EXHIBIT B: DELIVERABLES AND MILESTONES TABLE

Bidder must indicate agreement (in column "Bidder Agrees to Meet the Task (Y/N)) to each of the tasks listed in the table below (all are "M" unless otherwise marked as "MO") as described in SECTION 15.

Contractor Deliverables. Bidder must include ATTACHMENT 15: NARRATIVE RESPONSE in their proposal for all Task ID's marked with "Yes" in the column "Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response."

Bidder must also agree to perform each deliverable marked as mandatory optional (MO) if the CPUC exercises the applicable option and provides written direction to proceed. Deliverables 10 and 11 and their applicable task IDs are MO, and they apply only if/when the CPUC exercises the option described in the Contract via written agreement by both parties.

Deliverable 1: Project Management Requirements:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to

Provide Narrative Response

1.1 Conduct a Project Kickoff Meeting within fifteen (15) State business days of contract execution.

No

1.2 Submit a Kickoff Report summarizing the Project Kickoff Meeting and updates to project plans within five (5) State business days.

No

1.3

The Contractor shall be responsible for all required Project Management functions, including the planning, scheduling, administering, controlling, tracking, and reporting of all Project activities during the term of the Contract in coordination with the Program Director.

Yes

1.4

Ensure all project management functions comply with CPUC-approved plans and timelines.

No

1.5

The Contractor shall develop and submit the initial Project Management Plan (PMP) and Rollout Schedule within thirty (30) State business days after contract execution. The Contractor shall update and maintain the PMP and Rollout Schedule throughout the contract term, including upon CPUC request and whenever CPUC-approved changes occur (e.g., scheduling, staffing, etc.).

Yes

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Bidder Response March 20, 2026

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to

Provide Narrative Response

1.6 The Contractor shall develop and maintain the PMP that includes all necessary tasks and dependencies, and shall review with CPUC to ensure completeness and accuracy.

Yes

1.7 The Contractor shall update and maintain the PMP to include descriptions of the Contractor’s processes and activities for executing, monitoring, controlling, project plan maintenance, and Transition-Out/ Contract Closeout Services (if applicable).

No

1.8 The Contractor shall develop and maintain the PMP which must include descriptions of the methods, tools, techniques, and assumptions used to estimate the Contract costs and associated confidence levels for planned activities as well as changes to scope.

No

1.9 The Contractor shall develop and maintain the PMP, with input from the CPUC, TADDAC, and as appropriate, other Stakeholders. The Contractor shall include a plan for business processes and migration at transition (if applicable), Contract termination, or at the end of the Contract.

Yes

1.10 The Contractor shall develop and maintain the PMP to include a plan that ensures the successful Closeout of the Contract by the Contractor, including all hardware, software, data, services, staffing, deliverables, and archived project materials.

Yes

1.11 The Contractor shall develop and maintain the PMP to include tasks for the preparation of a Contract Closeout Final Report, submitted as part of Contract closeout/Transition-Out activities or within a CPUC-approved closeout schedule. The Final Report shall include but not be limited to lessons learned and analysis of objectives achieved.

Yes

1.12 The Contractor shall develop and maintain the PMP to include activities for conducting debriefings with the CPUC in the event of Contract termination or Contract expiration.

No

1.13 The Contractor shall manage and execute the Project following the CPUC-approved Project Management Plan (PMP).

No

Deliverable 1 Cont.: General Roles & Responsibilities:

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide

Narrative Response

1.14 The Contractor shall designate a primary contact person to whom all Project communications may be addressed and who has the authority to act on all aspects of the services.

No

1.15 A DED is required for each task. The Contractor shall coordinate with the CPUC Contract Manager to prepare the DED, and work shall not commence until the DED is approved.

No

1.16 All work products and deliverables shall be stored on the CPUC document repository (e.g., Content Server, SharePoint, code repositories) in a format compatible with CPUC standards, and the most current version shall be available for CPUC review.

Yes

1.17 Prior to expiration of the Contract, the Contractor shall return all State property, including security badges, to the CPUC Contract Manager.

Yes

1.18 Contractor remote work is acceptable. CPUC equipment will not be provided; remote access will be via CPUC Virtual Desktop Infrastructure (VDI); and CPUC may review remote work effectiveness if delivery becomes an issue.

No

1.19 If the Contractor stores State data in a Contractor-hosted environment, the Contractor shall ensure the physical location of the data center where the data is stored is within the continental United States; remote access to data from outside the continental U.S. is prohibited unless approved in advance by the State Chief Information Security Officer.

Yes

1.20 The Contractor shall work under the direction of the CPUC Contract Manager, or their designated assignee, and shall be accountable for performing work authorized under this Contract in accordance with scope, schedule, budget, and quality standards.

No

1.21 The Contractor shall collaborate with the CPUC throughout the contract term to ensure alignment with program goals, timely issue resolution, and smooth coordination of all operational

Yes

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide

Narrative Response activities.

Deliverable 1 Cont. - Disaster Recovery Plan:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide

Narrative Response

1.22 The Contractor shall develop, maintain, and submit a Disaster Recovery Plan and procedures that fulfill the requirements of SECTION 18. Disaster Recovery, including required notifications/ reporting and annual testing/reporting, and requiring notification to the CPUC Contract Manager and Executive Director within twenty (20) minutes of a major outage requiring activation of the Disaster Recovery Plan.

Yes

Deliverable 2: Schedule Management Requirements:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

2.1 The Contractor shall develop and submit a Schedule

Management Plan, which contains all the following plans

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response mentioned in this Deliverable 2 (Task ID's 2.1 - 2.8), no more than thirty (30) State business days after contract execution.

2.2 The Contractor shall develop and maintain the Schedule

Management Plan which includes but is not limited to:

1. Scope

2. Roles and Responsibilities

3. Schedule Management and Control

4. Status Reporting

No

2.3 The Contractor shall develop and maintain a project work plan that is a direct representation of the entire work and scope as defined in the Statement of Work.

No

2.4 The Contractor shall produce and submit to the CPUC Contract Manager or designated assignee a Master Milestone Schedule Summary from the Master Work Plan before the end of the Transition-In period.

No

2.5 The Contractor shall develop project work plans that identify deliverables, activities, and tasks, including expected durations and completion dates, which are expected to be completed by the Contractor and the CPUC to meet the Project Schedule and accomplish the Project milestones.

No

2.6 The Contractor shall develop and maintain project work plans at a level of detail following the approved Schedule Management Plan, Schedule Development Process, that includes, but is not limited to, the following:

• Summary tasks, tasks, and subtasks with clear and meaningful task names.

• Tasks or subtasks for Contractor development of each Contract Deliverable.

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

• Tasks or subtasks for CPUC review of each Contract Deliverable.

• Tasks or subtasks for Contractor revision of each Contract Deliverable after CPUC review of each Contract Deliverable.

• CPUC review of each Contract Deliverable after Contractor revision of each Contract Deliverable.

• CPUC approval of each Contract Deliverable.

• Predecessor and successor dependencies for tasks without subtasks.

• Predecessor and successor dependencies for subtasks.

• Resource assignments for tasks and subtasks.

• Estimated hours and durations for tasks.

• Estimated hours and durations for subtasks.

• Key Project milestones including Transition milestones.

2.7 For the life of the Contract, the Contractor shall produce and submit to the CPUC Contract Manager or CPUC designated assignee, updated versions of the detailed Project Workplan monthly, or a mutually agreed upon frequency.

No

2.8 For the life of the Contract, the Contractor shall produce and submit to the CPUC Contract Manager or CPUC designated assignee, updated versions of the Master Milestone Schedule Summary when Master Milestone Schedule milestones are completed or when project work plan baselines are added or changed.

No

Deliverable 3: Risk and Issue Management Requirements:

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

3.1 The Contractor shall develop, update, and maintain the Risk and Issue Management Plan no more than thirty (30) State business days after contract execution. Key areas covered in the plan shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Methodology (Approaches, tools, data sources).

2. Roles and Responsibilities.

3. Budgeting.

4. Timing (Frequency of risk management activities).

5. Risk Categories.

6. Risk Probability/Impact.

7. Stakeholder Tolerance.

8. Risk Tracking/Reporting

No

3.2 In the Risk and Issue Management Plan, the Contractor shall describe their approach, frequency, and method for conducting formal risk assessments.

No

3.3 In the Risk and Issue Management Plan, the Contractor shall describe their approach to conducting mitigation and contingency planning.

No

3.4 In the Risk and Issue Management Plan, the Contractor shall describe how their mitigation and contingency plans are implemented and how triggering events are monitored.

No

3.5 In the Risk and Issue Management Plan, the Contractor shall describe the processes, procedures, and methods used by the Contractor to manage issues including but not limited to:

1. Issue Identification.

2. Issue Documentation.

3. Issue Communication.

4. Issue Escalation.

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

5. Roles and Responsibilities.

6. Issue Review and Resolution.

7. Issue Metrics Analysis.

3.6 In the Risk and Issue Management Plan, the Contractor shall include the definitions of issue severity levels and provide guidance about the process and procedures on severity level assignment and prioritization.

Yes

3.7 The Contractor shall track, manage, escalate, and report on all project risks and issues in compliance with the escalation process defined within the Risk and Issue Management Plan.

