Virtual Contact Center Strategy (VCS) Help Desk changed to Beneficiary Network Services (BNS) Help Desk

Added: Feb 26, 2010 8:59 am The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) intends to award a competitive 8(a) contract for the Virtual Contact Center Strategy (VCS) Help Desk. The NAICS code applicable to this procurement is 541519, size standard $25 million. The contract period of performance will be a 5-month transition with 9 one-year option periods. Pursuant to FAR 19.800, this acquisition is set aside for a competition limited to all eligible 8(a) concerns. All other firms are deemed ineligible to submit offers. A single award is anticipated from this solicitation. *****

The VCS Help Desk contract is the vehicle that CMS will use to obtain centralized, integrated Help Desk support for all 1-800 Medicare Beneficiary Contact Center's (BCCs), all systems and applications included in the VCS. The VCS was established in 2002, to create a virtual, enterprise-wide, contact center environment that maximizes the use of technologies, resources, and service effectiveness across sites and contractors. The VCS calls for the delivery of premier customer service through a technologically advanced and integrated customer service platform. The platform integrates multiple contractor sites, systems, applications and data sources via a secure data and voice network. There are several essential systems currently implemented that are critical to the VCS goals including the Next Generation Desktop (NGD), Speech Recognition Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Self-Service IVR, Genesys Intelligent Call Routing (ICR), Computer Telephony Integration (CTI), MyMedicare.gov, and the National Data Warehouse (NDW). These integrated systems illustrate the complexity of the current customer service platform. By integrating all beneficiary contact channels with the NGD desktop, CMS is creating a complete and consistent view of the beneficiary and their experience with Medicare. This complete view will allow CMS to better understand its beneficiaries and continuously improve customer service. *****

The VCS Help Desk is responsible for managing the entire lifecycle of help desk requests for support regarding the above outlined VCS voice and systems that support 1-800-MEDICARE BCC's. CMS will rely on the Help Desk to provide a single consolidated view of all VCS voice and system related requests for support, system support, and a comprehensive view of voice and system reported issues and service requests with periodic reports while maintaining quality assurance auditing. *****

Offerors are hereby advised that during the initial technical evaluation phase, proposals submitted in response to this solicitation will be screened to determine acceptability for award on a pass/fail basis. Proposals that do not pass this first level screening will not be further considered in the source selection process. Specifically, at time of proposal submission, the prime contractor must demonstrate that: 1) they meet the Software Engineering Institute (SEIsm) Capability Maturity Model® Integration (CMMI) Level 3 using Staged Representation; and, 2) have an adequate accounting system. Adequacy of the prime contractor's accounting system shall be evidenced by either a copy of the Government audit report or approval letter from the cognizant Government Contracting Officer. Adequacy must have been within 3 years of proposal submission date and the adequacy determination must be for the prime contractor's business unit submitting the proposal. *****

The solicitation will be issued without further notice upon SBA acceptance of the requirement for the section 8(a) program. The formal solicitation package will be posted on FEDBIZOPPS on or about mid March. Questions related to this synopsis should be referred to Debbie Lester at Deborah.lester@cms.hhs.gov