After-Hours Answering Services

The City of Indianapolis and Marion County Purchasing Division is issuing a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for after-hours answering services to support the Marion County Coroner's Office. This procurement seeks qualified vendors to provide continuous communication services during evenings, weekends, and holidays, functioning as the critical first point of contact for families, healthcare providers, law enforcement, and partner agencies. The anticipated service volume includes over 400 calls per month with an average duration of 2-3 minutes, plus 1,000+ text messages monthly. Qualified respondents must demonstrate telephony infrastructure capacity with redundancy and disaster recovery capabilities, robust security and compliance protocols, call recording and quality assurance technology, performance dashboards with customized reporting, and documented technical support procedures. Vendors must provide three business references with preference for similar services and relevant organizational experience. The submission deadline for questions is Friday, May 22, 2026, by 12:00 pm Eastern Time, with all submittals due no later than 12:00 pm on Friday, May 29, 2026. The anticipated contract term is one year with potential renewal options based on performance and operational needs, and submissions must not include compensation or cost information as pricing negotiations will occur after qualified candidates are selected.

The RFQ encourages participation by disadvantaged business enterprises, including Minority Business Enterprises (15%), Women Business Enterprises (8%), Veteran Business Enterprises (3%), and Disability-Owned Business Enterprises (1%), with vendors directed to contact the Office of Minority & Women Business Development for certification. The contract agreement requires the contractor to maintain commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 general aggregate, auto liability of $1,000,000 combined single limit, and excess/umbrella liability of $1,000,000, with the City named as an additional insured. Contractors must comply with standard City requirements including E-Verify program participation, debarment certification, non-discrimination provisions, and conflict of interest certifications. The contractor will be classified as an independent contractor responsible for all taxes and insurance, and compensation shall not exceed an amount to be specified in the final agreement, with invoices payable by the City within thirty days of receipt. The contract may be terminated by the City for cause or convenience with ten calendar days' notice and opportunity for consultation. No specific award value or budget range is disclosed in the RFQ documentation provided, and no incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials.