CALL CENTER RFP_4.19.2024 (FINAL).pdf

Statewide Call/Contact Center Services

Solicitation #: 001B3600088 / BPM035353 RFP Document

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 1 of 132

STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES

OFFICE OF STATE PROCUREMENT

(DGS-OSP)

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)

STATEWIDE CALL/CONTACT CENTER SERVICES

RFP NUMBER 001B3600088 / BPM035353

ISSUE DATE: 04/19/2024

NOTICE

A Prospective Offeror that has received this document from a source other than eMarylandMarketplace

(eMMA) https://procurement.maryland.gov should register on eMMA. See Section 4.2.

MINORITY BUSINESS ENTERPRISES ARE ENCOURAGED TO

RESPOND TO THIS SOLICITATION.

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 2 of 132

VENDOR FEEDBACK FORM

To help us improve the quality of State solicitations, and to make our procurement process more responsive and business friendly, please provide comments and suggestions regarding this solicitation.

Please return your comments with your response. If you have chosen not to respond to this solicitation, please email or fax this completed form to the attention of the Procurement Officer (see Key

Information Summary Sheet below for contact information).

Title: Call/Contact Center Services

Solicitation No: 001B3600088 / BPM035353

1. If you have chosen not to respond to this solicitation, please indicate the reason(s) below:

Other commitments preclude our participation at this time.

The subject of the solicitation is not something we ordinarily provide.

We are inexperienced in the work/commodities required.

Specifications are unclear, too restrictive, etc. (Explain in REMARKS section)

The scope of work is beyond our present capacity.

Doing business with the State is simply too complicated. (Explain in REMARKS section)

We cannot be competitive. (Explain in REMARKS section)

Time allotted for completion of the Proposal is insufficient.

Start-up time is insufficient.

Bonding/Insurance requirements are restrictive (Explain in REMARKS section)

Proposal requirements (other than specifications) are unreasonable or too risky (Explain in

REMARKS section)

MBE or VSBE requirements (Explain in REMARKS section)

Prior State of Maryland contract experience was unprofitable or otherwise unsatisfactory.

(Explain in REMARKS section)

Payment schedule too slow

Other: __________________________________________________________________

2. If you have submitted a response to this solicitation, but wish to offer suggestions or express concerns, please use the REMARKS section below. (Attach additional pages as needed.)

REMARKS:

Vendor Name: ________________________________ Date: _______________________

Contact Person: _________________________________ Phone (____) _____ - _________________

Address: ______________________________________________________________________

E-mail Address: ________________________________________________________________

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 3 of 132

STATE OF MARYLAND

DEPARTMENT OF GENERAL SERVICES (DGS)

KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Request for Proposals Services – Statewide Call/Contact Center Services

Solicitation Number: 001B3600088 / BPM035353

RFP Issue Date: 04/19/2024

RFP Issuing Office: Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (“DGS,” “DGS-

OSP,” or “the Department”)

Procurement Officer: Ansonia Saunders

45 Calvert Street

Annapolis, MD 21401 e-mail:

Office Phone:

Ansonia.saunders@maryland.gov

410 260 7430

Proposals are to be sent to:

Proposals will only be accepted through the State's eMaryland Marketplace

Advantage (eMMA) e-Procurement system.

Instructions on how to submit proposals electronically can be found at:

https://mdprocurement.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/70000592967-responding-to-solicitations-rfp-vendor-

Pre-Proposal

Conference:

04/29/2024 at 2:00 PM Local Time

Virtual Teleconference by Calendar Invitation from Procurement Officer

Only

See Attachment A for instructions

Questions Due Date and Time

05/20/2024 at 2:00 PM Local Time

Proposal Due

(Closing) Date and

Time:

07/01/2024 at 2:00 PM Local Time

Offerors are reminded that a completed Vendor Feedback Form is requested if a no-propose decision is made. (see page 2 above).

MBE Subcontracting

Goal:

20%

VSBE Subcontracting

Goal:

5%

Contract Type: Indefinite Quantity Contract with Firm Fixed Unit Prices [Overall Contract]

Fixed Price [Work Orders]

Contract Duration: Five years with one (1) two-year renewal option periods with a 180-day transition period.

mailto:Ansonia.saunders@maryland.gov https://mdprocurement.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/70000592967-responding-to-solicitations-rfp-vendor-https://mdprocurement.freshdesk.com/support/solutions/articles/70000592967-responding-to-solicitations-rfp-vendor-

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 4 of 132

Primary Place of

Performance:

As proposed by Offeror

SBR Designation: No

Federal Funding: No

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 5 of 132

TABLE OF CONTENTS – RFP

1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

2.2 Background, Purpose and Goals

At a high level, the Contractor shall (in additions to the other requirements in this RFP):

2.3 Responsibilities and Tasks

2.4 Deliverables

2.5 Optional Features or Services, Future Work

2.6 Service Level Agreement (SLA)

3 Contractor Requirements: General

3.1 Contract Initiation Requirements

3.2 Individual Work Order Transition-In Requirements

3.3 End of Contract Transition

3.4 Invoicing

3.5 Liquidated Damages

3.6 Disaster Recovery and Data

3.7 Insurance Requirements

3.8 Security Requirements

3.9 Problem Escalation Procedure

3.10 SOC 2 Type 2 Audit Report

3.11 Experience and Personnel

3.12 Substitution of Personnel

3.13 Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Reports

3.14 Reserved

3.15 Work Orders

3.16 Additional Clauses

4 Procurement Instructions

4.1 Pre-Proposal Conference

4.2 eMaryland Marketplace Advantage (eMMA)

4.3 Questions

4.4 Procurement Method

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4.5 Proposal Due (Closing) Date and Time

4.6 Multiple or Alternate Proposals

4.7 Economy of Preparation

4.8 Public Information Act Notice

4.9 Award Basis

4.10 Oral Presentation

4.11 Duration of Proposal

4.12 Revisions to the RFP

4.13 Cancellations

4.14 Incurred Expenses

4.15 Protest/Disputes

4.16 Offeror Responsibilities

4.17 Acceptance of Terms and Conditions

4.18 Proposal Affidavit

4.19 Contract Affidavit

4.20 Compliance with Laws/Arrearages

4.21 Verification of Registration and Tax Payment

4.22 False Statements

4.23 Payments by Electronic Funds Transfer

4.24 Prompt Payment Policy

4.25 Electronic Procurements Authorized

4.26 MBE Participation Goal

4.27 VSBE Goal

4.28 Living Wage Requirements

4.29 Federal Funding Acknowledgement

4.30 Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

4.31 Non-Disclosure Agreement

4.32 HIPAA - Business Associate Agreement

4.33 Nonvisual Access

4.34 Mercury and Products That Contain Mercury

4.35 Location of the Performance of Services Disclosure

4.36 Department of Human Services (DHS) Hiring Agreement

4.37 Small Business Reserve (SBR) Procurement

4.38 Maryland Healthy Working Families Act Requirements

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5 Proposal Format

5.1 Two Part Submission

5.2 Proposal Delivery and Packaging

5.3 Volume I - Technical Proposal

5.4 Volume II – Financial Proposal

6 Evaluation and Selection Process

6.1 Evaluation Committee

6.2 Technical Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.3 Financial Proposal Evaluation Criteria

6.4 Reciprocal Preference

6.5 Selection Procedures

6.6 Documents Required upon Notice of Recommendation for Contract Award

7 RFP ATTACHMENTS AND APPENDICES

Attachment A. Pre-Proposal Conference Response Form

Attachment B. Financial Proposal Instructions & Form

Attachment C. Proposal Affidavit

Attachment D. Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) Forms

Attachment E. Veteran-Owned Small Business Enterprise (VSBE) Forms

Attachment F. Maryland Living Wage Affidavit of Agreement for Service Contracts

Attachment G. Federal Funds Attachments

Attachment H. Conflict of Interest Affidavit and Disclosure

Attachment I. Non-Disclosure Agreement (Contractor)

Attachment J. HIPAA Business Associate Agreement

Attachment K. Mercury Affidavit

Attachment L. Location of the Performance of Services Disclosure

Attachment M. Contract

Attachment N. Contract Affidavit

Attachment O. DHS Hiring Agreement

Appendix 1. – Abbreviations and Definitions

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Appendix 2. – Offeror Information Sheet

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1 Minimum Qualifications

1.1 Offeror Minimum Qualifications

There are no Offeror Minimum Qualifications for this procurement.

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 10 of 132

2 Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work

2.1 Summary Statement

2.1.1 The Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP or the “Department”) is issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) for a single contract in response to this RFP. Participating State agencies (each a

“Recipient Agency”) will use the contract to obtain Call/Contact Center

Services. See RFP Section 4.9 Award Basis for more Contract award information.

2.1.2 The Contracts resulting from this RFP will provide Recipient Agencies the ability to obtain services to include live operator and Interactive Voice

Response (IVR), for receiving and responding to inquiries via telephone. In addition, services include responses to inquiries received by electronic mail using various accounts and U.S. mail. Additionally, a tracking reporting system is required to provide reports on the types and number of Customer contacts received and resolved on behalf of each Recipient Agency.

2.1.3 Offerors, either directly or through their subcontractor(s), must be able to provide all products/services and meet all of the requirements requested in this

RFP. The successful Offeror(s) (the Contractor) shall remain responsible for

Contract performance regardless of subcontractor participation in the work.

2.1.4 A Contract award does not ensure a Contractor will receive all or any State business under the Contract.

2.1.5 Maryland State and local entities and not-for-profit entities within the State of

Maryland, as defined in State Finance and Procurement 13-110(a)(5) – (7), may purchase from the Contractor goods or services covered by the Contract at the same prices chargeable to the State. All such purchases by non-executive branch entities, non-State governments, government agencies or not-for-profit entities:

A. Shall constitute Contracts between the Contractor and that government, agency or not-for-profit entity.

B. Shall not constitute purchases by the State or State agencies under the Contract.

C. Shall not be binding or enforceable against the State; and

D. May be subject to other terms and conditions agreed to by the Contractor and the purchaser.

2.1.6 All Contract prices, terms, and conditions must be provided to any Maryland local government or not-for-profit entity requesting services under the

Contract. The Contractor bears the risk of determining whether or not a government, agency or organization with which the Contractor is dealing is a

State entity.

2.2 Background, Purpose and Goals

A. State operations require a high level of customer service support and require continuous communication (verbal, electronic and written) and the ability to respond to both general and specific inquiries pertaining to critical and emergent needs. Recipient Agencies can each serve over one million customers annually and the state empowers each Recipient Agency to

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 11 of 132 aggressively pursue opportunities to connect with and assist interna/external customers with zero friction. The Department continues to look for ways to provide more effective and efficient responses to Customer inquiries while maintaining the quality of its customer experience.

Offerors are encouraged to describe those innovative services and technologies as part of their

Technical Proposal for initial implementation, given they do not have a negative impact on the

Transition-In schedule or overall cost. Any optional services or technologies, which could be implemented in a future Work Order Request (see RFP Section 2.5) shall be included in the response to the Scope of Work.

B. Average call volume and communications for Recipient Agencies can be in excess of 300,000 calls per month, 250,000+ at the State Board of Elections during election time (information regarding elections is available here: https://elections.maryland.gov/). Although the State believes that the call volumes and statistics are factual, it makes no warranty that the information is either accurate or error-free. Where projections are provided, they are estimates prepared by the

State for its own use and the State makes no warranty with respect to the data on which the projections are based or that future experience will conform to the projections.

C. Services will include providing basic information and problem resolution for Recipient Agencies.

Call center agents will identify, ticket, and escalate more complex issues to the State’s Recipient

Agencies and subject matter experts based on the information communicated by the caller. (See

Sections 2.2.1.1 and 2.6.4 Service Level Reporting for more detailed information).

Recipient Agencies are located throughout the State of Maryland and may include as follows:

• Baltimore City Board of Elections-Judge Scheduling

• Department of Housing and Community Development (DHCD-Energy)

• Department of Housing and Community Development Emergency Rental Assistance

Program (DHCH-ER Rent)

• Department of Housing and Community Development Homeowner Assistance Fund

(DHCD-HAF Assistance)

• Department of Housing and Community Development Homeowner Assistance Fund

(DHCD-HAF Repairs)

• Department of Housing and Community Development Housing Choice Voucher Program

(DHCD-HCVP)

• Department of Housing and Community Development Maryland Mortgage Program

(DHCD-MMP)

• Department of Housing and Community Development Neighborhood Business Works

(DHCD-NBW)

• Department of Housing and Community Development State Small Business Credit

Initiative (DHCD-SSBCI)

• Maryland General Information Line

• Maryland Medical Cannabis Administration (MCA)

• Maryland Office of Public Defender

• Maryland Department of Budget and Management (MDBM)

• Maryland State Department of Education Autism Registry (MSDE)

• Maryland Department on Aging Senior Call Check Services

• The State Board of Elections https://elections.maryland.gov/

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 12 of 132

This RFP will allow Recipient Agencies to obtain Call/Contact Center services. These services include but are not limited to:

1. Inbound and Outbound Live Operator Services.

2. Scripted Information Dissemination.

3. Data Entry of Information into Contractor’s Customer Relationship Management (CRM)

Database.

4. Mailing and Fulfillment Services.

5. Multilingual Services.

6. Voice mail.

7. Automatic Call Distributor (ACD).

8. Interactive Voice Response (IVR).

9. Email Correspondence.

10. Call Center Overflow Capabilities.

11. Handling Surveys & Questionnaires.

The key project deliverables for the implementation and operation of an effective call center to support the functional areas identified in this RFP are those identified in this Section 2 – Scope of Work. The successful offeror will be the one which most ably demonstrates the ability to:

A. Meet all due dates and comply with the terms and conditions of this RFP.

B. Handle the estimated call volumes while meeting/exceeding the minimum service standards.

C. Meet SLAs. (See Section 2.6 for more detailed information).

2.2.1 Project Requirements

At a high level, the Contractor shall (in addition to the other requirements in this RFP):

2.2.1.1 Inbound Call Center:

A. Perform Tier 1 (the initial support level or entry point that a customer will first reach every time they contact the customer support team) and Tier 2 (the escalation team in a customer service center in charge of handling more complex calls) call center services for inbound calls to Recipient Agencies. Tier 3 requests (those involving the most difficult or advanced problems that require a subject matter expert) will be ticketed and escalated to the Recipient Agency in a manner indicated by the agency.

B. Decrease call wait times and improve Customer satisfaction to be consistently in top quartile.

C. Have an 85% or higher, first call resolution rate. This means that caller’s questions will be answered without having to escalate to Recipient Agencies. Transferring a call to a higher tier at Recipient Agencies, or transferring a call to a higher tier internally, is not considered a resolution.

D. Ensure the call center’s monthly abandonment call rate does not exceed 10%, i.e., 90% of all incoming calls to be answered for the month.

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 13 of 132

E. Ensure a response time for phone/chat to be less than 45 seconds during Peak

Times, periods of heavy call volumes, and Extended Hours.

F. Ensure a response time for phone/chat to be less than 30 seconds during Non-Peak

Times.

G. Ensure a response time for customer emails to be less than 5 minutes.

H. Reduce the amount of time agencies spend on routine calls through faster and effective responses to customer inquiries from the call center.