Yes

Deliverable 4: Communication Management Plan Requirements:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

4.1 The Contractor shall update and maintain the Communication Management Plan no more than thirty (30) State business days after contract execution to include but not be limited to:

1. Identification of general communication roles and responsibilities for the Contractor, Vendor Partners, Advisory Committees and all other key stakeholders.

2. Identification of formal communication requirements, including the type of communication, frequency, audience, content, and media, including routine communications

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

(e.g., status reports, release notes, and briefings).

3. A process for the development and maintenance of a

Master Contact and Informational Database of all project stakeholders and contacts.

4.2 The Communication Management Plan shall identify the

processes that will also maintain effective and transparent communication channels with the CPUC and stakeholders to include communications associated with, but not limited to:

1. Contractor services.

2. Project management.

3. Change management.

4. Collaboration activities with the Vendor Partners and

Advisory Committees.

5. Collaboration activities with the Customers.

No

4.3 The Contractor will work collaboratively with the CPUC, other CAC Vendor Partners, and Advisory Committees as required, to maintain a consistent message(s) among all CAC communication channels.

Yes

4.4 The Contractor shall maintain and update the Project phone lists, and email distribution groups, including the global contact lists, for use by the CPUC.

No

Deliverable 4 Cont. - Monthly Project Status Report Requirements:

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

4.5 The Contractor shall develop, update, and maintain a Monthly Dashboard (as part of Deliverable 4 - Monthly Project Status Report Requirements) by which the overall health of the CAC is reported. The Contractor will work with the Primary Program Contract Administrator's (PPCA's) Program Director to provide appropriate information in relation to the Contract, as agreed with the PPCA and CPUC. This Monthly Dashboard may include such items as:

1. Contract Activities.

2. Administrative Goals and Outcomes.

3. Staff Performance.

4. Performance Metrics (inclusive of quantification of successes/failures and recommendations for improvement).

5. Summary of Activities for Advisory Committees.

6. Operation Expenses against Budget Metrics.

7. Updates on Major Program Initiatives.

8. Progress on Workplan Milestones.

9. Risk Tracking/Reporting.

No

4.6 The Contractor shall produce a monthly Budget/Schedule

Variance Summary that compares the actual performance of the Contractor to budgeted costs (per EXHIBIT D: COST WORKBOOK) and CPUC-approved milestone dates in the PMP/ Rollout Schedule and/or Master Work Plan.

No

4.7 The Contractor shall schedule and conduct quarterly meetings with the PPCA and CPUC to review Monthly Project Status Reports and provide program/project status updates (including progress, alignment, and challenges/risks). The Contractor’s Program Director (and Project/Transition Director during Transition periods, if applicable) shall attend quarterly CA

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

CONNECT and bi-annual Advisory Committee meetings, or at such frequency as determined by the CPUC. Attendance shall be in-person unless otherwise approved to be held using State-approved remote conferencing tools as determined by the CPUC Contract Manager or their designee. The Contractor shall provide a hard copy of the status report package (agenda and reports), if requested, and electronic status reports at least twenty-four (24) hours before the status meetings.

4.8 The Contractor shall provide the full compiled Monthly Project Status Report that describes the previous period’s activities, accomplishments, and problems encountered – highlighting those that may need to be addressed before proceeding to the next activities – the disposition of said problems, and whether deadlines were met. The Contractor will work with the PPCA Program Director to provide appropriate information in relation to the Contract, as agreed with the PPCA and CPUC. This report may include such items as:

1. Contract Activities.

2. Administrative Goals and Outcomes.

3. Staff Performance.

4. Performance Metrics (inclusive of quantification of successes/failures and recommendations for improvement).

5. Summary of Activities for Advisory Boards.

6. Operation Expenses against Budget Metrics.

7. Updates on Major Program Initiatives.

8. Progress on Workplan Milestones.

9. Risk Tracking/Reporting.

10. Problems/Issues encountered and Resolutions.

11. Recommendations concerning the improvement of

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response program components.

4.9 In addition to the development and submission of the Monthly Project Status Report(s) (Deliverable 4), the Contractor shall attend monthly project status meetings or other meetings upon the request of the CPUC Contract Manager or designated assignee. These meetings may be held remotely unless the CPUC requires in-person attendance. The Contractor shall not invoice separate line-item charges/expenses for their attendance of these meetings.

No

4.10 The Contractor shall help prepare for and participate in periodic and ad hoc meetings and present to the CPUC and other committees regarding project plans, status, risks, issues, and recommendations, as appropriate.

No

4.11 The Contractor shall follow a preset agenda jointly prepared by the Contractor Project Manager and the CPUC Contract Manager or designated assignee.

No

4.12 The Contractor’s Lead Staff shall participate in monthly status meetings with the CPUC Contract Manager or designated assignee.

No

4.13 The Contractor shall arrange for attendees to be present, prepare a meeting agenda package, prepare requested meeting materials, and support, and undertake any follow-up as required as an outcome of the meeting topics.

No

4.14 The Contractor Program Director shall assist the CPUC Contract Manager or designated assignee in preparing special reports and presentations related to Project Management.

No

Deliverable 4 Cont.: Operations Reporting Requirements:

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

4.15 The Contractor shall prepare and submit reports in

accordance with the requirements outlined in the approved documentation provided by the CPUC, as per contractual requirements. These reports shall address Customer Support and Equipment Processing activities and ensure compliance with all contractual obligations.

Report formats (e.g.: file type, naming convention, and layout) will be finalized by CPUC after contract execution and communicated to the Contractor (including during Transition-In, as applicable). The Contractor shall make such reports available in electronic format and in a CPUC-approved format.

For the operational reports required under this Contract, unless otherwise directed by CPUC: the Contractor shall create and update the reports; CPUC (Contract Manager or their designee) shall review the reports; and the Contractor shall archive the reports in the designated repository/format in accordance with CPUC direction.

Operational reports under this Task ID include the SLA performance reporting deliverables required under SECTION 21. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) (including the Monthly Service Level Performance Scorecard and SLA Meeting Summary Report(s)), submitted per SECTION 21. Service Level Agreements (SLAs) timelines.

No

4.16

If the CPUC authorizes any Unanticipated Tasks, the Contractor shall provide a Monthly Unanticipated Tasks Summary Report to the CPUC Contract Manager or designated assignee. At minimum, the report shall: (1) list each approved Unanticipated Task/DED; (2) describe current status and progress; (3) identify key milestones/

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response target dates; (4) summarize labor hours and costs incurred-to-date and remaining estimated effort by task;

(5) identify risks/issues and mitigation actions; and (6) identify planned activities for the next reporting period.

Deliverable 5: Document Management Requirements:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

5.1 The Contractor shall take over, update, deliver, maintain, and execute the Document Management Plan. This plan includes but is not limited to:

1. Roles and Responsibilities

2. Document Storage Management

3. Document Library Structure

4. Document Version Control

5. Document Review, Approval, and Update Process

6. Records Retention Policy and Process

No

5.2 The Contractor and the CPUC will coordinate maintaining and preserving all documents and records related to this Contract, including all contracts, leases, and other written agreements so that they will be accessible to the CPUC Contract Manager or designated assignee.

No

5.3 The Contractor shall accurately store formal draft and final versions of all deliverables on the CPUC Project SharePoint site, which will be readily accessible by all CPUC Project staff and oversight consultants.

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

5.4 The Contractor shall place and maintain all deliverable

development work and formally approved deliverables within the CPUC designated tool.

No

5.5 The Contractor shall use a collaborative document editor (e.g., Office 365 Microsoft Products and Windows) for all documents developed under this Contract.

No

5.6 Upon the CPUC’s request, the Contractor shall make staff, resources, processes, data, tools, and deliverables available for CPUC audits and inspections at no additional cost to the CPUC.

This access includes providing CPUC staff with the necessary capabilities to review and validate the data, queries, and methodologies used to generate performance-based billing reports submitted for payment.

Yes

5.7 The Contractor shall adhere to the CAC Privacy Policy, and the Information Security provisions as outlined in SECTION 17.

Security.

No

5.8

The Contractor shall provide and maintain a current organization chart of the project team, including the names and titles of Key Staff, in the CPUC-designated repository (e.g., SharePoint). The Contractor shall provide the initial organization chart within ten

(10) State business days of contract execution, and shall provide updates within one (1) State business day upon CPUC request and whenever Key Staff change.

No

Deliverable 6: Quality Management Plan Requirements:

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

6.1 Working in coordination with the PPCA, the Contractor shall develop and submit a Quality Management Plan (QMP) before the end of the Transition-in period, if applicable, or by the date specified in the CPUC-approved PMP/Rollout Schedule. Once the QMP is developed, the Contractor shall report to the PPCA on its Key Performance Indicators (KPI) and other plan requirements at established intervals.

No

6.2 The Contractor shall develop and maintain the QMP which

includes but is not limited to:

1. Program Management Maturity

2. Voice of the Customer

3. Quality Assurance

4. Process Improvement

5. Metrics / Key Performance Indicators (KPI)

No

6.3 The Contractor shall describe its approach, expectations, and assumptions for coordinating and working with the CPUC and Vendor Partners as part of the overall quality management methodology.

No

6.4 The Contractor shall participate in Quarterly Balanced Scorecard Reviews and/or similar reviews to provide the CPUC with tangible evidence (i.e., dashboard) regarding the overall progress of the EPC services.

