Request Form to Division of Purchasing (DOP).pdf

Request Form to Division of Purchasing (DOP)

Name:*

E-mail:*

Phone:*

Agency Name*

Property being Purchased:*

Submission Date

Fiscal Year

IDAPA 38.05.01.045 provides that sole source purchase shall be used only if a requirement is reasonably available from a single supplier.

Type of Request*

Name of Requested Vendor*

Desired Term (in years):*

Anticipated Total Cost (for full desired term):*

Do you anticipate the need for renewals?*

Property*

Sole Source Authorization

Tracy Warren tracy.warren@vr.idaho.gov

Format phone number as (555)555-5555

(208)287-6457

Idaho Division of Vocational Rehabilitation

Sara Digital Assistant Software

10/4/2023

New Renew (Agency wishes to extend an existing sole source authorization) Amend (Check this box to request a change to the goods/services, term, or other conditions of the SSA) Both Renew and Amend

New

SaraWorks, LLC

1,056,086.00$

Yes No

Describe the property you are seeking:

SaraTM is digital assistance software that automates communication and compliance through an interactive, two-way, text/email communications, tracking/documentation service. It is used to engage clients on behalf of agency staff. A purchased subscription provides agency staff with an interface to Sara for purposes of control and workflow. It includes technical support via a support ticketing system.

https://adminrules.idaho.gov/rules/current/38/380501.pdf

Justification*

Business Need*

Description*

Check all that apply:

Sole source provider of a licensed or patented good or service Sole manufacturer AND distributor Sole provider of factory-authorized/warranty service Sole provider of items that are compatible with existing equipment, systems, programs, etc.

Other

Describe the Agency’s business need for the requested property:

The Division has experienced additional work demands and increased data collection requirements based upon the changes to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended by the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). These additional obligations have significantly increased the day-to-day work requirements for counselors and support team members. With failed attempts to obtain additional FTEs, these additional pressures have required the Division to turn to technology solutions to resolve the additional work burden endured by team members. Customers ultimately feel the impact of these overly burdensome requirements. Customers are negatively impacted by overwhelmed counselors which results in higher customer dropout/disengagement rates leading to fewer successful employment outcomes. The Division’s application rates have steadily declined over the past five years. Decreased outreach efforts have led to fewer applicants requesting services which leads to less services provided and decreased federal grant funds expended. Rehabilitation Services Administration is encouraging VR programs across the nation to examine processes, invest in activities, practices, and consider technological solutions that will increase the engagement of individuals with disabilities, reduce the number of unsuccessful case closures, and ultimately increase successful employment outcomes.

Sara has a sophisticated appointment and event scheduling system that can integrate with Outlook. Sara will increase customer engagement through automation of communication, rescheduling of missed appointments, and case documentation. The use of this digital assistant software will reduce work demands and increase staff capabilities to conduct outreach, provide a greater level of counseling and guidance, and overall service delivery, which will have a greater impact on customers obtaining their successful employment goals.

SaraWorks, LLC would help IDVR streamline Customer communication as Sara will allow staff to communicate using SMS, email, Messenger, and video conferencing.

Communications are automated by Sara to follow a set of rules based on client status and interactions and can also be sent by staff. Sara ensures staff meet the minimum communication requirements. IDVR Customers will have ready access to communications with their Vocational Rehabilitation Counselor and able to submit needed files by text and email or take a photo of printed documents.

This would be a more efficient way for Customers and Counselors to interact and complete Customer profiles and case files. Further, Sara captures all communications and turns them into case notes saving valuable staff time.

Describe what makes the identified property unique. Why is it the only property that could meet your business need?

Sara has been trained to support VA VR&E, Title I (WIOA Dislocated Workers), Title II (Adult Ed), Title III (Wagner/Peyser Unemployment Insurance), TANF, TAA, Vets, Title IV (Vocational Rehab), and Ticket to Work which helps IDVR to conduct work in a way that meets f d l i t our federal requirements.

Alliance Enterprises, Inc. (Alliance), the vendor who supplies IDVR with the Aware Case Management System, has a strategic agreement with SaraWorks, LLC for the purpose of integrating the Sara™ Digital Assistant with Aware. This combination will seamlessly integrate the two product offerings and reduce the need for IT resources. By streamlining communication, counselors regain time to enhance client relationships. Alliance offers a standard interface and hosting option from the Aware VR system to Sara™.

SARA is an Al-based virtual assistant developed specifically for the human services field. Although there are many "virtual assistants" on the market like SIRl, they are all based on Passive Digital Assistant technology, meaning they await input before responding - typically with information or simple actions. SARA, on the other hand, is based on Active Digital Assistant technology that closely mimics what a human assistant can do. That includes knowing which client to connect with when, what information to gather from the client, being able to interview the client using two-way communication in English and Spanish, interpreting the responses, making decisions about what to do next with the client according to agency policy, executing the decisions and documenting the interaction in concise and consistent case notes that SARA can then upload to the target case management system. In addition, SARA can direct-connect with any case management system making it a seamless extension.

The Sara user application is fully 508 WCAG 2.0 compliant (Web Accessibility Guidelines). This allows Counselors who are blind or visually impaired to administer agency programs and work with clients.

Security of PII - Sara is a cloud-based application residing on the AWS GovCloud, only available to U.S. entities that can meet AWS’s stringent security requirements for government related applications. Sara is HIPPA and SOC2 certified, meaning that staff can safely communicate personal medical information via Sara.

The Workforce Innovation Technical Assistance Center (WINTAC) works together with state vocational rehabilitation agencies and their partners to effectively implement their requirements of the workforce innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA). SARA is part of the technical assistance that has been made available by WINTAC on a pilot basis to three states and on a fee basis to others beyond the initial pilot. Some of the VR agencies in these states use AWARE for their case management systems. SARA and AWARE have been modified for secure two-way communication between each system. The SARA system bridges case management systems used by different state agencies and also is a direct interface with program participants providing information from the participant on service and career progress to the case management system of the agency.

Currently Sarah is the only assistant that is being used by VR agencies to blend agency case management systems for WIOA core and other required programs with a participant interface that supports employment specialists, case managers, and rehabilitation counselors concurrently. Additionally, SARA is the only system that the Rehabilitation Services Administration and WINTAC are piloting with state vocational rehabilitation agencies to bridge case management systems and ensure that the software provides this enhanced case management

Alternatives*

Requestor was asked to upload any additional documents/information that could help support the sole source request

File Upload

Agency Certification*

Signature

Approval

The following conditions apply to this authorization:

SSA Number*

DOP Signature*

DOP Printed Name*

Title* software provides this enhanced case management function (with enhanced two-way communication with participants) for vocational rehabilitation agencies in meeting their requirements for WIOA.

Describe the research you conducted to identify other potential property/sources. What potential alternatives did you find and why will they not meet the Agency’s business needs?

Conversations with other States in the Vocational Rehabilitation community of practice show that several are now using SARA, and none have found a viable alternative.

Personal research on digital assistant alternatives found that there appears to be no other tools that can contact our customers with personalized messages based on their case status and other factors and that can integrate their response information into their case file.

Some alternatives looked at:

Engage by cell (https://www.engagebycell.com/) - Contacts are not individualized and not tied to case management system.

Moxo (https://moxo.com/) - Wide ranging business workflow tool. Not designed specifically for case management.

EZ Texting (https://eztexting.com/) - Geared toward SMS texting for marketing campaigns Text-em-all (https://text-em-all.com/) - Another Mass texting tool. Does not appear to be geared toward individual case management.

Sara Sole Source Justification Q3 2023- Idaho.pdf 89.55KB

SaraWorks Key Values.pdf 62.79KB

Alliance and SaraWorks Partnership.pdf 58.16KB

By submitting this form, I certify that the information provided above is true and accurate to the best of my knowledge, supports the requirement for a sole source procurement, and is in the best interest of the State:

Approver

Administrator intends to approve (pending legal notice and appeal period).

This SSA is only an authorization; a contract must be executed as detailed herein.

The Agency is authorized to issue a contract for an amount up to the anticipated total cost identified above.

DOP will issue and administer a contract pursuant to this SSA.

The Agency is responsible for requesting renewals and amendments to this SSA as appropriate.

The Agency must submit an SSA Business/Financial Analysis with it’s next request to renew the SSA.

Any agreement resulting from this SSA must be in writing, must comply with Idaho laws and policies, and must comply with best practices in contracting to the greatest extent practical. It is recommended that the Agency consult with its legal counsel.

Other:

Sign

Date*

Notes