RFP_1100_MTL3006_ADD_4_v1.pdf

SOLICITATION ADDENDUM

AUSTIN FINANCIAL SERVICES – CENTRAL PROCUREMENT

Revised 10/01/2024

Solicitation: RFP 1100 MTL3006 Addendum No: 4 Date: 9/11/2026

This addendum is to incorporate the following changes to the above referenced solicitation:

1.0 Questions:

Q1: Provide the current number of incumbent Contract Personnel by Contact Center, job classification, shift, bilingual status, and telework/onsite status. How many incumbent personnel does the City anticipate transitioning to the awarded Contractor at contract start?

A1: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 4.2-4.3.

Q2: Will all openings go to all awarded vendors, or can City departments choose to work with specific vendors?

A2: Please refer to Sections 1 and 2 of the Scope of Work regarding the Utility Contact Center and

Austin 3-1-1 Contact Center.

Q3: Will the City provide transition data such as incumbent tenure, shifts, bilingual designation, and work location? Clarify which compensation-related information for incumbents will be shared and which is confidential.

A3: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 4.1-4.3, provided upon award.

Q4: Can awarded companies include additional benefits not specifically requested in the RFP?

A4: Please refer to the Solicitation Instructions, Section 10.3, Recruiting and Retention Plan, and

Section 11, Evaluation Criteria.

Q5: Provide historical attrition rates by Contact Center, job classification, tenure band, and separation type. Identify the primary reasons for attrition over the past 12–24 months.

A5: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 2. Based on the competitive matters under

Section 552.133, this information falls under the Confidentiality of Public Power Utility Competitive Matter, thus this information cannot be shared.

Q6: Clarify how attrition is calculated for SLA scoring, invoice reductions, and escalation. Confirm whether attrition thresholds (5%, 10%, 25%, 35%) represent monthly averages, cumulative three-month totals, or training vs. production groups.

A6: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 17.6.1, 17.1, and Section 19.

Q7: Are there buyout terms included? For example, if the City hires a temporary employee after a certain period, would a placement fee apply?

A7: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 12.

Q8: How many positions does the City typically fill using temporary labor each year?

A8: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 2, Background.

Q9: Provide historical staffing fill rates, hiring volumes, training completion rates, and early tenure attrition data.

A9: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 2. Based on the competitive matters under

Section 552.133, this information falls under the Confidentiality of Public Power Utility Competitive

Q10: Provide assumptions supporting the projected staffing decline to approximately 130 Contract

Personnel by Year 5.

A10: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 1. Based on the competitive matters under

Section 552.133, this information falls under the Confidentiality of Public Power Utility Competitive

Q11: Provide anticipated contractor-to-City conversion volumes per year and criteria used to determine conversion eligibility.

A11: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW )Sections 1 and 12.1. City of Austin positions follow the

Municipal Civil Service rules.

Q12: Explain the division of responsibility between the City and Contractor for workforce planning, forecasting, scheduling, and training-class sizing.

A12: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW), City’s Responsibilities: Sections 7 and 20, Please refer to

Scope of Work (SOW) Contractor Responsibilities: Sections 5.10, 5.11, 5.20-5.24, 5.40, 6, 17.6.1.

Q13: Clarify whether staffing requests will be provided with advance notice or whether short-notice/emergency staffing is expected.

A13: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Sections 5.4, 5.5, 9.5, 9.10.

Q14: Explain whether the City expects over-hiring of training classes to account for historical training washout rates.

A14: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 8.

Q15: Provide historical washout or training failure rates.

A15: Based on the competitive matters under Section 552.133, this information falls under the

Confidentiality of Public Power Utility Competitive Matter, thus this information cannot be shared.

Q16: Clarify whether training time is fully billable, partially billable, or non-billable until production milestones are met.

A16: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Sections 5.14 and 8.

Q17: Provide expected training duration by Contact Center and job classification.

A17: Please refer to the revised Scope of Work v2, Sections 7.4–7.5, included with this Addendum. Also, Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 8. Customer Service Representative (CSR) is the main job classification and has the longest training period.

Q18: Clarify the City’s interview and candidate selection process.

A18: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Sections 5.4 and 6.1

Q19: Clarify whether City-driven delays are excluded from the 20 business day hiring SLA.

A19: The timeframe may be modified by Austin Energy as needed, including in situations where City-driven accelerations or delays occur.

Q20: Provide expected shift requirements across both centers, including evenings, overnight, weekends, holidays, and storm-response events.

A20: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 5.5, 9, 16.1.

Q21: Confirm whether any mandatory on-site reporting requirements exist for remote personnel during emergencies or outages.

A21: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 5.5, 9.10, 16.1.

Q22: Confirm expected bilingual staffing percentage for CSRs and distinction between candidate-pool vs stipend-pricing requirements.

A22: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) 5.10 and Price Sheet V1.

Q23: Provide historical bilingual staffing levels and Spanish-language call volumes.

A23: Based on the competitive matters under Section 552.133, this information falls under the

Confidentiality of Public Power Utility Competitive Matter, thus this information cannot be shared.

Q24: Clarify whether Contractor-provided management roles are billable, non-billable overhead, or markup-included.

A24: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Sections 5.3 and 5.18 and Price Sheet v1.

Q25: Will the City provide workspace, equipment, network access, and seating for Contractor on-site management personnel?

A25: Please refer to the Scope of Work (SOW) Section 20.8.

Q26: Identify all required system integrations for Contractor platforms (timekeeping, payroll, WFM, reporting dashboards, ATS).

A26: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.12 Genesys Cloud CX. Contractor’s automated timekeeping + payroll system must be compatible with Austin Energy’s telephony and timekeeping system of record.

Q27: Confirm specific Genesys components the Contractor must integrate with (Pure Engage Cloud, Genesys Cloud CX, transitional environments).

A27: Please refer to the Scope of Work 5.12 Genesys Cloud CX.

Q28: Clarify whether API access, scheduled data exports, secure file transfer, or read‑only integration will be provided.

A28: API access, SFTP, secure export functions, or read‑only integrations will be reviewed upon contract award.

Q29: Identify all systems of record (telephony, QA, timekeeping, HRIS, billing).

A29: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.12 Genesys Cloud CX.

Q30: Confirm whether dashboards must support real‑time analytics, historical reporting, bilingual segmentation, and integration with City systems.

A30: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.38,17.6.4, which defines SLA‑critical reporting. The

Scope of Work, 5.17 Dashboard, Vendor should provide a solution.

Q31: Provide technical specifications and interface requirements for timekeeping and payroll systems.

A31: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.12 Genesys Cloud CX. API access, SFTP, secure export functions, or read‑only integrations will be reviewed upon the contract award.

Q32: Clarify whether the City will provide API/interface documentation for systems requiring integration.

A32: API access, SFTP, secure export functions, or read‑only integrations will be reviewed with the contract award.

Q33: Confirm whether Contractor‑provided technology/equipment is required for all telework personnel and indicate expected volumes.

A33: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 14.2 and Price Sheet v1.

Q34: Clarify which equipment is City‑provided versus Contractor‑provided for telework, onsite, and hybrid staff.

A34: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 14.2–14.3 and 20.8.

Q35: Provide anticipated duration for Contractor‑provided equipment before City‑issued devices are supplied.

A35: Anticipated duration for Contractor provided equipment before City issued devices are supplied is the training period up to the duration of the assignment.

Q36: Identify requirements for laptops, desktops, monitors, headsets, VPN clients, token devices, and telework kits.

A36: Please refer to the Policies, Acknowledgements, and Guidelines attachment 10, Section, Equipment Depreciation Schedule for equipment equivalents. VPN clients are Cisco and Secure Access Client.

Q37: Clarify required cybersecurity frameworks, certifications, or compliance standards (SOC II, PCI, ISO‑9001, NIST), and confirm whether the required audits or certifications must be submitted with the Proposal or only after contract award.

A37: Please refer to Scope of Work, Section 5.25.2 and the Solicitation Instructions v1, Section 10.4.2,

(d) Personnel and Organizational Structure.

Q38: Identify scope, notice period, and remediation timelines for City-directed penetration testing.

A38: Penetration testing is not within scope of this solicitation.

Q39: Identify all encryption, data-handling, and secure-transmission requirements.

A39: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions v1, Section 3.12 Data.

Q40: Clarify whether the City provides a business‑continuity platform or if Contractor must provide its own.

A40: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions Section 3.1, Business Continuity and Disaster Recovery.

Q41: Confirm whether remote agents will access City systems via VDI or web-based authentication.

A41: Remote agents will access City systems via VPN, web-based authentication, and multifactor authentication

Q42: Identify required City-furnished knowledge bases, CRM systems, or applications necessary for agents.

A42: Please refer to the Policies, Acknowledgement, and Guidelines packet attachment, consisting of the following documents: Core applications and systems are Microsoft Office Suite, Motorola CSR Premier 1, and CC&B.

Q43: Clarify the process for provisioning access credentials, security tokens, and VPN profiles.

A43: Please refer to the Scope of Work Sections 5.4, 7, and 20.11. Assigned City of Austin personnel will provide access on day 1 of training.

Q44: Clarify whether the Contractor is expected to manage full contact center operations, including training, compliance, reporting, and KPI dashboard delivery.

A44: Please refer to the Scope of Work Sections 5.3,5.17, 5.18, 5.25, 5.31,5.38,16, 17, and 21.

Q45: Explain whether the solicitation represents staff augmentation, a hybrid operational model, or full outsourced operational management expectations.

A45: Please refer to the Scope of Work Sections 1, 5.17, 5.18, 5.3, and 21.

Q46: Clarify Paragraph 5 Section 3 regarding schedule alignment and the non-billable status of on-site Contractor representatives.

A46: The Scope of work Section, 5.3 requires the Contractor to provide on-site staffing management and

Project Manager support, and explicitly states: the Contractor shall pay for all additional onsite Contractor representatives. These expenditures will not be considered billable activities to the City. This means: On-site management personnel are Contractor-funded, not billable to AE. Their schedule must align with AE operations (Scope of work core hours Section 5.18.5). The City will not reimburse or pay for management personnel hours or costs.

Q47: Is there a defined timeline for City conversion of Contract Personnel to Austin Energy full-time employees?

A47: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 12.1 There is no fixed schedule, AE discretion. Contractors have remained contractors for over 10 years.

Q48: Explain methodology and assumptions used to revise staffing requirements to 35–40 Customer

Service Representatives per center.

A48: Please refer to the Scope of Work Sections 1, 2, and 5.

Q49: Provide the percentage of current Contract Personnel participating in telework and expectations for continuation.

A49: Please refer to the Scope of Work Sections 4.2, 9, 14, 14.5, 6.2, 9.1-9.5.1,10, and 16.

All staff participate in the hybrid telework program.

Q50: Clarify whether ancillary charges should be included as recurring charges, one-time onboarding costs, or embedded in hourly billing rates.

A50: Please refer to the Solicitation Instructions Section 10.6.1.

Q51: Will the Contractor bear responsibility for costs related to the migration from Genesys Pure Engage

Cloud to Genesys Cloud CX?

A51: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.12; this occurs prior to the new contract. Contractor is responsible only for maintaining compatibility, not for migration costs.

Q52: Confirm required background check look-back period.

A52: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions, Section 3.10, Workforce Security Clearance and

Identification (ID) Required Personnel Risk Assessment (PRA) for Austin Energy.

Q53: Provide historical spend for FY2024–FY2026 under the current supplemental staffing program.

A53: The Scope of Work Sections, 2, provides FY2025 spend: $16,294,769.16.

FY24/FY26 - Based on the competitive matters under Section 552.133, this information falls under the Confidentiality of Public Power Utility Competitive Matter, thus this information cannot be shared.

Q54: Clarify the City’s anticipated annual spend and expected utilization levels for the new contract.

A54: Please refer to the Scope of work Section 2, Any additional information is considered confidential as a public power utility competitive matter under Texas Government Code Section 552.133.

Offerors must develop pricing using the City’s Price Sheet.

Q55: Clarify whether the City requires matching or maintaining any existing benefits for incumbent

Contract Personnel.

A55: Please refer to the Scope of work Section 2, 4.1, 5.30, 5.31, the City does not mandate matching the previous vendor’s medical plans, PTO accrual rules, or stipend structures. Benefits beyond tenure-recognition are determined by the Contractor.

Q56: Identify issues, challenges, or areas for improvement the City wants addressed under the new contract.

A56: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section, 5 and 17. The performance of the existing contract is outside the scope of this solicitation. Offerors should prepare their proposals based on the requirements outlined in the solicitation documents.

Q57: Clarify the controlling SLA performance metrics, thresholds, weights, calculation methodology, and maximum available points.

A57: Please refer to the Scope of work Section 17 defines the SLA Performance metric scorecard.

Q58: Clarify the required bilingual staffing percentages and their relationship to operational requirements versus Price Sheet assumptions.

A58: Please refer to the Scope of work Section 1, 2, 5.10 and Price Sheet v1. Pricing assumption (%) = only for rate modeling, not operational minimums.

Q59: Will Austin Energy provide an anonymized incumbent workforce roster with classification, tenure, shift, bilingual status, and transition-relevant data?

A59: Please refer to the Scope of work Section 4.1 – 4.3, 5.71, 5.20. Necessary incumbent data will be provided upon award for transition planning.

Q60: Define “all funds paid” for SOW Section 8.1 reimbursements (Performance Credits), including whether markup and ancillary charges are included.

A60: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 8.1, “all fund paid” includes anything billed for Contract

Personnel under hourly billing rate or overtime hourly billing rate.

Q61: Clarify calculations for attrition thresholds (5%, 10%, 25%, 35%) across SLA, invoice reduction, and escalation categories.

A61: Please refer to the Scope of work Section 17.

Q62: Will the City consider extending the proposal submission deadline if needed?

A62: If there are any updates to the extension of proposal submission deadlines, they will be posted on the AFO website.

Q63: Identify all mandatory City policies that Contract Personnel must comply with (Wage Theft Training, security, confidentiality, conduct, etc.).

A63: Please refer to the Scope of work Section 16 and 21. Additionally, employers must complete Wage

Theft Training.

Q64: Describe expectations for Contractor compliance tracking and reporting for mandatory

City trainings.

A64: Please refer to the Scope of work Section16; Contractor must track completion.

Q65: Confirm required security policies governing access (authentication, token use, VPN requirements, prohibited access points).

A65: Contractor must support Contractor-supplied devices via erasure, MDM, audit logging, patch management, and contractor technology support. Contractor must protect client data including PII and PHI, please refer to the Terms and Conditions, section 3.12, Data for further information.

Q66: Clarify whether international login attempts result in automatic access suspension and describe reinstatement protocol.

A66: Please refer to the Scope of work Section 14.5 Telework work locations must be “within two hours of 4815 Mueller Blvd” (Texas-based). International work or login is not permitted, the person will not be reinstated. Notice may be provided to vendor. City maintains the option to terminate the Contract.

Q67: Describe City expectations for reporting security incidents (timelines, initial notice, remediation). Clarify whether separate incident-reporting timelines (24-hour, 4-hour, immediate) must be harmonized or treated independently.

A67: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions, Section , 3.12 - Data.

