DOC DES UI Call Center Services – RFP 43-1389-26

October 9, 2025

OFFER

The Purchasing Agency solicits offers for Services and/or goods described in this solicitation. All offers and responses received shall be treated as Offers to contract as defined in 9 NCAC 06A.0102(12).

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposal (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned offers and agrees to furnish any or all Services or goods upon which prices are offered, at the price(s) offered herein, within the time specified herein.

Failure to execute/sign offer prior to submittal shall render offer invalid. Late offers are not acceptable.

OFFEROR:

STREET ADDRESS: P.O. BOX: ZIP:

CITY, STATE & ZIP: TELEPHONE NUMBER: TOLL FREE TEL. NO

NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING: FAX NUMBER:

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE: DATE: E-MAIL:

Offer valid for one hundred twenty (120) days from date of offer opening unless otherwise stated here: ____ days

ACCEPTANCE OF OFFER

If any or all parts of this offer are accepted, an authorized representative of DOC shall affix its signature hereto and any subsequent Request for Best and Final Offer, if issued. Acceptance shall create a contract having an order of precedence as follows: Best and Final Offers, if any, Special terms and conditions specific to this RFP, Specifications of the RFP, the Department of Information Technology Terms and Conditions, and the agreed portion of the awarded Vendor’s Offer. A copy of this acceptance will be forwarded to the awarded Vendor(s).

FOR PURCHASING AGENCY USE ONLY

Offer accepted and contract awarded this date , as indicated on attached certification, by (Authorized representative of DOC ).

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL NO. 43-1389-26

Department of Commerce Division of Employment Security

Contract Name: DES UI Call Center Services

Bid Opening Date: August 26, 2026

Refer ALL inquiries regarding this RFP to:

Name : Casey C.Jones Email : casey.c.jones@commerce.nc.gov

Issue Date: June 16, 2026

Commodity Code: 811617

Purchasing Agency: Division of Employment Security

Requisition No.: 12997289 mailto:casey.c.jones@commerce.nc.gov

October 9, 2025

Table of Contents

1.0 ANTICIPATED Procurement Schedule

2.0 Purpose of RFP

2.1 Introduction

2.2 Agency Background

2.3 SUMMARY OF PROBLEM Statement

2.4 Contract Term

2.5 Innovation

2.6 Effective Date

2.7 Contract Type

3.0 RFP requirements and Specifications

3.1 General requirements and Specifications

3.2 Security Specifications

3.3 Enterprise Specifications

3.3.1 Architecture Diagrams

3.3.2 Identity And Access Management

3.3.3 Solution Roadmap

3.3.4 Integration Approach

3.3.5 Disaster Recovery And Business Continuity

3.3.6 Data Migration

3.3.7 Application Management

3.3.8 Accessibility

3.4 Requirements and specifications

4.0 Cost of Vendor’s Offer

4.1 Offer Costs

4.2 Payment Schedule

5.0 Evaluation

5.1 Source Selection

5.2 Evaluation Criteria

5.3 Best and Final Offers (BAFO)

5.4 Possession And Review

6.0 Vendor Information and Instructions

6.1 General Conditions of Offer

6.2 General Instructions for Vendor

6.3 Instructions for Offer Submission

7.0 Other Requirements and Special Terms

7.1 Vendor Utilization Of Workers Outside of U.S

7.2 Financial Statements

7.3 Financial Resources Assessment, Quality Assurance, Performance and Reliability

7.4 Vendor’s License or Support Agreements

October 9, 2025

7.5 Resellers - reserved

7.6 Disclosure Of Litigation - Reserved

7.7 Criminal Conviction - Reserved

7.8 Security and Background Checks

7.9 Assurances

7.10 Confidentiality of offers

7.11 Project Management

7.12 Meetings

7.13 Recycling and Source Reduction

7.14 Special Terms and Conditions-RESERVED

7.15 AGENCY Terms and Conditions-RESERVED

Attachment A: Definitions Attachment B: Department of Information Technology Terms and Conditions Attachment C: Description of Offeror Attachment D: Cost Form – reserved. all costs are to be completed in the excel sheet referenced earlier in the RFP Attachment E: Vendor Certification Form Attachment F: Location of Workers Utilized by Vendor - Disclosure Statement Attachment G: References Attachment H: Financial Review Form Attachment J: Firm’s Tax Identification Information Attachment K: Confidentiality Agreement ............................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.

Attachment L: Requirements and functional Specifications

DES UI Call Center Services-DOC RFP 43-1389-26

October 9 2025

1.0 ANTICIPATED PROCUREMENT SCHEDULE

The Agency Procurement Agent will make every effort to adhere to the following schedule:

Action Responsibility Date

RFP Issued Agency 06/16/2026

Written Questions Deadline Potential Vendors 07/01/2026 by 2:00 p.m. ET

Agency’s Response to Written Questions/ RFP Addendum Issued

Agency 07/22/2026 by 5:00 p.m.ET

Offer Opening Deadline Vendor(s) 08/26/2026 by 2:00 p.m. ET

Offer Evaluation Agency 10/29/2026

Vendor Demonstrations (Optional) Selected Vendors 11/13/2026

Selection of Finalists Agency 12/07/2026

Negotiations with Finalists Agency designees and selected Vendor(s)

01/04/2027

Best and Final Offers Deadline from Finalists Selected Vendors 01/19/2027

Contract Award Agency 02/16/2027

Protest Deadline Responding Vendors 15 days after award

2.0 PURPOSE OF RFP

2.1 INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this RFP is to solicit Offers for Unemployment Insurance Call Center services for the North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security. Services will be provided in accordance to the terms and conditions of this RFP

2.2 AGENCY BACKGROUND

The Division of Employment Security (DES)is responsible for the administration of the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program in the State of North Carolina. This program is a federal-state partnership and is funded by federal and state unemployment taxes employers pay on employee wages. Benefits are paid to eligible workers who lose their job through no fault of their own and are able, available and actively seeking work.

2.3 SUMMARY OF PROBLEM STATEMENT

DES is seeking to procure a modern, flexible Contact Center solution to support the delivery of Unemployment Insurance (UI) services statewide. Through this RFP, DES aims to partner with a vendor that can provide a responsive, claimant‑focused solution that aligns with the agency’s future operational and technology needs.

DES is seeking a solution that:

Enhances the overall claimant experience through accessible, efficient customer support.

October 9 2025

Provides the ability to scale rapidly in response to fluctuations in UI claim volumes.

Integrates securely and effectively with DES systems to support accurate and timely service delivery.

Incorporates modern capabilities—such as intelligent automation, AI‑supported IVR, and improved communication tools—to streamline interactions and improve operational efficiency.

Supports DES’s broader modernization goals and aligns with evolving technology standards.

Meets all applicable state and federal UI program requirements, including security, privacy, and performance expectations.

Overall Goal:

Through this competitive solicitation, DES intends to establish a partnership with a vendor that can deliver a forward‑looking, service‑oriented call center solution that advances the agency’s mission to provide timely and accurate unemployment services to the people of North Carolina.

2.4 CONTRACT TERM

A contract awarded pursuant to this RFP shall have an effective date as provided in the Notice of Award.

The term shall be one (1) year term with four (4) optional one (1) year renewals and will expire upon the anniversary date of the effective date unless otherwise stated in the Notice of Award, or unless terminated earlier.

2.5 INNOVATION

The North Carolina Department of Commerce, Division of Employment Security (DES) encourages Vendors to propose innovative approaches, technologies, and service delivery models that enhance efficiency, scalability, and customer experience for the UI Call Center Services Solution.

Vendors are encouraged to leverage best practices and emerging technologies—such as AI-driven virtual agents, intelligent routing, analytics, and multilingual capabilities—to improve service outcomes, increase digital self-service, and reduce cost-to-serve.

DES is particularly interested in solutions that:

o Improve response times and first-call resolution o Enhance claimant and employer experience o Increase operational efficiency through automation o Support scalable operations during demand surges o Ensure equitable access through multilingual and accessible services

Vendors may propose value-added or alternative approaches beyond minimum specifications, provided they demonstrate clear benefits, feasibility, and alignment with DES objectives.

All innovation proposals must include a brief description, expected outcomes, associated costs (if any), and key assumptions. This is in additional to other required documents that the Vendor needs to include in their offer to be responsive and then evaluated.

2.6 EFFECTIVE DATE

This solicitation, including any Exhibits, or any resulting contract or amendment shall not become effective nor bind the State until the appropriate State purchasing authority/official or Agency official has signed the document(s), contract or amendment; the effective award date has been completed on the document(s), by the State purchasing official, and that date has arrived or passed. The State shall not be responsible for reimbursing the Vendor for goods provided nor Services rendered prior to the appropriate signatures and the arrival of the effective date of the Agreement. No contract shall be binding on the State until an encumbrance of funds has been made for payment of the sums due under the Agreement.

October 9 2025

2.7 CONTRACT TYPE

Definite Quantity Contract - This request is for a close-ended contract between the awarded Vendor and the State to furnish a pre-determined quantity of a good or service during a specified period of time.

The State reserves the right to make partial, progressive or multiple awards where it is advantageous to award separately by items; where more than one supplier is needed to provide the contemplated specifications as to quantity, quality, delivery, service, geographical areas; or where other factors are deemed to be necessary or proper to the purchase in question.

3.0 RFP REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

3.1 GENERAL REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

3.1.1 REQUIREMENTS

Requirement means, as used herein, a function, feature, or performance that the System must provide. If the offer can not meet the requirements, they will not be evaluated.

Offers must address all requirements and specifications in Attachment L. Where the Vendor selects “Yes,” “Partial,” “No,” or “Roadmap,” the Vendor shall provide the required explanation, limitations, alternatives, and implementation timeline in the workbook. Blank or missing responses may be deemed non‑compliant and not evaluated

3.1.2 SPECIFICATIONS

Specification means, as used herein, a detailed description that documents the function and performance of a system or system component.

The apparent silence of the specifications as to any detail, or the apparent omission of detailed description concerning any point, shall be regarded as meaning that only the best commercial practice is to prevail and that only processes, configurations, materials and workmanship of the first quality may be used. Upon any notice of noncompliance provided by the State, Vendor shall supply proof of compliance with the specifications. Vendor must provide written notice of its intent to deliver alternate or substitute Services, products, goods or other Deliverables. Alternate or substitute Services, products, goods or Deliverables may be accepted or rejected in the sole discretion of the State; and any such alternates or substitutes must be accompanied by Vendor’s certification and evidence satisfactory to the State that the function, characteristics, performance and endurance will be equal or superior to the original Deliverables specified.

3.1.3 SITE AND SYSTEM PREPARATION

Vendors shall provide the Purchasing State Agency complete site requirement specifications for the Deliverables, if any. These specifications shall ensure that the Deliverables to be installed or implemented shall operate properly and efficiently within the site and system environment. Any alterations or modification in site preparation, which are directly attributable to incomplete or erroneous specifications provided by the Vendor and which would involve additional expenses to the State, shall be made at the expense of the Vendor.

3.1.4 EQUIVALENT ITEMS

Whenever a material, article or piece of equipment is identified in the specification(s) by reference to a manufacturer’s or Vendor’s name, trade name, catalog number or similar identifier, it is intended to establish a standard for determining substantial conformity during evaluation, unless otherwise specifically stated as a brand specific requirement (no substitute items will be allowed). Any material, article or piece of equipment of other manufacturers or Vendors shall perform to the standard of the item named. Equivalent offers must be accompanied by sufficient descriptive literature and/or specifications to provide for detailed comparison.

October 9 2025

3.1.5 ENTERPRISE LICENSING

In offering the best value to the State, Vendors are encouraged to leverage the State’s existing resources and license agreements, which can be viewed here:

https://it.nc.gov/resources/statewide-it-procurement/statewide-it-contracts

a) Identify components or products that are needed for your solution that may not be available with the State’s existing license agreement.

b) Identify and explain any components that are missing from the State’s existing license agreement.

c) If the Vendor can provide a more cost effective licensing agreement, please explain in detail the agreement and how it would benefit the State.

3.2 SECURITY SPECIFICATIONS

3.2.1 SOLUTIONS HOSTED ON STATE INFRASTRUCTURE - RESERVED

3.2.2 SOLUTIONS NOT HOSTED ON STATE INFRASTRUCTURE

The Agency (named on page one (1)) has designated this solicitation to receive and securely manage data that is classified as:

Restricted - Restricted data represents the highest risk to the State, State Agencies, and constituents if it is disclosed or compromised. This information is likely to be regulated by State or Federal law, and access to it is restricted to a limited audience (e.g., State and Federal Tax Information [FTI], Payment Card data, Protected Health Information [PHI], Criminal Justice Information [CJI], Social Security Administration provided information, etc.)

Refer to the North Carolina Statewide Data Classification and Handling policy for more information regarding data classification. The policy is located at the following website:

https://it.nc.gov/document/statewide-data-classification-and-handling-policy.

To comply with the State’s Security Standards and Policies, State agencies are required to perform annual security/risk assessments on their information systems using NIST 800-53 controls.

This requirement additionally applies to all Vendor-provided, agency-managed Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS), Platform as a Service (PaaS), and Software as a Service (SaaS) solutions which will handle data classified as Internal, Confidential, or Restricted.

(a) To comply with the State’s Security Standards and Policies, cloud products are required to comply with applicable FedRAMP and/or GovRAMP security requirements, including but not limited to, continuous monitoring, incident response, and data classification as outlined in GovRAMP documentation.

(b) To streamline and standardize this requirement the State has adopted GovRAMP which is a Risk and Authorization Management Program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. GovRAMP’s security verification model is based on NIST 800-53 Rev. 5 (or current).

(c) The required GovRAMP verified status will depend on the sensitivity of the data and processes supported by the solution as defined in the Statewide Data Classification and Handling Policy.

(d) For purposes of this solicitation, in accordance with the North Carolina Department of Information Technology Statewide Information Security Manual, a GovRAMP verified status of Ready, Authorized or Provisionally Authorized Status is required. At offer submission, if the protected system does not currently hold a validated GovRAMP status, the Vendor will https://it.nc.gov/resources/statewide-it-procurement/statewide-it-contracts https://it.nc.gov/document/statewide-data-classification-and-handling-policy

October 9 2025 be required to provide their GovRAMP Security Snapshot Score and upon request, the complete Snapshot Matrix. If awarded the contract, Vendor shall have an interim period from the effective date of the contract to achieve the verified GovRAMP status outlined above.

The interim time periods for each data classification that requires a verified status are further described below. The Vendor shall provision access to the State to their continuous monitoring packages at a [standard] or [elevated] access level within fourteen (14) days of contract award, and seven (7) days of any subsequent GovRAMP status changes.

a. Restricted - For third-party cloud services where the highest category of information to be processed is Restricted Data, the Vendor must either achieve a status of GovRAMP Authorized, or agree to achieve GovRAMP Authorized status no later than twenty-one

(21) months from the effective date of the contract.

Upon contract award, Vendor’s who submitted a GovRAMP Security Snapshot Score will be required to enroll in the GovRAMP Progressing Snapshot program prior to any data being transferred, stored or processed. The Vendor must complete their first Progressing Snapshot within ninety (90) days of award, with the expectation that progress will be made on a quarterly basis and access to progress reports must be provisioned to the State.

Products must maintain their participation in the Progressing Snapshot program and continued access to progress reports must be provisioned to the State until such time that they have achieved the minimum verified status outlined above. The State will review the Vendor’s progress on a quarterly basis and, in its sole discretion, may determine that the Vendor is not making satisfactory progress in the Progressing Snapshot program.

Satisfactory progress shall be a material requirement of the contract.

(e) If the Vendor holds a FedRAMP Rev. 5 authorization at time of award, this authorization can be accepted in lieu of a GovRAMP authorization. Authorizations obtained via the FedRAMP 20x Pilot Program will not be permitted.

If the Vendor’s cloud product currently holds a FedRAMP Authorized designation, at the time of award, the State may require the Vendor to initiate and actively pursue, within thirty

(30) days of award, the GovRAMP Fast Track Process, to achieve a GovRAMP Provisionally Authorized or Authorized status in order to satisfy Statewide continuous monitoring requirements.

(c) Additional Security Documentation. Prior to contract award, the State may in its discretion require the Vendor to provide additional security documentation, including but not limited to, vulnerability assessment reports and penetration test reports. The awarded Vendor shall provide additional security documentation upon request by the State during the term of the contract.

Refer to: https://it.nc.gov/documents/statewide-glossary-information-technology-terms for descriptions of the Application Criticality categories.

Refer to: http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.199.pdf for descriptions of NIST system confidentiality, integrity, and availability categories.

3.3 ENTERPRISE SPECIFICATIONS

3.3.1 ARCHITECTURE DIAGRAMS

The State utilizes architectural diagrams to better understand the design and technologies of a proposed solution. The two diagrams are Network Architecture and Technology Stack. Details on these diagrams can be found at the following link: https://it.nc.gov/resources/statewide-it-procurement/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-Architecture-1192 https://it.nc.gov/documents/statewide-glossary-information-technology-terms http://nvlpubs.nist.gov/nistpubs/FIPS/NIST.FIPS.199.pdf https://it.nc.gov/resources/statewide-it-procurement/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-Architecture-1192 https://it.nc.gov/resources/statewide-it-procurement/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-Architecture-1192

October 9 2025

The State prefers to receive the two required architectural diagrams with the offer submission. If they are not provided at that time, the State may request them after submission; however, the Vendor must deliver them within seven (7) calendar days or the offer will be deemed non-responsive and will not be evaluated.

There may be additional architectural diagrams requested of the vendor after contract award. This will be communicated to the vendor by the agency as needed during the project.

3.3.2 IDENTITY AND ACCESS MANAGEMENT

The proposed solution must externalize identity and access management. The protocols describing the State’s Identity and Access Management can be found at the following link:

https://it.nc.gov/services/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-IdentityAccessManagement-1241 Describe how your solution supports the above protocols, as well as making them available for application integration/consumption.

3.3.3 SOLUTION ROADMAP

A Solution Roadmap defines the vision and strategic elements of the solution. The Solution Roadmap is a plan of action for how a Solution will evolve over time. The minimum content should include:

• Vision for the solution

• High-level functionality expected for each solution release into production environment

• High-level timeline

• Description of how customer feedback is collected and incorporated into solution enhancements

Describe the solution roadmap for your product. Include content on release strategies for functionality, roadmap for technical architecture, how scalability of solution is planned.

3.3.4 INTEGRATION APPROACH

Describe proposed solution capabilities to interoperate with other solutions. Identify the standards supported, integrations platforms, adaptors, APIs, and the like.

3.3.5 DISASTER RECOVERY AND BUSINESS CONTINUITY

Describe the proposed solution capabilities related to the following areas:

Disaster Recovery Plan (DRP) – describe how proposed solution supports Recovery Point Objectives (RPO) and Recovery Time Objectives (RTO) metrics.

System Backup – describe backup plan capabilities.

Disaster Recovery Testing – describe the frequency and test procedures for end-to-end disaster recovery testing. Business Continuity Plan (BCP) – describe capabilities proposed solution can provide in support of agency’s continuity of operations and incident responses.

3.3.6 DATA MIGRATION

Describe approaches available for data conversion and/or data migration to load current data into proposed solution.

3.3.7 APPLICATION MANAGEMENT

Describe how the proposed solution monitors and reports the metrics on system performance.

Describe how the proposed solution manages user administration.

Describe the audit capabilities of proposed solution related to management of the application.

https://it.nc.gov/services/vendor-engagement-resources#Tab-IdentityAccessManagement-1241

October 9 2025

3.3.8 ACCESSIBILITY

Describe how the proposed solution complies with industry accessibility standards.

Provide product documentation that demonstrates how the proposed solution is digitally accessible or if not fully accessible, provide the roadmap with timeline for remediation.

Standards include:

• State of North Carolina Digital Accessibility & Usability Standard

• W3C Web Accessibility Initiative - Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1:

https://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG21/

• Section 508: https://www.section508.gov/

• Voluntary Product Accessibility Template (VPAT®):

ENTERPRISE, SERVICES, AND STANDARDS

Vendors should refer to the Vendor Resources Page for information on North Carolina Department of Information Technology regarding architecture, security, strategy, data, digital, identity and access management and other general information on doing business with state IT process.

The Vendor Resources Page found at the following link: https://it.nc.gov/vendor-engagement-resources. This site provides vendors with statewide information and links referenced throughout the RFP document. Agencies may request additional information.

3.4 REQUIREMENTS AND SPECIFICATIONS

3.4.1 REQUIREMENTS AND FUNCTIONAL SPECIFICATIONS

Requirements and Functional Specifications are included in Attachment L.

Vendor to complete tabs in the Excel Sheet in Attachment L, including:

• 01_Requirements

• 02_Key_Specifications

• 03_Additional Specs

• 04_SLA

Tab 04_SLA (SLA targets, measurement methodology, service credits, and escalation procedures need to be submitted with your offer whether they are generic or created specific to the Vendor’s RFP response).

All pricing must be submitted only in the separate Attachment L, UI Call Center Pricing Workbook.

Pricing must NOT be included in any Requirements/Specifications tabs.

Vendor can contact Casey C. Jones at casey.c.jones@commerce.nc.gov for an editable version of the spreadsheet. Vendor must respond by populating the spreadsheet. Any other format will be deemed non-responsive and will not be evaluated by the committee.

3.4.2 SOLUTION SCOPE – CONTEXT DIAGRAM

This context diagram presents the Customer Call Center Solution as a single high-level process and illustrates its interactions with external actors, including systems, organizational groups, and external data sources. The associated table provides additional details describing these relationships.

Note or Important Disclaimer: The context diagram is provided for illustrative purposes only and represents a high-level view of the DES Customer Call Center ecosystem. It may not reflect the current https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fit.nc.gov%2Fdocuments%2Fdigital-accessibility-usability-standard%2Fopen&data=05%7C02%7Candrea.pacyna%40nc.gov%7C6ff711c554904ca4fefe08dea07c8d50%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C639124653982102920%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=HoeiBL%2FHUIvvm3mFXH37dt6au5cZMhXaQn2%2FRa7cq3k%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fit.nc.gov%2Fdocuments%2Fdigital-accessibility-usability-standard%2Fopen&data=05%7C02%7Candrea.pacyna%40nc.gov%7C6ff711c554904ca4fefe08dea07c8d50%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C639124653982129428%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJFbXB0eU1hcGkiOnRydWUsIlYiOiIwLjAuMDAwMCIsIlAiOiJXaW4zMiIsIkFOIjoiTWFpbCIsIldUIjoyfQ%3D%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=oeGml%2FBan%2FQSTWo8MqssmpzMBvwzpHSpw6av66p4rIA%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.w3.org%2FTR%2FWCAG21%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstarr.christen%40nc.gov%7C3737b44528934d4e45f508dc3a2fddad%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638449224463390497%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=e02p3b8aB5KB1xe2s6LB3ksZyRtoo09MCHTXDzO5E6Q%3D&reserved=0 https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.section508.gov%2F&data=05%7C02%7Cstarr.christen%40nc.gov%7C3737b44528934d4e45f508dc3a2fddad%7C7a7681dcb9d0449a85c3ecc26cd7ed19%7C0%7C0%7C638449224463398992%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&sdata=pzgUTV7chyDcngdl6SvQJ3tAIz7RLJvSY02jf8A4SRg%3D&reserved=0 https://it.nc.gov/vendor-engagement-resources https://it.nc.gov/vendor-engagement-resources

October 9 2025 state in full detail or completeness. Vendors to describe in their offer all system integrations, data exchanges, dependencies, and interactions as part of their proposed solution and should not rely solely on this diagram for design assumptions.

Figure 1 - DES Customer Call Center Solution Context Diagram

Figure 2 - Desired Features and Functions of the Vendor Solution

Note or Important Disclaimer: The “Desired Features / Functions of the Vendor’s Solution” diagram is provided for illustrative purposes only and represents a high-level view of key capabilities expected for the DES Customer Call Center Solution.

It is not intended to be a complete representation of all functional, technical, or integration requirements. Vendors are responsible for ensuring that their proposed solution fully addresses all requirements and specifications as outlined in this RFP, regardless of whether they are explicitly depicted in this diagram.

October 9 2025

Table 1 - Context Diagram Relationships

# System Relationship between System and Actor

Actor Description

1 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From Claimants Claimants are citizens who file unemployment benefit claims. They interact with the DES call center to file claims, receive assistance, obtain claim status updates, and receive callbacks or follow-up communications.

2 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From Employers Employers interact with the call center to report unemployment-related information (e.g., layoffs, separations) and may receive follow-up communication or callbacks from agents.

3 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From DES Agents DES agents handle escalated interactions and may also initiate outbound communication, callbacks, or follow-ups with claimants and employers as needed.

4 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To Professional Translation Service (External System)

Calls are transferred by agents to the Professional Translation Service to support claimants who communicate in languages other than English.

5 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From NC Relay Service (TRS) – External System

NC Relay Service facilitates communication between standard voice users and individuals who are deaf, hard-of-hearing, or deaf-blind using assistive communication technologies.

6 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From Vendor Agents Vendor agents serve as the primary point of contact, handling inbound interactions from claimants and employers and initiating outbound communications such as callbacks and follow-ups.

October 9 2025

# System Relationship between System and Actor

Actor Description

7 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To Vendor Agents Interactions are escalated from vendor agents to DES agents for complex cases requiring state-level review or intervention.

8 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From COM – DES SCUBI (Unemployment Benefit System) – Internal System

The system of record for unemployment benefits. The call center solution retrieves and updates claimant and employer data to support service delivery.

9 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From Enterprise Interactive Voice Response (IVR) – Internal System

The IVR system enables automated interaction with callers, including routing, self-service options, and call deflection through voice or keypad input.

10 Customer Call Center Services Solution

From UI Self-Service Portal – Internal System

The UI Self-Service Portal maintained by DES enables claimants and employers to initiate interactions such as web chat, which may be escalated to call center support when needed.

11 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From COM – DES Identity Management (IDM) – Internal System

Provides authentication and access control for agents and systems interacting with DES platforms.

12 Customer Call Center Services Solution

To and From Remote Connectivity Solution

Enables secure access for vendor agents to DES systems through approved methods such as VPN or virtual desktop environments (e.g., Amazon WorkSpaces), in compliance with DES security policies.

4.0 COST OF VENDOR’S OFFER

4.1 OFFER COSTS

The Vendor must list, itemize, and describe any applicable offer costs in ATTACHMENT L:

Attachment L_UI Call Center_Pricing Workbook

4.2 PAYMENT SCHEDULE

The Vendor shall propose its itemized payment schedule based on the content of its offer. All payments must be based upon acceptance of one or more Deliverables.

October 9 2025

5.0 EVALUATION

5.1 SOURCE SELECTION

A trade-off/ranking method of source selection will be utilized in this procurement to allow the State to award this RFP to the Vendor providing the Best Value and recognizing that Best Value may result in award other than the lowest price or highest technically qualified offer. By using this method, the overall ranking may be adjusted up or down when considered with or traded-off against other non-price factors.

a) Evaluation Process Explanation. State Agency employees will review all offers. All offers will be initially classified as being responsive or non-responsive. If an offer is found non-responsive, it will not be considered further. All responsive offers will be evaluated based on stated evaluation criteria. Any references in an answer to another location in the RFP materials or Offer shall have specific page numbers and sections stated in the reference.

b) To be eligible for consideration, Vendor’s offer must substantially conform to the intent of all specifications. Compliance with the intent of all specifications will be determined by the State.

Offers that do not meet the full intent of all specifications listed in this RFP may be deemed deficient. Further, a serious deficiency in the offer to any one (1) factor may be grounds for rejection regardless of overall score.

c) The evaluation committee may request clarifications, an interview with or presentation from any or all Vendors as allowed by 9 NCAC 06B.0307. However, the State may refuse to accept, in full or partially, the response to a clarification request given by any Vendor. Vendors are cautioned that the evaluators are not required to request clarifications; therefore, all offers should be complete and reflect the most favorable terms. Vendors should be prepared to send qualified personnel to Raleigh, North Carolina, to discuss technical and contractual aspects of the offer.

d) Vendors are advised that the State is not obligated to ask for, or accept after the closing date for receipt of offer, data that is essential for a complete and thorough evaluation of the offer.

5.2 EVALUATION CRITERIA

Evaluation shall include best value, as the term is defined in N.C.G.S. § 143-135.9(a)(1), compliance with information technology project management policies as defined by N.C.G.S. §143B-1340, compliance with information technology security standards and policies, substantial conformity with the requirements and specifications, and other conditions set forth in the solicitation. The following Evaluation Criteria are listed in Order of Importance.

1) How well the Vendor’s offer conforms with the specifications.

2) How each vendor’s offer compares with other vendor’s offers.

3) Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

a. Comprehensiveness and reasonableness of total costs over the contract term of five (5) years, including implementation, operations, maintenance, and any optional or variable costs.

4) Implementation Schedule / Timeline:

a. Feasibility and completeness of the Vendor’s proposed implementation plan, including transition approach, key milestones, resource allocation, and proposed timeline.

5) Past Performance / Experience:

Track Record: Demonstrated experience delivering contact center or similar services, particularly for state or local government, including meeting service levels, timelines, budgets, and specifications.

References: Quality and relevance of references or testimonials from prior clients, including government agencies and private entities, reflecting successful outcomes and customer satisfaction.

October 9 2025

Similar Contracts: Proven experience managing large-scale, high-volume, and complex contact center operations, including multi-channel service delivery and surge capacity.

Vendor Qualifications: Overall vendor qualifications, financial and operational stability.

Risks associated with Vendor’s offer, including but not limited to Vendor errata and exceptions to the State’s terms and conditions.

5.3 BEST AND FINAL OFFERS (BAFO)

The State may establish a competitive range based upon evaluations of offers, and request BAFOs from the Vendor(s) within this range; e.g. “Finalist Vendor(s)”. If negotiations or subsequent offers are solicited, the Vendor(s) shall provide BAFO(s) in response. Failure to deliver a BAFO when requested shall disqualify the non-responsive Vendor from further consideration. The State will evaluate BAFO(s), oral presentations, and product demonstrations as part of the Vendors’ respective offers to determine the final rankings.

5.4 POSSESSION AND REVIEW

During the evaluation period and prior to award, possession of the bids and accompanying information is limited to personnel of the issuing agency, and to the committee responsible for participating in the evaluation. Vendors who attempt to gain this privileged information, or to influence the evaluation process (i.e. assist in evaluation) will be in violation of purchasing rules and their offer will not be further evaluated or considered.

After award of contract the complete bid file will be available to any interested persons with the exception of trade secrets, test information or similar proprietary information as provided by statute and rule. Any proprietary or confidential information, which conforms to exclusions from public records as provided by N.C.G.S. §132-1.2 must be clearly marked as such in the offer when submitted.

6.0 VENDOR INFORMATION AND INSTRUCTIONS

6.1 GENERAL CONDITIONS OF OFFER

6.1.1 VENDOR RESPONSIBILITY

It shall be the Vendor’s responsibility to read this entire document, review all enclosures and attachments, and comply with all specifications, requirements and the State’s intent as specified herein. If a Vendor discovers an inconsistency, error or omission in this solicitation, the Vendor should request a clarification from the State’s contact person.

The Vendor will be responsible for investigating and recommending the most effective and efficient solution. Consideration shall be given to the stability of the proposed configuration and the future direction of technology, confirming to the best of its ability that the recommended approach is not short lived. Several approaches may exist for hardware configurations, other products and any software. The Vendor must provide a justification for their proposed hardware, product and software solution(s) along with costs thereof. Vendors are encouraged to present explanations of benefits and merits of their proposed solutions together with any accompanying Services, maintenance, warranties, value added Services or other criteria identified herein.

6.1.2 RIGHTS RESERVED

While the State has every intention to award a contract as a result of this RFP, issuance of the RFP in no way constitutes a commitment by the State of North Carolina, or the procuring Agency, to award a contract. Upon determining that any of the following would be in its best interests, the State may:

a) waive any formality;

b) amend the solicitation;

October 9 2025

c) cancel or terminate this RFP;

d) reject any or all offers received in response to this RFP;

e) waive any undesirable, inconsequential, or inconsistent provisions of this RFP;

f) if the response to this solicitation demonstrate a lack of competition, negotiate directly with one or more Vendors;

g) not award, or if awarded, terminate any contract if the State determines adequate State funds are not available; or

h) if all offers are found non-responsive, determine whether Waiver of Competition criteria may be satisfied, and if so, negotiate with one or more known sources of supply.

6.1.3 SOLICITATION AMENDMENTS OR REVISIONS

Any and all amendments or revisions to this document shall be made by written addendum from the Agency Procurement Office. If either a unit price or extended price is obviously in error and the other is obviously correct, the incorrect price will be disregarded.

6.1.4 ORAL EXPLANATIONS

The State will not be bound by oral explanations or instructions given at any time during the bidding process or after award. Vendor contact regarding this RFP with anyone other than the State’s contact person may be grounds for rejection of said Vendor’s offer. Agency contact regarding this RFP with any Vendor may be grounds for cancellation of this RFP.

6.1.5 E-PROCUREMENT

This is an E-Procurement solicitation. See ATTACHMENT B, paragraph #38 of the attached North Carolina Department of Information Technology Terms and Conditions.

The Terms and Conditions made part of this solicitation contain language necessary for the implementation of North Carolina’s statewide E-Procurement initiative. It is the Vendor’s responsibility to read these terms and conditions carefully and to consider them in preparing the offer. By signature, the Vendor acknowledges acceptance of all terms and conditions including those related to E- Procurement.

a) General information on the E-Procurement service can be found at http://eprocurement.nc.gov/

b) Within two days after notification of award of a contract, the Vendor must register in NC E- Procurement @ Your Service at the following website:

http://eprocurement.nc.gov/Vendor.html

c) As of the RFP submittal date, the Vendor must be current on all E-Procurement fees. If the Vendor is not current on all E-Procurement fees, the State may disqualify the Vendor from participation in this RFP.

6.1.6 ELECTRONIC VENDOR PORTAL (EVP)

The State has implemented the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) that allow the public to retrieve award notices and information on the Internet at https://evp.nc.gov. https://www.ips.state.nc.us/ips/ Results may be found by searching by Solicitation Number or agency name. This information may not be available for several weeks dependent upon the complexity of the acquisition and the length of time to complete the evaluation process.

6.1.7 PROTEST PROCEDURES

Protests of awards exceeding $25,000 in value must be submitted to the issuing Agency at the address given on the first page of this document. Protests must be received in the purchasing http://eprocurement.nc.gov/ http://eprocurement.nc.gov/Vendor.html https://evp.nc.gov/ https://www.ips.state.nc.us/ips/

October 9 2025 agency’s office within fifteen (15) calendar days from the date of this RFP award and provide specific reasons and any supporting documentation for the protest. All protests are governed by Title 9, Department of Information Technology (formerly Office of Information Technology Services), Subchapter 06B Sections .1101 - .1121.

6.2 GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS FOR VENDOR

6.2.1 SITE VISIT OR PRE-OFFER CONFERENCE - RESERVED

6.2.2 QUESTIONS CONCERNING THE RFP

All inquiries regarding the solicitation specifications or requirements are to be addressed to the contact person listed on Page One of this solicitation via the Ariba Sourcing Tool’s message board.

Vendor contact regarding this Solicitation with anyone other than the contact person listed on Page One of this Solicitation may be grounds for rejection of said Vendor’s offer.

Written questions concerning this Solicitation will be received until 07/01/2026 at 2:00pm Eastern Time.

They must be submitted to the contact person listed on Page One of this Solicitation via the Ariba Sourcing Tool’s message board. Please enter “Questions Solicitation 43-1389-26” as the subject for the message. Please note Vendor Questions should be submitted in the following format:

RFP Section, Page # Requirement Category

Requirement Sub Category

Requirement Number

Vendor Question

6.2.3 ADDENDUM TO RFP

If a pre-offer conference is held or written questions are received prior to the submission date, an addendum comprising questions submitted and responses to such questions, or any additional terms deemed necessary by the State shall become an Addendum to this RFP and provided via the State’s Ariba Sourcing Tool. Vendors’ questions posed orally at any pre-offer conference must be reduced to writing by the Vendor and provided to the Purchasing Officer as directed by said Officer. Oral answers are not binding on the State.

Critical updated information may be included in these Addenda. It is important that all Vendors bidding on this RFP periodically check the State’s Sourcing Tool for all Addenda that may be issued prior to the offer opening date.

6.2.4 COSTS RELATED TO OFFER SUBMISSION

Costs for developing and delivering responses to this RFP and any subsequent presentations of the offer as requested by the State are entirely the responsibility of the Vendor. The State is not liable for any expense incurred by the Vendors in the preparation and presentation of their offers.

All materials submitted in response to this RFP become the property of the State and are to be appended to any formal documentation, which would further define or expand any contractual relationship between the State and the Vendor resulting from this RFP process.

6.2.5 VENDOR ERRATA AND EXCEPTIONS

Any errata or exceptions to the State’s requirements and specifications may be presented on a separate page labeled “Exceptions to Requirements and Specifications”. Include references to the corresponding requirements and specifications of the Solicitation. Any deviations shall be explained in detail. The Vendor shall not construe this paragraph as inviting deviation or implying that any deviation will be acceptable. Offers of alternative or non-equivalent goods or services may be rejected if not found substantially conforming; and if offered, must be supported by

October 9 2025 independent documentary verification that the offer substantially conforms to the specified goods or services specification. If a vendor materially deviates from RFP requirements or specifications, its offer may be determined to be non-responsive by the State.

Offers conditioned upon acceptance of Vendor Errata or Exceptions may be determined to be non-responsive by the State.

6.2.6 ALTERNATE OFFERS

The Vendor may submit alternate offers for various levels of service(s) or products meeting specifications. Alternate offers must specifically identify the RFP specifications and advantage(s) addressed by the alternate offer. Any alternate offers must be clearly marked with the legend as shown herein. Each offer must be for a specific set of Services or products and offer at specific pricing. If a Vendor chooses to respond with various service or product offerings, each must be an offer with a different price and a separate RFP offer. Vendors may also provide multiple offers for software or systems coupled with support and maintenance options, provided, however, all offers must satisfy the specifications.

Alternate offers must be submitted in a separate document and clearly marked “Alternate Offer for ‘name of Vendor’” and numbered sequentially with the first offer if separate offers are submitted.

6.2.7 MODIFICATIONS TO OFFER

An offer may not be unilaterally modified by the Vendor.

6.2.8 BASIS FOR REJECTION

Pursuant to 9 NCAC 06B.0401, the State reserves the right to reject any and all offers, in whole or in part; by deeming the offer unsatisfactory as to quality or quantity, delivery, price or service offered;

non-compliance with the specifications or intent of this solicitation; lack of competitiveness; error(s) in specifications or indications that revision would be advantageous to the State; cancellation or other changes in the intended project, or other determination that the proposed specification is no longer needed; limitation or lack of available funds; circumstances that prevent determination of the best offer; or any other determination that rejection would be in the best interest of the State.

6.2.9 NON-RESPONSIVE OFFERS

Vendor offers will be deemed non-responsive by the State and will be rejected without further consideration or evaluation if statements such as the following are included:

• “This offer does not constitute a binding offer”,

• “This offer will be valid only if this offer is selected as a finalist or in the competitive range”,

• “The Vendor does not commit or bind itself to any terms and conditions by this submission”,

• “This document and all associated documents are non-binding and shall be used for discussion purposes only”,

• “This offer will not be binding on either party until incorporated in a definitive agreement signed by authorized representatives of both parties”, or

• A statement of similar intent

6.2.10 BASIS FOR REJECTION

Pursuant to 9 NCAC 06B.0401, the State reserves the right to reject any and all offers, in whole or in part; by deeming the offer unsatisfactory as to quality or quantity, delivery, price or service offered;

non-compliance with the specifications or intent of this solicitation; lack of competitiveness; error(s) in specifications or indications that revision would be advantageous to the State; cancellation or other changes in the intended project, or other determination that the proposed specification is no longer needed; limitation or lack of available funds; circumstances that prevent determination of the best offer; or any other determination that rejection would be in the best interest of the State.

6.2.11 VENDOR REGISTRATION WITH THE SECRETARY OF STATE

October 9 2025

Vendors do not have to be registered with the NC Secretary of State to submit an offer; however, in order to receive an award/contract with the State, they must be registered. Registration can be completed at the following website: https://www.sosnc.gov/Guides/launching_a_business

6.2.12 VENDOR REGISTRATION AND SOLICITATION NOTIFICATION SYSTEM

The NC electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) allows Vendors to electronically register with the State to receive electronic notification of current procurement opportunities for goods and Services available at the following website: https://evp.nc.gov.

This RFP is available electronically on the electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) at the following website:

https://evp.nc.gov.

6.2.13 POINTS OF…