OIG Answering Service Hotline RFQ_B-48093~1.docx

STATE OF ILLINOIS

DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES

REQUEST FOR QUOTE

Open Market Bid 26-444DHS-INSPG-B-48093

SPECIFICATIONS

TITLE OF SERVICE – Hotline Answering Service

CONTRACT LENGTH - The desired contract term is 7/01/25 to 06/30/27.

LOCATION – Work to be performed remotely in the United States, with occasional visits to OIG’s office, where necessary.

REQUIRED SERVICES

The vendor should provide hotline answering services for the Department of Human Services (DHS), Office of the Inspector General (OIG) for the OIG twenty-four (24) hour per day, seven (7) days per week mandated hotline answering services. The hotline answering service is for the reporting of allegations of abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, and/or death of individuals with mental illness or developmental disabilities.

1. Monthly service fee to cover a maximum of 6,000 minutes (approximately 750 calls) per month for in-coming and out-going communications.

2. During non-business hours or when OIG intake investigators are unavailable to answer hotline calls, the answering service will receive the calls on a roll-over system.

3. When receiving calls, the Vendor shall be responsible for obtaining the following information to be recorded on an Intake Assessment Form (see form attached to this bid):

- Caller’s name, job title, and name of Agency where they work (if applicable);

- Name and address of the Facility/Agency where alleged incident occurred;

- Address and phone number where caller can be reached the next business day unless caller insists on anonymity (cell phone number can be provided if easier to reach caller);

- Name and identifying information about the victim(s) and the accused employee(s);

- A description of the alleged incident, including dates and times;

4. In the three (3) following instances, the answering service shall contact the on-call OIG staff member for the area of the incident location:

- The alleged incident is or may be deemed an emergency (i.e. death, serious injury, sexual assault or any sex act whether voluntary or involuntary, potential law enforcement involvement, or possible media involvement);

- The caller wants to remain anonymous;

- The caller insists upon speaking to an OIG investigator.

- The caller belongs to an emergency response force such as law enforcement, fire department, etc.

5. If the answering service is unable to reach the on-call OIG staff member by phone, the service shall phone the next designated person per the OIG provided phone tree. The answering service will continue to make calls until an OIG staff member has been reached.

6. For every call received, the answering service shall also be responsible for the following:

- Ensure that all callers are treated in a professional manner at all times;

- Provide Spanish translation if the caller prefers to speak in Spanish;

- If the alleged incident required immediate medical or law enforcement intervention, instruct the caller to contact the appropriate entity immediately;

- Promptly fax and electronically submit documentation of every call to the OIG Bureau of Hotline and Intake;

7. When required by the OIG, the answering service shall provide access to an audio recording of calls received by the answering service;

- The answering service shall save recordings of all calls received for a period of at least two (2) weeks from date/time calls are received.

8. Abide by the requirements of the “Confidentiality Act” and any other State and/or Federal laws and regulations pertaining to privacy of the caller.