DOC-Inmate Communications

The Commonwealth of Kentucky Department of Corrections (KYDOC) issued Request for Proposal (RFP) 758 1900000181 on January 31, 2019, seeking a qualified vendor to provide comprehensive inmate communications services across fifteen adult correctional facilities statewide. The procurement encompasses three primary service components: an Inmate Telephone System (ITS) serving 782 existing inmate telephones with a 17:1 inmate-to-telephone ratio, a Video Visitation System (VVS), and correctional-grade tablets with a 1:1 population ratio. The vendor must deliver a complete turnkey solution including all equipment, installation, maintenance, bandwidth, network infrastructure, and ongoing operations at no cost to KYDOC, with phased implementation requiring ITS installation within 90 days and VVS and tablet completion within 180 days of contract execution, with individual facility installations not exceeding 45 days for ITS or 90 days for VVS and tablets. Key technical requirements include compliance with Commonwealth IT security standards including NIST Special Publication 800-53 moderate-level controls and SOC 2 Type 2 attestation, interfaces with existing KYDOC systems including the Kentucky Offender Management System (KOMS) and Keefe commissary system at no cost to KYDOC, monthly reporting of Call Detail Records, traffic reports, and billing files by the 25th of each month with penalties of $750 per late submission, and comprehensive technical and cost proposals submitted under separate sealed covers. Vendor written questions were due February 19, 2019, with Commonwealth responses provided by March 7-8, 2019, and sealed proposals were due March 28, 2019, at 3:30 PM EST. The contract term is six years initial with two optional two-year renewal periods, and evaluation criteria include vendor experience with government communications systems, technical capability to meet all specifications, financial stability, and capacity to serve 15 facilities with combined bed capacity exceeding 14,000 inmates.

The procurement does not contain designated set-asides for disadvantaged enterprises; however, the Commonwealth's affidavit requirements obligate all bidders to comply with Kentucky campaign finance laws, tax registration and delinquency certifications, non-engagement in trade boycotts, and compliance with campaign contribution limits for non-bid contracts. Qualified bidder status is available for nonprofit corporations and nonprofit agencies serving individuals with severe disabilities that meet specific employment and good-standing criteria under Kentucky law. The incumbent vendor has provided inmate communications services since 2006 using existing ITS, VVS, and tablet systems from undisclosed current vendors; prospective vendors are required to propose their best solutions regardless of current provider relationships. The procurement is structured as a revenue-sharing agreement whereby the vendor retains gross revenue from inmate communications services while guaranteeing KYDOC a Minimum Annual Guarantee (MAG) of $3,500,000 payable in equal monthly installments of $291,666.66, with the vendor responsible for absorbing all equipment, installation, maintenance, bandwidth, and operational costs. Monthly revenue generated from calling services typically ranges from approximately $428,950 to $543,763 based on historical data from February 2016 through November 2018, with calling rates mandated at fixed minimums including local calls at $0.11 per minute (collect) and $0.10 per minute (prepaid) and intrastate/interstate calls at $0.25 and $0.21 per minute respectively. A performance bond in the form of an Irrevocable Letter of Credit of $750,000 is required within thirty days of contract execution, with all Commonwealth data remaining KYDOC property and vendor responsibility for maintaining data within the contiguous United States with encryption standards for sensitive data in transit and at rest.