Telecommunications Relay Services (TRS) Solicitation #: DEXR6600001 RFP Document

State of Maryland maryland department of disabilities (mdod) Request for Proposals (RFP) telecommunications relay services (trs) RFP Number: DEXR6600001 Issue date: January 9, 2026

A Prospective Offeror that has received this document from a source other than eMarylandMarketplace Advantage (eMMA) https://procurement.maryland.gov should register on eMMA https://emma.maryland.gov/

NOTICE TO OFFERORS

Minority Business Enterprises Are Encouraged to Respond to this Solicitation.

State of Maryland Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD) Key Information Summary Sheet

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88464533180?pwd=0kRv11Di2HZEobWBfeZBlmqAEQvA3g.1 See Section 4.3 for additional details.

See Attachment 2 to RSVP by February 12, 2026, at 5:00pm to Attend

Offerors are reminded that a completed Feedback Form is requested if a no-bid/proposal decision is made (see Attachment 1 - No Bid Notice/Vendor Feedback Form).

TABLE OF CONTENTS – RFP

Minimum Qualifications Offeror Minimum Qualifications There are no Offeror Minimum Qualifications for this procurement.

THE REMAINDER OF THIS PAGE IS INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK.

Contractor Requirements: Scope of Work Summary Statement This Request for Proposals (RFP) is issued to procure the goods or services, as specified in this Section 2, from a contract between the selected offeror(s) and the State of Maryland (“State”).

The Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD or Department), Telecommunications Access of Maryland (TAM), in consultation with the Governor’s Advisory Board for Telecommunications Relay, is seeking to obtain cost-effective, unrestricted, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for the citizens that are hearing and speech disabled in Maryland, also referred to as the Maryland user community, the following services types:

It is the State’s intention to obtain goods and services, as specified in this RFP, from a contract between the selected Offeror and the State.

This is a single award. See RFP Section 6.5 Selection Procedures for more Contract award information.

Please note that a Contract award does not guarantee a Contractor will receive all or any State business under the Contract.

Background and Purpose

TRS

TAM, a State unit within MDOD, oversees all Maryland Relay services and programs. Maryland Relay is a telecommunications relay service established in 1991 to serve Marylanders who have difficulty using a standard telephone.

The cost of the Maryland Relay service is funded by a surcharge applied by telephone companies to its Maryland customers’ bills for telephone and VoIP service.

This service provides a vast array of solutions to meet the diverse needs of our State.

For more information, visit the website at Telecommunication Access of Maryland

TRS

Maryland Relay processes an average of 16,202.37 minutes of service per month (this average was calculated based on data from May 2021 through April 2024, from the current Maryland Relay service).

Maryland Relay offers TRS in the form of various services to accommodate different communication needs. These include Real-Time Text (RTT), Teletypewriter (TTY) Relay, Visually Assisted Speech To Speech Services (VA-STS), Speech To Speech (STS), Voice Carryover (VCO), Hearing Carryover (HCO), and Spanish Relay Services.

The Governor’s Advisory Board for Telecommunications Relay convenes on a regular basis to review the level of access and quality of service provided by the Telecommunications Relay Service, in addition to other items. The Board consists of 12 Maryland residents appointed by the Governor from the Deaf, hard-of-hearing, mobility-impaired, speech-disabled, senior citizen, and deaf-blind communities, and government.

RTT

On December 15, 2016, the FCC adopted rules to facilitate a transition of TRS from TeleTypewritter (TTY) technology to Real-Time Text (RTT) technology. RTT is an IP-based communication method that allows text to be sent and received instantly as it is typed, over Internet Protocol networks.

Unlike TTY, which relies on analog telephone lines and requires specific hardware to encode and decode text, RTT utilizes digital networks, enabling more seamless and faster communication.

In its 2016 RTT order, the FCC permitted wireless service providers and device manufacturers to support RTT instead of TTY technology, to the extent that where they support RTT in lieu of TTY technology, such services and devices are backward compatible with TTYs connected to other networks.

State Staff and Roles In addition to the Procurement Officer and Contract Monitor, the State will provide a Project Manager.

A. State Project Manager

1. The State Project Manager is responsible for providing oversight of the project.

Contractor Responsibilities and Tasks

2.3.1 Compliance

The Contractor shall comply with all laws, regulations, policies, standards and guidelines affecting telecommunication services for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-disabled individuals. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to adhere to this requirement and comply with all changes affecting project execution. These may include, but are not limited to, the strictest amongst the laws, standards, and regulations of Title IV of the ADA - Telecommunications services for Deaf, hard-of-hearing, and speech-disabled individuals codified at 47 U.S.C. § 225 (“telecommunications services for hearing-impaired and speech-impaired individuals”). All current standards and regulations and any future standards implemented by the FCC relating to TRS, adopted by the FCC or regulations codified by FCC are hereby incorporated by reference, as minimum standards required in the context of this RFP, whether or not said standards are specifically mentioned, named, or referred to in this RFP. If there is a conflict between the FCC rules and the minimum standards required by this RFP regarding the stringency of a regulation, the more stringent standard shall be followed. In the event of FCC-mandated changes in the provision of Relay services, the terms of the Contract pertaining to change orders will apply. (See Section 2.2 of the sample Contract at Exhibit 2.)

2.3.2 Approvals

The Contractor shall be required to get all approvals for messaging, changes and outgoing announcements in writing.

The Contractor shall provide functionally equivalent TRS, including, by way of example but not limited to, the following features:

2.3.3.2 Technical

The Contractor shall provide and ensure the following:

2.3.3.2.2 Provision of Relay

The Contractor shall provide an unrestricted, 24 hours/7 days/week TRS. Approximately 15% of American adults ages 18 and older reports some trouble with hearing (as cited by the National Institute on Deafness and other Communication Disorders) Therefore, individuals who have a communication disabilities need to have access the telephone system for the purpose of communication to and from all other persons in the State, the nation, and the world.

2.3.3.2.3 Compliance with RFP Specifications

The Contractor shall establish and operate the TRS in compliance with specifications outlined in this RFP. The establishment of this service shall include the provision of all necessary facilities, equipment, software, circuits, telephone service, staff, training, setup, testing, reporting, and other program elements as may be needed for implementation and operation of the Maryland Relay program.

2.3.3.2.4 Upgrades and refresh of standards, services, quality of services, systems, and applications If the FCC requires new standards, services, and Quality of Service (QoS) or the Contractor plans to upgrade or refresh its system/technology at any level that may affect the outcome of services or price for services to the State and its end-user community, the Contractor shall provide to the State Project Manager a plan to upgrade and show any and all impacts of upgrade or refresh.

A. The compatibility of the State’s systems, components, and applications are not diminished in functionality, quality of the information technology, quality of service, security, privacy, and reliability;

B. The upgrade or refresh is backwards compatible to all systems, components and software version levels as well as those already being utilized by the State and end users that are the subject of this RFP; and C. It has provided all information and pricing for contract administration to the State Contract Manager and State Procurement Officer to allow for timely modification of the Contract prior to implementation, if the State believes that such modification is necessary and appropriate.

2.3.3.2.7 Toll Call Access and Rate

The Contractor shall provide (in accordance with 47 CFR 64.603) for inter-Local Access Transport Area (LATA) and intra-LATA toll call access for calls that originate or terminate in Maryland at no greater than the rate for those same types of calls that can be made without Relay.

Contractors shall implement announcements for all of the various explanations of service for each call type provided to relay users. The State Project Manager must approve all call announcements and explanations of service prior to implementation.

2.3.3.2.8 Traditional TRS Call Types Required

The Contractor has the capability to process the TRS Call Types in a manner that allows users of each TRS Call Type to initiate or receive a call using their preferred TRS Call Type mode.

All dedicated lines for specific TRS Call Types shall be answered first in that TRS Call Type, while having the ability to switch to any other call type when needed by the inbound caller.

All of the Traditional Relay call types shall be reimbursed on a conversation-minute basis as contracted. Traditional TRS Call Types currently include all of the following services, which are described as:

A. Text-To-Voice TTY - based TRS – A person with a hearing or speech disability uses a text telephone, called a TTY, to call the Operator (OPR). TTYs have a keyboard and allow people to type their telephone conversations. The text is read on a display screen and/or a paper printout. The OPR Relays the call back and forth between the parties by speaking what a text user types, and typing what a voice telephone user speaks.

B. Voice Carry Over (VCO) – A type of TTY-based TRS that allows a person with a hearing disability, but who wants to use his or her own voice, to speak directly to the called party and receive responses in text from the OPR. No typing is required by either party.

C. Hearing Carry Over (HCO) – A type of TTY-based TRS that allows a person with a speech disability, but who wants to use his/her own hearing, to listen to the other party and type his/her part of the conversation on a TTY. The OPR reads these words to the other party, and the caller hears responses directly from the other party.

D. Speech-To-Speech (STS) Relay – This form of TRS is used by a person with a speech disability, enabling persons with a speech disability to make telephone calls using their own voice (or an assistive communication device). An OPR, who is specially trained in understanding a variety of speech disorders, repeats what the caller says in a manner that makes the caller’s words clear and understandable to the called party. No special telephone is needed.

a) The Contractor shall provide Operators on the contract for STS that meet the following criteria.

i. As part of this provisioning, the Contractor shall test the hearing of Operators and their ability to understand people with a variety of speech disabilities.

ii. For hearing: Each STS Operator shall score 92% or higher in each ear using, at a minimum, a 50-word, W-22, or NU6 speech recognition test. Each STS Operator shall measure hearing acuity of 20dB or less in each ear using a pure tone test. The test shall be given before STS Operator may begin relaying calls.

iii. The Contractor shall obtain a written test result for every STS Operator from an audiologist that is a State licensed professional audiologist or certified by the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association with a Certificate of Clinical Competence in Audiology (CCC-A).

iv. All new Speech-to-Speech Operators will be tested prior to beginning processing Speech-to-Speech calls for the life of the contract.

v. The Contractor shall ensure that STS users are able to choose, on a call-by-call basis, or in their customer database record, whether or not the other party will be allowed to hear the speech disabled person’s voice.

b) Visually Assisted Speech-to-Speech (VA STS) Relay- This form of TRS is used by a person with a speech disability enables persons with a speech disability to make telephone calls using their own voice (or an assistive voice device). An OPR, who is specially trained in understanding a variety of speech disorders, repeats what the caller says in a manner that makes the caller’s words clear and understandable to the called party. In addition to the mechanisms used with STS, in VA STS, the OPR uses visual cues/methods to understand better the relay user. The VA STS user connects to the OPR via phone line (as per STS) as well as through a video mechanism (e.g. Skype, Google Hangout, etc.). The OPR must be able to see the relay user, but the relay user does not need to be able to see the OPR.

2.3.3.2.10 Shared Non-English Language Relay Service

The FCC requires interstate TRS providers to offer Spanish-to-Spanish traditional TRS. The Contractor shall provide Spanish-to-Spanish Relay as well as Spanish/English translation Relay.

2.3.3.2.11 2-Line HCO The capability to allow a speech-disabled customer to type to the Relay Operator while having a direct connection to the standard phone user to listen to the conversation, thus allowing for interruption from either party.

2.3.3.2.12 2-Line VCO The capability to allow a deaf or hard-of-hearing customer to speak directly to the standard phone user via the Relay and to be able to receive responses typed in text by the Relay Operator.

2.3.3.2.13 Voice-to-Text

A person using voice on a standard phone will call a Maryland Relay OPR. The OPR relays the call to a person with a hearing or speech disability using TTY. The OPR types the conversation to the TTY user and voices to the standard phone user. The OPR relays the call back and forth between the parties by speaking what a text user types, and typing what a voice telephone user speaks.

2.3.3.2.14 Non-Traditional TRS Call Types

Are not covered by this RFP unless by prior modification of the Contract. Non-Traditional TRS Call Types would only be considered to ensure that the State receives a cost effective and efficient means to carry out its business model(s) while maintaining the quality of service and types of products that are the subject of the RFP.

All requirements for processing calls and training Operators also apply to Spanish Translation support.

2.3.3.2.15 Operator Services

The Contractor shall provide access on a functionally equivalent level of Operator services to those provided to Standard Phone users.

All requirements for processing calls and training apply to Operator Services support regardless of where Operator Services is physically located.

The Contractor shall ensure that all Traditional TRS Call Types have the ability to communicate with each other via Relay.

2.3.3.3 Contractor User Preference Database

2.3.3.3.1 The Contractor shall have the ability to accept all User Preference Database information from the previous provider as required in 47 C.F.R. § 64.604 - Mandatory minimum standards. Further, the information shall be transferred in an ASCII delimited format or other format as approved by the State Project Manager.

A. The Contractor shall include all information from the previous provider’s database.

B. The Contractor shall agree that the data and record format of the User Preference Database is the property of the State.

C. The Contractor shall provide a mechanism to enable any Relay user, at the user’s discretion, to enter a Personal Identification Number (PIN) that will access their personal preference information from any phone.

D. The Contractor shall provide the capability to allow the Relay user to change the PIN by phone. Additionally, Contractor may also provide other methods for changing PIN.

The Contractor shall have a call recognition method to accurately determine and record the call type of all inbound calls for proper call set-up and for accurate call type reporting.

2.3.3.4.2 Call Connection Mode

The Contractor shall have a call connection mode-recognition method to accurately determine and record the call connection mode of all inbound calls for proper call set-up and for accurate call connection mode reporting.

2.3.3.4.3 Performance Standards

The Contractor’s transmission circuits for Standard Telecommunication Relay shall meet or exceed FCC and Inter-exchange Carrier performance standards as stated in 47 CFR §64, subpart F, all other FCC requirements for common carriers, the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) Standards, and all applicable industry standards.

Relay users shall not be required to perform any additional steps or interaction to invoke optional services already paid for on the phone line being used to dial into Maryland Relay.

Any LEC Service(s) offered shall be functionally equivalent and may not be simulated to mimic the local phone company’s optional service.

2.3.3.4.4 Startup Equipment and Software

The Contractor’s transmission circuits shall meet or exceed FCC Inter-exchange performance standards. Telecommunications equipment, including station terminals, shall be capable of receiving and transmitting in both Baudot and ASCII codes, and be backwards compatible to TTY devices in service and shall also receive, access, and communicate with computers at any speed available.

2.3.3.4.5 Outbound Volume Control

The Contractor’s system shall have the ability to increase the volume on the outbound leg of the call for both the Operator’s microphone when the Operator is voicing, and the outbound line when the Relay user is voicing, as in an HCO call.

This control shall be independent of the Operator’s headset receiver control.

2.3.3.4.6 Auto-switchable Modems

The Contractor shall have modems that are auto-answer and auto-switchable at all available speeds.

2.3.3.4.7 Technology

The Contractor shall provide functionally equivalent technology and support equivalency to all Standard Phone services. These services include Automatic Number Identification (ANI), and other service enhancements, which increase the functional equivalency of the Relay Service for all calls, both carried on the provider’s network and sent out to inter-exchange carrier (IXC) networks.

2.3.3.4.8 Recorded Announcements for System Failures

Recorded messages are not permissible unless there is system failure. The Contractor shall provide approved recorded announcements as appropriate if a system failure/service interruption occurs within the Relay switch or on outbound circuits Recorded.

2.3.3.4.9 Announcements for System Failures

The Contractor shall add, at the direction of the State Project Manager, approved temporary messages to inform users of delays in obtaining service due to events such as, inclement weather, switch malfunction, natural disaster, civil disturbances, or other events sufficient to impede the delivery of service to Maryland Relay users.

2.3.3.4.10 Recorded Announcements for System Failures

All messages shall be provided in both voice and text and must be approved.

2.3.3.4.11 Regionally Directed Toll Free Numbers

The Contractor shall ensure that Relay users will be able to access regionally directed toll free numbers. These numbers would typically be accessible to the Relay user in his or her calling area. Example: the AAA has a national toll-free number. When a call arrives at the AAA call center, it is automatically rerouted to the correct state based on information in the Relay User’s ANI.

2.3.3.4.12 Regionally Restricted Toll-Free Numbers

The Contractor shall ensure that regionally restricted toll-free numbers will be accessible through its system. Example: If a Maryland Relay user is within Maryland and calls an 800 number that is restricted to intra-state calls, and the call is routed to a remote center, the Contractor shall have the capability of accessing the restricted toll-free call regardless of the location where the outbound call is initiated.

2.3.3.4.13 Service Reliability

The Contractor shall comply with requirements from Maryland to ensure reliability. These requirements include:

A. Switching System – Contractor shall have redundancy of equipment and the ability to upgrade system and perform preventative maintenance without taking the system offline.

B. Redundant Relay Capabilities – In the event of a complete system shutdown at one or more of its centers, the Contractor shall have the capability of re-routing calls to other functional centers.

C. Site Visits - For quality assurance and contract oversight, the Contractor shall allow the State to conduct unannounced site visits to any of the centers that process the State’s Relay calls.

D. Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) and Escalation – Within ten (10) business days of the contract’s Kick-off Meeting, the Contractor shall provide the State with a copy of its Disaster Recovery Plan. The DRP shall include at a minimum at least three levels of escalation for 24/7/365(6) emergency personnel and their contact information. Contact information shall be kept current during the life of the contract.

E. In addition, no later than on an annual basis, the DRP shall be periodically reviewed and updated to remain consistent with the MDOD current DRP.

F. Notification of Disasters to the State – The State Project Manager and CM shall be notified of any event that disrupts the ability to process calls.

G. Written report of incident or event relating to a disaster- A written report shall explain how and when each event occurred, what was required to correct it and the time and date when the Maryland Relay resumed full operation. The report shall be given to the State Project Manager within two (2) calendar days of resumption of operation.

2.3.3.4.14 Automatic Spell Check and Auto-Correction

The spell check system used shall include, but not be limited to, the ability to adapt to new vocabulary (i.e. adding new words to vocabulary list, adding TTY abbreviations, etc.).

A. The Contractor’s system shall have automatic spell check. A list of words in the system’s spell check dictionary shall be provided to the State Project Manager at the time of award and quarterly thereafter for the life of the contract.

B. Automatic Change of TTY Abbreviations Upon Request - The Contractor’s system shall have the ability to change any TTY abbreviations used by Operators or the Contractor’s system to full words upon request of the customer. Example: Late Deafened VCO user is not comfortable with TTY abbreviations and prefers full words.

2.3.3.4.15 Macros

The Contractor shall submit to the State Project Manager a complete, detailed list of all macros used or planned by the Contractor’s operations platform. This list is to be submitted to the State Project Manager every three months beginning on the award date of the contract.

If any macros are developed during a quarter, all modifications shall be given to the State Project Manager at least one week before implementation.

2.3.3.4.16 Access to Directory Assistance

The Contractor shall provide callers with access to local and long-distance directory assistance at a cost rate no greater than the cost rate charged to standard telephone users.

2.3.3.4.17 Use of ANI

Automatic Number Identification (ANI) technology shall be utilized so that no caller is required to provide the originating calling number, except in instances where ANI information is not available from the local phone companies. If the Operator does not receive the ANI, the Operator will explain to the inbound party the reason for asking for the phone number.

2.3.3.4.18 1-900 or Any Pay per Calls The Contractor shall provide access to 900 numbers, and any other pay per call numbers.

Any additional inbound lines needed to access pay per call numbers are the responsibility of the Contractor and are not a recoverable expense.

Any such lines shall be toll free to ensure that TRS customers are not assessed an additional fee over and above the regular pay-for-call fee for accessing this service.

2.3.3.4.19 Handling of 7-1-1 Calls

Calls to 7-1-1 are to be answered first in voice mode with additional access for all TRS access modes.

2.3.3.4.20 No Branding of Inbound Phone Lines

There is to be no pre-determined answer sequence based on ANI, whether permanent or temporary, placed on the inbound line unless specifically requested by the user via a User Preference Data Base.

User Preference Database information shall be available to the Operator at the time of connection with the inbound caller. The user’s profiled connect mode will be automatically initiated regardless of the inbound DNIS dialed.

The Contractor shall provide that the State Project Manager and/or Department designee(s) on a 24/7/365 basis will be given unlimited, unimpeded, physical access to home-based offices to conduct compliance checks. This will include providing for all badging, security/access codes, etc.

The Contractor’s name or logo may appear, in a smaller font, as the provider of Maryland Relay, subject to prior written approval of the State Project Manager, to indicate clearly correspondence from Maryland Relay.

A. If the Contractor requires staff or management to be temporarily dedicated to other tasks (such as conducting training for other centers, or engaged in corporate business), all time not devoted directly to Maryland Relay shall be approved in advance by the State Project Manager, documented and reported to the State Project Manager, and submitted with the Contractor’s monthly reports. Maryland specific trainers are required regardless of the location of the primary center to ensure that the requirements of the state are met.

B. All meetings noted as ‘monthly meetings’ or ‘every two-week meetings’ for staff positions in the following descriptions may be by video/phone at discretion of the State Project Manager.

C. Escalation of issues - Any issues that shall be escalated to, or information provided by, shall be reported to the State Project Manager along with the names and contact information for persons in the escalation path as documented in accordance with the deliverables in the Transition Milestone provided by the Contractor.

D. Recruitment of Persons with Disabilities - The Contractor shall actively recruit persons with disabilities, including individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, speech disabled, Deafblind, or blind. Preference will be given to employing individuals with ASL fluency, Relay Service experience, and experience working within the deaf, hard of hearing and/or speech disabled community.

2.3.3.6.2 Additional Personnel/Contacts–

2.3.3.6.2.1 The Contractor shall also provide the following staff:

A. Account Liaison/Manager A. At least one liaison to represent the Contractor’s company who has full power and authority to ensure compliance with all the terms and conditions of this Contract.

B. This person shall be senior management level.

C. Shall be available to the State at any time by phone or in person.

D. Shall have the authority to resolve issues based on the service level agreement.

B. Senior Management Representative for each of the Contractor’s departments (examples: Sales, Account Management, Technical, Operations, etc.) that contribute to the provision of Maryland Relay:

A. Representatives from each department shall attend quarterly meetings at a minimum at the TAM office or other site as designated by the State Project Manager. The majority of the meetings will take place in the Baltimore/Washington area, although this representative shall be prepared to support the contract at any location in Maryland, or virtually.

B. This staff’s work time need not be fully dedicated to this contract; however, must be attentive to this contract and be able to respond in a timely and efficient manner as the position title and responsibilities dictate.

A. Telephone number or credit/calling card number to be billed (NPA-prefix-line number).

B. Originating telephone number (NPA-prefix-line number).

C. Terminating telephone number (NPA-prefix-line number).

D. Date of call.

E. Start time: Defined here as the actual time the calling party is initially connected to the called party or to an answering machine at the called party’s number, or intercept message for the called number, including:

1. Session Start

2. Conversation Start

F. End time: Defined here as the time when either the called party or the calling party hangs up; whichever occurs first, including:

A. Conversation End B. Session End

G. The Contractor shall bill in six (6) second increments when measuring call length. If the call goes past a six-second interval, the Contractor shall round up and invoice on the nearest six-second interval. Example: 7 seconds shall be billed as two six-second intervals and 67 seconds shall be billed as twelve (12) six-second intervals.

A. If a call is processed outside the state of Maryland and either party on the call requests Customer Service or a Supervisor, the call is to be transferred and processed by the Maryland Customer Service.

A. The Contractor shall have a policy for reviewing alleged violations of confidentiality. The State PM must give prior written approval of this policy.

B. An Operator or Supervisor who, after investigation, is found to have violated the confidentiality policy, shall be disciplined in accordance with the Contractor’s approved confidentiality policy. If a second violation occurs with an individual, the State reserves the right to have that individual removed from providing services under this Contract. All violations shall be reported to the State PM monthly.

The Contractor shall provide support and services that meet the following standards. The Contractor shall document each of the following requirements and/or standards within thirty (30) calendar days of the Kick-off meeting unless another timeframe is noted.