TN Telecommunication Relay Services - UPDATED

The Tennessee Public Utility Commission is seeking bids for Telecommunication Relay Services to provide conversation-minute-based relay services for deaf, hard-of-hearing, deaf-blind, and speech-impaired individuals in Davidson County and across Tennessee. The contract, with a two-year term, requires the contractor to offer 24/7 relay services accessible via the "711" dialing code, supporting intrastate, interstate, international, and emergency calls. Key service requirements include maintaining an answer time of 85% of calls within ten seconds, employing adequate Communication Assistants, and operating telecommunications service relay centers within the United States. Bidders must be certificated Tennessee telecommunications providers capable of meeting all Federal Communications Commission (FCC) compliance requirements, including annual complaint logs and five-year certifications. The procurement timeline indicates that written questions must be submitted by November 13, 2025, with the final bid due on November 28, 2025, at 4:30 p.m. CST through the EDISON procurement system. Contractors will be responsible for monthly and annual reporting, including detailed call statistics, service enhancements, and customer complaint tracking.

The solicitation does not explicitly mention specific set-aside designations or restrictions for disadvantaged enterprises. Historical usage data indicates a declining trend in conversation minutes, with 68,216 minutes in 2023 dropping to 54,548 minutes in 2024, and 8,359 minutes year-to-date in 2025 through August. The State will award a single contract to the lowest-cost respondent meeting all specified requirements, with pricing to remain firm and fixed for the entire contract term. The maximum total contract duration, including potential extensions, cannot exceed 60 months. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including workers' compensation, commercial general liability, and automobile liability insurance with specified minimum limits. The contract is subject to state fund appropriation, and the State reserves the right to terminate the agreement with 30 days' written notice. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the procurement requests bids for 66,666.667 conversation minutes, with outreach and marketing expenses capped at $20,000 annually.