I. Provide a web-based CRM for its staff and Recipient Agencies to use that contains, at a minimum, live chat capabilities, a ticketing system to track inbound telephone calls and chats, and future access to these communications.

J. Ensure Contractor staff follows up with customers who have a ticket escalated to the Recipient Agency within two (2) Business Days if the Recipient Agency has not responded to the ticket confirming that the issue has been resolved. (Note: The

Contractor is to base this two (2) Business Day response time based on the

Recipient Agency’s operating schedule).

K. The Contractor shall provide the ability to communicate in other languages (at a minimum, English, Spanish, Creole, French, Korean, Russian, Chinese, and

Vietnamese).

L. Provide innovative ideas, practices, technologies, and other services aimed at improving Customer service.

(Please see Section 2.6 Service Level Agreement for additional information).

2.2.1.2 Outbound Calls:

A. Make calls monthly to a minimum of 25% of the Tier 3 Customers to gather satisfaction surveys and provide the results to the Recipient Agencies.

B. Create and retain documentation and recording of all satisfaction survey calls.

C. Help to develop scripts through knowledge transfer with Recipient Agencies.

D. Develop and deploy a process for Tier 3 escalation and management of complex issues through CRM ticketing and warm transfer to applicable agencies when possible. (i.e., the Call Center rep answers a call and then transfers the call to a different agency but passes on any relevant information so that the caller doesn't have to repeat themselves).

E. The Contractor shall provide the ability to communicate in other languages (at a minimum, English, Spanish, Creole, French, Korean, Russian, Chinese, and

Vietnamese)

2.2.1.3 State Staff and Roles

In addition to the Procurement Officer and Contract Monitor, the Contractor will interact with the following State staff.

A. Recipient Agency Work Order Managers

A representative from each Recipient Agency will be responsible for:

1) Program and policy updates.

2) Providing initial training documentation and scripts.

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 14 of 132

3) Providing ongoing support from the subject matter experts.

2.2.2 State Responsibilities

In addition to the Procurement Officer and Contract Monitor, the State will:

A. Be responsible for providing required information, data, documentation, and test data to facilitate the Contractor’s performance of the work.

B. Provide current Recipient Agencies toll-free numbers for access to the IVR.

C. Provide initial training on state policies, procedures, and programs.

D. Provide all documentation necessary for the Contractor to deliver the services identified in the Work Order.

E. Provide current and develop new call scripts.

F. Provide pre-approval of all material used in all projects.

G. Provide a Recipient Agency Desk Reference Guide, which is a detailed guide on all functional aspects of the Recipient Agencies that the CSC shall support.

H. Identify any special requirements related to a Work Order.

2.3 Responsibilities and Tasks

The Contractor shall:

2.3.1 General Requirements

a. Implement and manage the Customer Service Center (CSC) to handle inbound and outbound calls for Recipient Agencies, which incorporates IVR, Automatic

Call Distribution (ACD), and a web-based Customer Relationship Management

System (CRM).

b. Provide technical and management staff to implement and operate the CRM.

c. Provide support for Customer inquiries of varying complexities, including making appropriate referrals for additional assistance when the Customer

Service Representative (CSR) is unable to fully resolve inquiries.

d. Maintain adequate staff to respond to Customer calls. Each Recipient Agency will list its standard operating hours in a Work Order. These hours may fall outside of Normal State Business Hours. Additionally, Recipient Agencies may require coverage during Extended Hours.

e. Evaluate on a weekly basis the sufficiency of the number of telephone lines installed and the number of CSRs available to meet the call needs as call volumes increase. As needed, due to an increase in call volume, and at the

Contractor’s expense, install additional lines, equipment and/or CSRs to meet the Service Level Agreement requirements (see Section 2.6). Upon request the

Contractor shall prepare reports based on this weekly evaluation and send them to Recipient Agencies.

f. Manage spikes in call volume by utilizing the IVR, CRM, and ACD systems.

The plan for the management of such instances shall be due no later than thirty

(30) Days after Notice to Proceed (NTP) and must be approved by the Contract

Monitor.

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g. Meet Service Level Agreements (SLAs) as defined in Section 2.6.

h. Identify and use only the State’s and Recipient Agencies’ names and logos on all correspondence, documents and information distributed to CSC Customers.

i. Provide call recording/logging that enables the call center to record, store, organize, search, and playback all telephone calls for quality control and verification purposes. Recordings must be able to be stored for up to three (3) calendar years (See Attachment M Section 24, Record Retention). Recordings are to be made available to the Recipient Agency Work Order Manager upon request. All calls are recorded and logged by default unless specified otherwise in a Work Order.

j. Provide automated notice to all Customers prior to any live calls handled by

CSRs indicating that calls will be recorded.

k. The Contractor shall provide the ability to communicate in other languages (at a minimum, English, Spanish, Creole, French, Korean, Russian, Chinese, and

Vietnamese).

2.3.2 Interactive Voice Response (IVR)

The initial point of contact for all telephone inquiries will be through IVR. The Contractor shall:

A. Ensure Direct Inward Dial Line-Extension numbers (DIDs) are properly assigned to CSRs and administer the assignment upon on-boarding agents.

B. Provide CSRs in accordance with skills matrix and queuing/routing requirements in the ACD system.

C. The Contractor shall provide professional voice recording of IVR scripts in, at a minimum, English, Spanish, Creole, French, Korean, Russian, Chinese, and

Vietnamese..

D. Generate automated Customer Satisfaction Surveys to rate CSC and Recipient

Agencies’ performance. The survey shall be offered via telephone following a

Customer call and shall be accessible via web or phone.

E. Provide remote announcement updates for special situations (snowstorm, building emergencies, etc.).

F. Provide an IVR that allows automated retrieval and processing of information by phone using touch tone signals or voice recognition to access information. The

Contractor’s IVR shall provide the ability to process calls in accordance with

Recipient Agency-approved scripts and routing paths. IVR features shall include:

a) Providing announcements, instructions, and information in other languages.

b) Allowing customers to return to prior menus so that more than one transaction may be completed.

c) Providing automated data capture and storage of caller data.

d) Allowing customers to process a transaction such as a credit card payment or request for information.

e) Providing a unique transaction or confirmation number to the caller.

RFP for the Department of General Services, Office of State Procurement (DGS-OSP) Page 16 of 132

f) Providing Customer-specific information based on the Recipient Agency program.

g) Providing general information based on the Recipient Agency.

h) Providing voice mail services as appropriate.

2.3.3 Customer Relations Management System (CRM)

The Contractor shall:

A. Train staff on the functions of the CRM.

B. Use the CRM to record and update basic Customer information within the CRM, track all calls, activities, and operations of the CSC and use the data to identify

Customer inquiry trends.

C. Ensure CSRs use the CRM as the primary system for all CSC activity.

D. Determine secured role-based privilege settings of staff, while adhering to

Recipient Agency CRM user access role capabilities. The Contractor shall ensure that the Recipient Agency Work Order Managers have the ability to reset user access based on the user’s security profile and staffing level.

E. Utilize scripts provided by Recipient Agencies. Recipient Agencies will maintain and update the scripts and Desk Reference Guide as required.

F. Escalate calls to the Recipient Agencies when Customer inquiries need additional follow-up (Tier 3 calls).

G. Not delete any customer records (customer calls, customer call information, call recordings, etc.) in the CRM. These recordsare the property of the State.

2.3.4 Automated Call Distribution System (ACD)

Contractor will set up access to each Recipient Agency’s ACD system, which has the capability to distribute incoming calls to CSRs. Call routing is based on sequence of arrival and origination, inquiry type, CSR availability, skills, and language fluency or other pre-defined routing instructions.

The Contractor shall:

A. Establish a call routing and queuing process based on specific requirements of each

Recipient Agency and the IVR.

B. Record all calls by CSRs and provide audio recordings of Customer calls for review to the Recipient Agencies no later than one (1) Business Day of the request.

C. Provide alerts to the CSC managers/supervisors when the call center experiences unforeseen or drastic changes and anomalies in the CSC operational patterns, such as persistently long hold times, persistent call drops, persistent voice distortion, etc., that need attention and intervention.

D. Monitor CSR performance utilizing industry standard practices including ‘listen’, ‘record’, ‘workgroup alert’, ‘transfer’, ‘join’, ‘whisper coaching’ and ‘grab’ methods.

E. Provide access for the deaf or hearing impaired such as Telecommunications Relay

Services (TTY).

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F. Provide voicemail capabilities for off-hours as defined by the Recipient Agency or when the call center is at capacity. Work Orders will define whether calls may be routed to the call center’s voice mail system.

G. Provide callers the option to stay in queue or select a call-back during Normal State

Business Hours. The ACD shall prompt the caller to provide the call-back information and provide an estimated call-back time to the caller.

H. Provide Automated Attendant services that enable calls to be answered with a recording and allow callers to route themselves by either or both the dialing of digits or, the recognition of spoken choices associated with menus. Automated

Attendant features shall include:

1) Providing announcements, information, menus, instruction, and voice recognition of menu choices to include multilingual services.

2) Intelligent announcements to play pre-recorded messages; inform holding callers of their place in the queue or estimated time before answer; and offer alternative actions like transferring to voice mail or invoking a callback reservation.

3) Allowing callers to return to prior menus or reach a live CSR at any time during a Recipient Agency’s program hours, including routing to a CSR fluent in other languages.

4) Providing access to the deaf or hearing impaired.

5) Alerting customers if system maintenance or hours of operation preclude certain operations, as required.

6) Providing general information via a recording.

7) Providing voice mail services as appropriate.

8) Providing call transfer for both Intraflow and Interflow.

9) Monitoring call state to ensure a transferred call is answered.

10) Taking remedial action for a transferred call, such as retrieving the call and transferring it to an alternate destination, or a live CSR based on predefined criteria.

I. Ensure that outbound calls to callers opting for a call-back are made at the estimated call-back time. If the call-back encounters a busy or no-answer condition, the Contractor shall repeat the call-back for up to 2 additional attempts within two (2) Business Days. If the call-back encounters a voicemail or answering service, the CSR shall leave a brief message indicating the purpose of the call with information on how to contact the CSC and no additional call-back is required.

J. Provide data capture for call and caller - The following information shall be available for all calls for each Recipient Agency:

a) Dialed number.

b) Caller’s identity.

c) Where is the call coming from.

d) Call’s purpose.

e) Outcome of the call.

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2.3.5 Customer Service Representative (CSR)

The Contractor shall:

A. Provide enough staff to always meet the requirements of the RFP and any Work

Order.

B. Ensure that the CSRs:

1) Respond to Customer inquiries, requests for information, provide status updates, guidance, and information as outlined in the Recipient Agency

Desk Reference Guides.

2) Adhere to the State’s Emergency Alert System at times of crisis or threats to security.

3) Communicate with Recipient Agencies when necessary and forward relevant Customer information, when necessary, via telephone, facsimile, or e-mail or other electronic transmission for further processing in accordance with the Recipient Agency Desk Reference Guides.

4) Respond to written inquiries by telephone, facsimile, postal mail, or electronic mail, whichever is more efficient and satisfies the inquirer and in accordance with the Recipient Agency Desk Reference Guides.

5) Respond to Customers with accuracy, professionalism and courtesy, with a high degree of empathy and respect. If the initial response is found to be erroneous, the CSR shall confer with the Recipient Agency to send a corrected response to the inquirer no later than one (1) Business Day of identification of the error via telephone or written correspondence. The

CSR shall update the CRM and logs as appropriate.

6) Email requested materials within established timeframes.

7) Ensure efficient and effective work management and tracking in the CRM.

8) Recognize trends in inquiries for referral to the Contract Monitor for development of common responses and reporting to Recipient Agencies.

2.3.6 CSRs Phone/Email Protocols

The Contractor shall ensure that CSRs:

A. Do not put Customers on hold without an initial interaction by the CSR or use any other method that is non-responsive to Customers.

B. Do not answer specific questions via email, even if the request came in via email.

Instead, an auto generated Recipient Agency-specific statement shall be provided for these types of inquiries.

C. Provide answers to Customers’ general questions by phone/email no later than one

(1) Business Day following receipt. Any questions the CSRs are unable to answer must be referred to the Recipient Agency no later than one (1) Business Day after receipt.

D. Assist Customers fully and within the scope of this Contract. Emphasis should always be placed on providing high level customer service and first-call resolution.

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2.3.7 Postal Mail/Document Fulfillment Requirement

CSRs shall receive and answer telephone requests for document fulfillment, updating the appropriate ticket to record and track the action taken within the CRM.

The CSR shall:

A. Generate (if needed) and mail general forms, packets, applications, direct deposit forms, cash pay forms, payment summaries, informational brochures and any other forms requested by the Customer no later than two (2) Business Days after receipt of the request. Recipient Agencies will provide all relevant forms, packets, etc. to the Contractor.

B. Generate and mail from a secure, primary location within the CSC any correspondence or fulfillment containing Personal Identifiable Information (PII).

All Non-PII related documents, i.e., applications and forms, may be processed at an offsite fulfillment center.

2.3.8 Staffing

The Contractor shall:

A. Identify and use accepted call center industry standards (e.g., Erlang-C) to calculate delays and to predict waiting times for callers in order to provide a sufficient number of staff qualified to fulfill the requirements of this solicitation and any

Work Order and shall adjust staff levels as call volumes fluctuate.

B. Submit with the Technical Proposal a Staffing Plan with a detailed organization structure. (See Section 5.3 Experience and Qualifications of Proposed Staff (G) under Tab E).

2.3.9 Training

The Contractor shall:

A. Assign a Project Manager who shall be available to attend meetings whether in-person or virtual.

B. Provide program-specific training to all call center personnel based on the terms detailed in each Work Order.

C. Ensure that all CSRs and other staff are thoroughly trained on all CSC operational protocols and supporting solutions.

D. Provide training for all CSRs and staff when new Recipient Agency policy is being implemented and ensure compliance no later than one (1) full Business

Day after notification of the policy change unless otherwise indicated in the notice. When new policies and procedures are implemented, Recipient Agency

Work Order Managers will train the Contractor’s trainer, who will then train

Contractor’s staff.

E. Coordinate and plan all training with the Contractor’s Project Manager to minimize any major changes to the ongoing operations.

The Contractor shall:

1. Develop all materials specifically related to the CSRs’ day-to-day operational roles and responsibilities. Training materials shall include job aids and tests.

Contractor shall adjust and update course material and delivery methods to be implemented by the next regularly scheduled course delivery.

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2. Provide an overview of the CSC operational processes and procedures, and communication procedures to Recipient Agency Work Order Managers which may include walk through tours of the Contractor’s facility(ies) that are necessary to ensure compliance with operating the CSC. Such tours must be coordinated through the Recipient Agencies.

3. Maintain training records and make them available via online access for State review for the full life of the Contract.

4. Ensure that all new hires are equipped with the proper system access prior to day one (1) of new hire training. Training shall be delivered by the most effective methods possible and shall include innovative techniques for learning and sharing lessons learned. Training delivery methods shall incorporate adult learning principles and facilitate understanding and retention of materials.

5. Ensure that all Contractor staff are trained: in the relevant federal, State, and local laws, policies, and procedures; in the Contractor’s operations and use of

CSC and telephone equipment; on job related duties and functions; and soft skills and business etiquette.

6. Accommodate, upon written notice from Recipient Agency Work Order

Managers, occasional site visits by designated Recipient Agencies to the CSC facility to observe training and request feedback from Contractor staff.

7. Provide a Training Plan and all required training materials (training manuals with descriptions, summaries of actual training instructions, along with test formats and evaluation methodologies) developed in conjunction with the plan no later than sixty (60) Days after the NTP.

8. Provide a training report to the Contract Monitor annually and after every training session to include, at a minimum, the following:

a) Training courses provided.

b) Number of staff who completed the training.

c) The training manuals with descriptions, and summaries of actual training instructions, along with test formats and evaluation methodologies to ensure training effectiveness; and

d) A summary of staff evaluations and targeted trainings designed to improve staff performance.

2.3.10 Operational Requirements

In order to maintain the necessary CSC infrastructure, technology and administrative support, the Contractor shall:

A. CRM

1) Ensure that all communications from the system that contain confidential information are encrypted whenever storing or transmitting confidential data.

2) Protect confidential information from disclosure and unintended recipients.

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B. System troubleshooting

1) Request (by email) approval from the Contract Monitor no less than seven

(7) calendar days in advance of any planned service outages that may affect the availability of the CSC system or SLAs and describe alternate plans to maintain the availability of the CSC system. The Contract Monitor will respond to the request via email.

2) Request (by phone and email) approval from the Contract Monitor for any unplanned service outages that must be performed to maintain or restore system availability. The Contract Monitor will respond to the request via phone or email.

C. Facility

1) Provide Call Center facilities that meet the standards established under the

Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

(https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/disability/ada) and IRS Special

Publication 1075 for Physical Security Minimum Protection Standards

(https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1075.pdf ). A copy of the signed facility lease shall be provided to the Contract Monitor no later than thirty (30)

Calendar Days after the NTP Date. No later than sixty (60) Calendar Days after the NTP Date, the facility(s) will be inspected by the Contract

Monitor and designated Recipient Agency staff to ensure that the below requirements are met.

The Contractor’s facility shall:

a) Provide equipment, furniture, telephone, and data connectivity for

Contractor’s staff to operate the CSC in accordance with the RFP.

b) Have ADA compliant Telephone Devices for the Deaf (TTY/TDD), which requires that the same services be made available to all Customers despite disability.

c) Provide uninterrupted services in the event that any telephone line(s) stop(s) working; in such event the entire CSC shall continue to function.

d) Have a wall mounted display (42 inches or greater) of a real-time dashboard accessible to CSC staff to monitor the CSC activity, such as, number of calls in queue, wait time, availability of CSRs, number of active supervisors, etc.

D. Virtual Staffing Option:

1) At the sole discretion of each Recipient Agency, the Contractor may provide some services as required in this RFP virtually, allowing CSRs to work from approved remote locations within the United States.

2) If Recipient Agencies permit the Contractor to exercise the Virtual Staffing

Option, in addition to sections A-C above, the Contractor shall:

a) Provide real-time access to CSR staff to monitor the CSC activity, such as, number of calls in queue, wait time, availability of CSRs, number of active supervisors, etc.

b) Ensure there are sufficient controls in place to manage CSC staff, including support for CSC staff.

https://www.dol.gov/general/topic/disability/ada https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1075.pdf

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E. Permit individuals designated in writing by the Contract Monitor access to inspect the Contractor’s operations. Such individuals may include, but are not limited to, federal officials and auditors, State officials and employees, and visitors approved by the Contract Monitor. On the basis of such inspection, specific measures may be required if the Contractor is found to be noncompliant with Contract requirements.

F. Policy and Procedures

1) Follow all Recipient Agencies’ policies and operate the CSC in accordance with federal and state regulations, using scripts provided and approved by the Recipient Agencies.

2) Develop and distribute an Internal Operating Procedures Guide to

Contractor’s employees assigned to work under this Contract.

G. Customer Satisfaction Surveys

1) Offer automated Customer Service Surveys regarding Customer satisfaction with both the IVR and the CSC. The surveys shall be offered at the end of each live call and allow the customers to rate the quality, timeliness, and other service delivery elements carried out by the

Contractor under the Contract.

2) Maintain a log and record of all recommendations for continuous improvements in CSR scripts, FAQs and IVR scripts. This log/record is to be maintained in the CRM that will be continuously available for review by Recipient Agencies and other designated State personnel.

H. Meetings

1) Attend regular status meetings with Recipient Agencies, via teleconference, or as requested, quarterly face-to-face meetings, to address issues related to on-going operations and continuous improvement of the CSC.

2) Maintain weekly communications with the Recipient Agencies to provide current information on CSC operations, including but not limited to planned activities, procedural changes, call trends, challenges, emergencies, and coverage for short- and long-term absences of Key

Personnel and supervisors.

2.3.11 Contractor-Supplied Hardware, Software, and Materials

By responding to this RFP and accepting a Contract award, the Offeror specifically agrees that for any software, hardware or hosting service that it proposes, the State will have the right to purchase such item(s) from another source, instead of from the selected Offeror.

The Contractor shall ensure all components of the CSC are built on a technical infrastructure that is fully securitized and ensure uninterrupted high quality and robust operational efficiency to meet Customer satisfaction and business continuity.

The Contractor shall:

A. Be responsible for the acquisition and operation of all hardware, software and network support related to the services and shall keep all software current. Ensure all security patches are applied within thirty (30) calendar days after release.

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B. Purchase, obtain, install, program, and maintain necessary automation hardware

(personal computers - i.e., switches, routers, Firewalls (FWs), and uninterruptible power supply (UPS), printers, phones, facsimile machines, etc.) and software to transmit data files to Recipient Agency systems as required by the State.

C. Be responsible for the acquisition and operation of all hardware, software and network support related to the services being provided and shall keep all software current.

D. Maintain a web based correspondence system between Customers and Recipient

Agencies in compliance with the Federal Guidelines for Web Accessibility, available at www.section508.gov.

E. Provide a multi-factor authentication mechanism for any public facing system and/or services based on NIST Special Publication 800-53 revision 4 or later located on http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-

53r4.pdf.

F. Upgrade hardware, software and other related systems, including communication systems as needed and at the expense of the Contractor. All components of the

CSC systems must be kept current with industry standards and shall be backwards compatible. This includes functionality across common web-browsers (i.e., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome, Safari, Google, etc.).

G. Provide all upgrades and regulatory updates at no additional cost.

H. Complete requests for system changes and/or access as the result of legislative changes, service changes, lawsuits, etc. no later than two (2) Business Days after the request by the Contract Monitor or designee, unless there is a sufficient reason for further delay. In case of a delay, the Contractor shall get a written approval from the Contract Monitor on the new timeline.

I. Ensure applications are accessible from various client devices through a thin client interface such as a Web browser (e.g., Web-based email) or a program interface.

J. Maintain a system that is capable of supporting the archiving, retrieval, and purging of data. The CSC system shall be kept in an online mode during the length of the Contract except for archiving, retrieval and approved maintenance. Callers must be able to continue receiving information through the IVR during CSC updates.

K. Provide controls for testing new data.

L. Participate in an annual review of standards, processes, logs, and configurations with Recipient Agencies.

2.3.12 Required Project Policies, Guidelines and Methodologies

The Contractor shall be required to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, standards and guidelines affecting Information Technology projects, which may be created or changed periodically.

Offeror is required to review all applicable links provided below and state compliance in its response.

It is the responsibility of the Contractor to adhere to and remain abreast of new or revised laws, regulations, policies, standards and guidelines affecting project execution. These include, but are not limited to:

A. The State of Maryland System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology at:

http://doit.maryland.gov/SDLC/Pages/agile-sdlc.aspx.

http://www.section508.gov/ http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-53r4.pdf http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/SpecialPublications/NIST.SP.800-53r4.pdf

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B. The State of Maryland Information Technology Security Policy and Standards at:

http://www.DoIT.maryland.gov- keyword: Security Policy; and

C. The State of Maryland Information Technology Non-Visual Standards at:

http://doit.maryland.gov/policies/Pages/ContractPolicies.aspx.

2.3.13 Product Requirements

A. Offerors may propose open-source software; however, the Offeror must provide operational support for the proposed software as part of its Proposal.

B. Offeror shall be authorized to furnish the proposed goods and services. Offerors proposing to resell services of another entity must be authorized by such other entity. (See RFP Section 5.3, P3-4).

C. No international processing for State Data: As described in Section 3.8 Security

Requirements, Offerors are advised that any processing or storage of data outside of the continental U.S. is prohibited.

D. Any Contract award is contingent on the State’s agreement, during the Proposal evaluation process, to any applicable terms of use and any other agreement submitted under Section 5.3. Such agreed upon terms of use shall apply consistently across services ordered under the Contract.

E. The Contractor shall not establish any auto-renewal of services beyond the period identified in Contract documents.

F. In addition to any notices of renewal sent to the Contractor, Contractors shall email notices of renewal to the e-mail address designated by the Contract Monitor.

2.3.14 Maintenance and Support

Maintenance and support, and Contractor’s ongoing maintenance and support obligations, are defined as follows:

A. Maintenance commences at the start of State acceptance of initial startup activities.

B. Support shall be provided for superseded releases and back releases still in use by the State.

C. Operations tasks to include virus scans.

D. Activity reporting.

2.3.15 Technical Support

A. “Technical Support” means Contractor-provided assistance for the services or

Solution furnished under the Contract.

B. The State shall be able to contact a Technical Support team member 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, 365 days per year.

C. Contractor shall utilize a help desk ticketing system to record and track all help desk calls. The ticketing system shall record with a date and timestamp when the ticket was opened and when the ticket was closed.

D. Contractor Personnel providing technical support shall be familiar with the State’s account.

http://www.doit.maryland.gov/

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E. Contractor shall return calls for service of emergency system issues (see Section

2.6 Service Level Agreement) within fifteen (15) minutes.

F. Calls for non-emergency IT service requests will be returned in accordance with

Section 2.6.

G. The State shall be provided with information on software…