Q68: How many vendors will be awarded, and will multiple vendors be awarded per category?

A68: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 1, Purpose.

Q69: Describe required compliance obligations related to utility-account status monitoring for Contract

Personnel.

A69: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section, 5.7–5.7.1, Contractor must conduct annual AE utility-account reviews, Non-compliant personnel must be immediately removed.

Q70: Clarify how Contractor should manage cases where personnel cannot obtain consent from roommates/family for utility-account disclosure.

A70: If not residing with the individual, complete the form with the last known City of Austin utility address, If residing with the individual, complete the form with the address. Please refer to the Public Trust Form, in the Policies Acknowledgements and Guidelines, Attachment 10

Q71: Identify mandatory attendance and punctuality policies for both Contact Centers, including special rules for training.

A71: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 7.2.2, 16.1, and Exhibits.

Q72: Will the City share the evaluation scorecard each vendor receives?

A72: After contract award, evaluation records may be requested through the City’s Public Information

Request process.

Q73: Confirm which Essential Training Days require strict attendance, and whether mitigating circumstances apply. Clarify consequences for attendance occurrences caused by City system outages or IT delays.

A73: Please refer to the Scope of Work v2, Section 7.6-7.6.1 “Essential Training Days” are assigned as the class progresses through content. Failure to attend a designated Essential Training Days will result in the ending of the assignment. Exceptions require: Written approval from the Contact Center Manager, Contract Manager, or Director of Customer Care. This also applies to mandatory in-office days. Failure to attend a mandatory in office day will result in the ending of the assignment. Exceptions require written approval from the Contact Center Manager, Contract Manager, or Director of Customer Care.

Q74: Describe expectations for Contractor documentation of attendance-related corrective actions.

A74: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.38, which requires: Monthly reporting of all corrective actions, including: Date delivered , Expiration date , Level of corrective action Reason for corrective action.

Q75: Clarify required leave-management rules (PTO approval, sick leave documentation, training-period restrictions).

A75: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section, 5.39, 5.39.2–5.39.3, 7.2.2, 16.1, and Exhibits.

Q76: Identify City approvals required for employee leave requests to avoid co-employment concerns.

A76: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.31, 5.39.1. It is the Contractor’s responsibility to actively reduce the risk of co-employment.

Q77: Confirm whether the City provides lists of accepted holidays and required holiday staffing.

A77: Yes a link is provided. Please refer to the Scope of Work Section, 5.5

Q78: Describe expectations for Contractor compliance with City emergency-response declarations

(weather events, outages).

A78: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.5, 16: Contract Personnel must report “as required,” including emergencies declared by: Office of Emergency Management, Incident Command Center, The Business Unit, Contact Center. Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 9.10.

Q79: Clarify whether Contract Personnel must comply with City dress codes, workspace standards, or customer-interaction rules.

A79: Yes, Contract Personnel must comply.

Q80: Confirm which positions are eligible for telework, hybrid work, or fully onsite assignment.

A80: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 4.1 – 4.3, 5.71, 5.20. Necessary incumbent data will be provided upon award for transition planning. Hybrid eligibility applies to all positions, unless AE directs otherwise.

Q81: Provide the percentage of current personnel approved for telework and any expected changes under the new contract.

A81: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 4.1 – 4.3, 5.71, 5.20. Necessary incumbent data will be provided upon award for transition planning.

Q82: Clarify the required onsite vs. telework staffing mix by Contact Center and job classification.

A82: Please refer to the Price Sheet v1 and please refer to the Scope of Work Section 14.2–14.4

Q83: Confirm whether telework eligibility begins after training, after probation, or requires City approval.

A83: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section, 6.2, 7.1, 14: after the City provides approval.

Q84: Clarify whether the City may require temporary onsite reporting for remote personnel during emergencies, outages, or seasonal demand spikes.

A84: Yes, please refer to the Scope of Work Section 9.10, 14.5.

Q85: Identify all City-issued equipment for telework personnel (laptops, monitors, headsets, token devices, peripherals).

A85: Please refer to the attachment; Equipment Depreciation Schedule for equipment equivalents.

Q86: What major City stakeholders would awarded contractor be working with?

A86: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 2, Background, and Sections 5.28, 5.29–5.29.3, and

5.35. Internal stakeholders may include Austin Energy leadership, Austin 3-1-1 leadership, and the City’s Contract Manager. Stakeholders external to the Utility Contact Center and Austin 3-1-1 may include other City departments, governmental entities and leadership, and members of the general public, as applicable to the services provided.

Q87: Identify required technical specifications for Contractor-provided devices (OS, security controls, audio requirements).

A87: Please refer to the Equipment Depreciation Schedule for equipment equivalents in the Policies

Acknowledgements and Guidelines Attachment 10 . Please refer to the Scope of Work v2, Section 6.2, in this addendum for core applications.

Q88: Confirm whether Contractor devices must support remote erasure, MDM controls, audit logging, or patch management.

A88: Contractor must support Contractor-supplied devices via erasure, MDM, audit logging, patch management, and contractor technology support. Contractor must protect client data including PII and PHI. This requirement is intended to ensure that any City Data that is present on an endpoint device is unusable to an unauthorized person who may obtain the device. This can be accomplished by whole-disk encryption or the ability to remotely deactivate the device using the Contractor’s supplied MDM solution. If the City is supplying the endpoint devices, the City will provide the solution to satisfy this requirement.

Q89: Clarify whether the Contractor is responsible for shipping, deployment, replacement, return logistics, and refurbishment costs.

A89: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 14.4. Yes — Contractor is financially responsible: Contractor bears full logistical cost; AE provides no funding.

Q90: Confirm whether shipping costs may be billed as pass-through expenses or must be included in markup.

A90: please refer to the Price Sheet v1 - Shipping costs for telework equipment should be included in the calculation.

Q91: Clarify whether employees must perform network speed tests before telework approval and whether the City provides testing tools.

A91: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section, 6.2 Pre-assignment package requires a “speed test” verifying minimum bandwidth. The City will approve during 1st day of training.

Q92: Confirm whether VPN access, virtual desktop, or browser-based access is required for telework personnel.

A92: Yes, VPN access, virtual desktop, or browser-based access is required for telework personnel.

Q93: Can awarded vendors add labor categories to this contract after award?

A93: Please refer to the Price Sheet.

Q94: Confirm whether City will supply CRM access, knowledge-base access, telephony access, and authentication hardware.

A94: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 7, 20.1, 20.9, 20.10.

Q95: Confirm whether the Contractor must maintain an inventory tracking system for telework equipment.

A95: Contractor must return equipment, reimburse losses, and manage shipping logistics. To meet these obligations, the Contractor must maintain inventory. Methodology and system are the responsibility of the Contractor. Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.19 AE, will be reimbursed for damaged or lost equipment.

Q96: Specify the process and timeline for issuing, activating, deactivating, and reclaiming telework devices.

A96: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section, 5.4 and 5.19.

Q97: Clarify responsibilities for repair, replacement, and warranty management of Contractor-provided and City-provided devices.

A97: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5.19 and 14.4; the Contractor must reimburse AE for damaged AE-issued equipment. AE will manage warranty for City-provided devices. Otherwise the Contractor handles its own equipment and support.

Q98: Identify required City policies telework personnel must complete (Wage Theft Training, security compliance, etc.).

A98: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Sections 16 and 21, for the requirements applicable to telework personnel. Additionally, the Contractor must complete the City’s required Wage Theft Training.

Q99: Clarify whether telework locations must be within two hours of 4815 Mueller Blvd, whether exceptions may be approved, and whether the Contractor must validate telework addresses and ensure compliance with the location-radius requirement.

A99: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 14.5. Please also refer to the Equipment Acknowledgment Attachment 10. The Contractor must return equipment, reimburse losses, and manage shipping logistics. To meet these obligations, the Contractor must maintain an inventory.

The methodology and system are the responsibility of the Contractor. The Contractor must validate the location of City-provided equipment at least twice a year.

Q100: Specify whether telework personnel must maintain a dedicated workspace meeting ergonomic, safety, and confidentiality standards.

A100: Please refer to the Scope of Work Section 5, 16, 21, in addition, employers must complete Wage Theft, please refer to the General and Offer Certification. To comply, a dedicated workspace, health & safety, and confidentiality standards are to be met. Validation is part of the Contractor’s responsibility to enforce compliance.

Q101: Who are the incumbent providers, and can the City share the following: Current supplier names, current supplier pricing and proposals, contract start date and annual spend since inception, number of resources currently engaged, number of positions filled and volume of business per vendor in previous years?

A101: Portions of this information is considered a confidential public power utility competitive matter under Texas Government Code Section 552.133 and the information cannot be shared.

Q102: Regarding the key personnel being named CH employees that will be onsite, can you provide clarity here?

A102: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Sections 5.18–5.18.5.

Q103: Clarify whether training time is fully billable, partially billable, or non-billable until production milestones are met.

A103: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Sections 8.1-8.3, 5.14, 17.6.3.

Q104: Provide historical training completion and washout rates for the past three years.

A104: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 2, CSR FY25 -Attrition level will be the only historic service level performance information provided.

FY24/FY26 - Based on the competitive matters under Section 552.133, this information falls under the Confidentiality of Public Power Utility Competitive Matter, thus this information cannot be

Q105: Clarify whether Contractor-designed curriculum changes require City approval.

A105: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.11 and the Scope of Work v2, Section 5.40.1 in this addendum.

Q106: Confirm whether bilingual proficiency exams and other required assessments are City-provided or

Contractor-provided.

A106: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 13.3, 13.3.2, 5.11.

Q107: Clarify whether Contractor must compensate personnel for bilingual test time if they fail or do not provide required identification.

A107: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 13.3.2.

Q108: Identify which reasons for training failure trigger Performance/Training Period Credits under SOW

Section 8.

A108: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 8.1–8.3.

Q109: Clarify which separation types during the 72-day training period result in 100% vs. 50% reimbursement.

A109: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 8.1.1.

Q110: Define “all funds paid” for reimbursement: wages, payroll taxes, markup, ancillary fees, stipends?

A110: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 8.1 “all funds paid” includes but not limited to all wages, payroll taxes, markup, ancillary fees, stipends for Contract Personnel who fail to complete training.

