Request for Proposals Centralized Call Center for NW PA For services from December 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013

Transcription

1 Request for Proposals Centralized Call Center for NW PA For services from December 1, 2012 through December 31, 2013 Released on June 1, 2012 Notice of Intent to Bid Due on July 12, 2012 Deadline for Submission on or before July 30, 2012 Award Announcement on September 5,

2 Table of Contents Project Objective and Scope 3 Project Objective Service Area Timeline Project Scope Launch of Future Project Scope Background on Importance of for Pennsylvania Role of Additional Information on NW PA Anticipated Call Volume Marketing Telecommunications Software / Database System Services Requested. 14 Prerequisites to Respond RFP Requirements 16 Intent to Bid Form Cover Sheet Section 1: Organizational Overview Section 2: Proposed Plan to Provide Service Section 3: Technology Section 4: Organizational Qualifications and Experience Section 5: Special Qualifications Section 6: Budget and Pricing Section 7: References Proposal Formal Requirements Proposal Submission Standards Proposal Evaluation 20 Notes 20 Budget Cover Sheet Template 22 Intent to Bid Template..23 Appendix A: Requirements/Standards. 24 Appendix B: Required Fields 28 Appendix C: Inclusion / Exclusion Policy. 30 2

3 Project Objective and Scope Project Objective The purpose of this RFP is to solicit proposals from qualified vendors to develop and manage a centralized Information and Referral (I/R) call center accessible by dialing Available 24/7/365, the call center will provide residents of Pennsylvania s 12-county Northwest (NW) region with high quality information about local health and human service programs as well as community resources. It is anticipated that one to four counties will be early adopters at start-up on Day One with the remaining counties being added to the NW Region call center over the next 1-2 years, as funding and resource information become available. The public will access the centralized Information and Referral call center by dialing from their business, residential or mobile phone. The call center staff will be trained and certified I/R professionals who use interviewing and listening skills to determine the needs of the caller. After assessing the caller s needs, the professional staff will use a web-based database of resources to research community resources and provide the caller with information about local health and human service programs. Detailed caller data will be recorded in the same database and made available to community planners and funders to assist with determining community needs. NW PA will become part of a state- and nation-wide network of call centers that provide information and referral services based on courtesy, empathy, professionalism, rapport with the client, help and hope, accuracy, follow-up and evaluation. Implementation of in NW PA is being led by United Way of Erie County, the region s largest local United Way. The collaboration includes 10 other local United Ways and a wide range of partners including several local United Funds, family collaborative councils, and other social service and health and human services organizations. Consistent with the rest of the nation, NW PA and PA will be marketed as a United Way initiative. NW PA is part of a seven-region network of call centers under the umbrella of Pennsylvania (aka PA 2-1-1), a nonprofit focused on implementing a state-wide network that is part of the national network. Currently, networks can be found in all 50 states but only 86% of the U.S. population is served by Pennsylvania is one of five states with less than 40% of its population served by It is important to note that the programs and resources available by calling will also be available online 24/7/365 via (not yet operational). Individuals can log into the site and conduct keyword searches to find resources that meet their needs. 3

4 Service Area The 12-county NW PA region (735,000 population) consists of the following counties: Cameron Clarion Clearfield Crawford Elk Erie Forest Jefferson McKean Potter Venango Warren Timeline Please note: all submissions are due by 5 PM EST on the stated date June 1, 2012 July 12, 2012 July 16, 2012 July 23, 2012 July 30, 2012 August 2, 2012 August 23, 2012 September 5, 2012 December 1, 2012 Spring 2013 RFP distribution to vendors Written confirmation of Vendors with bid intention Questions due from vendors about scope or approach Bidder s conference and database demonstration Proposal due date Review of proposals and site visits begin Final vendor selection Anticipated decision and selection of vendor Anticipated start-up of call center in soft launch mode Anticipated public launch of service for relevant counties Project Scope Upon contract implementation, NW PA expects to accomplish the following objectives, working with the call center vendor. The selected vendor can expect to work in partnership with United Way of Erie County during start-up, soft launch and ongoing operations. Key objectives include: Offer a comprehensive 24/7/365 call center providing information and referral services to participating counties while meeting all standards for Information and Referral Services as defined by the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) and outlined in Appendix A. Continuously update the database system with detailed information on agencies, programs and services using the AIRS L.A taxonomy. Capture and report monthly profile information about the callers and the type of services requested. This data will be used in community and service planning. This data will be reported using standardized reports found in the software platform and customized reports developed by PA for regional use. Continue to build personal relationships with key stakeholder groups in the participating counties. Plan for eventual extension of service to all 12 counties in NW PA. 4

