do the work.

Q113 If the tasks of PWS 5.1 are included in the meaning of "all tasks and subtasks" on p. 63, please explain what is meant by the term "schedules of all tasks and subtasks"?

A113 See A112.

Q114 Is what is meant by "schedules of all tasks and subtasks" an individual timeline, flow chart, or process diagram showing how different PWS 5.1 activities connect to other PWS

5.1 activities? For example, when a telephonic inquiry occurs, how and when is it recorded, what actions does it lead to and when, does the customer get a call back and when, how and when the item is considered closed?

Or does "all tasks and subtasks" not refer to PWS 5.1 activities, but instead refer to PWS

5.2 and the weekly, monthly, and one-time deliverables of PWS 6?

A114 This is for the contractor to determine.

Q115 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, MANAGEMENT PLAN, p. 64: Solicitation states, "The offeror shall submit a Management Plan that details: ... Quality Control Plan".

a) Is the Government referring to a full and complete Quality Control Plan, which typically is more than 10 pages by itself? Or to only a summary of the Quality Control Plan?

b) If the Government is referring to a full and complete Quality Control Plan, we request the Government move this item to outside the 10-page limitation for the Management Plan.

A115 The page limitation for Management Plan will remain at 10.

Q116 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, PAST PERFORMANCE, p. 64, and 52.212-2 EVALUATION - COMMERCIAL ITEMS. (OCT 2014), FACTOR 3 PAST PERFORMANCE, pp. 67-68: Solicitation states, "If the offeror has more than 5 relevant past performance references, then the offeror shall provide the most recent 5 references. ... The contractor shall provide the survey contained in Attachment E to each past performance reference" and "In evaluating Past Performance, HUD will address four components – recency, relevancy, quality, and sufficiency."

a) Is number of references a particular offeror provides a subfactor in the evaluation of "sufficiency" of past performance, say for an offeror that provides 3 references instead of 5 references?

A116 See Factor 3 of the solicitation on page 67.

Q117 Sol_86615722R00011 (1).pdf, Addendum to 52.212-1 INSTRUCTIONS TO OFFERORS, VOLUME II INSTRUCTIONS FOR PRICING, p. 65: Solicitation states, "(2) The offer shall provide other than certified cost or pricing data (as defined at 2.101) in accordance with FAR 15.404-1(2) (vii. This includes information to support the offeror's proposed costs or prices as prescribed in 15.404-1(2)". Can the Government remove this requirement because FAR 15.402 Pricing policy at (a)(2)(i) states, "No additional data from the offeror, if the price is based on adequate price competition, except as provided by 15.403-3(b)", and since this solicitation is posted on SAM.GOV, there should be adequate price competition, especially as the previous solicitation attracted over 9 bids.

A117 No. See page 10 of the solicitation.

Q118 For a Call Center, in order to estimate the number of agents which are needed, more metrics than just the total number of outgoing calls and incoming calls are needed.

Typically, offerors also need: Average Handling Time (AHT), required service level (percentage of calls answered in a Target Answer Time), max occupancy (the amount of time agents spend on the phone in a 30 minute block of time), shrinkage (how much time agents spend working on researching problems and other no call-related tasks), and Average Time to Abandon (ATA) (average length of time that a caller will stay in a queue before they will hang up the call). The Case Status Tracking weekly status report (PWS pp.

14-15) contains much of this information needed.

a) Because the incumbent already has this information, and because the incumbent may participate in this recompute, even if only as a subcontractor to another offeror, we request that the Government level the playing field by releasing either redacted previous weekly status reports or monthly status reports from the incumbent for the prior 12 month period, or provide a summary of data with the above call center statistics taken from the weekly/monthly reports, so that non-incumbent offerors may be able to estimate the number of agents required.

A118 The Government will provide a sample monthly report to demonstrate estimated quantities, frequencies, and volume of activity within a given month.

Q119 Is the new contractor required to have IVR (Interactive Voice Response)?

A119 No.

Q120 Will the Government provide the contractor use of a ticketing system, or must such a thing be contractor provided?

A120 No.

Q121 Is this contract or the incumbent's contract under the Service Contract Act? If so, can the Government state how many of the incumbent staff are working under SCA wage determination, and effective start dates, as the successor will need to take into account the number of weeks of vacation of such staff in case they are hired onto the new contract.

A121 No.

Q122 Who is the incumbent contractor?

A122 See A22.

Q123 How many FTEs are needed to support the work, excluding the Project Manager and Alternate Project Manager?

A123 See A7.

Q124 What are the existing systems/platforms currently in use to engage the public?

A124 Unknown.

Q125 Regarding PWS Section 4.1, Facilities, page 11, which states that the Contractor shall furnish all facilities, is the project team allowed to work remotely?

A125 Yes, but the government shall have access to contractor facilities. Refer to the solicitation page 19.

Q126 Regarding PWS Section 4.2, Equipment, page 11, which states that the Contractor shall furnish all equipment but shall “…restrict the use of handheld electronic devices such as iPhones, cameras, tablets, video recorders and laptops which may be used to capture personal identifiable information,” what equipment is needed/allowable to perform the work?

A126 Per PWS 4.2, the contractor shall provide all equipment needed to perform the work.

Q127 Should Offerors acknowledge and sign all amendments to be considered for award?

A127 Offerors shall acknowledge and sign all amendments to be considered for award.

Offerors shall also have the Call Center NAICS Code to be considered for award.

Q128 What percentage of inbound calls must be answered by a live agent?

A128 There is no minimum requirement.

Q129 What percentage of calls must be resolved without a transfer, second call, or a return

A129 There is no minimum requirement.

Q130 What is the maximum percentage of calls that can be terminated by the caller without

A130 There is no minimum requirement.

Note: It is important to note that all complaints will be addressed by the program office. The Government understands that performance can be affected by call volume, but the expectation is that the contractor is able to handle a typical month’s calls. Please refer to Attachment 1, Sample of Monthly Report.