Q111: Clarify whether Performance/Training Period Credits apply when separation is caused by City-directed termination, system failures, facility issues, or scheduling constraints.

A111: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 8.3.

Q112: Confirm whether multiple penalties (SLA penalties, attrition penalties, training credits) may apply concurrently to the same employee event.

A112: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 17.1.

Q113: Describe the City’s onboarding requirements (credentials, system access, security tokens, PRA).

A113: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions, Section 3.10, Workforce Security Clearance and

Identification (ID) Required Personnel Risk Assessment (PRA) for Austin Energy.

A CBI is inclusive of a vulnerable population and financial background check, please also refer to the Scope of Work, Section, 5.4, 7, 20.11. Assigned COA personnel will provide access on day 1 of training.

Q114: Clarify whether PRA timelines are expedited for incumbents already possessing clearance.

A114: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions, Section 3.10, Workforce Security Clearance and

Identification (ID) Required Personnel Risk Assessment (PRA) for Austin Energy.

Q115: Provide required onboarding sequence (training scheduling, technology provisioning, badge activation, system orientation).

A115: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Sections 6; 7; 16; 20.11.

Q116: Identify restrictions on Contractor-provided training that overlaps with City responsibility to avoid co-employment concerns.

A116: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.31.

Q117: Provide guidelines for Contractor-led operational training (policies, quality, call handling).

A117: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 7.1

Q118: For key personnel required to be onsite, must specific individuals be named in the proposal, or can those individuals be identified at the time of contract award.

A118: Please refer to Solicitation Instructions Section 10.4.2 – Personnel and Organizational Structure.

Q119: Define City expectations for onboarding documentation (employment verification, background checks, compliance forms).

A119: Required documentation includes: Background check results (criminal, financial, references, vulnerable population programs where applicable) (Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 6.2). Acknowledgements of AE policies (Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 16). PRA clearance (Terms and Conditions Section 3.10 Workforce Security Clearance), Verification of IT requirements including speed test for telework (Please refer to the Scope of Work v2, Section 6.2 in this addendum).

Q120: Describe onboarding differences for telework vs. onsite staff.

A120: Onsite onboarding: Receive AE-issued security badge (Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section

20.11) Work at AE facilities with AE-provided workstation (Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 20.8). Telework onboarding: Must pass IT requirements (speed test 15 Mbps up / 2 Mbps down). (Please refer to the Scope of Work v2, Section 6.2 in this addendum), Contractor may initially provide all telework equipment. (Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 14.2–14.4). AE may provide all electronic telework equipment. Telework location must be within two hours of 4815 Mueller Blvd. (Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 14.5).

Q121: Clarify whether onboarding must align with City scheduling for new-hire classes.

A121: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 17.6.1

Q122: Describe expectations for tracking attendance and participation during training, including consequences for multiple attendance occurrences.

A122: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 7.2.2, 8.2.

Q123: Identify all required monthly, quarterly, and annual reports including Attrition Reports, Staffing

Action Reports, Personnel Reports, and Performance Credit Reports.

A123: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.26, 5.38, 17.6.4.

Q124: Clarify required data fields, formats, and templates for each report and whether City-provided templates will be used.

A124: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.16, 5.3,17, upon award, City-assigned Contractor’s

Project Manager to support transition and implementation.

Q125: Describe requirements for real-time dashboards including KPIs, metrics, filters, and update frequency.

A125: Contractor KPI deliverables are found in the Scope of Work, Section 5, 6, 7, 8, and 17 relevant to this supplemental staffing solicitation.

Q126: Clarify whether dashboards must integrate directly with City systems or whether secure file-transfer updates are acceptable.

A126: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions document, Section 3.13 and 3.14 API access, SFTP, secure export functions, or read-only integrations will be reviewed with the contract award.

Q127: Identify required operational metrics including AHT, ASA, Service Level, Occupancy, Abandonment

Rate, Reliability Rate, Fill Rate, Training Completion, Attrition.

A127: Contractor’s KPI deliverables are found in the Scope of Work, Section 5, 6, 7, 8, and 17 relevant to this solicitation. The Scope of Work, Section 5.18–5.18.1, and 5.31, On-site contractor management is not responsible for queue monitoring. However, on-site contractor management is responsible for managing contractor shrinkage mitigation and to work with city contact center management for contractor schedule adjustments. Contact Center-wide Operational KPI’s are not relevant.

Q128: Confirm whether KPI’s must be segmented by language (English vs Spanish), job classification, shift, or telework status. Clarify expectations for bilingual KPI reporting, including Spanish-language queue requirements

A128: Bilingual deliverables have been defined in the Scope of Work, Section 5.10, 5.38, 6.2.

Q129: How does the City define local presence — does maintaining a physical office within the City qualify even if it is not the vendor’s corporate headquarters.

A129: Please refer to the General Offer and Certification Document, Section Local Business Certification.

Q130: Identify any mandatory scorecards or evaluation templates contractors must submit regularly.

A130: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.38, 17 scorecard is evaluated regularly.

Q131: Describe reporting requirements for emergency events (surge management, outage impacts, SLA adjustments).

A131: Emergency command task orders and hours. Capture billable time associated with emergency response.