5 Launch of NW PA expects the vendor to begin I/R services on December 1, 2012 in soft launch mode for a period of 3-4 months. Based on the recommendations of other call centers, it is recommended that a new call center opt for a soft launch on Day One of operations, instead of a highly publicized public launch of services. A soft launch is a quiet start of services involving a small number of social service agencies who will be encouraged to recommend to their clients. This strategy enables a new call center to start with a small volume of incoming calls, allowing operators to: Apply their training to real-life I/R calls. Become familiar with the database to respond to calls and make referrals. Enter more information about agencies/programs/services into the database as gaps in information are identified during the soft launch. Identify any bugs or deficiencies in the system prior to a public launch. As the soft launch progresses, more social services agencies will be invited to encourage their clients to use for other services, increasing the volume of calls on a manageable basis. As noted previously, it is anticipated that one to four counties will be early adopters, ready for soft launch on Day One. Remaining counties will be individually added to the system as each county raises funds and finalizes its resource information. It is important to note that in Pennsylvania is not a mandated service; all expenses must be raised by local United Ways in each community/county. It is anticipated that a public launch, complete with marketing and news coverage, will occur in Spring 2013 for participating counties. This timeframe could be altered based on the experiences learned during the soft launch. Future Project Scope NW PA expects to expand services through its call center in several ways during the contract period. Geographic Expansion: Services will initially be provided to early adopter counties and then expanded to other counties in the 12-county region when each county is able to develop a directory of available agencies/programs/services and secure local funding to pay for the service. Hours of Operation: The NW PA call center is anticipated to be a 24/7/365 operation starting with the soft launch in December Given the common software platform being used by all seven regional PA call centers, there is the potential to direct all calls to a shared or common call center for evening (4 PM to Midnight) and night-time (Midnight to 8 AM) calls. This may be a more cost-effective approach 5

6 because the volume of calls during evening and night-time hours is significantly lower than calls generated during the day (8 AM to 4 PM). Please refer to Anticipated Call Volume on pages Collaborative Efforts: NW PA and the entire PA network are already working to expand service delivery through fee-for-service. One example is the homeowner foreclosure program offered in southwestern Pennsylvania in October 2011 that was accessible exclusively through SW PA serving Pittsburgh and four counties in the 11-county southwest Pennsylvania region. All news announcements directed interested homeowners to call for intake services. Another example is the opportunity for individuals to schedule appointments through for free tax preparation linked to the Earned Income Tax Credit program. Background on NW PA is part of the state-wide network of call centers under the auspices of Pennsylvania (aka PA 2-1-1), a nonprofit organization. As of May 2012, less than 40% of Pennsylvania s population is being served by When fully implemented, every Pennsylvanian will have access to health and human services as well as community resources by dialing or logging into the pa211.org website. In 2007, a task force convened by the United Way of Pennsylvania and the Pennsylvania Association of Information and Referral Systems (PAIRS) began a formal strategic business planning process to bring to the state. Upon adoption of the plan, the task force incorporated into PA 2-1-1, a nonprofit dedicated to implementing and sustaining information and referral services in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that meet the standards established by the Affiliation of Information and Referral Specialists. In February 2010, PA was given authority of the three digit dialing code by the Pennsylvania Public Utility Commission, enabling it to move forward with implementation of its business plan. PA is part of the nation-wide movement to make available to everyone in the United States. The movement was started by the United Way of Metropolitan Atlanta in 1997; in 2000, the Federal Communications Commission designated the dialing code exclusively for information and referral services encompassing health and human services as well as community resources. As of May 2012, services are available in all 50 states although only 86% of the nation s population is served by an active call center million calls were made to various call centers across the nation in Pennsylvania is one of five states with less than 40% of its population served by In surrounding states, is available to 100% of the residents 6

7 in Delaware, Maryland New Jersey and West Virginia; the service is available to 90% of the populations of New York and Ohio. As the largest local United Way in Northwest Pennsylvania, United Way of Erie County is the lead convener for NW PA 2-1-1, working with a core group of partners that include the following organizations as well as a wide range of social service agencies and collaborations. United Way of Clarion County Du Bois Area United Way Titusville Area United Way United Way of the Bradford Area Brookville Area United Fund Clearfield Area United Way United Way of Western Crawford County St. Marys Area United Way United Way of Venango County United Fund of Warren County Importance of for Pennsylvania While is described as an Information and Referral system, it is fundamentally a costeffective and efficient communications system that links citizens, service providers and government for day-to-day use and in times of disaster/crisis. Here are some examples of how a fully deployed state-wide system could have served both citizens and local and state government needing to communicate with its citizens. In 2010, providers of human services went 100 days without a state budget or payments to support their work. Consumers were required to call each agency individually to learn what services remained available. This increased the workload for each agency, decreased the service delivery capability of these providers and increased frustration for both consumers and agencies. A fully deployed PA system could have been the single clearinghouse for providers to share information with the public by phone (calling 2-1-1) and Internet (logging into During the Asian flu crisis of 2009, the state Department of Health developed a standalone hotline and public information and education strategies. A fully deployed PA system could have provided the same service without the need to develop and staff a new infrastructure. The summer of 2011 broke records for ozone and heat action days that called for the very young and very old to take special precautions. In 12 Pennsylvania counties, residents were able to call and be directed to agencies providing precautionary information. In the remaining 55 counties, residents did not have a single point of contact and were forced to rely on the media to learn about emergency services. A fully deployed PA system could have served as the single point of contact across the state, making it easy for seniors and parents to get important health and safety information. 7

8 Pennsylvanians with mental health issues need to call over 45 different crisis numbers in times of disaster or crisis. A fully deployed PA system would serve as the front door to these services with the easy-to-remember dialing number. It would make it easier for Pennsylvanians to access assistance when needed. As demonstrated elsewhere, would also reduce the number of non-emergency calls to Role of The following descriptions provide an overview of the role that the NW PA call center plays. Information about health and human services and community resources will be gathered by the participating counties and entered into the database by call center operators during the soft launch phase. All PA regional call centers will use the same software / database platform called Community OS from VisionLink (aka VisionLink). See Appendix B for a list of required fields for the database as a Health and Human Services Information and Referral Tool The NW PA call center will connect people to diverse services such as food banks, employment opportunities, clothing, adult daycare, shelters and rent assistance calls cover a wide spectrum of needs. Here are some real-world examples. As a parent of two school-aged children, a career woman with a demanding full-time job needs to find reliable after-school care for her 11-year old daughter. Parents with young children have questions about health care and insurance. How can they find answers to their questions? A mother with a very young child notices that her 3 year old boy is not speaking as clearly as the other children his age. She needs to find reliable information about speech diagnosis and therapy for her child. A single parent with a 6 and a 12-year-old son and daughter is told by her landlord that she must move out. The reason he gave is that her kids are too noisy. She feels this is unjust and needs legal advice as a Community Resource I/R Tool Consistent with nation-wide, NW PA will include information on a full range of community resources offered by nonprofit organizations. The database will not include services and resources offered by for-profit organizations. Refer to Appendix C for a listing of PA s inclusion policy. Examples of community resources include the following. Recycling Earned Income Tax Credit assistance 8

9 Workforce development Disaster relief Foreclosure assistance Volunteer clearinghouse in times of natural disasters/crises as a Community Planning Tool Consistent with other Pennsylvania call centers, the NW PA call center will use Community OS software from VisionLink Inc. The web-based software platform will be used to track and record information from callers, details about the types of calls received, which groups of people are requesting assistance, resources currently available, and where the callers and resources are located. This information is of great value to a community for: Anticipating changing demand for services. Public sector policy makers can identify emerging gaps in services and be proactive. Private sector product development and marketing professionals can identify shifting trends and new consumer needs. Identifying resources to meet those changing needs. Public sector policy makers can use data to forecast where resources may need to be re-deployed or developed in order to meet dynamic community needs. Providing information for the community s grant writers and other resource developers. Most funders require data to substantiate the true need for the requested funds can provide current, local data about community needs that is accurate, credible and community-based as a Disaster Response, Relief and Recovery Tool The NW PA call center serves as a critical information system before, during, and after a community crisis such as a terrorist attack, disease outbreak, flood, fire, or other tragedy. The call center will establish a close working relationship with Pennsylvania s network of Voluntary Organizations Assisting in Disasters (VOAD) units located in each county. This relationship includes coordination of information to and from federal, state, county, local emergency management providers and volunteer organizations to provide information to the public and coordinate response, relief and recovery assistance as the disaster unfolds. Prior to a crisis, information establishes a community baseline of average numbers of calls in different need areas, average numbers of volunteers registering, and average levels of need for assistance at different times throughout the year. This baseline makes post-crisis analysis accurate and useful. Having a quality system also ensures that current and accurate information is available immediately when the crisis occurs. 9

10 During a crisis, connects callers to help with its repository of service and resource data available in the local community also connects callers who need non-life threatening emergency help with community services, enabling to focus on emergency situations. After the crisis, data can reveal gaps in community response efforts during the disaster as a Civic Engagement Tool Real community change only occurs when people in the community care enough about a problem to do something about it. As part of a state-wide network, the NW PA call center will connect citizens interested in volunteering their time and talent with local volunteer organizations and nonprofits to address pressing community issues. A young professional relocates from North Carolina to Northwest Pennsylvania and wants to volunteer in the community. How does he find volunteer opportunities available that would match his interests? A new school system initiative wants to recruit, train and connect volunteer mentors to young children to increase reading skills. How would a potential mentor get connected to this initiative? An easy-to-use, efficient communications system, streamlines the process of connecting people to important services, community needs and volunteer opportunities. Where it has already been deployed, has changed the way Americans find and offer help. 10

11 Additional Information on NW PA Anticipated Call Volume Several scenarios for call volume are presented here for informational purposes. At the minimum, Erie County the largest county by population in the region will be ready for Day One soft launch. It is anticipated that several other counties Crawford, McKean and Venango may also be ready on Day One. All call volumes are based on experience gained from other call centers nationally. Please note that call volume for NW PA is expected to be significantly lower during soft launch, regardless of the number of participating counties. The analysis shown below, however, is still important for staffing/budgeting purposes. In the event of a disaster or emergency, it is expected that the NW PA call center will have the resources on hand (human and otherwise) to manage increased call volume in the days and perhaps weeks following the event. Annual Potential Call Volume for NW PA County Population Annual Call Volume 1 Daytime Calls 2 Evening Calls 2 Night Calls 2 Cameron 5, Clarion 40,000 1,600 1, Clearfield 82,000 3,280 2, Crawford 89,000 3,560 2, Elk 32,000 1, Erie 280,000 11,200 7,168 2,352 1,680 Forest 7, Jefferson 45,000 1,800 1, McKean 43,000 1,720 1, Potter 17, Venango 54,000 2,160 1, Warren 41,000 1,640 1, Totals 735,000 29,400 18,814 6,175 4,411 1 Call volume in Years One through Five are typically 3 to 5% of total population, based on experience across the U.S. For this analysis, the midpoint of 4% is being used. 2 Based on data from Charleston SC Trident 2-1-1: Daytime calls from 8 AM to 4 PM are 64% of total calls made Evening calls from 4 PM to Midnight are 21% of total calls made Night-time calls made from Midnight to 8 AM are 15% of total calls made 11

12 Approximate Daily Call Volume across 12-County Region Time Period No. of Calls One year 29,400 (all 12 counties) Full Day 81 8 AM to 4 PM 52 4 PM to Midnight 17 Midnight to 8 AM 12 29,400 calls / 365 days = 81 calls per day Of these: 52 calls between 8 AM to 4 PM (64% of total daily calls) 17 calls between 4 PM and Midnight (21% of total daily calls) 12 calls between Midnight and 8 AM (15% of total daily calls) Scenario One: Erie County is the only Early Adopter Time Period No. of Calls One year 11,200 (Erie) Full Day 31 8 AM to 4 PM 20 4 PM to Midnight 7 Midnight to 8 AM 4 11,200 calls / 365 days = 31 calls per day Of these: 20 calls between 8 AM to 4 PM (64% of total daily calls) 7 calls between 4 PM and Midnight (21% of total daily calls) 4 calls between Midnight and 8 AM (15% of total daily calls) Scenario Two: Erie, Crawford and Venango Counties are Early Adopters Time Period One year Full Day 46 8 AM to 4 PM 29 4 PM to Midnight 10 Midnight to 8 AM 7 No. of Calls 16,920 (Erie, Crawford, Venango) Erie (11,200 calls), Crawford (3,560 calls), Venango (2,160 calls) 16,920 calls / 365 days = 46 calls per day Of these: 29 calls between 8 AM to 4 PM (64% of total daily calls) 10 calls between 4 PM and Midnight (21% of total daily calls) 7 calls between Midnight and 8 AM (15% of total daily calls) 12

13 Marketing While some marketing will be provided by PA 2-1-1, local United Ways will be primarily responsible for marketing. It is anticipated that public service announcements and partnerships with grocery stores, banks and local schools will be instrumental in establishing as the go to resource for people finding help and offering help. Marketing efforts will vary by county and will impact call volumes from the county to the NW PA call center. Local United Ways are responsible for alerting NW PA to any special marketing initiatives that may impact call volume. Telecommunications Across Pennsylvania and including the 12-county Northwest region, the dialing code has already been programmed into individual central office switches and cell phone towers in order to be pointed to a 10-digit number in each county that the NW PA call center serves. Currently, anyone calling in any of the 12 counties receives this automated voice message alerting them to the status of in the region. Please note that is not yet available in your part of Pennsylvania. If you are calling from Clearfield County, please call INFO-LINK toll free at All other calls should call their local United Way or United Fund during normal business hours will be coming to your part of PA in Because of the low frequency of the dialing code, this service experiences a high incidence of phantom calls i.e., calls spontaneously generated by static electricity and not dialed by an individual. It is recommended that each call center deploy an automated attendant that answers the phone and requires the caller to Press 1 to speak with a call center operator to minimize these occurrences. Software / Database System All call centers across Pennsylvania (with the exception of Philadelphia) are using a common software platform, CommunityOS from VisionLink. CommunityOS (aka VisionLink) is a web-based platform hosted by VisionLink at its Colorado headquarters. As a company, VisionLink provides software to approximately 25% of the nation s call centers, including call centers across the state of Texas. There is a significant advantage to adoption of a common software platform for the state. It will be easier to consolidate evening and night calls at one or two call centers because data on agencies, programs and resources will be accessible to all PA call centers. It will also be easier to generate reports that compare and contrast trends in one region versus another, one county versus another or even one community versus another community. 13

14 Responsibility for maintenance of this database rests with United Way of Erie County. However, the NW PA call center vendor is responsible for day-to-day usage and for notifying United Way of Erie County of any observed insufficiencies or perceived errors in the database. It is expected that the selected vendor and United Way of Erie County will work closely together to ensure the success of NW PA Please see Appendix B for a list of required fields for each database entry. Services Requested To deliver the services requested, the vendor must be capable of managing and operating a Information and Referral call center operation twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, (24/7/365) including all federal, state, local and religious holidays. As mentioned previously, evening and/or night services could potentially be consolidated at the most cost-effective call center in the state. Prerequisites to Respond To respond to the RFP, the responding organization (vendor) must meet the following criteria: 1. The vendor must be located in one of the 12 counties in Northwest Pennsylvania. 2. Preference will be given to an established call center operation; however, start-up organizations may apply. 3. Already be an AIRS accredited call center, or willing to meet the accreditation. requirements established by AIRS within the specified time frame. 4. Registered to do business in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. 5. Can be a nonprofit or for profit organization. Please see Appendix A for the full list of standards established by AIRS that all call centers in the United States must meet. To be considered, a vendor must be willing to meet these standards. Additional information can be found at Required Management Protocols The selected call center vendor must be capable of implementing the following management protocols. The ability to answer incoming calls with the standard NW PA greeting (to be developed by the NW PA team and vendor) that includes: a) thanking the client for calling; b) identifying the call center operator by first name; and c) asking How may I help you? 14

15 Assessing the need by asking open-ended questions to identify the client s real needs, not just their perceived needs. Often, one need is symptomatic of several related needs. Demonstrating empathy for the client by acknowledging the need and assuring that the operator will assist the client. Researching relevant community resources and providing the most suitable resources possible. Closing the call by asking one or more of the following questions, based on the client s situation. Is there anything else that I can do for you today? Please call me back if the referral I have given you does not satisfy your need. Would it be OK if I called you tomorrow to see how things are working out for you? The operator will end the call by thanking the client for calling When placing the client on hold, the operator is expected to first ask the client s permission. While on hold, the client should hear standard music with confirmation of the hold status. When the operator returns to the client, the operator should thank the client for holding. Making a warm transfer for all crisis calls to the appropriate service provider. 15

16 RFP Requirements The Request for Proposals (RFP) will be distributed electronically to all interested parties starting on June 1, All questions about the proposal, including content, submission and evaluation, should be directed to Mr. Del Birch, Vice President of Community Building, United Way of Erie County at or Intent to Bid Form Must be completed correctly and submitted by July 12, The Intent to Bid template is found on page 21. Cover Sheet Must be completed correctly and be the top page of the proposal. The cover sheet template is found on page 20. Section 1: Organizational Overview Briefly describe your organization s mission, customer base, business philosophy, how your services align with services, and/or other information that may be helpful in understanding your business and customer base. Please use the following questions as a guide for your response. Provide a brief history on your company, including how many years your company has been in business. Beyond the services of operating a call center or customer support center, describe any value-added services unique to your organization and not offered by your competitors. What are your organization's mission and vision statements? What expansion plans does your organization have? Describe the daily management practices and culture that will establish a collaborative partnership with your clients. What are your standard hours and days of operation? Do you subcontract with other providers? How do you measure quality and performance? 16

17 Section 2: Proposed Plan to Provide Services Fully describe your plan and strategies to provide the services outlined in this RFP. While each AIRS standard does not have to be addressed individually in the vendor s plan, the vendor must reflect its ability to achieve all elements assigned within the first 90 days of operation. The following elements should be considered. Describe how you will implement an agreement of this scope including all key tasks and responsibilities. How does your company gauge customer satisfaction? How does your organization measure its ability to respond to customer service issues? How often are agents monitored and evaluated? Who or what ensures assessment tools are used and verified? Section 3: Technology Describe the data networks your company uses. Describe the voice networks your company uses (including long distance company.) Describe your company's agent desktop applications and computing environment. Describe your company's telecommunications equipment. Do you have a disaster recovery or business continuity plan? If yes, describe it. Do you have an uninterrupted power supply? Do you have IT support on-site? How much downtime has your agency experienced in the past 12 months due to systems, electrical and weather related incidents? Please describe security measures. Please describe any technology driven innovations currently in development or recently deployed, (i.e. Web Enabled Interface.) Section 4: Organizational Qualifications and Experience Briefly describe the organization s experience in providing call center services and/or resource database services as appropriate, and evidence of its fiscal solvency (such as a current audit). Include how current services are evaluated for success and the vendor s experience in tracking data, measuring results and producing reports. This section should address the following questions: Describe current staffing and provide resumes for existing staff that will be managing this project. If additional staff will be hired for this, project please provide job descriptions and requirements. Describe the daily management practices and culture you will establish to ensure properly trained and highly motivated employees. Provide a detailed timeline for implementation. Please provide a sample data report generated for a similar project (identifying information may be removed.) 17

18 What languages can your agents support? How will other languages be served? Please describe your staff training/continuing education and staff development procedures, including duration and curriculum. What assessment tools are utilized to ensure product knowledge and skill level? Please describe how you manage workforce planning.. Provide a certificate of insurance coverage for personal and property liability that protects both employees and volunteers as applicable. Please provide an organizational chart and job descriptions as attachments. Section 5: Special Qualifications Describe any unique or special qualifications the vendor brings to its service delivery. Describe the key differentiating points between yourself and your competitors. Section 6: Budget and Pricing The vendor must submit a line-item budget using the format at the end of this document. All budgets must be based upon compliance with the AIRS Standards assigned to the call center in Appendix A. Because it is not certain which counties other than Erie County will be ready on Day One, please provide budgets for the following Day One/Start-Up scenarios: Erie County alone (population 280,000) Erie and McKean Counties (population 323,000) Crawford, Erie and Venango Counties (population 423,000) Crawford, Erie, McKean and Venango Counties (population 466,000) All 12 counties (population 735,000) Please clearly define the anticipated pricing structure and describe any variables that would influence pricing. Section 7: References Submit the name, phone number and address of at least two organizations or individuals who can describe and discuss related or similar work completed by the vendor in the past. If the reference does not provide positive and credible information, the proposal may be rejected regardless of other evaluation criteria. Proposal Format Requirements 1. The proposal cannot exceed fifteen (15) typed pages, excluding the budget and other pertinent attachments. The Proposal Cover Sheet, the reference information and attachments also do not count toward the page limit. 2. The proposal must be single-spaced and use a font size of 12 with a minimum of one-inch margins on each 8 ½ x 11 page. 18

19 3. The Proposal Cover Sheet must be fully completed and submitted as the top page of each proposal submitted. If desired, a customized cover page may be included after the official Cover Sheet. A customized cover page or sheet is not required, but is allowed. 4. Proposals must address each section of this RFP using the format and components outlined in this section. Proposals that do not address each section may not be considered. Proposal Submission Standards 1 All questions about the proposal, including content, submission and evaluation, should be directed to Del Birch, Vice President of Community Building, United Way of Erie County, at or [email protected], prior to July 16, Vendors should the Intent to Bid form to Del Birch by July 12, 2012 ( or [email protected]). This notice should include a contact name with address and telephone number. The notice of intent to bid does not bind any potential vendor to submit a proposal. 3 Proposals must be submitted electronically in Microsoft Word, version 97 or higher. It is recommended that the document be submitted as a PDF file. Proposals must be sent to Del Birch at United Way of Erie County on or by July 30, All copies will receive a return receipt to the sender. 4 All proposals and attachments received by the submission deadline become the property of United Way of Erie County on behalf of its partners in NW PA

20 Proposal Evaluation NW PA will convene a Review Team of volunteers and staff to evaluate each proposal that is received on time, within the page limit and with all the required sections. NW PA expects to make an offer to the selected organization by September 5, 2012 with the expectation of planning and preparatory services commencing as soon as possible once a contract has been executed. As stated previously, the goal is to be in soft launch mode by December 1, On behalf of its partners, United Way of Erie County reserves the right to alter the evaluating process, evaluation factors, or timeframe if unusual circumstances arise. Notes The submission of a proposal, even though best and final, does not commit NW PA to award a contract, to pay for any cost incurred in the preparation of a proposal in response to this request, or to procure or contract for services or supplies. NW PA reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals received as a result of this request, to negotiate with all qualified vendors, or to cancel in part or in its entirety this solicitation if it is in the best interest of NW PA to do so. On behalf of its partners, United Way of Erie County may require the vendor to participate in negotiations and to submit any price, technical or other revisions to their proposal as may result from such negotiations. 20

21 NW PA Call Center: Proposed Budget Please feel free to submit a separate Excel spreadsheet using a similar format. Start Up Expenses Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Explanation Please itemize. Add lines where needed. Staff: Salaries/Benefits List each FT and PT position. Add lines where needed Training/Staff Development Please itemize. 1. Accreditation by AIRS $6,000 Once every 5 years 2. Initial certification $72/person 3. Ongoing certification -- $44/person/year 4. Online training set-up fee $ Online training $100/person 6. Membership to AIRS $575 $575 $575 Annual fee Telecommunications Please itemize. Other Rent, utilities, maintenance, supplies, etc. Please itemize. Please note that the following will be paid directly by NW PA 2-1-1: VisionLink portal fee Membership fee. Monthly usage fee. 21

22 NW PA RFP Cover Sheet Submitted by: Name of Contact Person: Organization: Address: Phone Number: Fax Number: Address: For Use by NW PA Only Received date: Time: Signature: Intent form correctly completed? Y/N 22

23 NW PA RFP Intent to Bid Submitted by: Name of Contact Person: Organization: Address: Phone Number: Fax Number: Address: For Use by NW PA Only Received date: Time: Signature: Intent form correctly completed? Y/N 23

24 Appendix A: Requirements/Standards for PA Regional Call Center Standards Compliance Information The following is a list of Standards that a prospective agency must meet in order to be considered for Regional Call Center designation in Pennsylvania. If an agency does not yet fully meet the Standard, the agency must submit a plan for compliance with the goal for consideration by PA Board of Directors along with an expected date for compliance with the standard. Any standard marked In Place When Apply must be met prior to application. In a narrative form, please address each Standard and the agency s ability to meet the performance expectations. The applicant should indicate if the agency currently can meet the Standard and demonstrate how the Standard is being met, and if not, submit a plan for compliance. Please note: United Way of Erie County has applied for and expects to receive approval by the PA board for its application to operate the regional call center in Northwest Pennsylvania. Potential call center vendors should review the following 15 requirements/standards because these standards are required for NW PA and its call center to be in compliance with other programs and call centers nation-wide. Standard 1: Information Provision The PA Regional Center will provide live information and referral services 24 hours/7 days a week/365 days a year by information and referral specialists. Must be in place at time operations begin. After-hours coverage may be provided by a partner agency through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) as long as the partner agency also meets the AIRS Service Delivery and Resource Database standards. Standard 2: Compliance with Current Version of AIRS Standards The PA Regional Center will comply with the current version of the AIRS Standards for Professional Information & Referral. The standards address all aspects of an I&R service s operation. They define the information and referral process in concrete terms, establish criteria for database development, mandate support for community planning activities, incorporate a broad view of collaboration at the local, state or provincial, regional and national levels, include provisions for the socially responsible use of technology and describe the role of information and referral services in times of disaster. (For a copy of the standards, go to Standard 3: Certification of Staff Professional staff of the PA Regional Center will seek certification status through the AIRS Certification Program when eligible to do so. 25% of eligible staff (including part-time staff and volunteers) must be certified within one year of becoming eligible. The 25% refers to FTE, full time equivalency staff hours. Standard 4: Accreditation PA Regional Centers that have been in operation for a year or more must be accredited by AIRS or have a plan in place to become accredited by AIRS within 2 years of designation. For centers in operation for less than one year, the timeline is three years. 24

25 Standard 5: Staffing The PA Regional Center will utilize trained staff and volunteers dedicated specifically to responding to calls. The PA Regional Center will employ staff dedicated to maintaining the information and referral database in a manner consistent with AIRS standards and according to PA Data Protocols, including but not limited to written inclusion/exclusion criteria, style manual and indexing of the database according to the taxonomy level coding agreement within the region/state. Standard 6: Quality Assurance During hours of operation, the PA Regional Center will provide timely access to an I&R specialist and shall have a written policy regarding acceptable waiting times and abandoned call rates. The PA Regional Center must have a written plan in place to monitor call response time and to increase staff when needed to meet response time goals. The PA Regional Center will use telephone technology that allows the tracking of performance measures such as call volume, calls going to voice mail, number of abandoned calls, average speed of answering, average call length and service level percentage (self-defined for year one; a reasonable ballpark is: we will answer 80% of calls within three minutes and have an abandonment rate of no more than 15%). An ACD or equivalent measuring system should be used. Centers are expected to respond in a timely fashion to requests for electronic data reports made by PA The PA Regional Center will use information and referral software that allows the sharing of resource data with other PA regions, and other partners as requested by PA 2-1-1, in a format compliant with the AIRS XML Schema (See for more information.) The PA Regional Center will use information and referral software that allows comprehensive caller and service (i.e., a resource database) data collection and reporting. Reports must be generated and forwarded electronically to the PA Office on a regular and ad-hoc basis. Centers must be able to report caller data according to the AIRS Problem/Needs Categories. (More information is available from AIRS.) Centers are expected to respond in a timely fashion to requests for electronic data requests made by PA The PA Regional Center will have a written quality assurance plan for monitoring calls to ensure that calls are being handled according to policies and procedures. Each information and referral specialist must be monitored at least quarterly QA is critical to an effective system so centers are encouraged to measure their center using internal (caller satisfaction surveys) and external measures (secret shopper calls, formal surveys). The PA Regional Center must have a written policy that addresses the conditions under which follow-up must be conducted. The agency must conduct follow-up with inquirers in endangerment situations and in situations where the specialist believes that the inquirer does not have the necessary capacity to follow through and resolve his or her problem. The followup policy must specify a percentage of other inquiries for which follow-up is required. Electronic results of follow-up must be furnished to PA Standard 7: Staff Training The PA Regional Center will provide a structured, ongoing training program and curricula that prepares staff to handle I&R, crisis and disaster calls. (The recommended course is the ABCs of I&R. (See for more information.) 25

26 The I&R specialists shall have the skills to meet the needs of people who are angry and hostile, are manipulative, call frequently with the same problem or are otherwise difficult to serve. The I&R specialists shall have the skills to meet the needs of special populations (e.g., older adults, people with disabilities, sexual minorities). In cases of domestic violence and other endangerment situations, the I&R specialists will take precautions to safeguard the inquirer s identity and all aspects of the interview. The PA Regional Center will ensure that staff members are trained to assess and meet the immediate, short-term needs of inquirers who are experiencing a crisis and contact the I&R service for assistance. Most I&R services receive occasional requests for assistance from people in crisis and must equip their staff to handle them appropriately. Included is assistance for individuals threatening suicide, homicide or assault; suicide survivors; victims of domestic abuse or other forms of violence, child abuse/neglect or elder/dependent adult abuse/neglect; sexual assault survivors; runaway youth; people experiencing a psychiatric emergency; chemically dependent people in crisis; survivors of a traumatic death; and others in distress. If the I&R service does not itself provide a formal crisis intervention service, it shall have prearranged protocols for warm transfers with an appropriate crisis center that does. The arrangements must be documented in a written MOU, MOA or SLA. Standard 8: Confidentiality The PA Regional Call Center must have a written policy which ensures that the confidentiality of inquirers is preserved including agreement forms that staff and others with access to confidential information sign to document their intent to comply. The identity of inquirers, their requests and the information given to them shall not be communicated to others unless: Release of information is required by law (e.g., child abuse reporting); Careful consideration indicates the presence or risk of serious harm to the inquirer or another person, and then communication may be only to those who must be informed in order to reduce harm or risk; or, the inquirer has given explicit permission for the information to be disclosed to another person or agency. The inquirer should specify what information may be given and to whom. If permission is required, the agency must have a policy in place regarding when such permission needs to be in writing and when it can be verbal. If the PA Regional center uses telephone technology that allows for the collection of identifying information about an inquirer without his or her explicit permission, it shall develop policies and procedures that protect the inquirer s right to privacy and anonymity while preserving the I&R specialist s ability to provide for the individual s safety should personal identification become necessary. Standard 9: Access to All The PA Regional center must provide barrier-free access to its services for individuals and groups who have special needs, e.g., TDD/TTY access for people with hearing impairments; language access for inquirers who speak languages other than English. Standard 10: Use of Taxonomy The PA Regional Center must utilize the AIRS/InfoLine Taxonomy for indexing and database searching. 26

27 Standard 11: Marketing and Outreach The PA Regional Center will actively market the service and educate the public about it on an on-going basis. The PA Regional Center will maintain an interactive web site. Possibilities include: live chat, Instant Messaging, and other electronic communication methods. Have procedures in place for responding to inquiries in a timely manner. Standard 12: Technology The PA Regional Center may utilize a variety of means to support their ability to conduct rescue services including Caller ID or a call tracing arrangement with the telephone company or the appropriate 911 service. At a minimum, there must be a separate telephone or a separate external line that is available for initiating rescue procedures without interrupting the crisis call. The specialist shall follow the I&R service s protocol for addressing callers who wish to remain anonymous yet require rescue. Standard 13: Cooperative Relationships The PA Regional Center must work cooperatively with other PA Regional Centers, specialized I&R providers, and PA to ensure a seamless and uniform 2-1-1system in PA. Participation in regional meetings, PAIR and AIRS activities and conferences, VOAD meetings is mandatory. Staffing must be adjusted to allow staff to participate in training opportunities. The PA Regional Center must demonstrate cooperative relationships with specialized I&Rs, crisis centers, 9-1-1s, 3-1-1s, volunteer management and donor management agencies. Formal agreements (MOU, MOA, SLA) shall be in place upon granting of designation. Standard 14: Disaster Preparedness The PA Regional Center must have a written emergency operations and business continuity plan that specifically addresses disasters common to your area, but one that also prepares for emergencies in general. Have a MOU with disaster partners with local, regional and federal levels. The PA Regional Center will document its plans/ability to provide information and referral services to the community during (when appropriate) and following a disaster or other emergency. Standard 15: Volunteer Clearinghouse Functions The PA Regional Center will document its ability to handle volunteer/in-kind request calls directly or through a MOU with an appropriate agency. Appropriate electronic reports must be furnished upon request. 27

28 Appendix B: Required Fields for PA VisionLink Database Step One: Agency Information Agency Name Description of Agency (text field) Keywords (words/terms that public will use to find your service; example: bullying, violence counseling for students; separate each keyword with a comma) Aliases (mandatory only if everyone knows the agency by a different name; example: GECAC for Greater Erie Community Action Agency) Agency Type Funded by Location (name of county where agency is located) Physical Site Address Location 1 (must be a street address) Physical Site Address City Physical Site Address State Physical Site Address Zip Main Phone Web Address Hours of Operation Geographic Area Director s First Name Director s Last Name Director s Position Languages Spoken (only list languages other than English if there is staff on hand that speaks alternate languages) Employer Identification Number Update Cycle (frequency with which agency wants a reminder to update agency profile in the database) Update Contact Name (person responsible for receiving and providing updates on agency info) Update Contact Update Contact Phone Step Two: Programs (Complete this for each program that you offer) Program Name Description of Program Keywords (words that the public will use to find this service; example: bullying, violence counseling for students; separate each keyword with a comma) Aliases (common names, former names of the program) Intake Procedure (how does a person apply for service?) 28

29 Intake Requirements (what does the person need to bring with him/her? Examples: driver s license or utility bill) Additional Requirements (only if needed) Eligibility Main Phone Web Address Program Part Three: The service record is the information the public sees when it searches for information. Service Name Description of Service Keywords (words the public will use to find your services) Aliases Location (county/counties) Geographic Area (list zip codes or neighborhoods served; or, list all counties where program is offered or use a generic term like Northwest Pennsylvania ) Intake Procedure (Example: call or walk-in to one of our facilities) Intake Requirements (document that person needs to bring such as driver s license, birth certificate, etc.) Eligibility (be as specific as possible; Example: serves all ages and people of all faiths) Types of Fees Physical site address (must be street address) Physical site city Physical site state Physical site zip Main phone Web address Service location Hotline phone (if available) Hours of operation Facebook Twitter Update Cycle (frequency with which agency wants a reminder to update info on its programs in the database) Update Contact Name (person responsible for receiving and providing program updates) Update Contact Update Contact Phone 29

30 Appendix C: Inclusion / Exclusion Policy for PA Database The purpose of the PA Database Inclusion Policy is to insure that the PA database includes the most complete, accurate and up-to-date information available. Also, as required by the accreditation standards of the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS), the following policies are to be uniformly and fairly applied and published so that call center staff and the public will be aware of the scope and limitations of the databases. It is the intent of the partnership to provide a statewide database that is consistent. Any regional PA Center reserves the right to delete any agency from the database when requests for updates are not provided PA uses the Alliance of Information and Referral Systems Definition of Human Services adopted for the field of I&R (October 14, 2000). The PA statewide database is built with the following disclaimers in mind. Inclusion in the PA database does not imply endorsement of an agency or its services, nor should exclusion be construed to constitute disapproval. Disclaimers A listing in the PA database does not constitute an endorsement of or liability for any agency program or service. PA may exclude or remove organizations from its resource database for any reason. PA reserves the right to refuse or discontinue listings for organizations that have had serious complaints lodged against them by any regulatory body, the general public, or with PA At the point a serious complaint about an agency is brought to the attention of PA 2-1-1, the agency and its programs will be removed from the PA database while a review of the complaint is undertaken. Inclusion in the data base does not imply endorsement, and omission does not indicate disapproval. PA neither guarantees nor makes any representation as to the accuracy or completeness of the information contained in its resource database. PA disclaims any and all responsibility and liability that may be asserted or claimed resulting from or arising out of reliance upon the information and procedures presented in the database. PA reserves the right to edit information to meet format, guideline, style and space requirements. PA does not receive payment from any organization to be listed in its database. The following resources may be included in the PA database: 1. Organizations that provide a community service in health, welfare, support, recreation, education or advocacy and are not-for-profit corporations (with Internal Revenue Service 501c3 status), or do not charge fees for service. 30

31 2. Organizations such as churches or service and social clubs offering a service to the community at large, in addition to their own members. 3. Private companies that provide a community service either free, or with a sliding scale of fees. 4. Self-help support groups that are open to the general public. 5. Elected representatives (federal, state and local). 6. Hospitals and health clinics will be listed. PA will link to appropriate databases for nursing homes, personal and intermediate care homes. 7. Organizations and toll-free lines located outside of Pennsylvania that provide often-requested services to residents of Pennsylvania. 8. Professional organizations (especially those organizations in the social service field). 9. Advocacy and issue-oriented action groups may be listed as long as the database is balanced an presents resources for both sides of the issue. 10. Organizations offering services parallel to a non-profit service and whose fees are paid by a third party agency (such as an insurance agency, governmental agency, social service agency). For example, proprietary agencies are offering homemaking services to qualified clients on the same basis as the non-profit agencies, and are paid by social service agencies. 11. Commercial or other for-profit organizations offering a service not available in the non-profit sector. 12. Government agencies (federal, state, county, city) that provide services in the areas of health, welfare, recreation or education. No attempt will be made to list all governmental agencies. Quality Control To ensure it meets the changing needs of the community, the Inclusion/Exclusion Policy is reviewed at least every three years by PA