Service Desk Services

The University of South Dakota's Information Technology Services is seeking proposals for a comprehensive 24/7 Tier 1 Information Technology Service Desk through a Request for Proposal (RFP) released on August 17, 2022. The procurement seeks an off-site, on-shore service provider to manage phone support for after-hours, holiday, weekend, and overflow campus communication needs. Key service deliverables include maintaining strict service level agreements such as answering calls within 45 seconds, maintaining a call abandonment rate under 6%, achieving a 70% first-call resolution rate, and meeting a 4.2/5.0 customer satisfaction score. Vendors must provide detailed cost proposals including per-incident pricing, number of incidents covered, user volume, and supported contact methods. Evaluation criteria will focus on vendor specialized expertise, capabilities, past performance, service availability, and overall cost. Prospective vendors must submit all inquiries via email to Linda Van De Rostyne at linda.vanderostyne@usd.edu with the subject line "RFP #USD081522" by the specified deadline, with proposals due no later than September 12, 2022.

The RFP documents do not explicitly specify set-aside designations or restrictions on respondent types, nor do they detail incumbent vendors or current contract holders. The proposed contract term is one year, with potential options to renew for up to four additional one-year terms. While specific budget ranges are not disclosed, the RFP indicates the University reserves the right to negotiate service scope and compensation with the highest-ranked vendor. The service will require integration with the university's existing incident management system, with vendors required to log phone and email requests within 60 minutes. The contract aims to support a comprehensive IT service desk model with prioritized incident resolution timelines ranging from 1 to 25 business days depending on request urgency and impact. No specific dollar value or budget cap is mentioned in the available documentation, leaving potential financial terms open for negotiation during the proposal and selection process.