Q132: Clarify whether City-driven delays must be separately documented within hiring or workforce reports.

A132: Yes, City-driven delays must be documented separately within the applicable hiring or workforce reports.

Q133: Identify expectations for QA reporting including monitoring summaries, calibration outputs, and performance trends.

A133: The Contact Center operational KPIs identified in this question, including monitoring summaries and calibration outputs, do not apply to this solicitation. Contractor KPI deliverables and performance-trend requirements relevant to this solicitation are provided in the Scope of Work, Sections 5, 6, 7, 8, and 17.

Q134: Confirm whether Contractors must submit training reports tracking attendance, completion, and pass/fail rates.

A134: Yes, Contractors should submit.

Q135: Clarify expectations for report automation, file formats, and delivery mechanisms (SFTP, email, portal).

A135: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions document, Section 3.13-3.14: Export of Data, Import of Data, API access, SFTP, secure export functions, or read-only integrations will be reviewed with the contract award.

Q136: Identify required security and data-handling protocols when transmitting reports to the City.

A136: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions, Section 3.12, Data, and Section D, Security. API access, SFTP, secure export functions, or read-only integrations will be reviewed with the contract award.

Q137: Confirm whether Contractor dashboards must allow export of raw operational data.

A137: API access, SFTP, secure export functions, or read-only integrations will be reviewed upon contract award.

Q138: Clarify whether reports must be scheduled at fixed intervals or may be dynamic based on operational need.

A138: Reporting for some items will be fixed “ by the due date” SOW 17.6.4 and some may be dynamic based on operational need, for example, average tenure and average rate of pay.

Q139: Identify expectations for reporting audit trails, change logs, and version control.

A139: Please refer to the Terms and Conditions document, Section 1.7, Audits and Record retention.

Methodology and system are the responsibility of the Contractor.

Q140: Describe required performance trend analysis and root-cause reporting expectations for recurring

SLA gaps.

A140: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 19.

Q141: Clarify whether the Contractor must provide weekly KPI forecasts and variance explanations.

A141: Contractor’s KPI deliverables are found in the Scope of Work Sections, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 17 that are relevant to this solicitation. Contact Center-wide Operational KPIs within this question are not relevant to this solicitation.

Q142: Identify required level of detail in attrition reporting (reason categories, tenure bands, training status).

A142: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.16, 5.3, and Section 17, please also refer to the Scope of Work v2, Section 5.3.1 and Section 6.2, in this addendum.

Q143: Confirm whether City leadership requires executive dashboards (roll-up scoring, alerts, cross-center comparisons).

A143: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.17, 17.2 and Solicitation Instructions Section 10.5, Concept and Solution.

Q144: Clarify whether bilingual resource allocation must be reflected in routine staffing and performance reports.

A144: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.38; the bilingual fill rate must be reported monthly. A separate invoice or sperate section on the invoice will be necessary for bilingual designated staff See Price Sheet V1.

Q145: Describe how the City manages contact center call volumes today, including routing, prioritization, and escalation.

A145: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 2. The routing, prioritization, and escalation processes are managed by the City and are not relevant to this supplemental staffing solicitation.

Q146: Clarify whether Offerors will be granted access to City telephony systems, including queue dashboards, live call monitoring, or analytics.

A146: Yes, designated Contract Personnel may be granted access to applicable City telephony systems as necessary to perform their assigned duties.

Q147: Confirm which CRM systems are used across each Contact Center and whether Contractor personnel will receive access.

A147: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.12, Genesys Cloud CX. Designated Contract

Personnel may be granted access to applicable City telephony systems as necessary to perform their assigned duties.

Q148: Clarify whether agents will access City systems through VDI or browser-based applications.

A148: VDI is not currently used. VPN, web-based authentication, and multifactor authentication are required to access City Systems.

Q149: Identify required call-handling expectations (greetings, scripting, verification, disclosures).

A149: Upon award, the selected vendor will have access to a call handling guide. This is the same call handling guide available to the customer service representatives.

Q150: Describe quality assurance requirements (monitoring frequency, coaching, scoring rubrics, documentation).

A150: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.18.1 and 5.36, the Contractor will be provided.

Currently the City of Austin monitors a minimum of 6 calls per month per agent. Upon receiving award, the selected vendor will have access to a quality assurance template.

Q151: Clarify whether Contractor may propose digital QA solutions (AI QA/QC, agent assist, real-time feedback tools).

A151: This is not required as part of the solicitation.

Q152: Provide historical AHT, ASA, SL, Occupancy, and Abandonment Rate.

A152: Bilingual deliverables have been defined in the Scope of Work, Sections 5.10, 5.38, 6.2. Contact

Center-wide operational KPI’s are not relevant.

Q153: Provide contact volumes by queue, channel, and interval for past 3 months.

A153: The requested historical Contact Center volume data by queue, channel, and interval will not be provided because it does not apply to the Contractor’s responsibilities under this solicitation.

Q154: Clarify expectations for bilingual call handling workflows (routing logic, bilingual SL).

A154: Contact Center bilingual call handling workflows are not relevant. Bilingual deliverables have been defined in the SOW 5.10, 5.38, and 6.2.

Q155: Confirm whether Contractor agents will have access to the City’s knowledge base and procedural documentation.

A155: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 7, 20.1, 20.9, 20.10.

Q156: Identify requirements for updating knowledge-base content and whether Contractor may propose edits.

A156: Knowledge-base content is managed by the various business units. Contractors may submit a request for content edits and removal.

Q157: Clarify escalation paths (supervisors, specialized queues, warm transfers, emergencies).

A157: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.18–5.18.1, 5.31. Contact Center escalation path/ workflows are not managed by contractor on-site management, thus are not part of this supplemental staffing solicitation.

Q158: Describe expectations for real-time intraday management (queue monitoring, shrinkage mitigation, schedule adjustments).

A158: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.18–5.18.1, 5.31. On-site contractor management is not responsible for queue monitoring. However, on-site contractor management is responsible for managing contractor shrinkage mitigation and to work with city contact center management for contractor schedule adjustments.

Q159: Provide operational KPIs to be tracked daily/weekly/monthly (including bilingual segmentation).

A159: Contact Center Operational KPIs within this question are not relevant to this supplemental staffing solicitation. Bilingual deliverables have been defined in the Scope of Work, Section 5.10, 5.38,

6.2. Individual contractor performance can be displayed on the dashboard.

Q160: Clarify whether Contractor must provide daily/weekly/monthly operational reports and identify required fields.

A160: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.38, for the required reporting fields and Section 5.17 for dashboard requirements. SLA-related reporting requirements are provided in Section 17.6.4.

Offerors should also review the applicable reporting deliverables identified in Sections 5, 17, and 19 of the Scope of Work.

Q161: Describe requirements for incident reporting (system outages, service disruptions, security incidents).

A161: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.35–5.36 and the Terms and Conditions, Section 3.12, F, Security Incident or Data Breach Notification.

Q162: Identify expectations for Contractor-led operational readiness (mock calls, calibration sessions, system validation).

A162: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Sections 5, 7 and the Scope of Work v2, Section 7.6-7.6.1 in this addendum

Q163: Clarify requirements for performance coaching, corrective action, and documentation.

A163: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.18-5.18.1, 5.31. On-site contractor management is responsible for managing contractor performance and protecting the city from co-employment.

Q164: Confirm whether Contract Personnel must comply with City attendance policies, including special rules for training and nesting.

A164: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 7.2.2, 16.1, 21

Q165: Describe expectations for managing call surges during emergencies, weather events, utility outages, or public safety situations.

A165: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 2, 5.5, 9.10, 9.2, 9.3, 20.6

Q166: Clarify expectations for multi-department partner coordination and cross-training.

A166: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 2. The contact centers business dictate that multi-department partner coordination and cross-training be part of the training environment.

Q167: Identify mandatory City-provided operational training modules beyond onboarding.

A167: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 16, 21.

Q168: Describe AE expectations for Contractor supervisors (span-of-control, floor presence, decision authority).

A168: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5; decision authority is limited to Contractor responsibilities; AE retains governance.

Q169: Confirm the required bilingual staffing percentage for Customer Service Representatives and clarify the distinction between the 50% staffing requirement and the 30% pricing assumption and also confirm whether employees under COA Tech vs Contractor Tech assignments require separate pricing assumptions.

A169: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.10 is the solicitation deliverable, please refer to Price Sheet v1 regarding pricing assumptions.

Q170: Clarify whether the 50% bilingual staffing threshold applies to each staffing request or may be measured across the broader CSR workforce.

A170: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 5.10.

Q171: Describe the City’s expectations for bilingual Spanish-language coverage by shift, queue, and peak periods.

A171: Contact Center Operational coverage within this question are not relevant to this supplemental staffing solicitation. Bilingual deliverables have been defined in the SOW 5.10, 5.38, 6.2

Q172: Identify required bilingual service-level targets, reporting formats, or Spanish-language KPIs.

A172: Contact Center Operational KPIs within this question are not relevant to this supplemental staffing solicitation. Bilingual deliverables have been defined in the Scope of Work, Section 5.10, 5.38, 6.2.

Q173: Clarify routing logic for Spanish-language calls and whether bilingual personnel must be explicitly assigned to bilingual queues.

A173: Bilingual deliverables have been defined in the Scope of Work, Section 5.10, 5.38, 6.2

Q174: Confirm whether bilingual personnel may handle both English and Spanish calls or must be strictly assigned to Spanish queues.

A174: They handle both English and Spanish calls.

Q175: Identify any requirements for bilingual proficiency testing, including passing scores, test process, and frequency.

A175: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 13.3. May require recertification if change of employer.

Q176: Confirm whether the City provides the bilingual proficiency exam or requires Contractor administration.

A176: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 13.3.

Q177: Clarify whether bilingual Contract Personnel must be compensated for test time if they fail, miss the exam, or lack proper identification.

A177: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 13.3.1; 13.3.2.

Q178: Describe standards for bilingual certification, including accepted testing vendors and documentation.

A178: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 13.3.

Q179: Identify recertification or periodic proficiency verification requirements.

A179: Please refer to the Scope of Work, Section 13.3

Q180: Clarify whether bilingual stipend amounts are fixed, variable, or require City approval.

A180: Please refer…