Yes

6.5 The Contractor shall ensure that the QMP describes the

materials, methods, and detailed procedures used to support the quality management process.

No

6.6 The Contractor shall ensure that the QMP includes statistics and reporting mechanisms that support the quality management process.

No

6.7 The Contractor shall ensure that the QMP describes the methods used to ensure that all work performed by the Contractor is

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response monitored and measured against the requirements of the Contract on an ongoing basis.

6.8 The Contractor shall ensure that the QMP describes how the Contractor supports the CPUC's quality assurance and project oversight activities.

No

6.9

The Contractor shall work with advisory board members, consumers, CPUC staff, and others on the quality of service including testing and monitoring sample calls, consumer complaints, and issues of concern surrounding outreach team members and other areas as requested by the CPUC. This may include working with outside consultants if/as directed by the

CPUC.

No

6.10 The Contractor shall bring to CPUC’s attention any quality assurance program and performance guideline issues, stating contractual concern(s) and options and recommendations for addressing. In addition, the Contractor shall develop, maintain, and update (as required) a Procedures Manual documenting the Contractor's standard operating procedures, work instructions, roles and responsibilities, and escalation paths used to meet the requirements of this Contract. The Contractor shall also comply with and support SECTION 21. Service Level Agreements (SLAs), including required SLA performance reporting and review activities, and may recommend SLA updates for CPUC review and approval (and, if required, a formal contract amendment).

Yes

Deliverable 6 Cont.: Process Audit Reports – Operations Requirements:

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

6.11 The Contractor will work and comply with CPUC or a third-party Vendor Partner who shall annually perform audits as requested by CPUC (e.g., inventory of all equipment housed at the equipment warehouses, distribution centers and the facilities or in the custody of field advisors or outreach staff or as further defined by the CPUC) and submit the findings as the Process Audit Report.

Yes

Deliverable 6 Cont.: Process Improvement Progress Report Requirements:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

6.12 The Contractor shall conduct process improvement activities as addressed in the QMP to analyze, identify, resolve, and implement improvements to add value to processes for consumer experiences, program support, project management, and operations.

No

6.13 The Contractor shall implement planning, analysis, findings, and execution of process improvement through the established change control process as a “no-cost” change unless otherwise agreed to by the CPUC.

No

6.14 The Contractor shall address the lessons learned, through the process improvement activities, over the term of the Contract, as defined within the QMP for Process Improvement planning.

No

6.15 The Contractor shall conduct and participate in a Process Improvement Review Meeting to review planned, in-progress, and

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response completed process improvement activities, as well as discuss collected lessons learned.

6.16 The Contractor shall include procedures for conducting Customer Satisfaction Surveys for customer interactions that take place as part of its outreach activities in the QMP for Process Improvement Planning, and store and maintain them in the CPUC-designated repository/tool. The Contractor shall, in collaboration with the CPUC, develop the survey to be distributed to the end users annually.

No

6.17 The Contractor shall document all improvements within a Process Improvement Progress Report including at minimum: description, rationale, implementation date, affected workflows, results/ metrics, and any open risks/issues.

Yes

Deliverable 7:Change Management Plan Requirements:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

7.1 The Contractor shall establish and implement a formal Change Control Process to manage Project Scope in the Change Control Management Plan. Change Control will provide a process to discuss, analyze, and document the impact of the change in scope and determine the direction and next steps.

No

7.2 The Contractor shall inform the CPUC Contract Manager or

designated assignee of any potential deviation in scope or potential changes as soon as it is reasonably possible, but no

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response later than two (2) State business days after identification, to discuss, analyze and document the impact of the change.

7.3 The Contractor shall conduct formal quarterly assessments of the Change Control Process, including review of the change log, aging, impacts, decisions, and corrective actions. The Contractor shall document the assessment results and any resulting corrective actions in the change log. This requirement does not require separate recurring submission to CPUC; the documentation shall be provided to CPUC upon request.

Yes

Deliverable 8: Contact Center Operations Requirements:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

8.1 Contact Center Footprint: The Contractor shall establish, operate, staff, and maintain the California Connect (CAC) Contact Center.

1. If the Contractor is proposing a “brick and mortar” Contact Center, the Contractor shall identify the location(s) of the Contact Center facility(ies) (including whether the services are to be provided in more than one location, and whether the proposed facility(ies) is (are) owned, leased, or subcontracted) in the Transition-In Master Plan and Transition-In Work Plan (Task ID 11.2), submitted after Contract execution, for CPUC review and approval and

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response prior to commencing operations. The Contractor is responsible for all costs associated with rental/lease of spaces, furnishings, assets, and equipment used by the Contractor.

2. If the facility is not currently in operation or if the required systems are not in place, the Contractor shall describe in the Transition-In Master Plan and Transition-In Work Plan (Task ID 11.2) how, where, and when it intends to implement these requirements during the Transition-In Period.

3. All Contractor Contact Center Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) must perform all work duties from within the State of California. Any remote work arrangements for Contact Center CSRs require prior written approval from the CPUC.

NOTE: If the Contractor is proposing a virtual Contact Center, the Contractor shall describe its proposed operational footprint and approach (including physical location(s), if any) in the Transition- In Master Plan and Transition-In Work Plan (Task ID 11.2).

8.2 Sensitivity and Responsiveness to Customer Needs: The

CAC Contact Center provides a wide array of support services to Californians who have hearing, mobility, speaking, cognitive, vision, or other disabilities.

1. The Contractor’s representatives shall exercise sensitivity and/or take additional time to address customer needs.

2. The Contractor's CSRs shall have the ability to amplify the outgoing volume of their voices during calls.

Yes

8.3 Good Working Order: During the term of the contract, the No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

Contact Center shall be maintained in a condition in which it is fully operational and capable of performing its intended function efficiently and safely without any issues or defects that could impair its usage.

8.4 Hours of Operation: The Contractor shall operate the Contact Center’s live (real time) interaction with customers in the following hours of operation:

• Monday – Friday, 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM (Pacific Time)

• Saturday: Closed

• Sunday: Closed

Hours for Contact Center’s live interaction with customers may vary in response to specific marketing and outreach campaigns or other program requirements and are subject to change upon CPUC approval. This schedule excludes State of California holidays as per the California Department of Human Resources.

Automated customer-related services and support systems provided under this contract shall always be available to customers, twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, with the following exceptions:

1. Scheduled Maintenance:

◦ Scheduled maintenance shall not exceed two (2) hours per occurrence and must be conducted during CPUC-approved non-peak hours.

◦ Maintenance must be pre-approved by the CPUC at least forty-eight (48) hours in advance.

2. Unplanned Outages:

◦ In the event of an unplanned outage, the

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

Contractor shall restore services within four (4) hours of detection or notification to the Contractor.

◦ The Contractor shall notify the CPUC immediately upon detection and submit a detailed incident report within twenty-four (24) hours.

3. System Uptime:

◦ The Contractor shall maintain automated systems at a minimum 99.9% uptime per month, excluding scheduled maintenance.

4. Incident Escalation:

◦ For severe outages impacting customer access, the Contractor shall escalate the issue to designated CPUC representatives immediately.

8.5 Inbound/Outbound Customer Contact Methods: The

Contractor shall implement and maintain a state-of-the-art Communications system to facilitate the successful provision of integrated, omnichannel customer service through the following customer contact methods:

1. Voice Calls (including calls relayed through the California Relay Service, or CRS)

2. Teletypewriter (TTY) Calls

3. Captioned Telephone (CapTel) Calls

4. Video Relay Service (VRS) Calls

5. Fax

6. Mail

7. Email

8. Live web-based chat

9. Video Calling (ASL)

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

8.6 Languages: The Contractor is required to provide customer service in all languages, as follows:

1. English/Spanish Voice, TTY, CapTel, Web-based Chat, Email, Fax, and Mail: The Contractor shall provide in-language customer assistance with its own on-staff Customer Service Representatives (CSRs) for all customers who speak English or Spanish, for voice calls, TTY, CapTel, web‑based chat, email, fax, and mail. All Contractor CSRs who are fluent in Spanish shall also be fluent in English and shall also assist English-speaking customers.

2. Non-English/Spanish Voice Calls: The Contractor shall provide live customer service in languages other than English or Spanish using a subcontractor or other similar services. Customers who request other languages shall be able to either wait for the Contact Center to engage such a service or request a scheduled callback. For scheduled callbacks, the Contractor shall schedule the callback using the subcontractor or other similar services and shall offer available callback time windows and schedule the callback at a time selected by the customer from the available windows (or as mutually agreed). The Contractor shall document the request and scheduled callback in the CPUC-designated integrated platform.

3. Addition of In-House Language Capabilities. The Contractor shall track call volume by language and report these statistics to CPUC. CPUC may require the Contractor to retain the services of CSRs who speak other languages if doing so is justified by call volume.

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

8.7 Capacity to Handle Customer Volume:

1. The Contractor shall have the appropriate technology to answer all calls, regardless of volume, in the appropriate language, for all languages.

2. The Contractor’s systems and personnel shall be capable of handling call volumes and all service requests at the highest level of quality of service within the terms and conditions of this Contract and the Contractor’s Service Level Agreement (See SECTION 21. Service Level Agreements (SLAs)).

No

8.8 Interactive Voice Response Unit:

1. Subject to CPUC review and approval of functionality and content, the Contractor shall implement a customer-optional Interactive Voice Response Unit (IVRU or VRU) in English, Spanish, Cantonese, Mandarin and Vietnamese or Hmong.

2. Among many scripts and options, the IVRU shall provide customers the ability to be told how long the wait is, and to “opt out” and speak with a live operator at any point in the process during normal business hours.

3. The IVRU shall provide customers with Program information, as well as the ability to receive automated updates related to their current status of pending applications or equipment deliveries.

4. The Contractor shall maintain a dedicated disaster/ emergency call routing option (“Option 8”) (e.g., an IVRU menu selection and/or equivalent ACD routing) for verified disaster-related requests, as directed by CPUC. If customer-facing menu labels or routing selections change

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response during the Contract term, the Contractor shall maintain an equivalent disaster/emergency option/route, as directed by CPUC.

5. The Contractor shall provide staff to provide Disaster (Option 8) call services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Staff assigned to answer Option 8 calls during non-business hours may utilize an on-call model, with dedicated phone lines and call forwarding to ensure prompt response.

6. For Option 8 calls, the Contractor shall provide labor to process the call from initial contact through to resolution, including making necessary callbacks to the customer and coordinating with external referral sources as needed to achieve call resolution. The Contractor shall provide warehouse labor during non-business hours to facilitate the overnight shipment of devices in response to verified Option 8 (disaster-related) requests.

8.9 Automated Outbound Dialing:

1. The Contractor’s Contact Center system shall have the capability of making customer requested “call-backs” and automated outbound contacts via phone and email.

2. The Contractor shall assign call-backs and the Agents assigned to the task depending on how a customer identifies and selects interest options through automated systems or other communications. Examples of these customer options include preferred language, general interest in the Program, and other issues, or problem categories (such as equipment requests, certification form assistance, confirmation of shipping status, etc.).

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

3. The Contractor shall not separately bill or count automated email, text or fax communications to consumers, such as those regarding the status of consumer requests and orders, or automated Customer Satisfaction Surveys as billable individual events. These communications are anticipated to be a part of ensuring good customer service.

4. The Contractor shall use this ability to support marketing and outreach campaigns and provide special services when needed in support of specific coordinated marketing efforts.

8.10 Customer Contact Routing: Regardless of the communications medium or language chosen by the customer, the Contractor shall ensure their system automatically routes incoming customer contacts based on the specific skills, language, and proficiencies of each of the Contractor’s Customer Service Representatives (CSRs), as required to meet the customer’s needs.

Yes

8.11 Customer Queue Experience:

1. The Contractor’s system shall provide information to callers about how many calls are queued in front of the caller and how long the caller may expect to wait in the queue before talking to a CSR. This information will be provided based on dynamic calculations rather than pre-programmed messages.

2. The Contractor’s system shall provide the option of an automated call-back, without losing queue position, etc.

The system shall be able to autodial the callers that have elected automatic call-backs as a CSR becomes available.

Yes

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

8.12 Customer Support Representative (CSR) Activities: The

Contractor’s CSRs shall be required to perform the following functions:

1. Inquiries

i. Respond to customer inquiries and provide general information about the Program, its services, and its Service Facilities.

ii. Route contacts to appropriate CPUC or CAC teams, programs, or telecommunications providers as necessary.

2. Correspondence

i. Process customer correspondence, including but not limited to customer Certification Forms.

3. Customer Eligibility Certification

i. Describe certification requirements for acceptance by the Program.

ii. Assist customers in completing their Certification

Forms, as needed.

iii. Process Certification Forms received. This entails checking the form to ensure that it is filled out completely and correctly and is signed by an authorized certifying agent. The CSR is also required to update the customer record and notify the customer of application status.

4. Evaluation

i. Conduct an evaluation on applicant or consumer equipment or service needs. Complete an evaluation form prior to ordering equipment or

Yes

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response services.

5. Equipment

i. Assist customers in determining the type of equipment or services that best meets their needs.

This requires that the CSR knows the equipment within the program, the needs of the customer, and how the equipment applies to various disabilities. The CSR may be required to reference the Knowledge Base or training materials provided by the CAC Testing and Training Contractor.

ii. Order equipment for individually eligible customers based on their assessed needs.

iii. Assist customers in troubleshooting equipment and services. This may include providing information about the equipment, its various features, and how to use it. The CSRs will need to demonstrate technical expertise in specialized Communications equipment and the ability to teach and communicate instructions clearly on how to use and troubleshoot that equipment.

iv. The CSR will determine if a customer’s equipment needs to be replaced and will place orders for replacement equipment, if necessary, appropriate, and within established Program guidelines.

6. Home Visits

i. Determine whether a customer requires a home visit from a representative of the CAC Field Operations contractor.

ii. Input service orders to schedule visits by CAC

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

Field Operations contractor representatives.

iii. Provide service-order follow-up and close-out.

7. Coordination with Telephone Companies

i. Determine whether the customer requires a network service (e.g., 3-Way Calling, Speed Calling, etc.) and enter a third-party vendor service order for transmission to the appropriate telephone company. (Applicable services are those provided by telephone companies and subsidized by CAC.)

ii. Process Network Service Request service orders, which include calling, faxing, or emailing a request to add a network service to a specific customer’s account to the appropriate telephone company.

Once confirmation is received, the customer records must be updated to reflect the addition of the network service.

8. Knowledge Base

i. Retrieve information relevant to customer questions, needs, and issues from the Knowledge Base and provide it expeditiously to customers during customer service interactions.

ii. Capture knowledge gained from interacting with customers, learning about their experiences, and solving their problems in the Knowledge Base to facilitate future successful customer service interactions.

iii. The Knowledge Base may be maintained in a Contractor-hosted or Contractor-selected tool;

however, the Contractor shall provide CPUC

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response authorized staff with ongoing view (and export, upon request) access to the most current Knowledge Base content throughout the Contract term. The CPUC retains ownership of the Knowledge Base content and any data pertaining to delivery of the services. At Transition-Out/ Contract Closeout (and upon CPUC request), the Contractor shall provide a complete export/copy of the Knowledge Base content and related documentation in a CPUC-approved format and repository, and in compliance with the Contract’s hosting and information security requirements.

9. Customer Feedback

i. Process customer feedback and complaints, including documenting complete details of the complaint or feedback in the Contractor’s integrated management system.

ii. When necessary, refer customers to the Consumer Affairs as directed by the CPUC, using CPUC-approved communications, referral, and escalation processes.

10. CPUC Requests

i. Respond to requests by CPUC or its designated representatives for customer information.

ii. The Contractor’s CSRs performing this work must comply with the Contract’s California location requirements for Contact Center operations, including SECTION 5. Location and Availability.

The Contractor shall operate the Contact Center

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

Agrees to Meet the

Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response from a centralized, physical call center facility within California, and any remote work arrangements for Contact Center CSRs require prior written approval from CPUC.

8.13 Supervision. The Contractor shall supervise and oversee all Contact Center personnel to ensure that they expeditiously perform all required tasks, successfully complete all required training, and meet all quality standards and service level agreements.

No

8.14 Addition of Other CPUC Programs. CPUC shall have the right to include customer support for additional Communications Division Programs (e.g., Lifeline, Voice Options, American Sign Language (ASL), etc.) under the scope of this contract. The Contractor shall provide analogous services for these other Programs using the rates already established in the Contract. If directed, the Contractor shall submit a plan for CPUC’s approval that leads to the establishment of customer support services for other CD programs within ninety (90) State business days of the request.

Yes

Deliverable 8 Cont.: Mail Handling Requirements:

Task ID Task Description

Bidder Agrees to Meet the Task (Y/N)

Bidder is Required to Provide Narrative Response

8.15 The Contractor shall handle applications sent via U.S. Mail and forms received by any method identified in the Contract or designated by the CPUC. The Contractor is

No

State of California California Public Utilities Commission

RFP 23NS0710

responsible for First Class postage for the outbound mailing of Certification Forms. To reduce postage expense, outbound mail shall be pre-sorted by carrier route whenever practical. Collateral material for mailings is to be provided by CPUC, or costs for Contractor-generated collateral materials shall be reimbursed for actual pre-approved expense.

8.16 The Contractor shall handle “Other” incoming and

outgoing mail sent via U.S. Mail and documents received by any method identified in the Contract or designated by the CPUC. The Contractor is responsible for First Class postage for outbound mail. Collateral material is to be provided by CPUC, or costs for Contractor-generated collateral materials shall be reimbursed for actual pre-approved expense. Other mailings may include, but are not limited to, informational brochures, CAC product sheets, customer acceptance and rejection letters and customer responsibility agreements. To reduce postage expense, outbound mail shall be presorted by carrier route whenever practical.

No

8.17 The Contractor shall process incoming mail from

applicants, existing CAC consumers, certifying agents, and other miscellaneous Program stakeholders, including inputting source code data into the CPUC-designated integrated platform to track the origination of application forms and written requests based on marketing campaign activities via radio, TV, newspaper, and direct mail.

No

8.18 The Contractor shall store mail retrievable at a secure

location for six (6) months. After six (6) months the CAC mail may be archived in an off-site location.