RFI - PSOB Office Support.pdf

US DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE

OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS (OJP)

BUREAU OF JUSTICE ASSISTANCE (BJA)

PUBLIC SAFETY OFFICER’S BENEFITS PROGRAM (PSOB)

OUTREACH, CALL CENTER, AND PARALEGAL SUPPORT SERVICES

This Request for Information (RFI) is being released pursuant to the Federal Acquisition Regulations (FAR) Part 10 Market Research. The information collected through the process is considered to be market research as described by FAR

2.101 and in accordance with FAR 10.002. This is NOT a Request for Proposals (RFP), and nothing shall be construed herein or through the Sources Sought process to commit or obligate the Government to further action. In addition, vendors responding to this RFI shall bear all risks and expenses of any resources used to provide the requested information. The submission of capability information in response to this market survey is purely voluntary.

The Department of Justice (DOJ), the Office of Justice Programs (OJP) is issuing this RFI to identify any and all qualified small vendors (e.g., 8(a); Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business; Historically Underutilized Business Zone (HUBZone) Small Business; Small Disadvantaged Business; Veteran-Owned Small Business, Women-Owned Small Business and Economically Disadvantaged Women-Owned Small Business) having an interest in and possessing the resources and expertise to provide support for The Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA) Public Safety Officer’s Benefit (PSOB) Outreach, Call Center, and Paralegal Services.

The anticipated NAICS code applicable to this RFI: 541611 – Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services. The anticipated contract type is Labor Hours (LH). The anticipated period of performance is a base year plus four (4) option years commencing August 18, 2026.

The incumbent for this task is Hamilton Enterprises, LLC dba. Franklin and Turner

BACKGROUND

Enacted in 1976, the Public Safety Officers’ Benefits (PSOB) Act assists in the recruitment and retention of qualified public safety officers in America; establishes the value communities place on the contributions of those who are willing to serve their communities in potentially dangerous circumstances; and offers peace of mind to men and women seeking careers in public safety. A unique effort of the US Department of Justice; local, state, tribal, and federal public safety agencies; and national organizations, PSOB provides benefits including death, educational assistance, and disability to those eligible for the Program.

The PSOB Office at the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA), Office of Justice Programs, US Department of Justice is responsible for implementing the PSOB Program. In addition to reviewing and processing more than 1,000 cases each year, the Office works with national law enforcement, firefighter, and other first responder groups, educating public safety agencies regarding the Program and offering support to families and colleagues of fallen law enforcement officers, firefighters, and other first responders.

In FY 2023, the PSOB Office reviewed 829 death claims and of those, 641 were determined; 194 claims disability benefits, of which 60 were determined; and 591 determined education claims. The number for death, disability, and education claims has increased exponentially due to a number of amendments to the law and expanded knowledge of the Program. Additionally, PSOB appeals at the Hearing Officer and BJA Director levels have reached unprecedented numbers.

APPLICABLE DOCUMENTS

The PSOB Act (codified at 34 U.S.C. 10281, et. seq.) authorizes the payment federal death, disability, and education benefits. It is available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCODE-2017-title34/pdf/USCODE-2017-title34-subtitleI-chap101-subchapXI.pdf. PSOB regulations at 28 C.F.R. part 32 implement the Program. These are available at https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2018-title28-vol1/pdf/CFR-2018-title28-vol1-part32.pdf.

SCOPE

The Contractor shall provide timely and respectful assistance by way of caring customer service to survivors, surviving agencies, injured officers, and others regarding federal line of duty death, disability, and education benefits that may be available to them.

TASKS

The Contractor, at a minimum, shall provide the PSOB Office with the following services that relate to all PSOB death, disability, and educational (as needed) assistance claims. Note that the minimum qualitative performance foundation for all services related to these activities is respectful, timely, and clear communication and customer service to survivors, injured officers, public safety agencies, and related partners.

TASK DESCRIPTION

Task 1 Maintain and operate the BJA PSOB Customer Call Center

Task 2 Provide case file management

Task 3 Provide customer resource assistance

Task 4 Paralegal support services

TASK DESCRIPTION

Task 1 Maintain and operate the BJA PSOB Customer Call Center Task 2 Provide case file management Task 3 Provide customer resource assistance Task 4 Paralegal support services

Task 1 – Maintain and operate the BJA PSOB Customer Call Center The Contractor shall provide the following in order to maintain and operate the BJA PSOB Customer Call Center:

• The Call Center Specialist shall provide direct support to the PSOB Director and other PSOB Federal and Contract staff.

• The BJA PSOB Customer Call Center is a 1-800 toll-free phone number that shall be staffed by from the hours of 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. (Eastern Time) Monday through Friday. These continuous uninterrupted hours demonstrate the level of commitment of the PSOB Office, BJA, OJP; and the U.S. Department of Justice to survivors and surviving agencies experiencing a line of duty death or catastrophic injury of an officer. Customer Call Specialists handle the day-to-day operation of the Customer Call Center for the PSOB Program which is the first phone call that agencies or survivors make when a tragedy occurs. The Customer Call Center is a fast-paced and high-volume environment that demands speed and accuracy, while ensuring the proper handling of the sensitive nature of the customer.

• The Contractor shall ensure that the workload in the call center is efficiently operated to ensure that the image of the program and delivery of service is not hindered.

• The Customer Call Specialists shall provide clear, general, and accurate PSOB information to callers as requested.

• The Contractor shall ensure that the call line is properly staffed with sufficient Customer Call Specialists at all times during these hours in order to handle the call volume.

• Customer Call Specialists shall perform non-inherently governmental tasks, to perform proactive customer service to survivors and agencies, capture critical data on each application in the PSOB case management system, and accepting or rejecting each application based on submission of basic required documentation.

https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/CFR-2018-title28-vol1/pdf/CFR-2018-title28-vol1-part32.pdf

• The Customer Call Specialist shall document each call in the PSOB 2.0 Portal on the same or next day the call was made, including the date and time of the call, whether the applicant / agency POC was reached or a voicemail was left, etc.

• The Customer Call Specialist shall answer all general PSOB inquiries; forward other calls to PSOB staff as requested or indicated.

• The Customer Call Specialist shall document general information about calls via an Excel spreadsheet on the same day or next day the call was taken.

• The Customer Call Specialist shall open, track, and distribute all incoming mail (electronic and physical).

• The Customer Call Specialist shall track all closed and archived cases.

• The Customer Call Specialist shall scan records when required using Government furnished equipment.

• The Customer Call Specialist shall assist with mail merge correspondence, as necessary.

Task 2 – Provide case file management

The Contractor shall provide the following case file management services:

• The Contractor shall initiate and maintain PSOB claim case files in the PSOB 2.0 online portal. PSOB 2.0 is a new portal launched on October 10, 2017. It includes features such as customized checklists, and a MyPSOB page to ensure a streamlined and easy-to-navigate system for both claimants and public safety agencies. The internal case management system, or CRM, includes “Work Items” (along with step-by-step procedures) that reflect the internal review status of PSOB death, disability, and education claims, at the PSOB Office, Hearing Officer, and BJA Director levels of review.

• The case file managing system includes both a hard copy file system and the PSOB 2.0 portal. Customer Resource Specialists shall review applicant / agency information in the both systems to ensure that the data in both is accurate, up-to-date, and matching.

• Both Customer Call Specialists and Customer Resource Specialists ensure the proper archiving of closed cases in both the hard copy file system and the PSOB 2.0 portal. All closed cases will be tracked and filed in-house per archiving protocol and then archived.

Task 3 – Provide customer resource assistance The Contractor shall provide the following customer resource assistance services:

• Customer Resource Specialists shall perform non-inherently governmental tasks, to perform proactive customer service to survivors and agencies of fallen or catastrophically injured public safety officers. This assistance conveys the critical message to survivors, agencies, and injured officers that “Your application is not lost.”

• Customer Resource Specialists shall work closely with the PSOB Benefits Specialists and the PSOB Director to communicate the latest updates and progress on all active applications.

• Customer Resource Specialists shall continue follow up with the survivor / applicant after they are initiated by the Customer Call Specialist and provide general status updates regarding the claim. The initial follow up call to survivors / agencies shall occur within 24 hours of first contact with the BJA PSOB Customer Call Center.

Customer Resource Specialists shall ensure completion of all claims within 10 working days (or less if indicated and discussed with the PSOB Director until the case is released from Outreach for assignment to a Benefits Specialist).

• Customer Resource Specialists shall initiate calls or emails to resolve discrepancies within two working days of receiving from the PSOB Director and / or Specialist.

• Customer Resource Specialists shall return voicemails / emails / messages from survivors / agencies within two working days of receipt.

• Customer Resource Specialists shall be assigned periodically to perform customer service to dependents of fallen and injured officers who are seeking educational assistance through the Public Safety Officers’ Educational Assistance (PSOEA) Program. Customer Resource Specialists shall prepare the many documents required to submit a PSOEA claim through strong organizational skills and a strong understanding and implementation of the mathematical calculations in Microsoft Excel. The Customer Resource Specialist is responsible for requesting documents needed for PSOEA claims, following up on documents submitted, and drafting documents for review and approval by a PSOB Benefits Specialist and the PSOB Director.

• Customer Resource Specialists shall update the PSOB 2.0 Portal with all outreach actions.

• The Contractor shall ensure that a minimum of one (1) Customer Resource Specialist is fluent in Spanish.

Task 4 – Paralegal support services

The Contractor shall provide the following paralegal support services:

• Paralegals shall work with the PSOB Senior Benefits Specialists, Benefits Specialists, and the PSOB Director early and often in the claim process to review and analyze supporting evidence, and to identify issues of fact and law, including for cases involving fatal heart attacks, strokes, or vascular ruptures and other medical conditions.

• Following claim number assignment, Paralegals shall review assigned PSOB death and disability claims and identify any potential claim issues based on the initial submission of information. The Paralegal shall note the initial review in the PSOB 2.0 Portal the same day the review was conducted. The Paralegal shall meet with the PSOB Director and / or Specialist to discuss the PSOB claim and identify any potential claim issues.

• Paralegals shall be responsible for capturing, tracking, organizing, and reporting PSOB data and metrics to the COR, PSOB Director and BJA senior leadership.

• Paralegals shall support the tracking and processing of PSOB cases at the Hearing Officer and BJA Director levels.

• Paralegals shall provide a general review of all new PSOB claim information on a weekly basis.

• Among the team of Contractor paralegals, at least one Paralegal Specialist shall have specialized experience in maintaining a portfolio of death and disability claims that have been appealed on the Hearing Officer and BJA Director levels.

Respondents to this RFI shall provide the following information:

a) Vendor background summary including, contractor name, address, DUNS, point of contact information, email, phone, website address, small business designation, and any GSA schedule number (or other Federal Supply schedule number).

b) Tailored capability statements addressing the particulars of this effort, with appropriate documentation supporting claims of organizational and staff capability. If subcontracting or teaming is anticipated in order to deliver technical capability, organizations should address the administrative and management structure of such arrangements.

c) Past Performance - Provide a list of previous contracts where similar services were provided. Provide customer/Government Agency contact information where these services were provided including: contact name and organization, telephone number, and email address.

The Government will evaluate market information to ascertain potential market capacity to provide services consistent in scope with what is described in this notice and otherwise anticipated.

Telephone inquiries will not be accepted or acknowledged, and no feedback or evaluations will be provided to companies regarding their submissions. Interested vendors should monitor a government point of entry site for further information.

Submission Instructions: Interested vendors who consider themselves qualified to perform the above-listed services are invited to submit a response to this RFI Notice by Friday, February 13, 2026, 11:59PM Eastern Time. All responses under this RFI Notice must be emailed to alisha.wells@usdoj.gov.

Respondents to this RFI shall provide the following information: