BPO RFI QA.xlsx
XLSX spreadsheet 30 KB Posted
- Solicitation number
- BPO_RFI_9242025
About this file
This document is a Request for Information (RFI) from the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) seeking industry input on Business Process Operations (BPO) Customer Contact Center Services. The RFI covers Contact Center Operations and Back-Office Processing Support, with four potential service delivery options and a focus on technology, capabilities, and service delivery models. FSA currently has four incumbent vendors (EdFinancial Services, F.H. Cann & Associates, Maximus Federal Services, and MOHELA) and anticipates a multiple-award contract with a two-year base period and three 12-month option periods.
Key requirements include a hybrid workforce model with at least 50% on-site agents, multi-channel support (calls, chat, email), and integration with FSA-provided technologies including Salesforce CRM, AWS telephony, Calabrio workforce management, and Tableau analytics. The solicitation will use a common Firm Fixed Price per-task pricing model, with potential small business subcontracting goals. FSA is particularly interested in vendors' perspectives on AI adoption, technology innovations, and process improvements. The forthcoming Request for Proposal (RFP) will provide detailed specifications, and participation in this RFI is voluntary and does not guarantee future contract award.
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Other files
| File | Type | Posted |
|---|---|---|
| Volumes for Question No.18.pdf | ||
| BPO RFI_Final Revised_10152025 .pdf | ||
| BPO RFI_Final_09232025.pdf |
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Sheet1
| NO. | QUESTION | FSA RESPONSE |
| 1 | Is it possible for us to participate from Puerto Rico? | The current IDIQ contracts require all Business Process Operations (BPO) services to be performed within the 48 contiguous states or the District of Columbia, unless specifically authorized by FSA. In the future, this may be expanded to U.S. territories and possessions. Specific details related to place of performance will be provided in the forthcoming Request for Proposal (RFP). |
| 2 | Is it mandatory for the activities to take place within U.S. territory? | See response to Question No. 1. |
| 3 | If we decide not to participate in this RFI, would there be an opportunity to participate in a subsequent RFP? | Yes, participation in the RFI is not required to participate in any subsequent RFP. |
| 4 | Can you please advise if there is a specific SAM (System for Award Management) classification (i.e. Direct Contractor or Sub-Contractor) in order to submit an RFI Response? | No. Vendors do not have to have a specific SAM classification in order to submit a response to this RFI. All interested parties are welcome to respond. |
| 5 | What does ED-FSA consider “appropriate markings” of proprietary, restricted, or competitive sensitive information? Can you provided all acceptable examples? RFI except language appears below in subsection a.: "Interested parties are responsible for adequately marking proprietary, restricted or competition sensitive information contained in their response. Any information considered proprietary should be noted via appropriate markings. Classified information and concepts shall not be submitted in response to this RFI." | As noted in the RFI instructions, vendor responses should clearly identify whether the information contained in their response is considered proprietary, restricted, or competitive sensitive information. Vendors should do so in accordance with their respective, internal organizational policies and/or guidelines (e.g., notation in document header, footer, and/or title page, etc.). |
| 6 | Would ED-FSA allow us to submit a full RFI response and a redacted version of our response that is suitable for public release in lieu of marking items confidential on the response itself? We hope this will save you time by not having to redact any information prior to public release. | No. Vendors do not need to submit a redacted version of their RFI response. FSA will not publically release RFI responses. |
| 7 | Does a cover page/title page count towards the 35 page limit? | No, a cover page/title page will not count towards the 35 page limit. |
| 8 | Does a cover letter count towards the 35 page limit? | See response to Question No. 7. |
| 9 | Does a table of contents count towards the 35 page limit? | No, a table of contents will not count towards the 35 page limit. |
| 10 | What potential AI tools does ED-FSA intend to deploy under the new solicitation? | FSA is currently exploring AI options to resolve customer issues and to provide tools for FSA and its vendors to perform tasks more easily. Specific AI tools, if any, will be detailed in the forthcoming RFP. However, FSA is interested in receiving industry feedback on available options that have been leveraged successfully. |
| 11 | Will RFI respondents receive email notification from ED-FSA regarding the future solicitation? | No, RFI respondents will not receive an email notifiation. FSA will adhere to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) requirements for publicizing and posting any future BPO RFP, in accordance with the acquisition strategy. |
| 12 | Will the RFP solicitation be open to all bidders, or only those that respond to this RFI? | The solicitation will be open to all vendors, not just those that respond to this RFI. |
| 13 | How many vendors does ED-FSA intend to award the resulting BPO contract? | To be determined (TBD). Specific information related to the number of anticipated vendors will be provided in a future RFP. Currently, there are four BPO vendors. |
| 14 | Can ED-FSA provide an estimate of when it expects to release the RFP solicitation resulting from this RFI? | FSA is unable to provide an estimate at this time; however, an acquisition timeline/schedule is currently under development. |
| 15 | Can ED-FSA provide an estimate of internal goals for when the future RFP solicitation will be due, and notional timeframe of contract award? | See response to Question No. 14. |
| 16 | What are the biggest challenges that you find with this program from a performance perspective? | One of the biggest challenges FSA has faced is related to agent capacity and our vendors' ability to staff up with minimal lead time. |
| 17 | How does the FSA prefer vendors to report performance—what cadence, format, and level of transparency best supports leadership decision-making? | The BPO Program currently has hourly, daily, weekly monthly, and annual reporting requirements that are representative of standard contact center metrics (e.g., Average Speed of Answer, Abandon Rate, Quality, and CSAT Scores, etc.). FSA developed the standard reports for these metrics - which are produced by a 3rd party platform provider - for utilization by the BPO vendors and FSA leadership. Other required reports are generated by the BPO vendors and submitted as contract deliverables (e.g., staffing plans). Specific reporting requirements for the BPO recompete effort will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 18 | What is the historical monthly call volume? |
Please reference supplemental document (PDF) with 12 months of actual volumes.
| 19 | Could you provide a breakdown of call volume by language? | See response to Question No. 18. Additionally, FSA supports languages other than English and Spanish via a third-party language interpretation services contract. |
| 20 | What CRM, telephony, and workforce management platforms are currently in use? | FSA currently uses the following tools/platforms: CRM: Salesforce | Telephony: Amazon Web Services (AWS) | Workforce Management (WFM) & Quality: Calabrio | Dashboard Analyics: Tableau | Medallia: Voice Analytics & Customer Satisifaction | Learning Management System (LMS): Moodle. With the exception of the CRM, all tools are subject to change. FSA is interested in receiving industry feedback on the tools/platforms vendors are currently using, especially in the area of Workforce Management (WFM). |
| 21 | Is there an anticipated FTE requirement for back-office processing? | Yes. Vendors are expected to hire, onboard, and train enough staff (e.g., Agents) to handle the volume of work allocated. As noted in the RFI, volumes may fluctuate throughout the year and include both calendar-based cycles (e.g., seasonal peak periods) and non-cyclical events or deadlines (e.g., White House or Department initiatives). Additional detail on anticipated volumes and seasonality will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 22 | Could you provide a job description for agents? | Generally speaking, FSA requires Contact Center "Front Office" agents to answer calls, chats and emails; and Back-Office agents to work various Back-Office tasks. Specific task descriptions associated with these roles will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 23 | Could you describe the FSA’s vision for AI adoption? | See response to Question No. 10. |
| 24 | Does the FSA have a preferred geographic delivery location? | See response to Question No. 1. Additionally, providing BPO Customer Contact Center Services across vendors in different U.S. time zones could be beneficial, but is not required. |
| 25 | What methods of automation are currently in use (e.g., chatbots, self-service portals, IVR optimization)? | FSA currently leverages the use of chatbots, self-service portals, and IVR optimization. |
| 26 | What is the expected training and nesting duration? | BPO training requirements will be defined in the forthcoming RFP. Additionally, FSA does not prescribe nesting durations, but durations would be informed by a vendor's capability and specific agent floor-readiness, including Quality. |
| 27 | Will the FSA provide call volume forecasts, and if so, how far in advance will vendors receive them? | FSA currently provides call, chat and webform volume forecasts on a monthly basis via an official forecast that vendor agent capacity is expected to support. This forecast is provided no later than sixty (60) days prior to the start of the month that the official forecast applies to. Additionally, an "interim" forecast will be issued monthly that incorporates each month's projected estimates, influenced by "new month actuals" and the associated impacts of trends that drive the forecast. |
| 28 | What key performance indicators (KPIs) are most critical to the FSA’s success, and how are they prioritized? | FSA anticipates multiple SLAs and KPIs that directly affect operational decisions related to volume allocations. FSA will leverage two (2) sets of KPIs. One will address back-office processing activities. The other will address a second tier of performance metrics that measure contract compliance and inform past performance evaluations (e.g., CPARS). |
| 29 | How does the FSA currently measure customer satisfaction and experience? | To measure customer satisfaction (CSAT), FSA utilizes the Medallia Survey tool to poll customers regarding their interactions with the BPO vendors and to create a composite monthly score that is measured against an agreed upon threshold. |
| 30 | What is the escalation process for handling complex or sensitive issues? | Escalation processes differ by functional area but typically include various tier processes that occur within each vendor's organizational framework. Any escalations that require FSA involvement would be detailed in the applicable training materials. |
| 31 | Are there any upcoming regulatory or compliance changes that the vendor should be aware of? | No. Any future regulatory or compliance changes/requirements will be detailed in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 32 | How does the FSA envision the role of the vendor in supporting its long-term customer experience strategy? | FSA’s overall strategic goal is to provide a more efficient and effective customer experience to the students, parents, and borrowers we serve and to improve customer outcomes. To achieve this goal, BPO vendors manage certain aspects of what FSA classifies as Specialty Program Servicing scope (i.e., TPD, PSLF/TEPSLF, TEACH) and other areas that are classified as Non-Servicing scope. Under Specialty Program Servicing, certain functions are performed by the BPO vendors while others are provided by the Unified Servicing and Data Solution (USDS) vendors. The BPO vendors oversee most elements of the Non-Servicing scope of work. BPO vendors play a critical role in FSA's customer-facing operations and are expected to continue in this essential role for the foreseeable future. |
| 33 | Are respondents required to address all service delivery options (A–D), or can responses be limited to a single option while remaining eligible for future solicitations? | No. Respondents are not required to address all service delivery options. Responses can be limited to a single option while remaining eligible for future solicitations. |
| 34 | In the section requesting industry best practices, is FSA expecting narrative examples only, or should metrics/data (e.g., attrition rates, handle time improvements) be included? | FSA recommends that vendors provide narratives and/or metrics where applicable. |
| 35 | Will questions submitted by October 1st be compiled and shared with all vendors (Q&A release), and if so, on what date? Please confirm receipt and reach out with any questions. | Yes, responses to all questions will be compiled and released. The Q&A release date is TBD. |
| 36 | Can the Font size be smaller than 12 Point for tables/graphics? | Yes. |
| 37 | The RFI states that Contact Center Services includes: “Use of FSA-provided Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Solution Set (i.e., Telephony, Workforce Management, Training, and Quality, etc.)”. What specific products are included in the FSA provided solution set? | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 38 | What technology or systems will the contractor need to provide in order to access the FSA-provided solution set? | Vendors will not need to provide any systems (e.g., CRM, WFM, etc.). Information related to system access will be provided in the forthcoming RFP and/or upon award. Vendors will need to provide a desktop environment to be configured in accordance with requirements provided in the RFP. For more information on doing business with the Department of Education please use the following link: https://www.ed.gov/about/doing-business-ed/contractor-requirements/security-requirements-for-contractors-doing-business-with-the-department-of-education |
| 39 | Bullet #1: Will all methods of multi-channel support (calls, webform/email, chat) be conducted within FSA’s platforms? | Yes. |
| 40 | Bullet #4: Please name the specific systems, software, and/or platforms that comprise FSA’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM) Solution Set. | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 41 | Bullet #5: For service levels and KPIs, if work is performed entirely within FSA systems, how is performance data made available so vendors can track and report on SLAs and KPIs? Does FSA provide reporting applications and dashboards that vendors can access and/or configure? | FSA makes performance data available to BPO vendors by providing access to reports and dashboards. Requests for customized configurations may be considered by FSA; however, these configurations would be shared with all BPO vendors and would not be customized for any individual BPO. |
| 42 | With respect to speech analytics, does FSA make speech analytics software available to vendors, or would vendors be able to use their own? If vendor-provided, can FSA's telephony platform connect directly to such software for analysis? | Currently, FSA makes its speech analytics tool available to BPO vendors; however, we are interested in receiving feedback on how industry uses speech analytic software and best practices, if any, we should consider. Vendors are unable to bring their own tools. |
| 43 | Is this a new request for the Department of Education or do they currently have a 3rd party handling this support? And if it is a 3rd party, are you able to tell me who currently has the contract? | This is not a new request. There are currently 4 vendors supporting the BPO Program under a multiple award IDIQ contract to include: EdFinancial Services, F.H. Cann & Associates, Maximus Federal Services, and the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority (MOHELA). |
| 44 | Is vendor required to provide the ACD functionality for inbound or outbound calls? | No, all telephony functionality is provided by FSA. |
| 45 | If yes to the above, how do the calls get delivered to the vendor switch? | N/A. See response to Question No. 44. |
| 46 | Is vendor required to provide the CTI or CRM functionality? | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 47 | Is there any requirement around omnichannel (such as Email/Text/Chat Support) ? | "Yes" from a labor standpoint for example an agent will be able to perform concurrent chats, but "No" from a technology standpoint once onboarded to the platform. |
| 48 | Will the client provide the tool or does vendor need to provide the tool for the omnichannel support platform ? (if applicable) | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 49 | Please provide the list of applications provided by the client. | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 50 | What is the preferred method of connectivity to these applications (Internet, MPLS, VPN, or Private Line)? | Information related to system access will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 51 | Identify the tools which will need to be provided by vendor. | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 52 | Are there any workstation requirements (processor, RAM, display(s), browser, etc.)? | See response to Question No. 50. |
| 53 | Are there any security certification requirements? | Information related to security certification requirements will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 54 | Are there any integration requirements between vendor and the client systems? | See response to Question No. 50. |
| 55 | Can you please clarify your definition of hybrid workforce? For your requirement for 50% or more in office agent work, does that mean that all agents are required to spend 50% or more of their time in the office or does that mean more than 50% of the team needs to be in the office while the rest can work from home? | Hybrid means that 100% of a vendor's employee hours cannot exceed 50% remote. FSA is interested in receiving industry feedback on other suggested models. |
| 56 | Would you entertain a scenario where our agents work at home using AI and cameras for monitoring their activities? | This is an interesting concept. Please explain how this scenario would work in your RFI response. |
| 57 | Can you please clarify if the vendor has to provide a system to provide this service or is a system supplied for us to operate? | See response to Question No. 38. Regarding remote or hybrid work environments, FSA will not provide an AI system to check attendance or work effort for remote employees. Therefore, any vendor planning to use a hybrid work environment would be required to deploy that environment at its own expense. |
| 58 | Is it preferred that the vendor be on the GSA schedule? | ED/FSA does not have a preference at this time. However, we are interested in understanding whether a vendor's services are available via GSA's Federal Supply Schedule and/or any other strategically sourced vehicle. |
| 59 | Given FSA is providing CRM solution set (telephony, training, Workforce Management, quality), what technology infrastructure will be required of the vendor? | See response to Question Nos. 38 and 50. |
| 60 | Given the government is providing the Workforce Management tool, who is responsible for forecasting? | Prior to producing the forecast (as described in response to Question No. 27), FSA collaborates with and receives input from the BPO vendors. |
| 61 | Can you provide more details on the specific technologies or platforms currently used in the FSA-provided CRM Solution Set? | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 62 | What AI capabilities or technologies has FSA already deployed or will deploy in the future? | See response to Question No. 10. |
| 63 | We understand Times New Roman 12 pt font is required for text. Can graphics and tables be a smaller font? | See response to Question No. 36. |
| 64 | Can you expand on how you envision the Firm Fixed Price to work? Is it going to be a FFP for a Tier of Calls? Is it going to be an FFP per call? | The anticipated scope will be performed under a common, Firm Fixed Price (FFP), per task, pricing model. The term “common” denotes a contractual model whereby all vendors perform under common (identical) pricing and performance standards. Specific tasks (e.g., Inbound Calls, Chat Sessions, etc.) including detailed task descriptions will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 65 | Will contractors have the ability to influence technology changes and use of new processes that would allow more efficient handling of contacts? Ideally under a FFP arrangement, contractors should have the freedom to find efficiencies while still meeting performance for this contract type to be effective. | FSA is open to ideas for technology and process/operations changes that might lead to greater efficiencies. Please feel free to expand further in your RFI response. |
| 66 | Can you expand on how you would plan to split the contacts for each task between vendors in a fair manner where all vendors would receive similar complex calls? | The forthcoming RFP will specify how work is to be distributed among vendors and clarify the allocation process. |
| 67 | Will any potential solicitation or contract resulting from this RFI incorporate a small business subcontracting goal? | Yes. |
| 68 | Please provide the percentage of contacts that require bi-lingual agents? | See response to Question No. 18. |
| 69 | Will contact volumes be provided by channel and average handle time? | See response to Question No. 18. |
| 70 | What type of equipment will be provided by the FSA? | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 71 | Will Vendors who choose not to submit a response to this RFI be precluded from participating in the subsequent RFP process? | See response to Question No. 3. |
| 72 | Can you disclose who the current vendor(s) are? | See response to Question No. 43. |
| 73 | What is the anticipated timeline for the release of the RFP? | See response to Question No. 14. |
| 74 | How many vendors do you anticipate selecting in the RFP? | See response to Question No. 13. |
| 75 | Can you provide a copy of the current contracts or direct us to where we can locate them? | ED/FSA will not be providing a copy of the current contracts. Vendors would need to make a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to access this information, with the understanding that certain sensitive information would be protected (i.e., redacted). |
| 76 | Are there any known challenges with the current provider that vendors should be aware of? | See response to Question No. 16. |
| 77 | What is the expected contract duration and renewal terms? | FSA is currently contemplating a two (2) year base ordering period with three (3) 12-month option periods. However, this information will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 78 | Are Vendors required to hold any federal certifications or demonstrate compliance with specific federal regulatory standards? | Any certification requirements and/or compliance standards will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 79 | How many FTE are currently servicing the program for Contact Center Operations and Back Office Processing Support separately? | See response to Question No. 21. |
| 80 | We note the minimum target of 50% + of in-office/on-site (not remote) agent work. Are services expected to be delivered from within United States only, or are nearshore/offshore locations acceptable? | See response to Question No. 1. |
| 81 | Please confirm the minimum on-site percentage by role and any exceptions for remote roles. | See response to Question No. 55. |
| 82 | Provide a description of the physical security measures and facility controls beyond what is stated in the RFI. | See response to Question No. 53. |
| 83 | What technology setup (desktop/access security solution) is required for agents and staff to securely access systems? | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 84 | Please provide historical interval-level volumes (15/30-minute) by channel (voice, email, chat, SMS, social media), queue, and specialty program for the last 24 months, including AHT and handle-time variance by task type of work. | FSA will provide this information in the forthcoming RFP, to the extent it is accessible and can reasonably be made available. |
| 85 | Please share seasonality curves (FAFSA cycles; academic calendar peaks) and examples of non-cyclical spikes (e.g., policy announcements) along with forecasting accuracy history. | See response to Question No. 84. |
| 86 | What is your current pricing structure (per payroll hour, per FTE, fixed monthly)? | See response to Question No. 64. |
| 87 | Please confirm current SLAs/KPIs by channel and by back-office work (e.g., AHT, ASA, Abandon Rate, FCR, QA pass rate, etc.), including priority/weighting and penalty/credit logic. | The SLAs and KPIs for the BPO Program will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. FSA will also define the performance management framework to be utilized. |
| 88 | Please confirm the FSA-provided toolset (Customer Relationship Management (CRM) / Computer Telephony Integration (CTI) / Workforce Management (WFM) / Ticketing system / Quality Management (QM) / Training/LMS systems) versions and vendor names, API availability, and reporting access (dashboards, data exports, latency). | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 89 | Please outline all the technology platforms that the vendor is expected to provide. | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 90 | What is the knowledge management authoring and approval workflow (roles, SLAs for content updates, release cadence), especially during policy changes? | BPO Knowledge Management updates are issued on an as needed basis and incorporate input from BPO Vendors and FSA business leads across supported departments. FSA and our third-party system vendors will collaborate to ensure updates are posted on timelines aligned with urgency and operational impact. |
| 91 | Are there existing systems (e.g., CRM, ERP, ticketing systems) that the contact center software must integrate with? | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 92 | Are there any industry-specific compliance or data security requirements the vendors must meet? | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 93 | Do you have a preference for a cloud-based, on-premises, or hybrid contact center solution? | See response to Question No. 55. |
| 94 | Please confirm a list of the security controls the vendor must independently operate versus those inherently provided by the FSA platform(s). | See response to Question No. 38 |
| 95 | Please provide records retention/disposition requirements for correspondence and back-office artifacts (by record class) and audit log retention expectations. | FSA will provide any record retention/dispostion requirements related to Contact Center, Back-Office, and/or Fulfillment activities in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 96 | Please confirm training content ownership (FSA vs. vendor), LMS access, and expectations for knowledge checks and pass marks. | FSA owns training content and the LMS used to train trainers. Vendors use the same system for staff training/testing. Access is granted after completing onboarding clearance milestones. Additional details may be provided in the forthcoming RFP for knowledge checks and pass mark expectations. |
| 97 | For vendors that do not currently hold a GSA Schedule contract or other government contract vehicle under the corresponding NAICS codes, will this be considered a disqualifier for consideration under this RFI? Alternatively, will vendors with such contracts be evaluated more favorably during any subsequent procurement process? | No, this is not a disqualifier for consideration. In addition, the acquisition strategy has not been finalized. The evaluation criteria will be provided in a future solicitation/RFP. |
| 98 | FSA mentions wanting to leverage "existing" technologies, but also states in Section 2, "In addition, since the contract award, both contact center operations and technology have changed and will continue to evolve especially with the advent of Artificial Intelligence (AI)." Please clarify if FSA wants to hear about new technology or AI offerings that could transform Contact Center Operations, Back-Office Processing, and Fulfillment Services. This may need to transform the existing technologies in place today. | FSA wants to leverage “existing” technologies to the extent practical. That said, FSA will consider any “new” technologies or AI offerings that can dramatically improve our efficiencies based upon the vendor’s estimated timeline for implementation. Any recommendations that would have a negative impact on our internal timeline for a contract award would not be considered. However, in such cases, we would still be interested in understanding how those recommended “new” technologies would fit into FSA’s future contact center planning. We consider our BPO vendors to be strategic partners, and as such, want to learn from them wherever possible. |
| 99 | Is FSA open to managed service offerings that connect with the existing technologies? | See response to Question No. 98. |
| 100 | Does FSA currently have separate Task Orders under the IDIQ to manage the technologies for Contact Center Operations, Back-Office Processing, and Fulfillment Services and the the actual labor to execute these services? Does FSA envision separate or integrated technology management and services task orders? | The CRM environment and tools leveraged by current vendors is provided by a third-party vendor under a separate contract vehicle. All BPO vendors provide the personnel and equipment required to execute Contact Center Operations and Back-Office processing under individual task orders issued against their respective IDIQ contracts. Fulfillment Services are provided by a single BPO vendor under a different IDIQ task order. |
| 101 | Are English and Spanish the only languages that FSA seeks to support? If additional languages, then please provide a list of languages to be supported. Must all channels support these languages. | See response to Question No. 19. |
| 102 | Is FSA seeking agents that are multilingual? Are English and Spanish the only languages that FSA seeks agents to support? If additional languages, then please provide a list of languages to be supported by fluent agents. | See response to Question No. 19. |
| 103 | Provide examples of Peak Period and Extended Hours Support over the last 3 years. | FSA's current hours of operation do not include extended hours for Peak Periods. We do not have plans for any extended hours. |
| 104 | Please provide a full listing of the entire CRM Solution Set existing technologies including versions. | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 105 | Are any technologies already planned to be added to the CRM Solution Set? | FSA continuously strives to improve our IT platforms. Based on the list of tools identified in response to Question No. 20, vendors are encouraged to provide recommendations, to include any available reference materials, for any additional technologies in their RFI response. |
| 106 | Please provide a list of all existing SLAs and KPIs for Contact Center Operations, Back-Office Processing, and Fulfillment Services | See response to Question No. 28. |
| 107 | Please provide a full inventory of all applications, certifications, verifications, deferments, appeals, etc. Please include the forms for each one. | All of the applicable applications and forms will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. See response to Question No. 20 for the applications currently being used. Note: Information related to "Deferment Processing" was erroneously included in the RFI and should be disregarded. Deferment activities are not included in the BPO scope of work. |
| 108 | Please share examples of situations where manual eligibility happens today. | Training materials will provide process and procedures for any applicable eligibilty processing. |
| 109 | Is FSA looking for solutions to reduce or eliminate the need for manual eligibility determinations? | See response to Question No. 28. |
| 110 | Please share examples of Data corrections, account maintenance, reconciliation that happen today. | Information related to "Data corrections, account maintenance, reconciliation" was erroneously included in the RFI and should be disregarded. These activities are not included in the BPO scope of work. |
| 111 | Is FSA looking for solutions to automate Data corrections, account maintenance, reconciliation? | See response to Question No. 110. |
| 112 | Please describe in more detail what the Title IV disbursement activities that are in scope for this RFI. | Information related to "Title IV Disbursement" was erroneously included in the RFI and should be disregarded. Title IV disbursement activities are not included in the BPO scope of work. |
