RFI_33701-030325_TeleconferenceServices.pdf

STATE OF TENNESSEE

DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

FOR

TELECONFRENCE SERVICES

RFI # 33701_030325

April 14, 2025

1. STATEMENT OF PURPOSE:

The State of Tennessee, DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT issues this Request for Information (“RFI”) for the purpose of TELECONFERENCE SERVICES.

We appreciate your input and participation in this process.

2. BACKGROUND:

2.1. Historically, Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Services has conducted Unemployment Benefit legal hearings and proceedings utilizing a telephonic conferencing service. The current services are not meeting the needs of the Agency; therefore requiring re-procurement of these services. These hearings can last several hours per conference call and require multiple participants per room to utilize the services simultaneously.

2.2. The following are requirements of Labor and Workforce Development for the needed services:

2.2.1. The service must be able to be used as a call-in, where the participants call a toll-free number, or call out method, where the business will use the service to call the conference participants.

2.2.2. Thirty (30) telephonic conference rooms per day are required, with the ability of the Agency and participants to access the conference as early as 6:00 a.m. Central Time and as late as 7:00 p.m. Central Time and be available for use during the week and on weekends. There cannot be a limit on the number of calls recorded each day nor can there be a limit on the time duration for recording any specific call.

2.2.3. All 30 conference rooms shall have the ability to operate simultaneously as independent conference rooms, with the ability to have an unlimited number of participants per conference room.

2.2.4. All calls in the conference rooms shall be recorded for the duration of the conference call, and contractor shall maintain digital recordings for five years from the date of the recording. Recording shall be stored in a manner the Agency can download as needed in a standard digital format requested by the agency.

2.2.5. If the service is used as a call-in service, each conference shall be accessible by a United States toll-free telephone number.

2.2.6. If the service is used as a call-in service, each conference requires a unique PIN for each conference. The PIN will be generated by the business, and the PINs for multiple conferences must be easily uploadable to the system en masse.

2.2.7. If the service is used as a call-out service, the service must be able to display the business-supplied caller ID information.

2.2.8. Each conference room shall have the ability for the host to allow, deny, and verify the participants identity a participant prior to entering the conference call.

2.2.9. Each conference room shall have the ability to utilize a “call-out” function to add participants utilizing local and long-distance landlines and cellular services within the Continental United States.

2.2.10. Each conference room shall have the ability to utilize a “call-out” function to add participants utilizing local and long-distance landlines and cellular services within the Continental United States.

2.2.11. Each conference shall have the ability to mute/unmute, place/release participants on/from hold, disconnect participants, and lock/unlock the conference as needed.

2.2.12. The teleconference service shall provide a report at the end of each conference call to the host that includes, but not limited to: Date of call, duration of call, start and end time for each party to the call, and phone numbers of participants.

2.2.13. Teleconference services shall maintain a minimum of 97% uptime for the purposes of eliminating instances where scheduled conferences need to be cancelled or rescheduled due to system maintenance or failures.

2.2.14. Customer support is required and shall be responsive to resolving issues for the conference rooms, should they arise.

2.2.15. The teleconference service shall provide managerial reports that list length of time a participant is on a call and average time participants are on calls.

2.2.16. Reserved. At time of contracting for this service, all functionality requested must be available as a Commercial Off The Shelf System that does not require modification to meet the performance requirements set forth within this RFI.

Modifications may be made solely to meet requirements set forth in 2.2.15.

2.2.17. Reserved. STS security. encryption, digital, and data requirements.

2.2.18. Reserved. State and Federal Code, Policy, Regulation requirements.

3. COMMUNICATIONS:

3.1. Please submit your response to this RFI to:

Don Cain, Contract Manager Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development 220 French Landing, 4A Nashville, TN 37243 don.cain@tn.gov 931-520-2505

3.2. Please feel free to contact the TENNESSEE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND

WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT with any questions regarding this RFI. The main point of contact will be:

Don Cain, Contract Manager Tennessee Department of Labor and Workforce Development 220 French Landing, 4A Nashville, TN 37243 don.cain@tn.gov 931-520-2505

3.3. Please reference RFI # 33701_030325 with all communications to this RFI.

4. RFI SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

EVENT

TIME

(Central Time Zone)

DATE

(all dates are State business days)

1. RFI Issued 4/14/2025

2. RFI Response Deadline 4/28/2025

5. GENERAL INFORMATION:

5.1. Please note that responding to this RFI is not a prerequisite for responding to any future solicitations related to this project and a response to this RFI will not create any contract rights. Responses to this RFI will become property of the State.

5.2. The information gathered during this RFI is part of an ongoing procurement. In order to prevent an unfair advantage among potential respondents, the RFI responses will not be available until after the completion of evaluation of any responses, proposals, or bids mailto:don.cain@tn.gov mailto:don.cain@tn.gov resulting from a Request for Qualifications, Request for Proposals, Invitation to Bid or other procurement method. In the event that the state chooses not to go further in the procurement process and responses are never evaluated, the responses to the procurement including the responses to the RFI, will be considered confidential by the State.

5.3. The State will not pay for any costs associated with responding to this RFI.

6. INFORMATIONAL FORMS:

The State is requesting the following information from all interested parties. Please fill out the following forms:

RFI # 33701_030325

TECHNICAL INFORMATIONAL FORM

1. RESPONDENT LEGAL ENTITY NAME:

2. RESPONDENT CONTACT PERSON:

Name, Title:

Address:

Phone Number:

Email:

3. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF EXPERIENCE PROVIDING SIMILAR SCOPE OF

SERVICES/PRODUCTS

4. If full request cannot be met, please list the items under 2.2. that create the shortfall?

5. Please list and describe items under 2.2. that can be partially met, if contractor cannot meet the full requirement. (i.e. 2.2.6. PINs can only be system generated, not generated by the agency)

6. If there is a shortfall, do you have services not requested by the agency that could mitigate? If yes, please describe.

7. How long has the contractor been in business and does the contractor currently have any contracts with other TN State Agencies?

COST INFORMATIONAL FORM

1. Describe what pricing units you typically utilize for similar services or goods (e.g., per hour, each, etc.:

2. Describe the typical price monthly range for similar services or goods

ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

1. Please provide input on alternative approaches or additional things to consider that might benefit the State: