RFP_8243_OQ_Contact_Quality_Monitoring.pdf

RFP 8243 OQ

For

Contact Quality Monitoring

Issue Date:

July 29, 2025

August 5, 2025 Questions/Comments Due Date:

Addendum Due Date:

Proposal Due Date:

August 12, 2025

August 29, 2025 by 2:00 PM EST

Direct all inquiries to Buyer of Record:

Cindy Luttfring

407-325-6311 cluttfring@ouc.com

Orlando Utilities Commission RFP 8243 OQ – Contact Quality Monitoring

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0 – 5/22/25

Orlando Utilities Commission Orlando, Florida

RFP 8243 OQ for Contact Quality Monitoring

Table of Contents 1 Introduction

1.1 Scope of Work Summary

1.2 Pre-Response Conference

1.3 Term of Contract

1.4 Minimum Bidder Qualifications

1.5 Price and Costs

1.6 Terms and Conditions

1.7 Contract Sample

1.8 Proposal Evaluation Criteria

2 Bidder Requirements and Qualifications

2.1 Detailed Scope, Requirements, & Drawings

2.2 Bidder Information & Required Bidder Qualifications

2.2.1 Bidder Information

2.2.2 Required Bidder Qualifications

3 Instructions to Bidders

3.1 Legal and Public Record Statement

3.2 Confidentiality Notice to Bidders

3.2.1 Exemptions

3.3 Acknowledgement

3.3.1 Statement of No Bid

3.4 General Information

3.4.1 Common Terms

3.4.2 Submittal

3.4.2.1 Alternate Proposals

3.4.3 Signatures

3.4.4 Withdrawal

3.5 Electronic Submittal of the Proposal

3.6 Compliance Forms

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0 – 5/22/25

3.6.1 Public Entity Crimes

3.6.2 Dispute Disclosure

3.7 RESERVED

3.8 Proposal Preparation Costs

3.9 Exceptions

3.10 Clarifications

3.11 Local Conditions

3.12 Opening

3.13 Solicitation Selection Schedule

3.14 Proposal Acceptance and Rejection

3.15 Proposal Evaluation Criteria

3.16 Cancelation

3.17 Freight (If Applicable)

3.18 Bid Bond (If Applicable)

3.19 Payment and Performance Bond (If Applicable)

3.20 Contract Execution

3.21 Award

3.22 Taxes, Permits, and Licenses

3.23 Error and Omissions

3.24 Proposal Submittal Format

3.24.1 OUC Policies and Procedures for Bidders

3.25 Signatures

4 Proposal Submittal Format & Checklist

5 Attachments

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

Re qu es t f or P ro po sa l (

RF

P)

Orlando Utilities Commission Orlando, Florida

RFP 8243 OQ for Contact Quality Monitoring

Direct all inquiries to the Buyer of Record: Cindy Luttfring

407-325-6311 cluttfring@ouc.com

Proposal Opening Location: Orlando Utilities Commission Reliable Plaza 100 West Anderson Street Orlando, Florida 32801

1. Instructions are located in the Instruction to Bidders section of this document; or, may be provided during a Pre-Conference Meeting.

2. Electronic proposal submittals, described in the Electronic Submittal of the Proposal section of this document, will be accepted. Email or other means will not be accepted.

3. VendorLink help can be accessed by calling 407-222-1885, or by emailing support@evendorlink.com.

mailto:support@evendorlink.com

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

1 INTRODUCTION

The Orlando Utilities Commission (OUC) is an electric and water municipal utility serving Orlando, Florida and portions of surrounding Orange County. OUC also has an Inter-local agreement with the City of St.

Cloud, Florida for the management of its electric utility. Currently, OUC serves more than 380,000 customers. To obtain general information about OUC, access www.ouc.com.

1.1 SCOPE OF WORK SUMMARY

The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) is to solicit proposals from qualified companies interested in providing Quality Monitoring Services for OUC, which will include the Selected Supplier(s) to monitor calls and emails between OUC Customer Service Representatives and OUC customers.

OUC utilizes a contact Quality Monitoring Service to assess employees’ effectiveness while interacting with OUC customers via call or email. The evaluation measures employees’ soft and technical skills based upon published guidelines and standards. OUC Customer Service Representative assessments include, but are not limited to, the ability to communicate in a professional and courteous manner, efficient processing of a request, and knowledge and execution of OUC policies and procedures. The process identifies both skills in which employees excel as well as areas requiring improvement. The guidelines and standards are also used to enhance the customer experience

Refer to Section 2.1, Detailed Scope, Requirements, & Drawings for more information.

1.2 PRE-RESPONSE CONFERENCE

N/A

1.3 TERM OF CONTRACT

The services will be contracted for an initial period of Three (3) years, with two (2) one-year renewal options at the election of OUC.

1.4 MINIMUM BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS Refer to Attachment C

1. Supplier has been in business performing similar services for at least four (4) years.

2. Supplier has English and Spanish speaking staff to meet OUC requirements.

3. Assigned team members must have a minimum of three (3) years of experience in conducting Contact Quality Monitoring.

1.5 PRICE AND COSTS

Prices documented in the submitted Proposal must remain firm throughout the contract period (including additional extensions, if applicable). Refer to Attachment B: Price Schedule.

1.6 TERMS AND CONDITIONS

https://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/procure_general_services.pdf?sfvrsn=758620e2_26 http://www.ouc.com/ https://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/procure_general_services.pdf?sfvrsn=758620e2_26

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

1.7 CONTRACT SAMPLE

Click here to view an OUC contract sample.

1.8 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

Refer to the Instructions to Bidders section of this document.

http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_contract_agreement.pdf?sfvrsn=2

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

2 BIDDER REQUIREMENTS AND QUALIFICATIONS

2.1 DETAILED SCOPE, REQUIREMENTS, & DRAWINGS

Refer to Attachment A

2.2 BIDDER INFORMATION & REQUIRED BIDDER QUALIFICATIONS

2.2.1 Bidder Information

On company letterhead Bidder to provide a response cover page with the following information:

1. Firm Name

2. Name of Parent Company if applicable

3. Complete Business Address

4. State of Incorporation

5. Number of years in business

6. Name(s) and contact information of key personnel

7. Dun & Bradstreet number

8. Licenses obtained to conduct business with OUC

2.2.2 Required Bidder Qualifications

Refer to Section 1.4 Minimum Bidder Qualifications for more information.

1. List the number of projects (with similar scope and size) that the bidding organization has completed and are in progress.

2. Provide at least three (3) references with contact information related to completed projects with the similar scope and size project.

a. If deemed pertinent, OUC will request to do site visits to customers provided as references by selected Bidder or Bidder’s affiliates.

3. Provide a complete list of all the subcontractors that may be part of the project, with the following information:

a. Company name

b. Contact information

c. Number of years in business

d. Proof of the necessary licenses for the job (if applicable)

e. List of project that they had participated with similar scope and size to this RFP

4. Should bidder be awarded the work in this RFP, please provide information on any Economic Development Opportunities that Bidder may bring, such as the creation of new jobs or purchasing or leasing of new building space, which could benefit the local Orlando Area or the State of Florida.

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

3 INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

3.1 LEGAL AND PUBLIC RECORD STATEMENT

As required by Florida’s Public Records Law, information provided to OUC in the course of business will be made available for public inspection and copying unless a specific statutory exemption applies.

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE TO BIDDERS

By submitting a proposal to OUC, each Bidder acknowledges and understands that OUC is a public agency subject to Chapter 119 Florida Statutes (“Public Records Law”). Any Proposal document the Bidder submits will become a public record when OUC provides notice of an intended decision or 30 days after opening the bids, proposals, or final replies, whichever is earlier. Trade Secrets, certain background financial information, and other items, may constitute exemptions to disclosure under the Public Records law.

3.2.1 Exemptions

If during the Proposal or Negotiation Phase a Bidder wishes to claim an exemption on any portion of its Proposal to OUC, the Bidder must identify the specific statutory exemption and do the following:

1. Submit a redacted version. Redact (black out) only those portions of the Proposal put forward for exemption.

2. Submit an un-redacted version of the same documents marked, “Confidential –Trade Secret/ Proprietary Information”. Both versions are to be submitted at the same time.

3.3 ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

1. From the issue date of this solicitation packet until a selection decision is made, no unauthorized contact related to this solicitation will be allowed between a Bidder, their employees or subcontractors and any OUC commissioner, officer, director, or staff, with the exception of the Buyer of Record. Any unauthorized contact will disqualify the Bidder from further consideration

2. The selected Bidder agrees to obtain, prior to award, Worker's Compensation, General Liability, Automotive, and other insurance requirements in accordance to the requirements in the terms and conditions specified in section 1.7.

3. All policies shall be subject to approval by OUC, and issued by companies authorized by the State of Florida’s Department of Insurance to conduct business in the State of Florida.

4. The selected Bidder agrees that it and its subcontractors have a Drug-Free Workplace Program that complies with Florida Statute §§ 287.087 and 440.101 et. seq., the Omnibus Employee Testing Act of 1991, 49 Code of Federal Regulation § 391 and 40 (operation of commercial motor vehicles).

a. In addition, all subcontractors must implement a controlled substance and alcohol testing policy for safety sensitive positions as defined by the Commission’s Alcohol and Controlled Substance Testing Policy for Safety Sensitive Positions.

5. The selected Bidder’s employees and its subcontractors’ employees are further prohibited from being under the influence or impairment of alcohol on OUC property or work sites or at any time or place while conducting business with or on behalf of OUC.

6. The selected Bidder shall submit only one proposal/bid in response to this solicitation packet, and shall have no financial interest in other entities submitting proposals/bid responses for the same solicitation packet.

7. Neither the selected Bidder, nor its affiliates, nor anyone associated with them shall have any potential conflict of interest due to any other clients, contracts, business relationships or property interests for this solicitation packet’s scope of work.

8. The selected Bidder shall disclose to OUC the name(s) of any OUC employee, contractor, or OUC Board Member who has a direct or indirect financial interest in the selected Bidder’s organization, or in the proposed transaction. A direct or indirect financial interest in the selected Bidder’s organization, or in the proposed transaction exists if the OUC employee, contractor, or Board Member:

a. Presently, or in the preceding twelve (12) months, has an ownership interest in the selected Bidder’s organization (other than as owner of less than 1% of the stock of a publicly traded corporation).

b. Works for, is a partner, officer, director, trustee, or consultant to the selected Bidder.

c. Has received grant, travel, honoraria, or other similar support from the selected Bidder

d. Has a right to receive royalties from the selected Bidder.

9. No member of the selected Bidder’s ownership, management, or staff shall have a vested interest in any aspect of OUC, nor any business or other relationship with any of OUC’s employees, officers, directors, or Board Members that creates a conflict of interest or the appearance of a conflict of interest.

10. No member of the selected Bidder’s ownership or management is presently applying for an employee position or actively seeking an appointment within OUC.

11. The selected Bidder, or authorized signatory, shall provide written notice to OUC in the event that a conflict of interest is identified at any time.

3.3.1 Statement of No Bid

The OUC Procurement Department is committed to continuously improving its processes to receive maximum participation from the industry/market. OUC is requesting that organizations, who do not wish to bid on this RFP, send the Buyer of Record an email briefly explaining their “no bid” decision. This response will help to improve the solicitation process and any future communications.

3.4 GENERAL INFORMATION

Bidders shall prepare Proposals in accordance with the requirements of these Instructions to Bidders. Not preparing a Proposal, in accordance with such instructions, implies that the Bidder does not intend to comply with all of the proposed contract conditions. Such proposals will be considered irregular and may be rejected.

OUC will receive Proposals through the VendorLink system for goods, equipment, materials, and related services set forth in the included specifications and documents.

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25 http://www.myvendorlink.com/

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

3.4.1 Common Terms

OUC and Bidders (the parties) agree that the following phrases each shall have the meaning provided here and may be used interchangeably:

1. “Bidder(s)”, “Supplier(s)”, and “Proposer(s)” shall mean the organization, party, person, firm, company, corporation, partnership, joint venture, or other type of entity responding to this solicitation.

2. “Solicitation” shall mean , “Request for Proposal(s)”, “RFP”, “Request for Quote”, “RFQ”, “Invitation to Bid”, “ITB”, “Solicitation Package” or, “Solicitation Packet”, to which the Bidder is responding.

3. “Bid(s)”, “Proposal(s)”, or “Quote(s)” shall mean the documents formally submitted to OUC by each of the Bidders responding to this solicitation packet.

3.4.2 Submittal

Bidders shall submit Proposals in accordance with the instructions and schedule included in the solicitation containing these specifications and documents. Refer to Section 4: Proposal Submittal Format & Checklist and submit Proposal with all applicable content.

3.4.2.1 Alternate Proposals

If the Bidder submits an alternate proposal, they shall identify clearly the proposal as an “Alternate Proposal”. OUC may consider alternate proposals a blanket exception to the solicitation and reject the Proposal.

3.4.3 Signatures

An authorized representative of each Bidder shall:

1. Sign or e-sign the Proposal, give their full name and title, and provide the Bidder’s business name and address.

2. Enter the organization’s exact legal name on the Proposal.

3. Sign or e-sign compliance forms, if applicable.

3.4.4 Withdrawal

Bidders may withdraw, alter, and resubmit their Proposals through VendorLink at any time prior to the Proposal due date and time. Proposals may not be withdrawn, altered, or resubmitted after the Proposal due date and time. OUC may request clarifications and additional information after proposal submission.

3.5 ELECTRONIC SUBMITTAL OF THE PROPOSAL

To ensure correct Proposal formatting, Bidders shall:

1. Submit Proposals electronically through VendorLink.

2. Upload files only in MS Word (.doc or .docx), Excel (.xls or .xlsx), and PowerPoint (.ppt or .pptx); Adobe Portable Document Format (.pdf); Compressed File (ZIP) formats.

3. Enable printing on files submitted.

4. Clearly identify the RFP Number, Name, Submission Date, and Bidder Name on the Response Cover Page on Bidder’s letterhead.

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

5. Separate and identify each part of the submission (i.e. document type, form type, content type) with a divider/separation page.

6. Contact VendorLink technical support at support@evendorlink.com, if technical difficulties arise during proposal submission.

7. Follow all instructions outlined in this RFP and provide all requested information.

OUC may ask the selected Bidder to supply one hard copy set with original, written signatures and original compliance forms, prior to the contract execution. Do not submit following both methods unless otherwise instructed.

3.6 COMPLIANCE FORMS

3.6.1 Public Entity Crimes

Each Bidder shall submit copies of an executed and notarized Sworn Statement under Section

287.133 (3)(a) and 287.135, Florida Statutes, on Public Entity Crimes and Scrutinized Companies.

3.6.2 Dispute Disclosure

Each Bidder shall submit copies of an executed Dispute Disclosure form.

3.7 RESERVED

3.8 PROPOSAL PREPARATION COSTS

OUC shall provide, without charge, one set of the specifications and documents to prospective Bidders for preparation of proposals. Addenda documents will be issued only to prospective Bidders registered in VendorLink.

This solicitation does not commit OUC to pay any costs incurred in the preparation and submission of the Proposal or to pay any other costs incurred prior to award.

3.9 EXCEPTIONS

OUC is seeking proposals that meet all technical and commercial requirements as outlined in this solicitation. If a Bidder takes exception to any solicitation requirement or condition, the exception must be specifically stated on the Exception Form provided within the solicitation document. OUC shall consider only those exceptions written on the form at the time the Proposal is submitted. The Bidder acknowledges that any exception taken to the solicitation criteria (including submitting an alternate proposal) may result in OUC determining the Proposal to be nonresponsive.

3.10 CLARIFICATIONS

If a prospective Bidder has doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the solicitation, they may submit a written request for clarification through email to the Buyer of Record; verbal requests will not be accepted. The Bidder must reference the Solicitation Package page number and section heading on any clarification requests

Failure of the Bidder to request information or make inquiries will not relieve them of any responsibility to perform under the terms of any contract awarded for the work in accordance with subsequent clarifications.

OUC shall issue an addendum to all Bidders, via VendorLink, once an inquiry is clarified and/or answered. Verbal responses will not be provided and are not binding on OUC.

mailto:support@evendorlink.com http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_public_entity_crimes_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_public_entity_crimes_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_dispute_disclosure_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.myvendorlink.com/ http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_exceptions_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

3.11 LOCAL CONDITIONS

Each Bidder shall have thorough knowledge of conditions, factors, and scope of work, which would affect the execution and completion of the requested work. If required, site visits will be held the day of the Pre-Response Conference unless otherwise arranged.

Bidders shall investigate properly and consider all such factors in the preparation of every Proposal submitted. OUC shall not permit claims for financial adjustment based on the lack of prior information or its effect on the cost of the work.

3.12 OPENING

OUC shall open Proposals on the RFP Due Date at 2:30 p.m. EST at 100 West Anderson Street, Orlando, Florida. If required, at a public opening, OUC shall read only the Bidder name and if they have provided all the required information. OUC shall not share any other information at this time, with the exception of solicitations for construction or repairs on public works projects in which the price is submitted. Proposals not meeting the requirements may be rejected.

All questions concerning this solicitation must reference the document page number, and section heading. OUC shall answer questions and post them to VendorLink as an addenda to the solicitation.

3.13 SOLICITATION SELECTION SCHEDULE

OUC shall adhere to the stated schedule during the solicitation process, unless a change notice is issued to the Bidders via a written addendum. OUC reserves the right to postpone the date and time announced for the opening of proposals at any time.

OUC expects Proposals to address all of the information requested in the solicitation and subsequent clarifications, and to reflect the capabilities of the Bidder.

Bidders shall submit any supplemental information, and list any variations on the Exceptions form, in accordance with Section 4, Proposal Submittal Format & Checklist.

3.14 PROPOSAL ACCEPTANCE AND REJECTION

OUC reserves the right to accept the Proposal which, in its judgment, is the most responsive and responsible Proposal and to reject any and all proposals; as well as waive irregularities and formalities in any proposal that is submitted.

Without limiting the generality of the foregoing, OUC may reject any proposals which are incomplete or irregular; Proposals which omit any one or more items for which the solicitation requires, any Proposals which omit unit prices if unit prices are required, any Proposals from Bidders who have previously failed to satisfactorily complete contractual obligations.

1. The following shall cause an automatic rejection of the proposal:

a. Proposals delivered/submitted after the 2:00 p.m. due date

b. Failure to submit a Bid Bond (if required)

c. Failure to attend a mandatory Pre-Response Conference and/or any mandatory presentation (if required)

d. Failure to submit a signed Payment and Performance Bond Compliance Form when (a) a Payment and Performance Bond is required or (b) alternate payment and performance security permissible under Section 255.05, Florida Statutes is required http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_paymt_perform_bond_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

2. The following items may cause a rejection of the proposal:

a. Failure to submit copies of any of the signed & notarized (where required) forms:

i. Statement on Public Entity Crimes form

ii. Dispute Disclosure

3.15 PROPOSAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

OUC shall evaluate the Proposals based on the information provided by each of the Bidders. OUC’s review may include, but may not be limited to the following categories:

1. Qualifications and Experience, including past performance for OUC

2. Responsiveness to Requirements

3. Safety and Quality Programs

4. Financial Soundness of Organization

5. Price

OUC reserves the right to negotiate with Bidders who submitted responsive and responsible Proposals in the best interest of the OUC Commission. This negotiation process may occur prior to OUC Commission approval. Each Bidder acknowledges that OUC shall evaluate all Proposals and may initiate clarification discussions or seek additional information from all or some of the Bidders to fully understand any unclear elements of their proposals. Following clarification, OUC may initiate negotiations with the Bidder considered to be the most responsive and responsible. If no agreement is reached with the highest ranked Bidder, OUC may reject all Proposals or continue negotiations with each subsequently ranked Bidder until an acceptable deal is reached. A final contract award may be contingent upon OUC Commission and legal approval.

OUC reserves the right to consider historic information and facts, whether gained from the Bidder’s Proposal, question and answer conferences, references, and/or other sources during the evaluation process. OUC may conduct such investigations to assist with the evaluation of any Proposal. The investigation also serves to establish the Bidders’, subcontractors’, and other related entities’ responsibility, qualifications, and financial ability to fulfill the Proposal requirements to the Commission’s satisfaction, within the prescribed time.

The Bidder solely is responsible to submit information related to the evaluation categories. OUC is under no obligation to solicit such information. Failure of the Bidder to submit information may cause an adverse impact on the Proposal’s evaluation.

3.16 CANCELATION

Prior to the final execution of a Contract or full Notice to Proceed, OUC reserves the right to rescind said award without prior notice to Bidders. In addition, OUC may reject all Proposals, reissue the solicitation packet, or re-award the contract.

3.17 FREIGHT (IF APPLICABLE)

The selected Bidder shall coordinate with OUC’s freight contractor for shipping unless OUC determines that the selected Bidder can obtain freight/shipping rates or methods that are more advantageous to OUC. The selected Bidder shall submit an alternate shipping proposal based on delivery to OUC’s Free On Board (FOB) carrier at the designated OUC facility or location. The alternate proposal must include the:

http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_public_entity_crimes_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_dispute_disclosure_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

1. Carrier name

2. Insurance coverage

3. Firm price freight quote

The Bidder must include any alternate proposal in the bid response to this solicitation. OUC may accept or reject the proposed alternate shipping arrangement.

OUC’s freight/shipping supplier and contact information is:

Nexterus

1-888-867-5952 (Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. EST) dcs@nexterus.com

3.18 BID BOND (IF APPLICABLE)

Bidder may be required to submit a certified check or cashier’s check drawn on an acceptable bank, or an acceptable Bidder’s bond executed by the Bidder and a surety company authorized to do business in the State of Florida. The value of the bid bond shall be five percent (5%) of the proposal price schedule. When submitting a Proposal through VendorLink, the Bidder shall provide a copy of the check and express mail the original check to the delivery location provided on the first page of the Solicitation Packet Form.

The bid bond guarantee shall be made payable without condition to OUC. The amount of the check or bond may be retained by and forfeited to OUC as liquidated damages if the Proposal results in a contract award and the Bidder fails to honor the accepted terms.

OUC shall return the selected Bidder’s bid bond when that Bidder executes the contract and files a satisfactory payment and/or performance bond, if required. OUC may retain the bid bond of the second highest ranked Bidder for a period not to exceed thirty (30) days, pending the execution of the contract by the selected Bidder. OUC shall return the bid bond of each unsuccessful Bidder upon request, after the contract is awarded or when the Proposal is rejected.

3.19 PAYMENT AND PERFORMANCE BOND (IF APPLICABLE)

The selected Bidder may be required to furnish a Payment and Performance Bond to OUC per Florida Statutes; Section 255.05 equal to 100 percent of the contract price. The cost of such bonds shall be stated as a separate line item in the Proposal.

A surety company, authorized to do business in the State of Florida and acceptable to OUC, shall sign the bond. The Performance Bond and Payment Bond shall be dated with the actual execution date. With these bonds, the responsible party shall file certified copies of the power of attorney of such attorney-in-fact signing the bond on behalf of the surety, and such certificates shall be certified to show that such power of attorney was in effect to and including the date of the actual execution of the bonds. Any bonds submitted by a surety or its agent shall be conclusively presumed to have been authorized by and binding upon the surety company irrespective of the date shown on the power of attorney.

If bonds are required, they shall remain in full force and effect until satisfactory completion of any specified performance guarantee tests, or satisfactory completion of all other contractual requirements, whichever shall occur last. Upon recording of the performance and payment bond (if applicable) Bidder shall provide OUC three (3) copies.

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0– 5/22/25

OUC shall furnish a copy of the selected Bidder’s bond to any lienor demanding that bond under the provisions of Florida Statute 713.23.

3.20 CONTRACT EXECUTION

The selected Bidder shall execute the necessary contractual forms, and return the executed forms within ten (10) business days of receipt of forms for execution.

3.21 AWARD

OUC reserves the right to award a single or multiple contracts for all proposal items, or to award separate contracts for single proposal items or any combination of such items; or to make no contract award.

OUC shall be the sole judge of its own best interests, the proposals, and the resulting contract. An award may be made to the most responsive and responsible organization whose proposal is determined to be the most advantageous to OUC. The Commission’s decision shall be final and OUC’s rights include the ability to:

1. Reject any or all proposals or parts thereof

2. Issue subsequent solicitations

3. Cancel the entire solicitation

4. Remedy technical errors on the solicitation

5. Negotiate with any, all or none of the Bidders

6. Award a contract to one or more Bidders or none at all

7. Accept other than the lowest price

8. Waive informalities and irregularities in proposals

3.22 TAXES, PERMITS, AND LICENSES

The Bidder's attention is directed to the General Terms and Conditions and the Florida Statutes regarding taxes, permits, and licenses. It shall be the Bidder's responsibility to determine the applicable taxes, permits, and licenses. If the Bidder has doubt as to whether or not a tax, permit, or license is applicable, they shall state in their proposal whether this item has been included in their proposal price and the amount of the applicable tax, permit, or license in question.

3.23 ERROR AND OMISSIONS

Bidders or their authorized representatives are expected to be fully informed as to the conditions, requirements and specifications before submitting proposals; failure to do so will be at the Bidder’s own risk. Neither law nor regulations make allowance for errors either of omission or commission on the part of Bidders. In case of error of extension of prices in the proposal, the unit price shall govern.

3.24 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL FORMAT

Bidders shall complete all required forms, and include them in the proposal submittal package with any other required information. Refer to Section 4, Proposal Submittal Format & Checklist for more information.

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3.24.1 OUC Policies and Procedures for Bidders

The Bidder shall read and comply with OUC’s policies and procedures before submitting this Proposal:

1. Contractor Security Policy

2. Bid Protest Guidance

3. Generic Contractor Orientation

4. Drug and Alcohol-Free Workplace and Testing Policy

5. OUC Travel and Expense Guidelines

6. All policies – OUC Procurement Services Department website

These policies and any supplemental policies provided at contractor orientation are hereby fully incorporated into this contract by reference and to the extent applicable to the supplier in the performance of their work. Supplier and its subcontractors, suppliers, agents, and employees shall fully comply with all such policies as amended from time to time.

3.25 SIGNATURES

By submitting this proposal with the authorized electronic signature, the Bidder hereby declares that, in all respects for and in good faith, without collusion or fraud:

1. Only the individuals or organizations interested in this proposal/bid response as principal or principals are named in this Proposal.

2. No other individuals or organizations than mentioned in this Proposal have any interest in this Proposal/Bid Response or in the subsequent contract.

3. This Proposal/Bid Response is made without connection with any other person, company, or parties likewise submitting a Proposal/Bid Response.

Bidders shall prepare Proposals in accordance with the Instructions to Bidder’s document. Failure to submit the necessary forms may cause a rejection of the proposal. The Bidder hereby agrees to provide the services and/or items specified in the solicitation packet at the prices quoted pursuant to the requirements of this document.

https://www.ouc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Procurement_procure_contractor_sec_pol.pdf https://www.ouc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Procurement_bid_protest.pdf https://www.ouc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Procurement_procure_contractor_orientation_stanton.pdf https://www.ouc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Procurement_proc_alc_cont_subs_testing_pol.pdf https://www.ouc.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/Procurement_supplier_business_expense_guidelines.pdf https://www.ouc.com/doing-business-with-ouc/

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v4.2– 10/21/19

4 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL FORMAT & CHECKLIST

A checkmark (✓) on the items below indicates these are applicable items and the terms and conditions stated in earlier sections are applicable. Bidders shall complete all the forms checked (✓) below, and include them in the proposal submittal package in order with any other information.

Provide a written signature on all original forms and, when required, a notary stamp. Scan & upload these forms with the Proposal.

Technical Response File (checked if applicable)

Tab 1 – Cover Page

Proposal Cover Page on Bidders Letterhead

Bidder Information as listed in Section 2.2.1

Tab 2 – Bidder Background and Qualifications

References and Qualifications as listed in Section 2.2

Tab 3 – Response to Requirements

Response to all Requirements as listed in Section 2 and any applicable Attachments

Tab 4 – Compliance Forms

Submit at time of proposal

Exceptions

Sworn Statement on Public Entity Crimes and Scrutinized Companies Under Florida Statutes, Section 287.133 (3) (a) and 287.135

Dispute Disclosure

Addenda (If Applicable)

Provided at time of award

Copy of Company’s Business License

Copy of Insurance Certificate

W-9 Form http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_exceptions_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_public_entity_crimes_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_public_entity_crimes_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_dispute_disclosure_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_addenda_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2 http://www.ouc.com/docs/procurement/proc_w9_form.pdf?sfvrsn=2

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0 - 5/22/25

5 ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A:

Attachment B:

Attachment C:

Detailed Scope of Work & Requirements

Price Schedule

Bidder Information

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0 - 5/22/25

DETAILED SCOPE OF WORK & REQUIREMENTS

SCOPE OF WORK

In order to continuously improve customer satisfaction, increase first contact resolution and overall quality performance, OUC requires frequent and effective contact quality monitoring and coaching of OUC’s Customer Service Representatives. OUC is seeking a Supplier(s) to conduct contact quality monitoring (both manual and automated) for customer interactions occurring via telephone and email. Bidders should provide a Contact Evaluation Form as part of their proposal. Trend analyses, reporting, and recommendations for continuous quality improvements are to be provided as part of the Supplier’s Proposal.

Existing forms and tools used by OUC will not be shared with the bidder. We prefer that you provide forms that you have used in similar projects that were effective.

CURRENT ENVIRONMENT OR BACKGROUND

OUC has outsourced its manual Contact Quality Monitoring service for the last 14 years;

however, currently only a fraction of interactions is analyzed for quality given the manual and costly nature of the program. We currently monitor eight (8) interactions per month per Customer Service Representative (CSR) per channel (email and telephone). In the future, OUC hopes to be able to utilize online chat as a channel as well. A greater volume of interaction monitoring is needed to ensure that OUC maintains the high level of service that our customers expect to obtain a complete picture of CSR performance. Additionally, OUC wishes to incorporate Automated Quality Monitoring to help eliminate perceived bias of manual monitoring and scoring as well as to increase the percentage of contacts evaluated. As a result, the scope of this RFP includes both Manual and Automated Quality Monitoring Services.

OUC employs Customer Service Representatives (CSR’s) working in call centers located in Orlando, FL and from home offices. These three (3) groups service OUC’s Residential and Commercial customers and assist in OUC’s Collection efforts. In 2024, a total of 567,959 calls (approximately 481,168 calls in English and 86,791 calls in Spanish) and 112,802 emails (111,708 emails in English and 1,094 emails in Spanish) were received in the OUC call centers. OUC employs on average fifty (50) Residential, twenty-six (26) Collections, eight (8) Commercial, and two (2) Outage Management Services (OMS) Customer Service Representatives working in the three (3) contact centers. The overall average call time is 5 minutes 31 seconds; however, OUC seeks pricing for various call durations, as well as analysis of emails in set volumes on Attachment B: Pricing Sheet.

OUC currently employs thirty-four (34) Spanish speaking Customer Service Representatives.

The current telephone system used is Unify, Inc., OpenScape Voice (OSV) and the current call recording application is Verint. Our current Customer Information System (CIS) is Oracle’s Customer Care & Billing (CC&B) system. All customer interactions are recorded in Verint, and 25 percent of calls and 100 percent of emails have screen captures per month from each Customer Service Representative’s workstation.

Customer calls and emails may contain Personally Identifiable Information (PII), as such, the selected Supplier’s employees are expected to maintain complete confidentiality.

Furthermore, the selected Supplier shall pay for a background check for any employee tasked with working on OUC’s Quality Monitoring program.

SCOPE OF SERVICES FOR CONTACT QUALITY MONITORING – (Proposal shall address the below sections)

QUALITY MONITORING VIA CALLS AND EMAILS Qualified vendors should be able to provide the following services for quality monitoring:

1. Design and implementation of a new, more comprehensive Contact Quality Monitoring program that includes both manual and auto quality components for both the phone and email channel leveraging current speech analytics data we capture via our current Verint program. The design should incorporate both English and Spanish language transactions.

2. Completion of quality monitoring with appropriate quality control.

3. Recommendations for best in practice scoring standards and rules to be incorporated in the program.

4. Personalized Agent recommendations for coaching based on both (Manual and

Automated) program components including opportunity areas, customer handling, script deviations, tone, objections, compliance to process and procedures.

5. Ease of use and seamless integration where needed leveraging API’s (Application Programming Interface).

6. Provide OUC with automatic email alerts to allow OUC to assist dissatisfied customers in a timely manner as well as provide immediate agent coaching.

7. Learn OUC’s systems, policies and procedures:

a. Customer Care & Billing (CCB)

b. Citrix

c. Meter Data Management

d. SharePoint/Documentum (Central repository of training materials)

e. Pragma Web (Outage recording)

f. Verint (Call Recording)

g. ProcedureFlow (Workflow)

8. Conduct call calibration sessions and Inter-Rater Reliability (IRR) testing with Training & Quality and Operational Management staff.

9. Reporting shall include:

a. Analysis of performance by channel (telephone or email), transaction type and service type including trending over time (i.e. overall ratings, standards, etc.) and recommendations for improvement.

b. Monthly Executive Reports incorporating data from both the manual and automated components by the fifth (5th) day of each month.

c. Separate Executive Summary Report per contact center (Residential, Commercial, and Collections)

d. Data driven recommendations to address issues, improve business processes and agent development

e. Produce ad hoc reporting per request

f. Provide access to ad hoc reporting

g. Ability to deliver Executive Summary Reports electronically and in a secured cloud-based Portal with drill down options

h. Develop all program forms including Ratings Forms, Coaching and Dispute forms

i. Ability to provide reports electronically and via Reporting Portal with drill down options.

10. Portal Requirements/Data Availability:

a. Interactivity

b. Quality Monitoring Forms

c. Calibration Forms/Results

d. Dispute Form(s) and approval

e. Standard/ad hoc reporting and data trending. Provide list of available reports.

PROJECT TEAM STRUCTURE AND INTERNAL CONTROLS

Provide a description of the proposed project team structure, including any subcontractors. Provide an organizational chart of the project team indicating lines of authority for personnel involved and relationships of the staff or sub-contractors.

QUALIFICATION AND REQUIREMENTS

Proposals should include the methodology, strategies and tactics used in the past to conduct successful Contact Quality Monitoring. Sample report and presentation of quality monitoring by channels (telephone, email, chat) must be provided as part of the Bidder’s Proposal.

Proposals should include the following:

1) COMPANY QUALIFICATIONS –

• Must be in business conducting Contact Quality Monitoring for at least four (4) years.

• Must have available English and Spanish-speaking experienced staff to meet

OUC requirements.

2) STAFF QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE –

• Assigned team members must have a minimum of three (3) years of experience in conducting Contact Quality Monitoring and must be able to commit to the project.

• Provide resume/experience of staff that will be assigned to this project. The selected Supplier shall commit that the staff identified in its proposal will be dedicated to performing the assigned work.

3) SUBCONTRACTORS –

• If the Bidder plans to use subcontractors to accomplish the tasks described above, submit a statement acknowledging the Bidder’s ultimate and total responsibility for all services and deliverables provided under the contract.

• Contact quality monitoring must be conducted by the Proposed Bidder’s own staff or sub-contractors located in the United States and not outsourced outside of the United States.

4) WORK PRODUCT –

• Provide description of services for at least three (3) corporate or utility clients which you have provided recent similar services. If Bidder has done business with OUC, do not use OUC as a reference.

• Provide a brief description of the services provided, duration of contract, contact name, telephone number, and e-mail address for each reference.

• Highlight similarities to work required by this Request for Proposal. Case studies are encouraged. The Proposal should also include:

a. Samples of your work, as they relate to the firm's ability to provide the services identified in Detailed Scope of Services section.

b. Methodology explanation that includes method of identifying client’s needs, monitoring, measuring and evaluating the results and quality of work, means to ensure timely delivery of services, process for ensuring communication to OUC.

c. Description of Bidder’s accounting and billing practices, to include a description of the system for tracking the status of projects and budget expenditures. Furthermore, Bidder must provide account summary invoicing.

5) APPROACH –

• Identify and provide a separate approach for each channel (telephone and email) for Contact Quality Monitoring.

• Provide approach for potential future channel monitoring (i.e. chat, social media, etc.).

• Identify other value-add services (i.e. training, supervisor/agent coaching, and other best practice Contact Quality Monitoring services).

6) DELIVERABLES –

A description of expected deliverables and any supporting data, tools or other resources. See Exhibit A: Technical Requirements.

7) PRICING – Supplier should provide estimates for Contact Quality Monitoring per channel utilizing Attachment B: Price Schedule. Responses shall include Startup Cost, Training Cost, I.T. Support, Report Development and any other costs (i.e. portal/dashboard(s), email alerts, and technical support).

The Selected Supplier shall have the ability to comply with the following requirements:

• Manual Contact Quality Monitoring

• Contact Quality Monitoring program for six (6), eight (8), and ten (10) interactions per month, per agent. For example, if eight (8) interactions are required then two

(2) audits should be completed each week.

• Selected Supplier must perform Contact Quality Monitoring continuously and timely on a weekly basis (calls/emails no older than 2-3 days).

• Pricing should take into consideration that a number of calls monitored will exceed 15 minutes (call duration varies by call type of which some may exceed 15 minutes). English call average handle times are as follows: Residential 6:16 minutes, Commercial 6:04 minutes and Collection 4:00 minutes. Spanish call average handle times are as follows: Residential 7:54 minutes, Commercial 5:32 minutes, and Collection 4:38 minutes.

• Email monitoring program for two (2), three (3) and five (5) interactions per month, per agent.

• Provide pricing for future channels, such as chat and social media, if supported.

• Provide 100 percent Automated Quality review for calls and emails for both English and Spanish.

• Provide separate pricing for training leaders on employee coaching, usage of data portal, I.T. support, service set up fee, changes and redevelopment of forms, additional reporting, etc.

• Provide separate pricing for speech analytics or any other automation tools available to assist with Contact Quality Monitoring and to aid in improvements in CSAT scores including any separate pricing for system integration.

• Provide separate pricing for analysis of quality form and quality reporting using customer’s current system which is the BPA Builder portal.

• Provide pricing for secret shopper to inform quality improvements.

8) TIMELINE/IMPLEMENTATION –

• Describe the implementation plan and timeline schedule for the completion of the required services. Bidder should include what resources, if any, will you need from OUC prior to and/or during implementation.

9) OTHER FACTORS - Other related factors that give evidence of a Bidder’s capabilities to perform in a superior fashion.

ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. Provide standards used to maintain a strict quality assurance program over its staff. Describe your quality assurance program.

2. Provide the average defect rate for the number of contacts monitored.

3. Provide an outline of your initial training procedures and materials.

4. Provide a training approach, schedule and duration for the initial training of OUC staff.

5. Briefly explain other related services and training your company offers.

Oral Presentations May Be Required Written submittals and oral presentations, if considered necessary, will be utilized in selecting the winning Proposal. OUC, in its sole discretion, may elect to invite responsive Bidder’s for an oral presentation and final determination of contract award. Should OUC elect to hold oral presentations, it will contact the top-scoring Proposer(s) to schedule a date, time and location.

Exhibit A

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS

Responses to the following questions must reflect your approach to Contact Quality Monitoring:

a) Describe how the quality monitoring application, data, and portal are stored (i.e.

in-house, third party, or cloud based).

b) Describe the company’s on-line portal availability to view completed quality audits and other data as required. Provide sample screen frames.

c) Describe what system is used to gain access to clients’ applications. (i.e. Citrix software).

d) Describe how your company protects and ensures customers’ sensitive information from theft and/or misuse (i.e. SSN, credit card number, bank account information).

e) Describe type of system browser access to your company’s reporting, portal, dashboard, etc.

f) Provide a list of the required information or technical support which you would need to perform these services.

g) Provide approach and timeline to support changes to reports, forms, portal, or queries when requested.

h) Describe how your company provides Data Unification – Unify quality/WFM data form, surveys, speech analytics, homegrown apps, IT (Excel, files, SQL, databases).

i) Describe your AI-powered Auto QS generated auto-scored summaries for interactions tool.

j) Describe how your tool provides Sentiment Analysis - Auto flags customer experience, quality & compliance violations.

k) Describe how your tool provides Topic Identification – AI-driven transcription and cluster surface recurring call topics.

l) Describe how your tool provides Auto QA (Quality Assurance) for automated scoring to ensure consistent agent evaluations.

m) Describe how your tool provides Next Best Action to dynamically prioritize coaching. AI guides leaders on structured coaching strategies.

SCM-RFP-T-01 – Request for Proposal Template v5.0 - 5/22/25

PRICE SCHEDULE

Pricing needed from Bidders is uploaded in VendorLink; in Excel Spreadsheet Format. Input your information in the spreadsheet and attach your proposed pricing in the same format (do not .pdf attachment or password protect]

Manual Quality Monitoring

Avg Call Duration 300 - 450 451 - 600 601 - 750 751 - 950 951+ <5:30 mins $ $ $ $ $ 5:30 - 6:15 mins $ $ $ $ $ 6:16 - 8:00 mins $ $ $ $ $ 8:01 - 10:00 mins $ $ $ $ $ 10:01+ mins $ $ $ $ $

Avg # of Email Agents ~19 Avg # Audits/Month Cost Per Audit

20 - 40 $ 41- 60 $ 61 - 80 $ 81+ $

Additional Services: Flat Fee/Per Hour Brief Description Start Up Cost $ Training Cost $ I.T. Support $ Report Development $ Report Delivery $ Other (Itemize below) $

Call Volume/Month Cost per Audit

Average # of Phone Agents ~80

Contact Quality Monitoring - Pricing Sheet Audits Include Combination of English/Spanish Contacts

Automated Quality Monitoring

Avg Call Duration 300 - 450 451 - 600…