| 113 | How many school interfaces exist today? Are any new school interfaces in development? | Information related to "School Interfaces" was erroneously included in the RFI and should be disregarded. School Interface activities are not included in the BPO scope of work. |
| 114 | Please provide examples of the school interfaces. | See response to Question No. 113. |
| 115 | What FISMA and FedRAMP levels are required for the Contact Center Operations, Back-Office Processing, and Fulfillment Services? | See response to Question No. 53. |
| 116 | Are AI bots and agents also included as channels? | See responses to Question Nos. 10 and 25. |
| 117 | Does FSA have existing OCR technology? If so, what is the existing OCR technology? Is FSA open to other OCR technology? | Yes, the current Fulfillment solution utilizes OCR technology. FSA is interested in receiving industry feedback on available OCR technologies for the Fulfillment portion of the BPO scope of work. |
| 118 | Do Cover Pages and Tables of Content count toward the 35 page limitation? | See response to Question No. 7. |
| 119 | Accurate volume data enables vendors to right-size staffing, technology, and cost models, ensuring realistic and competitive proposals. Can FSA provide historical and projected monthly/annual contact volumes by channel (calls, chat, email, SMS) and by service type (Contact Center, Back-Office, Fulfillment)? | See response to Question No. 18. |
| 120 | Historical allocation data allows vendors to suggest benchmark expectations. What have the annual allocations ot each of the current BPO providers (by volume and percentage) for each core function—Contact Center Operations, Back-Office Processing, and Fulfillment Services—been since the beginning of the current contract? | See response to Question No. 66. |
| 121 | Access to current SLAs/KPIs and historical performance data enables vendors to benchmark, propose improvements, and ensure compliance. Can FSA share the current SLAs/KPIs and historical performance data for these metrics? | See response to Question No. 87. |
| 122 | Understanding allocation methodology helps vendors suggest improvement strategies. What is the current methodology for allocating volume to each BPO provider under the IDIQ contract? | See response to Question No. 66. |
| 123 | Can FSA clarify whether the minimum 50% on-site workforce requirement is a policy or a preference? What is the rationale for this specific number, and is there flexibility based on operational or geographic considerations? | See responses to Question Nos. 1 and 55. |
| 124 | Will the government please provide more information on the functionality required from the BPO provider specifically for the contact center solution? For example, is there a contact center platform that all of the BPO providers utilize, such as skills routing and agent desktop? Are calls distributed to BPO providers through network-based call routing? Does each BPO contractor provide IVR services or is there a centralized IVR solution provided to all BPO contractors? If there is a centralized IVR solution, what contract provides the centralized IVR services? | See responses to Question Nos. 20 and 38. |
| 125 | Does FSA plan for the recompete of the BPO servicing contracts to be multiple or single award? | FSA anticipates a multiple award contract for the BPO recompete effort. |
| 126 | For Options A/B/C, which tech does FSA furnish vs. what may vendors provide? Specifically: telephony, WFM, training, quality, and CRM are listed under Option A—do the same tool constraints apply to B and C, and are vendor-proposed alternates allowed with rationale? | See responses to Question Nos. 20 and 38. These tools are applicable to all options (A, B, and C). |
| 127 | For Option C (combined services), should we assume a single, unified QA/reporting stack across contact center and back office, and does FSA require specific tooling or just outcomes? | FSA uses a unified QA/reporting stack across contact center and back-office. FSA prioritizes outcomes over specific tools. |
| 128 | For Fulfillment (Option D), please confirm: (a) required OCR accuracy/throughput targets, (b) retention/disposition rules after scanning, and (c) required CRM/API integrations and any throughput/rate limits. | This information will be provided in the forthcoming RFP. FSA would be interested in receiving industry feedback on recommended metrics and/or best practices related to targeted standards for OCR. |
| 129 | Please provide historical and forecasted interaction volumes by channel (calls/chat/email/text), average handle times, arrival patterns, and peak calendars (seasonal and non-cyclical events) to support staffing models. | See response to Question No. 18. |
| 130 | Please share the official KPI/SLA definitions and thresholds (e.g., ASA, Abandon, First-Contact Resolution, Quality scores, Back-Office turnaround) and how they’re measured across channels. | See response to Question No. 87. |
| 131 | The RFI notes a target of “50%+ in-office.” Can you specify (a) which roles must be on-site, (b) acceptable sites/regions, and (c) any exceptions for surge/after-hours work? | See response to Question No. 55. |
| 132 | What background checks/clearances are required for agents/supervisors/back-office staff, and do any roles require U.S. citizenship and on-shore only? | See response to Question No. 38. Additionally, FSA will provide all applicable requirements for clearances in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 133 | The RFI calls for compliance with FSA cybersecurity, data protection, and record-retention standards—please specify the baseline (e.g., NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 control baseline/impact level, FIPS 140-3 crypto, FERPA), plus any FedRAMP requirements when vendor systems are used. | See response to Question No. 38. Quarterly FISMA reporting will be required. For FedRAMP, any vendor system being used has to be compliant with FedRAMP requirements and pre-approved by the Department for use within ED/FSA. |
| 134 | What are the requirements for call/chat recording retention, PII redaction, and discovery/production (e.g., FOIA, litigation holds)? | BPO vendors may assist in providing information to support FOIA requests submitted to FSA; however, redaction and litigation holds are not within the scope of the BPO Program. |
| 135 | For AI/automation use (IVA, agent-assist, summarization), what constraints apply regarding model hosting, training on FSA data, and transparency/approval processes? | FSA will consider all viable uses and use cases of AI/automation. Interested vendors are encouraged to make recommendations in their RFI responses. Narratives should contain examples of the applicable uses and use cases that vendors would reccomend. |
| 136 | If FSA provides the CRM/telephony/WFM stack, can you share the current products, integration methods (APIs/webhooks/batch), available sandboxes, and throughput limits to inform design and testing time? | See response to Question No. 20. FSA will provide any testing or integration instructions in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 137 | For back-office processing, please enumerate source systems and file formats we’ll touch (e.g., FAFSA, PSLF/TEPSLF/TPD/TEACH artifacts) and any standard schemas/validation rules. | See responses to Question Nos. 20, 38, and 50. |
| 138 | For fulfillment/OCR, do you require specific metadata/index fields in the CRM and standardized case types for ingestion? | See responses to Question Nos. 117 and 129. |
| 139 | Will FSA provide a consolidated data layer/reporting schema for KPI rollups across channels and back-office, or should vendors propose one? (Include cadence and tooling expectations for dashboards.) | See response to Question No. 87. Vendors are welcome to provide additional input or recommendations in their RFI response. |
| 140 | What is the expected cadence and format for QA calibrations, knowledge management updates, and change control across all vendors? | QA calibrations are performed no less than monthly. See response to Question No. 90 for information related to Knowledge Management updates. Change controls are shared with all vendors as necessary and applicable materials are updated as needed. |
| 141 | The RFI references a “common, Firm-Fixed-Price, per-task pricing model.” Can you clarify contemplated pricing units (per agent/hour/interaction/case), any hybrid constructs you’re considering, and how performance incentives/credits would work? | See response to Question No. 64. While FSA is not currently contemplating any hybrid constructs, we are interested in receiving industry feedback on this topic. FSA is contemplating seasonal and peak period staffing stipends. |
| 142 | Will ED/FSA provide a historical view of the current volumes by month, by channel (calls, webform/email, chat)? | See response to Question No. 18. |
| 143 | Will ED/FSA provide the current average handle time by contact type (calls, webform/email, chat)? | FSA will provide Front Office Average Handle Time and context in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 144 | Will ED/FSA provide the current FSA Provided call center technology stack, specifically what solution/service is being used for the CCaaS environment? | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 145 | What solution/service is being used for the CRM application? | See response to Question No. 20. |
| 146 | Is the intent of ED/FSA to have the BPO contractor provide the contact center technology infrastructure (CCaaS, IVR, CRM, etc.) or will that be kept under a separate contract/contractor? | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 147 | Will ED/FSA provide the historical monthly volume of applications, certifications, verifications, deferments, and appeals that are processed on a monthly basis? | FSA will provide applicable BPO Back-Office volumes in the forthcoming RFP. Note: Information related to "Deferment Processing" was erroneously included in the RFI and should be disregarded. Deferment activities are not included in the BPO scope of work. |
| 148 | Will ED/FSA provide more definition around the ‘support’ for Title IV disbursement activities and school interfaces? | See response to Question No. 112. |
| 149 | Will ED/FSA provide the average number of written correspondence that is performed on a monthly basis? Is there special equipment needed by contractor to perform this function? | FSA assumes this question is in response to Fulfillment activities related to physically sending out mail. Detailed requirements for Fulfillment will be included in the forthcoming RFP. |
| 150 | With respect to recruiting and hiring, are there any special background check, certifications, or skills that the CSR/agents must possess? | See response to Question No. 38. |
| 151 | With a minimum target of 50% in a brick and mortar/physical facility requirement, can ED/FSA provide an approximate number of CSRs/Agents that are fulfilling these functions/roles currently? | See response to Question No. 18. |
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .