Technology - Answering Service RFI.docx

RFI - Comprehensive 24/7 Communications, Response, and Escalation Platform for the Connecticut Department of Correction – Division of Parole and Community Services

Introduction

The Connecticut Department of Correction – Division of Parole and Community Services is seeking information regarding a modern, all-encompassing communications and incident response platform capable of supporting 24-hour operations, emergency coordination, officer safety, and streamlined communications between staff, law enforcement partners, and external stakeholders.

This RFI is intended to gather broad market information. The features listed below represent areas of interest; they are not mandatory requirements. Vendors are encouraged to respond to all capabilities they currently offer.

The objective of this RFI is to understand current market capabilities, emerging technoligies, implementation approaches and best practices that improve operational efficiency, enhance officer and public safety, support rapid response to emergencies, increase accountability and documentation across all communications and field operations and ensure reliable 24/7/365 mission-critical operations.

The Department is specifically interested in solutions that combine live answering service capabilities, intelligent call routing, automated escalation protocols, mobile communications, and artificial intelligence (AI)-driven features into a single integrated system.

Information gathered through this RFI may inform a future procurement; however, no timelines or procurement commitments are established at this stage.

Background

The Connecticut Department of Correction, Division of Parole and Community Services (P&CS), operates five district offices and multiple specialized units responsible for the supervision and management of approximately 3,000 offenders statewide on any given day. P&CS personnel routinely coordinate with local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies while conducting community-based supervision, investigations, emergency response operations, and offender management activities.

Project Objectives

The desired solution should support the following operational and technical requirements:

· 24/7 live answering service capability

· Ability to intake and triage incoming calls from:

· Law enforcement agencies

· Courts

· Hospitals

· Community providers

· Victims and family members

· Offenders and the general public

· Intelligent call routing based on:

· Geographic region

· Duty assignment

· On-call schedules

· Incident severity

· Type of request

· Multi-level escalation chains with configurable response workflows

· Automated escalation if calls or alerts are unanswered within designated timeframes

· Simultaneous notifications through:

· Voice calls

· SMS/text messaging

· Email

· Mobile push notifications

· Ability to create and manage rotating on-call schedules

AI and Automation Capabilities

· AI-powered virtual answering agents capable of:

· Receiving and documenting calls

· Identifying urgency levels

· Asking scripted intake questions

· Routing incidents appropriately

· Natural language processing for caller interaction

· AI-assisted incident summaries and transcription

· Automated creation of call logs and reports

· Predictive escalation recommendations based on incident type

· AI-driven workflow automation

· Voice-to-text documentation and searchable records

· Real-time translation or multilingual support capabilities

· Ability to integrate AI while maintaining human escalation and intervention options at all times

AI and Human Oversight

The Department recognizes that artificial intelligence is intended to enhance, not fully replace, human decision-making. Vendors are encouraged to describe capabilities that promote transparency, accountability, operational resilience, and appropriate human oversight. Areas of interest include:

· Human review and override capabilities for AI-generated recommendations, incident classifications, routing decisions, and automated workflows.

· Configurable approval thresholds requiring human authorization before AI initiates predefined actions or escalations for designated incident types.

· AI designed to augment operational decision-making while preserving human judgment for critical or high-risk incidents.

· Configurable fail-safe mechanisms that allow personnel to immediately assume manual control of communications, incident management, and escalation processes.

· Automatic fallback procedures to ensure continuity of operations in the event of AI, system, or network failures.

· Audit trails that clearly distinguish actions initiated by AI, automated workflows, and human users.

· Administrative controls to enable, disable, or modify AI functionality without disrupting core communication and response operations.

· Continuous monitoring and performance reporting of AI functionality to identify inaccuracies, bias, or operational issues and support ongoing system improvement.

Administrative & Reporting Features

· Role-based permissions and access control

· Audit trails and accountability reporting

· Analytics dashboards and response-time reporting

· Call recording and retention options

· Customizable workflows and escalation matrices

· Centralized communication logs

· Cloud-based or hybrid deployment options

· Scalability for future expansion

Integration & Security Requirements

Platforms capable of integrating with existing systems and meeting government security expectations, including:

· API integration capabilities

· CAD/RMS or law enforcement system interoperability if available

· CJIS-compliant environments preferred

· FedRAMP-authorized or government cloud options preferred

· Secure data storage and encryption

· User authentication and multi-factor authentication support

Note: All security features listed in this section represent preferred capabilities. Vendors may describe alternative compliance methods or equivalent security safeguards when applicable.

Vendor Information

Please provide:

Company Overview

· Company overview and years in operation

· Experience supporting public safety, corrections, or law enforcement agencies

· Description of platform capabilities

· AI functionality overview

· Escalation workflow capabilities

· Hosting and security information

· Compliance certifications

· References from comparable agencies

· Estimated implementation timelines

· Training and support options

· Licensing structure

Customer References

Provide examples of similar deployments. Full references are optional:

· Organization

· Industry

· Number of users

· Length of deployment

· Contact information (if permitted)