Attachment_III-_Task_Order_PWS_SNAP_RSC.pdf

FOOD AND NUTRITION SERVICE (FNS) ON BEHALF OF

SUPPLEMENTAL NUTRITION ASSISTANCE PROGRAM (SNAP)

NATIONAL RETAILER SERVICE CENTER OPERATIONS

TASK ORDER PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT (PWS)

1.0 INTRODUCTION

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), Food and Nutrition Service (FNS), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), formerly known as the Food Stamp Program, seeks a contractor to provide a call center and support services for the SNAP Retailer and Recipient Service Center operations.

2.0 BACKGROUND

The SNAP Retailer Service Center serves at the main point of contact for retailers and current and potential SNAP recipients to communicate with FNS about their interests and ongoing participation in the SNAP program. The Retailer Service Center Call Management function also serves as the touch point for all the SNAP Retailer Service Center integrated services.

As a support service to active and potential SNAP retailers and current and potential SNAP recipients, call management operations teams are currently located in the Washington, DC Metropolitan Area. The existing call management operations team utilizes private space and is staffed by contracted personnel. Current and potential SNAP recipients contact the center for questions about program eligibility, contact information for local State offices, and request SNAP information packets. A primary goal of the center is to provide retailers with a single point of contact for applications and general assistance. Retailers contact the SNAP Retailer Service Center for the following services:

• Online Store Application Support

• SNAP Reauthorization Support

• SNAP Recipient Call Management Operations

• Returned Mail Data Entry

• Provide Additional Retailer Publications

• Data-Intake

• Call Management Operations

• Data-Intake, Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing- Coordination-

Current Environment

• SNAP Retailer Application Package

• SNAP Retailer Authorization Kit

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ATTACHMENT III

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• SNAP Retailer Notices

• SNAP Authorization Letters

• SNAP Recipient Fulfillment, Distribution, and Storage

• Document Processing

• Document Scanning Pilot

3.0 SCOPE

The contractor shall provide a retailer service center to include Call Management, Data- Intake, Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing Coordination services and operations for the retailer and recipient side of the SNAP Program, coordinate the scanning of documents received at the service center and quality customer service for potential and current clients. The contractor shall provide detailed documentation for all deliverables.

3.1 TASKS

3.1.1 SNAP Retailer Service Center Support

Contractors shall perform the following activities under this task:

• Manage the current volume of the existing SNAP Retail Service Center functions as provided in Section 2.3 of this document.

• Provide full customer service and on-line help support to all SNAP retailers

• Accommodate both Spanish and English speaking callers.

• Maintain live call customer service coverage in all US time zones between the hours of 7 am and 10 pm EST Monday-Friday (excluding Federal holidays).

• Answer in-coming and place out-going calls to assist retailers with their requests during crisis situations, mail and track retailer paper applications, track and report returned mail, track and report retailer complaints about FNS offices, answer general SNAP related questions, and direct callers to the appropriate contact.

• SNAP is looking for innovative solutions, a strong training program, and flexibility to balance two primary objectives, beyond the existing focus on superior customer service and timely responses: increase Interactive Voice Response (IVR) usage and self-service options available to retail grocery store owners.

• Manage distressed callers with care and respect.

• Ensure that communication with FNS customers and retailers adopts plain language principles.

3.1.2 SNAP Retailer Data-Intake, Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing-coordination Support

Contractors shall perform the following activities under this task:

• Demonstrate the minimum Data-Intake, Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and

Printing- coordination capability to cover the operations as stipulated in Section

2.4 of this document.

• Store FNS provided publications, and oversee the overall data-intake, fulfillment, distribution (and mailing), storage, and printing coordination requirements.

• Store and mail all SNAP retailer materials, including but not limited to:

applications, authorization kits, notices, and letters, SNAP retailer training guides, and SNAP retailer training DVD’s.

• Mail all requests within 24 hours (1 business day) of notification.

• Scan the basic documents received for each application.

• Enter data from Retailer Applications into STARS and ship paper applications periodically to a location designated by FNS.

3.1.3 SNAP Retailer Monthly Reports

Statistical Reports- Caller Customer Service

The Contractor shall submit monthly statistical reports related to caller customer service in electronic format to the COR by the fifth working day of each month. The Contractor shall notify the COR by email of any schedule delays. These reports shall cover the preceding monthly period of activity and, at a minimum, shall include:

Calls:

• Number1 of calls by purpose (i.e., types of questions asked):

o How to apply to accept SNAP benefits o Status of application o EBT questions o Reauthorization o Request for changes/updates to an authorized location

1 Wherever a number is shown the contractor shall also provide what percent this number is of the total.

• Number of calls with a breakdown between English and Spanish;

• Average call duration in minutes and seconds;

• Average time (in seconds) before routing system/personnel answers incoming calls.

• Number of disconnected calls that the system called back;

• Number of dropped calls

• Average queue time and number of calls with a queue time over 30 seconds.

• Number of calls abandoned.

Incoming Mail/Data-Intake:

• Number of Online Store Application documents and paper applications received

• Number of applications reviewed and notices mailed requesting additional information

• Number of applications entered in STARS and submitted to FNS

• Number of applications pending review

• All incoming mail shall be properly opened/stamped and sorted the same day it is received.

• Average time to process applications

• Number of applications not processed within two business days of receipt.

Outgoing Mail:

• Number of paper applications mailed – FNS-252 and FNS-252-2

• Number of auto generated notices mailed

• Number of authorization approval packages mailed

• Number of replacement authorization packages mailed.

• Number of retailer files mailed to FNS staff

• Number of special notices or mass mailings

Mailing expenses:

• Number of mailed pieces by type (i.e., type of mailing) and total expense (broken down between USPS and UPS)

• Detailed data showing a daily transaction history reflecting total number of pieces, corresponding cost as defined by USPS class and weight regulations and average cost per piece.

Inventory:

• Balance of all FNS provided publications by publication type.

• Approximate time remaining until replenishment of FNS publications is needed

(by publication type).

Robo-calls:

• Number of retailers called

• Number of phone numbers dialed

• Number of messages delivered

• Number of messages undeliverable

• Number of calls where a busy signal was received

• Number of calls where the system left a voice mail

• Number of hang-ups (before message or during the message)

• Number where the number was out of service

The contractor shall provide raw tabular data and graphical displays for monthly and fiscal year-to-date totals for each of the sections identified above indicating any trends.

The contractor shall submit reports monthly. The government will have direct visibility into performance on a daily basis via direct access to some type of dashboard or reporting system. Responses shall demonstrate how the offeror will implement industry standard best practices into service center monitoring and reporting functions.

Monthly Operations Reports

The contractor shall submit monthly reports related to day-to-day operations in electronic format to the COR by the fifth working day of each month. The Contractor shall notify the COR by email of any schedule delays. These reports shall cover the preceding monthly period of activity and at a minimum, shall:

• Include documentation that demonstrates adequate inventory is maintained to support fulfilling callers’ requests and details, as applicable, any issues with publication inventory and/or delivery orders (e.g., timeliness of delivery, accuracy, etc.)

• Report on any storage-related conditions that has or may cause damage to publications (temperature, humidity, leaks, floods, etc.), the corrective action taken, and if corrective action taken adequately resolved issue.

• Describe any operational and administrative issues that impacted, or has the potential to impact services, corrective actions taken (or potential corrective actions should FNS need to be consulted to approve corrective actions), and any follow-up to previously implemented corrective actions (e.g., monitoring of corrective actions taken to ensure issue(s) has(have) been adequately resolved).

Such issues include, but are not limited to staffing and phone service lines. It also includes documenting when Center notified FNS about invalid/incorrect State contact or EBT processor information.

• include detailed data showing a daily transaction history reflecting total number of mailed pieces, corresponding cost as defined by USPS/UPS class and weight regulations and average cost per piece.

3.1.4 SNAP Recipient Monthly Reports

Statistical Reports- Caller Customer Service

The contractor shall submit monthly statistical reports related to caller customer service in electronic format to the COR by the fifth working day of each month. The contractor shall notify the COR by email of any schedule delays. These reports shall cover the preceding monthly period of activity and, at a minimum, shall include:

• Total number of packets mailed with a breakdown of the numbers of English and

Spanish packets;

• Total number of calls with breakdown of the number of calls in English and

Spanish;

• Total number of calls by purpose (i.e., types of questions asked);

• Total number of calls from callers under 60 years old and number from those 60 years and over;

• Average call duration in minutes and seconds;

• Average time (in seconds) before routing system/personnel answers incoming calls.

• Average time before call answered by customer service operator (i.e., queue time);

• Average duration time for calls

• Disconnected calls that the system called back;

• Time from the request date to when the Center mailed the packet requested;

• Number of dropped calls by the system before operator answers;

• a cumulative table and graphical display for monthly and fiscal year-to-date totals for:

o Total number of packets mailed with a breakdown of the numbers of

English and Spanish packets;

o Total number of calls with breakdown of the number of calls in English and Spanish.

Operations Reports

The contractor shall submit monthly reports related to day-to-day operations in electronic format to the COR by the fifth working day of each month. The Contractor shall notify the COR by email of any schedule delays. These reports shall cover the preceding monthly period of activity and, at a minimum, shall:

• Include documentation that demonstrates adequate inventory is maintained to support fulfilling callers’ requests and details, as applicable, any issues with publication inventory and/or delivery orders (e.g., timeliness of delivery, accuracy, etc.)

• Report on any storage-related conditions that has or may cause damage to publications (temperature, humidity, leaks, floods, etc.), the corrective action taken, and if corrective action taken adequately resolved issue.

• Describe any operational and administrative issues that impacted, or has the potential to impact services, corrective actions taken (or potential corrective actions should FNS need to be consulted to approve corrective actions), and any follow-up to previously implemented corrective actions (e.g., monitoring of corrective actions taken to ensure issue(s) has(have) been adequately resolved).

Such issues include, but are not limited to staffing and phone service lines. It also includes documenting when Center notified FNS about invalid/incorrect State contact information.

• Include detailed data showing a daily transaction history reflecting total number of mailed pieces, corresponding cost as defined by USPS class and weight regulations and average cost per piece.

3.1.5 SNAP Recipient Call Management Operations

The contractor shall provide the following services under this task:

• Provide quality customer service for potential and current clients.

• Answer approximately 50,000 in-coming calls (15% in Spanish) annually to assist

SNAP recipients with the acquisition of SNAP materials

• Provide comprehensive tracking and reporting metrics and analysis capabilities

• Provide live coverage from 7 am to 10 pm EST (excluding Federal Holidays).

• Accommodate both Spanish and English speaking callers.

• Ensure that communication with FNS customers and recipients adopts plain language principles.

• Manage the current volume of the existing call management operations functions.

• Provide live call coverage in all U.S. Time Zones (Eastern, Central, Mountain and Pacific) and to all 48 contiguous states as well as Alaska and Hawaii.

3.1.6 SNAP Recipient Fulfillment, Distribution, and Storage

The contractor will provide the following services under this task:

• Mailing of approximately 10,000 SNAP Recipient packets annually

• Coordination of the FNS Recipient Printing processes

• Mail all requests within 48 hours of notification.

• Report returned mail to FNS, then destroy all returned mail

• Provide storage for the following publications:

o FNS 313 English (8 ½ x 5 ½) o FNS 313 Spanish (8 ½ x 5 ½) o SNAP Retailer Locator o Easy Steps to SNAP Benefits o Immigrant 10 Myths

• Provide detailed documentation for all deliverables.

• Provide SNAP recipient stakeholders with statistical data to improve efficiencies

**Note: It is critical that the disaster not be disruptive to current operations and that provisions are taken to ensure that service levels continue to be met.

4.0 APPLICABLE DIRECTIVES

• N/A

5.0 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY

• Provide Call Center facilities and associated phone system, Call Management, Data-Intake, Fulfillment, Distribution, Storage and Printing Coordination services and operations for the retailer and recipient side of the SNAP Program.

• Provide quality call center customer service for potential and current clients to include in-bound and out-bound activities, disaster plan for customer service, crisis management, tier one help-desk support and printing, mailing, and storage of all SNAP retailer authorization kits, notices, posters, decals, DVD’s, and miscellaneous SNAP literature.

• Provide comprehensive reporting metrics and analysis capabilities – monitoring call parameters (call duration, dropped calls, etc.).

• Provide SNAP Retail stakeholders with statistical data to improve efficiencies and overall quality of program services. Provide detailed documentation for all deliverables.

6.0 DELIVERABLES

Item # Deliverable Section Format/Quantities Due Date

Retailer - Statistical

Reports- Caller

Customer Service

3.1.3 Email – FNS will

provide details after contract award

5th of each month

2 Retailer –Operations Report

3.1.3 Email – FNS will

provide details after contract award

5th of each month

Recipient - Statistical

Reports- Caller

Customer Service

3.1.4 Email – FNS will

provide details after contract award

5th of each month

4 Recipient –Operations Report

3.1.4 Email – FNS will

provide details after contract award

5th of each month

7.0 PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENT SUMMARY

PERFORMANCE REQUIREMENTS SUMMARY (PRS)

PERORMANCE

MEASURE

PERFORMANCE

DELIVERABLE

MONITORED

PERFORMANCE

STANDARD

SURVEILLANCE

METHODOLOGY

PERFORAMNC

E RATING

SURVEILLANCE

FREQUENCY

MONITORING

PERFORMED

Service Level (Inbound Calls)

• 80 % of Calls answered within 20 seconds or less

• Maintain an abandonment rate of 7% or less of all calls

95% or better

File reviews, periodic inspections, and random, observations, customer complaints

Exceptional Very Good Satisfactory Marginal Unsatisfactory

Monthly Task Orders via the Contractor Performance and Rating System(CPARS) Annually

Quality of Products or Services

• Retailer calls – Questions answered accurately

95% or better File reviews, periodic inspections, and random, observations, customer complaints

Exceptional Very Good Satisfactory Marginal Unsatisfactory

Monthly

Task Orders via the Contractor Performance and Rating System(CPARS) Annually

Service Availability

• Live coverage from 7AM to 10 PM and IVR coverage 24/7

• (Total time in the month (in minutes) – total time service is not available during that month

97% or better

Periodic inspections, and random, observations

Satisfactory

Performance and Rating System(CPARS) Annually

Equipment • Maintain all 95% of Equipment Periodic inspections, and Exceptional Monthly Task Orders via equipment and materials.

failures, non-availability, or maintenance shall not interfere with operations for more than XX minutes during a day random observations Very Good Satisfactory Marginal Unsatisfactory the Contractor Performance and Rating System(CPARS) Annually

Mailings • All incoming mail opened/stamped/ sorted same day received

• Review and process incoming mail within 2 business days of receipt

• Maintain an error rate of 1% or less in completeness and accuracy of all data entry in

STARS

• Process print requests within 1 business day of notice from FNS

• Maintain an error rate of 1% or less in completeness of kit contents matched to the proper addressee

• All outgoing mail properly weighed, 99% or better

99% or better inspections inspections

Satisfactory Marginal

Performance and Rating System(CPARS) Annually metered and staged for pickup by vendor/USPS by 4PM

• Manage storage and replenishment of adequate funds to the postage meter

Ratings Definitions

Performance meets contractual requirements and exceeds many to the Government’s benefit. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element being assessed was accomplished with few minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor was highly effective.

Performance meets contractual requirements and exceeds some to the Government’s benefit. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element being assessed was accomplished with some minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor was effective.

Satisfactory

Performance meets contractual requirements. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element contains some minor problems for which corrective actions taken by the contractor appear or were satisfactory.

Performance does not meet some contractual requirements. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element being assessed reflects a serious problem for which the contractor has not yet identified corrective actions. The contractor’s proposed actions appear only marginally effective or were not fully implemented.

Performance does not meet most contractual requirements and recovery is not likely in a timely manner. The contractual performance of the element or sub-element contains a serious problem(s) for which the contractor’s corrective actions appear or were ineffective.