Error - BidNet · Web viewQuestions/Addenda: No pre-bid conference is scheduled for this Bid Event. Questions requesting clarification of the RFP must be submitted in writing to

REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL (RFP)

Bid Event Number: EVT0003536

Requisition ID: 0000024639

Replaces Contract: 38256

Date Posted: February 09, 2015

Closing Date: March 09, 2015, 2:00 PM

Procurement Officer: Brienne WilkinsTelephone: 785-296-2770E-Mail Address: [email protected] Web Address: http://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts/

Agency: Department for Children and Families

Item: Services, Child Support Services Call Center

Period of Contract: August 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018(With the option to renew for two (2) additional two (2) year renewal periods)

Bid Guarantee: No monetary bid guarantee required.

This Bid Event was recently posted to the Procurement and Contracts Internet website. The document can be downloaded by going to the following website: http://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts/. It shall be the bidder's responsibility to monitor this website on a regular basis for any changes/amendments.

Questions/Addenda: No pre-bid conference is scheduled for this Bid Event. Questions requesting clarification of the RFP must be submitted in writing to the Procurement Officer indicated above before the end of the day, on Monday, February 16, 2015.

http://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts/

http://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts/

mailto:[email protected]

Event ID: EVT0003536Page 2

SIGNATURE SHEET

Item: Services, Child Support Services (CSS) Call Center

Agency: Department for Children and Families

Closing Date: March 09, 2015, 2:00pm

By submission of a bid and the signatures affixed thereto, the bidder certifies all products and services proposed in the bid meet or exceed all requirements of this specification as set forth in the request and that all exceptions are clearly identified.

Legal Name of Person, Firm or Corporation

Mailing Address City & State Zip

Toll Free Telephone Local Cell: Fax

Tax Number CAUTION: If your tax number is the same as your Social Security Number (SSN), you must leave this line blank. DO NOT enter your SSN on this signature sheet. If your SSN is required to process a contract award, including any tax clearance requirements, you will be contacted by an authorized representative of the Division of Purchases at a later date.

E-Mail

Signature Date

Typed Name Title

In the event the contact for the bidding process is different from above, indicate contact information below.

Bidding Process Contact Name



E-Mail

If awarded a contract and purchase orders are to be directed to an address other than above, indicate mailing address and telephone number below.

Award Contact Name



E-Mail


VENDOR RESPONSE CHECK-LIST

The following check-list is provided to assist bidders in ensuring all requirements are met and all required submissions are included with the bid. Bidders are instructed to utilize this list for their own convenience to ensure compliance.

Completed Bidder Registration and W-9 submitted prior to bid submission

Invitation to participate received from Procurement Officer prior to bid submission

Completed and signed Event Details document Tax Clearance Certificate Immigration Reform and Control Certification

Transmittal Letter Experience Qualifications References

Subcontractor information, if applicable Exceptions to RFP noted, if applicable

Proper number of copies submitted

Proprietary/Confidential info in separate packet, if applicable

Cost Sheet

NOTE: In order to properly and completely respond to this Request for Proposal, bidders must carefully review all sections and respond as required.


1.1. INSTRUCTIONS

1.2. Bid Event ID / Reference Number:

The Bid Event ID / RFP number, indicated in the header of this page, as well as on the first page of this proposal, has been assigned to this RFP and MUST be shown on all correspondence or other documents associated with this RFP and MUST be referred to in all verbal communications. All inquiries, written or verbal, shall be directed only to the procurement officer reflected on Page 1 of this proposal. There shall be no communication with any other State employee regarding this RFP except with designated state participants in attendance ONLY DURING:

Negotiations Contract Signing as otherwise specified in this RFP.

Violations of this provision by bidder or state agency personnel may result in the rejection of the proposal.

1.3. Questions/Addenda

Questions requesting clarification of the bid event must be submitted in WRITING to the Procurement Officer prior to the close of business on February 16, 2015 to the following address:

Brienne WilkinsTelephone: 785-296-2770Facsimile: 785-296-7240E-Mail Address: [email protected]

Kansas Department of AdministrationProcurement and Contracts900 SW Jackson, Suite 451-SouthTopeka, KS 66612-1286

Failure to notify the Procurement Officer of any conflicts or ambiguities in this bid event may result in items being resolved in the best interest of the State. Any modification to this bid event shall be made in writing by addendum and mailed to all vendors who received the original request. Only Written communications are binding.

Answers to questions will be available in the form of an addendum on the Procurement and Contracts' website, http://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts.

It shall be the responsibility of all participating bidders to acquire any and all addenda and additional information as it is made available from the web site cited above. Vendors/Bidders not initially invited to participate in this Bid Event must notify the Procurement Officer (Event Contact) of their intent to bid at least 24 hours prior to the event's closing date/time. Bidders are required to check the website periodically for any additional information or instructions.

http://admin.ks.gov/offices/procurement-and-contracts



1.4. Negotiated Procurement:

This is a negotiated procurement pursuant to K.S.A. 75-37,102. Final evaluation and award will be made by the Procurement Negotiation Committee (PNC) consisting of the following entities (or their designees):

Secretary of Department of Administration; Director of Purchases, Department of Administration; and Head of Using Agency

1.5. Appearance Before Committee:

Any, all or no bidders may be required to appear before the PNC to explain the bidder's understanding and approach to the project and/or respond to questions from the PNC concerning the proposal; or, the PNC may award without conducting negotiations, based on the initial proposal. The PNC reserves the right to request information from bidders as needed. If information is requested, the PNC is not required to request the information of all bidders.

Bidders selected to participate in negotiations may be given an opportunity to submit a revised technical and/or cost proposal/offer to the PNC, subject to a specified cut off time for submittal of revisions. Meetings before the PNC are not subject to the Open Meetings Act. Bidders are prohibited from electronically recording these meetings. All information received prior to the cut off time will be considered part of the bidder's revised offer.

No additional revisions shall be made after the specified cut off time unless requested by the PNC.

1.6. Cost of Preparing Proposal:

The cost of developing and submitting the proposal is entirely the responsibility of the bidder. This includes costs to determine the nature of the engagement, preparation of the proposal, submitting the proposal, negotiating for the contract and other costs associated with this RFP.

1.7. Preparation of Proposal:

Prices are to be entered in spaces provided on the cost proposal form if provided herein. Computations and totals shall be indicated where required. In case of error in computations or totals, the unit price shall govern. The PNC has the right to rely on any prices provided by bidders. The bidder shall be responsible for any mathematical errors. The PNC reserves the right to reject proposals which contain errors.

All copies of cost proposals shall be submitted in a separate sealed envelope or container separate from the technical proposal. The outside shall be identified clearly as "Cost Proposal" or "Technical Proposal" with the Bid Event ID / RFP number and closing date.

A proposal shall not be considered for award if the price in the proposal was not arrived at independently and without collusion, consultation, communication or agreement as to any matter related to price with any other bidder, competitor or public officer/employee.


Technical proposals shall contain a concise description of bidder's capabilities to satisfy the requirements of this RFP with emphasis on completeness and clarity of content. Repetition of terms and conditions of the RFP without additional clarification shall not be considered responsive.

1.8. Signature of Proposals:

Each proposal shall give the complete legal name and mailing address of the bidder and be signed by an authorized representative by original signature with his or her name and legal title typed below the signature line. If the contract's contact will be a different entity, indicate that individual's contact information for communication purposes. Each proposal shall include the bidder's tax number.

1.9. Acknowledgment of Amendments:

All bidders shall acknowledge receipt of any amendments to this RFP by returning a signed hard copy with the bid. Failure to acknowledge receipt of any amendments may render the proposal to be non-responsive. Changes to this RFP shall be issued only by Procurement and Contracts in writing.

1.10. Modification of Proposals:

A bidder may modify a proposal by letter or by FAX transmission at any time prior to the closing date and time for receipt of proposals.

1.11. Withdrawal of Proposals:

A proposal may be withdrawn on written request from the bidder to the Procurement Officer at Procurement and Contracts prior to the closing date.

1.12. Competition:

The purpose of this RFP is to seek competition. The bidder shall advise Procurement and Contracts if any specification, language or other requirement inadvertently restricts or limits bidding to a single source. Notification shall be in writing and must be received by Procurement and Contracts no later than five (5) business days prior to the bid closing date. The Director of Purchases reserves the right to waive minor deviations in the specifications which do not hinder the intent of this RFP.

1.13. Evaluation of Proposals:

Award shall be made in the best interest of the State as determined by the PNC or their designees. Although no weighted value is assigned, consideration may focus toward but is not limited to:

Cost. Bidders are not to inflate prices in the initial proposal as cost is a factor in determining who may receive an award or be invited to formal negotiations. The State reserves the right to award to the lowest responsive bid without conducting formal negotiations, if authorized by the PNC.

Adequacy and completeness of proposal Bidder's understanding of the project Compliance with the terms and conditions of the RFP Experience in providing like services Qualified staff


Methodology to accomplish tasks Response format as required by this RFP

1.14. Acceptance or Rejection:

The Committee reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals or part of a proposal; to waive any informalities or technicalities; clarify any ambiguities in proposals; modify any criteria in this RFP; and unless otherwise specified, to accept any item in a proposal.

1.15. Proposal Disclosures:

At the time of closing, only the names of those who submitted proposals shall be made public information. No price information will be released. A List of Bidders may be obtained in the following manner:

Attending the public bid opening at the time and date noted on the Bid Event, or Requesting a List of Bidders via e-mail to [email protected] or in writing to the following

address. Include the Bid Event number in all requests.

Kansas Department of AdministrationProcurement and ContractsAttention: Bid Results800 SW Jackson, Suite 600Topeka, KS 66612-1216

Once a contract has been executed, the Bid Tabsheet is available upon request following the same instructions noted above.

Bid results will not be given to individuals over the telephone.

Copies of individual proposals may be obtained under the Kansas Open Records Act by sending an email to [email protected] or calling 785-296-0002 to request an estimate of the cost to reproduce the documents and remitting that amount with a written request to the above address or a vendor may make an appointment by calling the above number to view the proposal file. Upon receipt of the funds, the documents will be mailed. Information in proposal files shall not be released until a contract has been executed or all proposals have been rejected.

1.16. Disclosure of Proposal Content and Proprietary Information:

All proposals become the property of the State of Kansas. The Open Records Act (K.S.A. 45-215 et seq) of the State of Kansas requires public information be placed in the public domain at the conclusion of the selection process, and be available for examination by all interested parties. (http://admin.ks.gov/offices/chief-counsel/kansas-open-records-act/kansas-open-records-act-procurement-and-contracts) No proposals shall be disclosed until after a contract award has been issued. The State reserves the right to destroy all proposals if the RFP is withdrawn, a contract award is withdrawn, or in accordance with Kansas law. Late Technical and/or Cost proposals will be retained unopened in the file and not receive consideration or may be returned to the bidder.

http://admin.ks.gov/offices/chief-counsel/kansas-open-records-act/kansas-open-records-act-procurement-and-contracts

http://admin.ks.gov/offices/chief-counsel/kansas-open-records-act/kansas-open-records-act-procurement-and-contracts




By submitting a proposal, Proposer hereby grants the State of Kansas, and its departments, agencies, affiliates, agents, employees, and licensees (hereafter collectively referenced as the “State”) a non-exclusive, royalty-free, non-revocable perpetual license to use all systems ideas or adaptations of these ideas and copy for any reason (including but not limited to compliance with the Kansas Open Records Act), Contractor’s bid, proposal, and any other document(s) submitted to or relevant information requested by the State. Contractor warrants: 1) That this bid and proposal is an original work and has not been submitted for publication or published in any other medium; 2) That this bid and proposal will not violate any rights of third parties; and 3) That this bid and proposal does not contain any libelous material. This license may not be revoked and is effective on the date of submission of the proposal. Selection or rejection of the proposal will not affect this right.

Trade secrets or proprietary information legally recognized as such and protected by law may be requested to be withheld if clearly labeled "Proprietary" on each individual page and provided as separate from the main proposal. Pricing information is not considered proprietary and the bidder's entire proposal response package will not be considered proprietary.

All information requested to be handled as "Proprietary" shall be submitted separately from the main proposal and clearly labeled, in a separate envelope or clipped apart from all other documentation. The bidder shall provide detailed written documentation justifying why this material should be considered "Proprietary". Procurement and Contracts reserves the right to accept, amend or deny such requests for maintaining information as proprietary in accordance with Kansas law.

If any part or all of the proposal is marked as being copyrighted, by submission of the proposal itself, the proposer provides the State of Kansas full authority to provide copies of such material, either in paper format or electronically, to interested parties in order for the State to meet its obligations under the Kansas Open Records Act.

The State of Kansas does not guarantee protection of any information which is not submitted as required.

1.17. Exceptions:

By submission of a response, the bidder acknowledges and accepts all terms and conditions of the RFP unless clearly avowed and wholly documented in a separate section of the Technical Proposal to be entitled: "Exceptions".

1.18. Notice of Award:

An award is made on execution of the written contract by all parties.


2. PROPOSAL RESPONSE

2.1. Submission of Proposals:

Bidder's proposal shall consist of:

One (1) original and five (5) copies of the Technical Proposal, including the signed Event Details document, applicable literature and other supporting documents;

One (1) original and five (5) copies of the cost proposal including the signed Event Details document,

Two (2) electronic / software version(s) of the technical and cost proposals are required. This shall be provided on CD or flash drive, in Microsoft® Word or Excel. Technical and cost responses shall be submitted on separate media.

All copies of cost proposals shall be submitted in a separate sealed envelope or container separate from the technical proposal. The outside shall be identified clearly as "Cost Proposal" or "Technical Proposal" with the Bid Event ID number and closing date.

Bidder's proposal, sealed securely in an envelope or other container, shall be received no later than 2:00 p.m., Central Time, on the closing date, addressed as follows:

Kansas Department of AdministrationProcurement and ContractsProposal # EVT0003536Closing Date: March 09, 2015900 Jackson Street, Room 451STopeka, KS 66612-1216

It is the bidder's responsibility to ensure bids are received by the closing date and time. Delays in mail delivery or any other means of transmittal, including couriers or agents of the issuing entity shall not excuse late bid submissions.

Faxed, e-mailed or telephoned proposals are not acceptable unless otherwise specified.

Proposals received prior to the closing date shall be kept secured and sealed until closing. The State shall not be responsible for the premature opening of a proposal or for the rejection of a proposal that was not received prior to the closing date because it was not properly identified on the outside of the envelope or container. Late Technical and/or Cost proposals will be retained unopened in the file and not receive consideration or may be returned to the bidder.

2.2. Proposal Format:

Bidders are instructed to prepare their Technical Proposal following the same sequence as this RFP.


2.3. Transmittal Letter (Limit 5 pages):

All bidders shall respond to the following statements:(a) the bidder is the prime contractor and identifying all subcontractors;(b) the bidder is a corporation or other legal entity;(c) no attempt has been made or will be made to induce any other person or firm to submit or not to submit a proposal;(d) the bidder does not discriminate in employment practices with regard to race, color, religion, age (except as provided by law), sex, marital status, political affiliation, national origin or disability;(e) no cost or pricing information has been included in the transmittal letter or the Technical Proposal;(f) the bidder presently has no interest, direct or indirect, which would conflict with the performance of services under this contract and shall not employ, in the performance of this contract, any person having a conflict;(g) the person signing the proposal is authorized to make decisions as to pricing quoted and has not participated, and will not participate, in any action contrary to the above statements;(h) whether there is a reasonable probability that the bidder is or will be associated with any parent, affiliate or subsidiary organization, either formally or informally, in supplying any service or furnishing any supplies or equipment to the bidder which would relate to the performance of this contract. If the statement is in the affirmative, the bidder is required to submit with the proposal, written certification and authorization from the parent, affiliate or subsidiary organization granting the State and/or the federal government the right to examine any directly pertinent books, documents, papers and records involving such transactions related to the contract. Further, if at any time after a proposal is submitted, such an association arises, the bidder will obtain a similar certification and authorization and failure to do so will constitute grounds for termination for cause of the contract at the option of the State;(i) bidder agrees that any lost or reduced federal matching money resulting from unacceptable performance in a contractor task or responsibility defined in the RFP, contract or modification shall be accompanied by reductions in state payments to Contractor; and(j) the bidder has not been retained, nor has it retained a person to solicit or secure a state contract on an agreement or understanding for a commission, percentage, brokerage or contingent fee, except for retention of bona fide employees or bona fide established commercial selling agencies maintained by the bidder for the purpose of securing business. For breach of this provision, the Committee shall have the right to reject the proposal, terminate the contract for cause and/or deduct from the contract price or otherwise recover the full amount of such commission, percentage, brokerage or contingent fee or other benefit.

2.4. Bidder Information (Limit 10 pages):

The bidder must include a narrative in the transmittal letter of the bidder's corporation and each subcontractor if any. The narrative shall include the following:

(a) date established;(b) ownership (public, partnership, subsidiary, etc.);(c) number of personnel, full and part time, assigned to this project by function and job title;(d) resources assigned to this project and the extent they are dedicated to other matters;(e) organizational chart;(f) financial statement may be required.

2.5. Qualifications (Limit 20 pages):


A description of the bidder's qualifications and experience providing the requested or similar service, including resumes of all management and supervisory personnel assigned to the project stating their education and work experience, shall be submitted with the Technical Proposal. The bidder must be an established firm recognized for its capacity to perform. The bidder must have sufficient personnel to meet the deadlines specified in the RFP.

The state seeks a bidder who has proven experience running a call center, with knowledge of viable vendor marketplace solutions, and a broad understanding of call center management.

As part of the Qualifications documentation the bidder must complete Attachment A detailing experience for the bidder and assigned directors, managers, supervisors, leads, trainers and quality control staff working on the project. The Attachment A does not count against the 20 page limit specified.

2.6. Timeline and Implementation Plan (Limit 10 pages):A timeline for implementing services and implementation plan must be submitted with the bid. The timeline should at a minimum show the task and associated dates for securing a site, obtaining equipment, hiring of staff, training and implementation.

2.7. Methodology, (Limit 30 pages):

Bidders shall submit with the bid, a detailed explanation of the methodology for implementing services. This is to include a description of the technical expertise and innovations you will bring as a potential vendor. The bidder shall demonstrate familiarity with the scope of child support call center services and contract requirements of this RFP and demonstrate capability of and capacity for timely performing quality work to achieve the State’s objectives.

2.8. References (Unlimited Pages):

Provide three (3) references who have purchased call center services from the bidder in the last five (5) year(s).

References shall show firm name, contact person, address, e-mail address and phone number. Bidder's employees and the buying agency shall not be shown as references.

Additionally, bidders shall list clients who have terminated services within the past 5 years, indicating reasons for termination. Provide the firm name, contact person, address, e-mail address and phone number of each referenced organization.

2.9. Technical Literature:

All Technical Proposals shall include specifications and technical literature sufficient to allow the State to determine that the equipment/services meet(s) all requirements. If a requirement is not addressed in the technical literature, it must be supported by additional documentation and included with the bid. Proposals without sufficient technical documentation may be rejected.

2.10. Procurement Card (P-Card):


Many State Agencies use a State of Kansas Procurement Card (currently Visa) in lieu of a state warrant to pay for certain purchases. No additional charges will be allowed for using the P-Card. Bidders shall indicate on the Event Details document if they will accept the Procurement Card for payment.

2.11. Political Subdivisions:

Political subdivisions (City, County, School Districts, etc.) are permitted to utilize contracts administered by Procurement and Contracts. Please state in the area provided on the Event Details document whether or not you will allow this usage. Conditions included in this contract shall be the same for political subdivisions. The State has no responsibility for payments owed by political subdivisions. The Contractor must deal directly with the political subdivision.

2.12. SubContractors (limit 10 pages):

If the Contractor is proposing the use of SubContractor(s) as part of this bid then the same information required of the Contractor in regards to Section 4 Manage and Staffing the Child Support Call Center. CSS IV-D Director must approve any subcontractor prior to bid award.


3. TERMS AND CONDITIONS3.1 Contract Documents:

This RFP, any amendments, the response and any response amendments of the Contractor, and the State of Kansas DA-146a (Contractual Provision Attachment) shall be incorporated into the written contract, which shall compose the complete understanding of the parties.

In the event of a conflict in terms of language among the documents, the following order of precedence shall govern:

• Form DA 146a; • written modifications to the executed contract;• written contract signed by the parties; • the RFP, including any and all amendments; • and Contractor's written proposal submitted in response to the RFP as finalized.

3.2 Contract: The successful bidder will be required to enter into a written contract with the State. The contractor agrees to accept the provisions of Form DA 146a (Contractual Provisions Attachment), which is incorporated into all contracts with the State and is incorporated into this RFP.

3.3 Contract Formation: No contract shall be considered to have been entered into by the State until all statutorily required signatures and certifications have been rendered and a written contract has been signed by the successful bidder.

3.4 Notices: All notices, demands, requests, approvals, reports, instructions, consents or other communications (collectively "notices") that may be required or desired to be given by either party to the other shall be IN WRITING and addressed as follows:

Kansas Department of AdministrationProcurement and Contracts900 Jackson Street, Room 451STopeka, KS 66612-1216RE: EVT0003536

or to any other persons or addresses as may be designated by notice from one party to the other.

3.5 Termination for Cause: The Director of Purchases may terminate this contract, or any part of this contract, for cause under any one of the following circumstances:

• the Contractor fails to make delivery of goods or services as specified in this contract; • the Contractor provides substandard quality or workmanship;• the Contractor fails to perform any of the provisions of this contract, or


• the Contractor fails to make progress as to endanger performance of this contract in accordance with its terms.

The Director of Purchases shall provide Contractor with written notice of the conditions endangering performance. If the Contractor fails to remedy the conditions within ten (10) days from the receipt of the notice (or such longer period as State may authorize in writing), the Director of Purchases shall issue the Contractor an order to stop work immediately. Receipt of the notice shall be presumed to have occurred within three (3) days of the date of the notice.

3.6 Termination for Convenience: The Director of Purchases may terminate performance of work under this contract in whole or in part whenever, for any reason, the Director of Purchases shall determine that the termination is in the best interest of the State of Kansas. In the event that the Director of Purchases elects to terminate this contract pursuant to this provision, it shall provide the Contractor written notice at least 30 days prior to the termination date. The termination shall be effective as of the date specified in the notice. The Contractor shall continue to perform any part of the work that may have not been terminated by the notice.

3.7 Debarment of State Contractors: Any Contractor who defaults on delivery or does not perform in a satisfactory manner as defined in this Contract may be barred for a period up to three (3) years, pursuant to KSA 75-37,103, or have their work evaluated for pre-qualification purposes pursuant to K.S.A. 75-37,104.

3.8 Rights and Remedies: If this contract is terminated, the State, in addition to any other rights provided for in this contract, may require the Contractor to transfer title and deliver to the State in the manner and to the extent directed, any completed materials. The State shall be obligated only for those services and materials rendered and accepted prior to the date of termination.

In the event of termination, the Contractor shall receive payment prorated for that portion of the contract period services were provided to or goods were accepted by State subject to any offset by State for actual damages including loss of federal matching funds.

The rights and remedies of the State provided for in this contract shall not be exclusive and are in addition to any other rights and remedies provided by law.

3.9 Force Majeure: The Contractor shall not be held liable if the failure to perform under this contract arises out of causes beyond the control of the Contractor. Causes may include, but are not limited to, acts of nature, fires, tornadoes, quarantine, strikes other than by Contractor's employees, and freight embargoes.

3.10 Waiver:Waiver of any breach of any provision in this contract shall not be a waiver of any prior or subsequent breach. Any waiver shall be in writing and any forbearance or indulgence in any other form or manner by State shall not constitute a waiver.


3.11 Independent Contractor:Both parties, in the performance of this contract, shall be acting in their individual capacity and not as agents, employees, partners, joint ventures or associates of one another. The employees or agents of one party shall not be construed to be the employees or agents of the other party for any purpose whatsoever.

The Contractor accepts full responsibility for payment of unemployment insurance, workers compensation, social security, income tax deductions and any other taxes or payroll deductions required by law for its employees engaged in work authorized by this contract.

3.12 Staff Qualifications: The Contractor shall warrant that all persons assigned by it to the performance of this contract shall be employees of the Contractor (or specified Subcontractor) and shall be fully qualified to perform the work required. The Contractor shall include a similar provision in any contract with any Subcontractor selected to perform work under this contract.

Failure of the Contractor to provide qualified staffing at the level required by the contract specifications may result in termination of this contract or damages.

3.13 Subcontractors: The Contractor shall be the sole source of contact for the contract. The State will not subcontract any work under the contract to any other firm and will not deal with any subcontractors. The Contractor is totally responsible for all actions and work performed by its subcontractors. All terms, conditions and requirements of the contract shall apply without qualification to any services performed or goods provided by any subcontractor.

The State of Kansas requires tax clearance certificates for all subcontractors be submitted with the technical proposal, and that the bidder additionally provide subcontractor(s) legal company name, contact information and tax ID number (FEIN/TIN) as well.

3.14 Proof of Insurance: Upon request, the Contractor shall present an affidavit of Worker's Compensation, Public Liability, and Property Damage Insurance to Procurement and Contracts.

3.15 Conflict of Interest: The Contractor shall not knowingly employ, during the period of this contract or any extensions to it, any professional personnel who are also in the employ of the State and providing services involving this contract or services similar in nature to the scope of this contract to the State. Furthermore, the Contractor shall not knowingly employ, during the period of this contract or any extensions to it, any state employee who has participated in the making of this contract until at least two years after his/her termination of employment with the State.

3.16 Confidentiality: The Contractor may have access to private or confidential data maintained by State to the extent necessary to carry out its responsibilities under this contract. Contractor must comply with all the requirements of the Kansas Open Records Act (K.S.A. 42-215 et seq.)in providing services under this contract. Contractor shall accept full responsibility for providing adequate supervision and training to its agents and employees to ensure compliance with the Act. No private or confidential data collected, maintained or used in the course of performance of this contract shall be disseminated by either party


except as authorized by statute, either during the period of the contract or thereafter. Contractor must agree to return any or all data furnished by the State promptly at the request of State in whatever form it is maintained by Contractor. On the termination or expiration of this contract, Contractor will not use any of such data or any material derived from the data for any purpose and, where so instructed by State, will destroy or render it unreadable.

3.17 Nondiscrimination and Workplace Safety: The Contractor agrees to abide by all federal, state and local laws, and rules and regulations prohibiting discrimination in employment and controlling workplace safety. Any violations of applicable laws or rules or regulations may result in termination of this contract.

3.18 Environmental Protection: The Contractor shall abide by all federal, state and local laws, and rules and regulations regarding the protection of the environment. The Contractor shall report any violations to the applicable governmental agency. A violation of applicable laws or rule or regulations may result in termination of this contract for cause.

3.19 Hold Harmless: The Contractor shall indemnify the State against any and all loss or damage to the extent arising out of the Contractor's negligence in the performance of services under this contract and for infringement of any copyright or patent occurring in connection with or in any way incidental to or arising out of the occupancy, use, service, operations or performance of work under this contract.

The State shall not be precluded from receiving the benefits of any insurance the Contractor may carry which provides for indemnification for any loss or damage to property in the Contractor's custody and control, where such loss or destruction is to state property. The Contractor shall do nothing to prejudice the State's right to recover against third parties for any loss, destruction or damage to State property.

3.20 Care of State Property: The Contractor shall be responsible for the proper care and custody of any state owned personal tangible property and real property furnished for Contractor's use in connection with the performance of this contract. The Contractor shall reimburse State for such property's loss or damage caused by Contractor, normal wear and tear excepted.

3.21 Prohibition of Gratuities: Neither the Contractor nor any person, firm or corporation employed by the Contractor in the performance of this contract shall offer or give any gift, money or anything of value or any promise for future reward or compensation to any State employee at any time.

3.22 Retention of Records: Unless the State specifies in writing a different period of time, the Contractor agrees to preserve and make available at reasonable times all of its books, documents, papers, records and other evidence involving transactions related to this contract for a period of five (5) years from the date of the expiration or termination of this contract.

Matters involving litigation shall be kept for one (1) year following the termination of litigation, including all appeals, if the litigation exceeds five (5) years.


The Contractor agrees that authorized federal and state representatives, including but not limited to, personnel of the using agency; independent auditors acting on behalf of state and/or federal agencies shall have access to and the right to examine records during the contract period and during the five (5) year post contract period. Delivery of and access to the records shall be within five (5) business days at no cost to the state.

3.23 Antitrust: If the Contractor elects not to proceed with performance under any such contract with the State, the Contractor assigns to the State all rights to and interests in any cause of action it has or may acquire under the anti-trust laws of the United States and the State of Kansas relating to the particular products or services purchased or acquired by the State pursuant to this contract.

3.24 Modification: This contract shall be modified only by the written agreement and approval of the parties. No alteration or variation of the terms and conditions of the contract shall be valid unless made in writing and signed by the parties. Every amendment shall specify the date on which its provisions shall be effective.

3.25 Assignment: The Contractor shall not assign, convey, encumber, or otherwise transfer its rights or duties under this contract without the prior written consent of the State. State may reasonably withhold consent for any reason.

This contract may terminate for cause in the event of its assignment, conveyance, encumbrance or other transfer by the Contractor without the prior written consent of the State.

3.26 Third Party Beneficiaries: This contract shall not be construed as providing an enforceable right to any third party.

3.27 Captions: The captions or headings in this contract are for reference only and do not define, describe, extend, or limit the scope or intent of this contract.

3.28 Severability: If any provision of this contract is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid or unenforceable to any extent, the remainder of this contract shall not be affected and each provision of this contract shall be enforced to the fullest extent permitted by law.

3.29 Governing Law: This contract shall be governed by the laws of the State of Kansas and shall be deemed executed in Topeka, Shawnee County, Kansas.

3.30 Jurisdiction: The parties shall bring any and all legal proceedings arising hereunder in the State of Kansas District Court of Shawnee County, unless otherwise specified and agreed upon by the State of Kansas. Contractor waives personal service of process, all defenses of lack of personal jurisdiction and forum non conveniens. Process may be served on Contractor in the manner authorized by applicable law or court rule. The Eleventh Amendment of the United States Constitution is an inherent and incumbent protection with the State of Kansas and need not be reserved, but prudence requires the State to reiterate


that nothing related to this Agreement shall be deemed a waiver of the Eleventh Amendment. Contractor shall be responsible for all the State’s reasonable attorney’s fees, costs and expenses related to Contractor’s negligence or breach of Contractor’s obligations under the Contract.

3.31 Mandatory Provisions:The provisions found in Contractual Provisions Attachment (DA 146a) are incorporated by reference and made a part of this contract.

3.32 Integration: This contract, in its final composite form, shall represent the entire agreement between the parties and shall supersede all prior negotiations, representations or agreements, either written or oral, between the parties relating to the subject matter hereof. This Agreement between the parties shall be independent of and have no effect on any other contracts of either party.

3.33 Debarment of State Contractors: Any Contractor who defaults on delivery or does not perform in a satisfactory manner as defined in this Agreement may be barred for up to a period of three (3) years, pursuant to K.S.A. 75-37,103, or have its work evaluated for pre-qualification purposes. Contractor shall disclose any conviction or judgment for a criminal or civil offense of any employee, individual or entity which controls a company or organization or will perform work under this Agreement that indicates a lack of business integrity or business honesty. This includes (1) conviction of a criminal offense as an incident to obtaining or attempting to obtain a public or private contract or subcontract or in the performance of such contract or subcontract; (2) conviction under state or federal statutes of embezzlement, theft, forgery, bribery, falsification or destruction of records, receiving stolen property; (3) conviction under state or federal antitrust statutes; and (4) any other offense to be so serious and compelling as to affect responsibility as a state contractor. For the purpose of this section, an individual or entity shall be presumed to have control of a company or organization if the individual or entity directly or indirectly, or acting in concert with one or more individuals or entities, owns or controls 25 percent or more of its equity, or otherwise controls its management or policies. Failure to disclose an offense may result in disqualification of the bid or termination of the contract.

3.34 Immigration and Reform Control Act of 1986 (IRCA): All contractors are expected to comply with the Immigration and Reform Control Act of 1986 (IRCA), as may be amended from time to time. This Act, with certain limitations, requires the verification of the employment status of all individuals who were hired on or after November 6, 1986, by the contractor as well as any subcontractor or sub-contractors. The usual method of verification is through the Employment Verification (I-9) Form.

With the submission of this bid, the contractor hereby certifies without exception that such contractor has complied with all federal and state laws relating to immigration and reform. Any misrepresentation in this regard or any employment of persons not authorized to work in the United States constitutes a material breach and, at the State's option, may subject the contract to termination for cause and any applicable damages.

Unless provided otherwise herein, all contractors are expected to be able to produce for the State any documentation or other such evidence to verify Contractor's IRCA compliance with any provision, duty, certification or like item under the contract.


Contractor will provide a copy of a signed Certification Regarding Immigration Reform and Control Form (http://admin.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ofpm/procurement-contracts/irca.doc) with the technical proposal.

3.35 Worker Misclassification: The contractor and all lower tiered subcontractors under the contractor shall properly classify workers as employees rather than independent contractors and treat them accordingly for purposes of workers' compensation insurance coverage, unemployment taxes, social security taxes, and income tax withholding. Failure to do so may result in contract termination.

3.36 Injunctions: Should Kansas be prevented or enjoined from proceeding with the acquisition before or after contract execution by reason of any litigation or other reason beyond the control of the State, Contractor shall not be entitled to make or assert claim for damage by reason of said delay.

3.37 Statutes: Each and every provision of law and clause required by law to be inserted in the contract shall be deemed to be inserted herein and the contract shall be read and enforced as though it were included herein. If through mistake or otherwise any such provision is not inserted, or is not correctly inserted, then on the application of either party the contract shall be amended to make such insertion or correction.

3.38 Federal, State and Local Taxes: Unless otherwise specified, the proposal price shall include all applicable federal, state and local taxes. The Contractor shall pay all taxes lawfully imposed on it with respect to any product or service delivered in accordance with this Contract. The State of Kansas is exempt from state sales or use taxes and federal excise taxes for direct purchases. These taxes shall not be included in the bidder's price quotation. Upon request, the State shall provide to the Contractor a certificate of tax exemption.

The State makes no representation as to the exemption from liability of any tax imposed by any governmental entity on the Contractor.

3.39 Accounts Receivable Set-Off Program: If, during the course of this contract the Contractor is found to owe a debt to the State of Kansas, agency payments to the Contractor may be intercepted / setoff by the State of Kansas. Notice of the setoff action will be provided to the Contractor. Pursuant to K.S.A. 75-6201 et seq, Contractor shall have the opportunity to challenge the validity of the debt. If the debt is undisputed, the Contractor shall credit the account of the agency making the payment in an amount equal to the funds intercepted.

K.S.A. 75-6201 et seq. allows the Director of Accounts & Reports to setoff funds the State of Kansas owes Contractors against debts owed by the Contractors to the State of Kansas. Payments setoff in this manner constitute lawful payment for services or goods received. The Contractor benefits fully from the payment because its obligation to the State is reduced by the amount subject to setoff.

3.40 Definitions: A glossary of common procurement terms is available at http://admin.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ofpm/procurement-contracts/glossary-of-procurement-terms.doc.

http://admin.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ofpm/procurement-contracts/glossary-of-procurement-terms.doc

http://admin.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ofpm/procurement-contracts/glossary-of-procurement-terms.doc

http://admin.ks.gov/docs/default-source/ofpm/procurement-contracts/irca.doc


3.41 Definite Quantity Contract:This Request is for a close-ended contract between the Contractor and the State to furnish a predetermined quantity of a good or service in a given period of time.

3.42 HIPAA Confidentiality: Per the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (1996) (HIPAA), the agency is a covered entity under the act and therefore Contractor is not permitted to use or disclose health information in ways that the agency could not. This protection continues as long as the data is in the hands of the Contractor.

The Contractor shall establish and maintain procedures and controls acceptable to the agency to protect the privacy of members' information. Unless the Contractor has the member's written consent, the Contractor shall not use any personally identifiable information obtained for any reason other than that mandated by this agreement.

3.43 Off-Shore Sourcing: All work under this contract will be performed in Kansas. Failure to maintain the work site in the State of Kansas may be grounds to terminate the contract.

3.44 On-Site Inspection: Failure to adequately inspect the premises or determine the correct equipment needs shall not relieve the successful bidder from furnishing without additional cost to the State any materials, equipment, supplies or labor that may be required to carry out the intent of this Request. Submission of a bid shall be construed as evidence that the bidder has made necessary examination, inspection and investigation. Failure to properly inspect the site may result in rejection of the bidder's bid.

3.45 Experience: The Contractor must have a minimum of five (5) years’ experience operating a call center; at least three (3) of those years’ experience must be providing child support enforcement call center customer services and/or government Social Services’ or Health Care Program.

Bidders may be required to furnish information supporting the capability to comply with conditions for bidding and fulfill the contract if receiving an award of contract. Such information may include, but not be limited to, a list of similar size and type projects the bidder has completed.

3.46 Prices: Prices shall remain firm fixed price for the entire contract period and subsequent renewals. Prices quoted shall be net delivered, including all trade, quantity and cash discounts. Any price reductions available during the contract period shall be offered to the State of Kansas. Failure to provide available price reductions may result in termination of the contract.

Firm fixed price for each year of the contract shall be bid and covers all Contractor costs including the following:

Start up and ongoing operational costs to operate the Child Support Services (CSS) Call Center. Upgrading and or implementation of hardware and software that will be required for startup and ongoing operations; and System maintenance/programming/testing IVR software and servers.


3.47 Payment: Payment Terms are Net 30 days. Payment date and receipt of order date shall be based upon K.S.A. 75-6403(b). This Statute requires state agencies to pay the full amount due for goods or services on or before the 30th calendar day after the date the agency receives such goods or services or the bill for the goods and services, whichever is later, unless other provisions for payment are agreed to in writing by the Contractor and the state agency. NOTE: If the 30th calendar day noted above falls on a Saturday, Sunday, or legal holiday, the following workday will become the required payment date.

Payments shall not be made for costs or items not listed in the Contractor's response.

3.48 Demonstration Requirements: A demonstration of the selected devices/equipment/solution for the using agencies may be required before final contract approval. The State of Kansas reserves the right to request said devices/equipment/solution fully configured/operational for testing, which shall be furnished at no expense to the State within ten (10) days after receipt of request. Devices/equipment will be returned at the bidder’s expense if found to be non-compliant with the specifications as set forth in this proposal.

3.49 Materials and Workmanship: The Contractor shall perform all work and furnish all supplies and materials, machinery, equipment, facilities, and means, necessary to complete all the work required by this Contract, within the time specified, in accordance with the provisions as specified.

The contractor shall be responsible for all work put in under these specifications and shall make good, repair and/or replace, at the contractor's own expense, as may be necessary, any defective work, material, etc., if in the opinion of agency and/or Procurement and Contracts said issue is due to imperfection in material, design, workmanship or contractor fault.

3.50 Industry Standards: If not otherwise provided, materials or work called for in this contract shall be furnished and performed in accordance with best established practice and standards recognized by the contracted industry and comply with all codes and regulations which shall apply.

3.51 Equipment: All proposed equipment, equipment options, and hardware expansions must be identified by manufacturer and model number and descriptive literature of such equipment must be submitted with the bid. The Contractor shall be responsible for providing personal computers and software for each staff person they employ for this contract.

3.52 Implied Requirements: All products and services not specifically mentioned in this RFP, but which are necessary to provide the functional capabilities described by the specifications, shall be included. Other products required to make the described software functional shall be identified in the bidder's response.

3.53 Warranty: Bidders shall indicate the type and extent of the warranty for all equipment, hardware, software, and services proposed. The State requires a "standard" warranty of 1 year. This warranty shall be included in the cost of the equipment.


The Contractor will be the sole point of contact on any problems with the equipment or systems during the warranty period.

The Contractor shall be responsible for all work performed under these specifications. The Contractor shall make good, repair and replace, at the Contractor's own expense, as may be necessary, any defective work, material acceptance, if in the opinion of agency or Procurement and Contracts said defect is due to imperfection in material, design, or workmanship for the warranty period specified.

3.54 Acceptance: No contract provision or use of items by the State shall constitute acceptance or relieve the Contractor of liability in respect to any expressed or implied warranties.

3.55 Ownership: All data, forms, procedures, software, manuals, system descriptions and work flows developed or accumulated by the Contractor under this contract shall be owned by the using agency. The Contractor may not release any materials without the written approval of the using agency. Pursuant to IRS requirements all computer and network equipment used in the performance of this contract will be considered property of the State during the contract term.

3.56 Software Code and Intellectual Property Rights: As applicable, all original software and software code and related intellectual property developed or created by the Contractor in the performance of its obligations under this Contract or any Task Order issued under this Contract, shall become the sole property of the State of Kansas. The Contractor will surrender all original written materials, including any reports, studies, designs, drawings, specifications, notes, documents, software and documentation, computer-based training modules, electronically or magnetically recorded material, used to develop this software or software code and related intellectual property to the state entity for which it was developed.

3.57 Data: Any and all data required to be provided at any time during the bid process or contract term shall be made available in a format as requested and/or approved by the State.

3.58 Submission of the Bid: Submission of the bid will be considered presumptive evidence that the bidder is conversant with local facilities and difficulties, the requirements of the documents and of pertinent State and/or local codes, state of labor and material markets, and has made due allowances in the proposal for all contingencies. Later claims for labor, work, materials, equipment, and tax liability required for any difficulties encountered which could have been foreseen will not be recognized and all such difficulties shall be properly taken care of by Contractor at no additional cost to the State of Kansas.

3.59 Alternate Proposals/Equivalent Items: Bids on goods and services comparable to those specified herein are invited. Whenever a material, article or piece of equipment is identified in the specifications by reference to a manufacturer's or vendor's name, trade name, catalog number, etc., it is intended to establish a standard, unless otherwise specifically stated. Any material, article or equipment of other manufacturers or vendors shall perform to the standard of the item specified. Equivalent bids must be accompanied by sufficient descriptive literature and/or specifications to provide for detailed comparison. Samples of items, if required, shall


be furnished at no expense to the State and if not destroyed in the evaluation process, shall be returned at bidder's expense, if requested.

The State of Kansas reserves the right to determine and approve or deny "equivalency" in comparison of alternate bids.

3.60 Certification of Materials Submitted: The response to this RFP, together with the specifications set forth herein and all data submitted by the bidder to support the response including brochures, manuals, and descriptions covering the operating characteristics of the item(s) proposed, shall become a part of any contract between the Contractor and the State of Kansas. Any written representation covering such matters as reliability of the item(s), the experience of other users, or warranties of performance shall be incorporated by reference into the contract.

3.61 Inspection: The State reserves the right to reject, on arrival at destination, any items which do not conform with specification of the Contract.

3.62 New Materials, Supplies or Equipment: Unless otherwise specified, all materials, supplies or equipment offered by the Contractor shall be new, unused in any regard and of most current design. All materials, supplies and equipment shall be first class in all respects. Seconds or flawed items will not be acceptable. All materials, supplies or equipment shall be suitable for their intended purpose and, unless otherwise specified, fully assembled and ready for use on delivery.

3.63 Bidder Contracts: Bidders must include with their RFP response, a copy of any contracts, agreements, licenses, warranties, etc. that the bidder would propose to incorporate into the any contract generated from this Bid Event. (State of Kansas form DA-146a remains a mandatory requirement in all contracts.)

3.64 Contract Price: Statewide contracts are awarded by Procurement and Contracts to take advantage of volume discount pricing for goods and services that have a recurring demand from one or more agencies. However, if a state agency locates a vendor that can provide the identical item at a lower price, a waiver to "buy off state contract" may be granted by Procurement and Contracts.

3.65 Transition Assistance: In the event of contract termination or expiration, Contractor shall provide all reasonable and necessary assistance to State to allow for a functional transition to another vendor.

3.66 Award: Award will be by line item or group total, whichever is in the best interest of the State of Kansas.

3.67 Financial CommitmentThe State of Kansas' current financial situation does not make it possible for DCF to make firm, unalterable financial commitments. In the event DCF determines lack of funding requires a modification of this agreement, DCF reserves the right to renegotiate terms and conditions of the agreement with the Contractor. The contractor agrees to cooperate with DCF in renegotiating this agreement should DCF


determine that such modification is necessary to manage the resources available to DCF. In the event DCF is subject to a formal funding reduction or allotment, DCF reserves the right to alter or adjust the payment amounts or terms of this agreement to meet funding reductions or allotments by sending a written notice of such alterations or adjustments to the contractor 15 days before such alterations or adjustments become effective. Should the contractor believe there is a need to modify other terms or conditions of the agreement, DCF will, in good faith, negotiate regarding the terms of the agreement.


4. SPECIFICATIONSThe State of Kansas is issuing this Request for Proposal to obtain competitive responses from bidders to provide Call Center Services, per the attached specifications, for the Department for Children and Families, Child Support Services.

4.1 Term of Contract: The term of this contract is for an initial thirty-five (35) month period from August 1, 2015 through June 30, 2018 plus 2 additional two (2) year optional renewals from July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2020, and July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2022, by written agreement of the parties.

4.2 Bidders must submit a “firm fixed price bid” for each year of the contract and renewal period. The State has a limited budget for this RFP, bidders are not to inflate prices in the proposal as cost is a factor in determining who may receive an award or be invited to formal negotiations. Bidders are encouraged to demonstrate innovation in their technical response as innovation will be given consideration.

4.3 Purpose: The State of Kansas is issuing this Request for Proposal to obtain competitive responses from bidders to provide Call Center Services, for the Department for Children and Families, Child Support Services. CSS intends to acquire contractual services from a single bidder to provide seamless Child Support Call Center Services for inbound and outbound calls related to child support customer inquiries. Child Support Call Center Services shall include live operator services, Interactive Voice Response (IVR) services, and receiving and responding to inquiries via fax, electronic mail, and U.S. mail.

Contractor shall act as a part of and caseworker for CSS, and shall be responsible for responding to the following types of customer questions:

1. General Child Support Issues2. Paternity and Establishment3. Applications for Services4. Case Status5. Hearings (date, time, subject, etc.)6. Payments and Disbursements recorded by:

a. KAECSES (Kansas Automated Eligibility and Child Support Enforcement System) or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS, and

b. KPC (Kansas Payment Center)7. Distribution8. Billing Questions9. Medical Support and Insurance 10. Income Withholding 11. Review and Modification12. Interstate Questions13. License Suspension/Restriction14. Internal Revenue Offset15. Passport Denial16. Consumer Credit Reporting17. Liens18. New Hire19. Federal Institution Data Match20. Location21. Service of process22. Daycare


23. Genetic testing questions24. Emancipation 25. Information about criminal non-support26. Complaints 27. Questions from Employers28. Call backs with additional information or questions29. Requests for CSS brochures, pamphlets and applications30. Other program questions31. Other general questions32. The Child Support Call Center must immediately forward calls concerning child or elder

abuse to the DCF hot line.

The above list is not intended to be all inclusive, but rather to provide a sampling of the types of calls that are currently being received by CSS staff. All activities must comply with State and Federal law and regulation. In compliance with this contract the Contractor shall perform Child Support Call Center duties with the highest standards of professionalism, ethics, and quality of service.

4.4 Background: In 1975, Congress amended Title IV-D of the Social Security Act (42 U.S.C. Sections 651 et seq.) to require that each state establish a Child Support Services program. Child Support Services was originally designed to establish and enforce child support orders for families that were on welfare in order to recover public aid paid to those families. The Child Support Services was later expanded to provide services to non-aided families.

In the State of Kansas, the Department for Children and Families is the single State agency which, through its division of Child Support Services, has been designated to administrate the State’s IV-D program since its inception in 1975.

Every day the Kansas Child Support Services serves children on more than 140,155 child support cases to provide the financial and emotional support to the children. Child Support Services provides assistance to families to improve the well-being of children, reduce reliance on public assistance, encourage family self-sufficiency and save taxpayer money.

The Kansas Child Support Services currently provides Child Support Call Center Services under contract with a private contractor and is seeking to continue Child Support Call Center Services under this proposal. The purpose of the Center is to alleviate staff from being inundated with, and having to respond immediately to, customer inquiries, so that staff time can be devoted to casework, and to ensure that customer inquiries are responded to in a timely and efficient manner. The Center receives inquiries in many different forms, including via telephone, facsimile, and email. The services to be provided include, but are not limited to, data entry of information in case action logs in the Child Support Services system applications, Fax Verification of information requested by customers, and mailing of applications for services and informational literature approved by Child Support Services.

4.5 Scope of Work: A tracking and reporting system is required. The system shall provide call statistics, call monitoring, call recording and provide a report of the types and numbers of customer contacts received and resolved and dropped calls on behalf of the State of Kansas Child Support Services.

Contractor staff shall respond to requests from the public for general information and referrals, as well as provide information regarding adoption, adult protective services, appeals, child support, child abuse/neglect, complaints, crisis management, discrimination, energy assistance, fatherhood programs,


food stamps, foster care, independence cards, homelessness, housing, out-of-state inquiries, working families, and all other Department for Children and Families programs and services, as they pertain to Child Support Services. This provision should not be construed as intent for contractor to operate a Department for Children and Families wide Call Center.

4.5.1 Additionally, the bidder should be aware of the State’s Full Time Equivalent (FTE) expectations regarding having adequate staffing to take calls. While the State does not want to dictate to bidders the exact staffing number, all bids should contain a minimum of 28 non-management FTE’s available for phones at all times. The State calculated the minimum 28 non-management FTE by using the “Erlang C Calculator” and allowed for off-line work and peak times. Bidder is responsible to determine if additional FTE are needed to meet the goals and requirements of the RFP and as such should bid accordingly.

The Contractor shall maintain at least two (2) bilingual customer service representatives who can speak both English and Spanish. The state does not currently track the number of Spanish language calls received but having at least two (2) bilingual customer service representatives provides adequate coverage. The State does not require any additional language skills on site, but the Contractor must utilize a language line service to accommodate any other language by a caller.

4.6 Specifications and Services: CSS continues to look for ways to improve the quality of its customer service. Increasing customer access to certain case information via a specialized Child Support Call Center allows field staff to devote more time to casework.

4.6.1 Contractor shall ensure that the Child Support Call Center requirements are administered equitably to all customers regardless of whether they currently receive public assistance, have received public assistance in the past, or have never received public assistance. Furthermore, the Contractor must ensure that call center services are provided with a high degree of respect for the customers, sensitivity to their circumstances and commitment to high-quality customer service.

4.6.2 Contractor shall establish and operate the Child Support Call Center in a manner which complies fully with the provisions of:

this RFP/contract, including any amendments during the term of this contract Title IV-D of the Social Security Act, as amended Title 45, Code of Federal Regulations State law and regulations CSS Policies and Procedures Directives of the CSS IV-D Director or designee

4.6.3 Contractor shall establish and maintain a training process for Contractor’s staff to ensure full comprehension of CSS policies and operations and thorough capability with the state systems including KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS, KPC, and other systems necessary to respond to customer questions. The length of the training is to be determined by the Contractor in conjunction with the State based on the requirements of the RFP and as deemed necessary by the bidder. However, the bidder should understand that it may take up to six weeks to train call center agents. Kansas CSS has training material available to assist in the development of the bidder’s training materials.


4.6.4 Contractor shall notify, upon receipt, and consult with the CSS concerning any request for fair hearing including but not limited to FDSO, SDSO, license restriction or denial, and credit bureau reporting. If the Contractor receives any associated document(s) they shall be provided to CSS within two working days.

4.6.5 Contractor shall provide application forms or directions to access points or web sites in the manner prescribed by CSS to any individual who desires Title IV-D services. Requests for IV-D applications are to be sent out within 24 hours of the request. Any applications or correspondence regarding applications received at the Child Support Call Center must be forwarded to CSS within two days or otherwise processed according to CSS instructions. We currently estimate the volume of applications mailed to be 160 per month and the number received via either by fax, email or mail at the call center to be approximately 160 per month. These numbers vary based on the requests received.

4.6.6 Estimated Call Volume and Handle Time: The State of Kansas has a total of approximately 140,155 IV-D cases. The volume of calls offered to an agent has averaged 29,199 per month this past year. Please see the chart below that shows the monthly totals.

The average call center handle and wrap time averages six point five seven minutes (6.57 minutes).

Time Period Total Calls Routed

Calls Handled

IVR

Live Agent Calls

Offered

Average Handle Time

Sep, 2013 37,444 10,523 26,921 6.2Oct, 2013 39,332 11,060 28,272 5.87Nov, 2013 43,543 16,764 26,779 5.7Dec, 2013 40,304 15,085 25,219 5.85Jan, 2014 53,258 23,013 30,245 5.93Feb, 2014 57,882 29,437 28,445 6.04Mar, 2014 59,054 24,225 34,829 6.47Apr, 2014 47,861 14,605 33,256 7.03May, 2014 40,847 12,627 28,220 6.65Jun, 2014 38,180 10,483 27,697 5.96Jul, 2014 47,269 14,638 32,631 5.65Aug, 2014 40,190 12,311 27,879 5.47Totals for 1 year 545,164 194,771 350,393 72.82Monthly Average 45,430 16,231 29,199 6.07

4.7 Contractor Responsibilities: Under the contract generated by this RFP the Contractor shall have the following responsibilities:

4.7.1 Child Support Call Center Facilities and Location: Contractor shall establish one operating facility in the State of Kansas. All personnel answering the phones must be located at the call center.

4.7.2 Suitable space with sufficient technology and a stable power supply shall be acquired to house


the Child Support Call Center. The space shall comply with the provisions of the Americans with Disabilities Act (P.L.101-336) and all applicable local building codes. Contractor shall ensure security during and after business hours. Contractor shall be responsible for all costs related to the lease, needed improvements or modifications to the site, and operation of the facility. CSS IV-D Director or designee shall sign off on the location.

4.7.3 Contractor shall, unless otherwise negotiated with CSS, provide services each state business day excluding holidays officially recognized by the State and verified by the Department of Administration at http://www.da.ks.gov/ps/subject/holiday.htm or inclement weather emergencies declared by the Governor or CSS IV-D Director or designee. The Child Support Call Center shall operate, at a minimum, on all regular state business days from 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.

4.7.4 Contractor’s employees shall not conduct any business on the premises of the facility other than Child Support Call Center activities pursuant to this contract, except upon written approval of CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.7.5 Contractor shall be responsible for implementation, use and assistance in maintaining (and conversion if needed) the state wide computer system (KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS or enhancements). Contractor’s utilization of the state wide computer system shall be according to specifications and levels required by CSS. Contractor must use the state wide computer system in their day to day work. Contractor shall provide sufficient equipment to allow for the most effective and efficient operation of the Child Support Call Center in conformity with contract requirements. Contractor shall be required to furnish and maintain any automation needs deemed necessary outside that provided by CSS. Contractor shall ensure that such equipment or software is compatible with systems in use by the CSS. (See, Appendix E & F). KAECSES is the federally mandated Kansas statewide automated child support system. The successful bidder must use KAECSES to document all calls and actions taken on any case for every call. The successful bidder must also use KAECSES as specified throughout the RFP. However, the successful bidder may also use screen scraper or other technology to assist it in the performance of its duties under this RFP, but may not use such additional technology in place of KAECSES.

4.7.6 For software used by the Contractor at contract initiation and throughout the life of the contract, the Child Support Call Center shall maintain software that is not more than two versions behind the most current release; and at no point in time shall use an unsupported release. (See Appendix E)

4.7.7 All Contractor staff shall have and utilize an electronic mail system identical with the State system, currently Microsoft Outlook, to enhance and maximize communication between CSS and Contractor’s staff. (See Appendix E)

4.7.8 Contractor shall establish and provide an email response system for external customer contact and communication, to allow access for those customers who desire to communicate with the Child Support Call Center via email. The bidder shall propose the methodology for verifying e-mail addresses and ensuring adequate protection of transmitted data in their technical proposal.

4.8 Contractor Operating Responsibilities:

http://www.da.ks.gov/ps/subject/holiday.htm


4.8.1 Contractor shall possess expertise in dealing with confidential information, sensitive issues and angry callers. CSS is a legal enforcement process dealing with money and children. Contractor representatives shall be contacted by individuals who react angrily and emotionally about not receiving child support, not being allowed to visit their children, having their paychecks reduced involuntarily and tax refunds intercepted for payment of support, losing their driver and/or professional licenses, or perceiving they have in some way been deprived of their rights. The Child Support Call Center shall handle all contacts, with all internal and external customers (all persons), with the highest degree of professionalism and respect.

4.8.2 Contractor shall ensure that, while the Child Support Call Center may exist at a location separate from CSS Central Office, it must operate and appear to the public as a “seamless” part of CSS through close coordination with all CSS partners.

4.9 Managing and Staffing the Child Support Call Center:

Contractor must provide adequate experienced personnel capable of, and dedicated to, the successful accomplishment of the work to be performed under these specifications. Generally, Contractor’s agents handling calls should have child support customer service experience, appropriate phone etiquette, the ability to work under pressure, effective computer skills, and the ability to attend to detail while working on multiple tasks. It will be the responsibility of the bidder to assess the performance required under this RFP, based on the call center statistics and all other provisions of work as provided in but not limited to Sections 4.3, 4.4, 4.6, and 4.18, and determine the appropriate staffing level.

4.9.1 Contractor must provide at least two fluent Spanish/English Child Support Call Center full time agents/representatives who are available to take calls and demonstrate an alternative method to sufficiently accommodate CSS customers in the event of the absence of both bilingual staff. As the need for additional languages becomes apparent, the Contractor shall add personnel at the direction of the CSS director or designee. The Child Support Call Center shall have the ability to provide services to any person in any language. Provisions for deaf callers through current technology must be made available.

4.9.2 All employment of staff by Contractor shall be subject to an ongoing review by Child Support Services for adequate qualifications and performance to ensure that standards are met which satisfy the requirements of the contract.

4.9.3 All personnel necessary to carry out the terms, conditions and obligations of this contract shall be

the responsibility of the Contractor. Contractor shall hire, fire, train and supervise such professional, paraprofessional and support personnel as are necessary to carry out the terms of this contract. No contract staff shall be considered employees of DCF, Child Support Services or the State of Kansas.

4.9.4 Contractor’s staff and representatives shall be required to sign and comply with all confidentiality and security agreements required by CSS and obtain approval by the State prior to gaining system access. (See Appendix C & H & I)

4.9.5 It is important that timely but thorough services be provided by the Child Support Call Center. A comprehensive response to a caller’s concerns must not be sacrificed to achieve a higher volume of calls handled per representative. Representative incentives must not be based solely on the number of calls handled, but also on the comprehensiveness of how the calls are


resolved. Staffing levels must be based upon the call volumes and shall not fall below the State approved established levels of calls being answered within the 2 minute requirement. The technical proposal must include the number of calls each representative shall be expected to handle per day. The bid evaluation will include the bidder’s ability to maintain a high quality of responsiveness.

4.9.6 For the purpose of this RFP and the positions listed below, IV-D experience is defined as having been employed by a IV-D child support state program office, IV-D child support county office, regional child support office or vendor-operated IV-D child support office performing the day to day operations in a IV-D office in a management position, as a trainer, caseworker or attorney. For each of these positions the bidder must complete the documents in Appendix A for each candidate that they are proposing for these positions. Failure to provide staff with the required experience will be reason to disqualify the bidder. At no time shall the Contractor place a Manager/Director, Supervisor, Trainer, or Quality Assurance staff person on the project without the prior approval of the CSS IV-D Director or designee.4.9.6.1 Call Center Manager/Director: The candidate for this position must have prior customer

service experience and at least (5) years IV-D experience. The Call Center Manager/Director shall work on-site at the Contractor’s operating facility and who shall be solely dedicated to the operation and management of the Call Center. The Call Center Manager/Director shall have the overall daily responsibility for compliance with all contract requirements and authority to make decisions regarding day-to-day operations. The Call Center Manager/Director shall serve as the agency’s main point of contact with the Contractor and shall follow instructions provided by the CSS Director or designee.

4.9.6.2 Call Center Supervisors: The candidates for this position must have prior customer service experience and at least (3) years IV-D experience.

4.9.6.3 Call Center Quality Assurance: The candidates for this position must have prior Quality Assurance experience and at least (3) years IV-D experience

4.9.6.4 Call Center Trainer: The candidates for this position must have prior training experience and at least (3) years IV-D experience

4.9.6.5 Child Support Call Center Representatives: Contractor shall attempt to hire qualified call center representatives, preferably who have Child Support experience.

4.9.6.6 In addition the bidder shall employ a Telephony Support Person with experience with social services programs for the support of the IVR provided by the Bidder and all costs associated with this person shall be included in the annual cost.

4.9.7 The bidder shall provide qualifications for all staff categories above per Appendix A. In addition the bidder must provide a staffing plan, including a project organization chart, number of staff in each category, and justification for the proposed staffing levels to adequately handle the work per the RFP requirements of work to be performed.

4.9.8 If the CSS Director or designee deems the quality of any work of any of the Contractor staff to be substandard or unsatisfactory, the CSS Director or designee will advise the Contractor of the reasons for such judgment and allow reasonable time for correcting the substandard or unsatisfactory performance. The Contractor agrees to remove such employees immediately upon


completion of the thirty (30) days allotted if CSS deems improvement in the work performance has not been adequate. This does not preclude immediate termination for release of confidential information or other policy violations.

4.9.9 The State reserves the right to interview and give final approval of all Call Center Manager/Director, supervisors, trainer(s) and Quality Assurance staff before they are placed in project staff positions by the Contractor. The State also reserves the right for approval of the Contractor removing the Call Center Manager and Supervisors from the project once they are assigned.

4.9.10 The State has set an aggressive schedule for the selection of the Contractor and staff for this proposal and would encourage the bidding Contractors to submit only staff that can be available and on site within two (2) weeks of a signed contract, if possible.

4.9.11 The State requires that the Call Center Manager/Director and Supervisors be on the project site full-time except for State of Kansas holidays.

4.10 Answer and Respond To Calls: Contractor must:

4.10.1 Answer all incoming calls to the Child Support Call Center providing full and accurate responsesto CSS’ internal and external customers.

4.10.2 Respond within 24 hours to all messages to the Child Support Call Center providing full and accurate responses to CSS’ internal and external customers.

4.10.3 Make outgoing calls to customers and follow-up on all customer inquiries in accordance with CSS’ policies and procedures. The state anticipates the outbound calls to be approximately 1000 per month. However, this may increase or decrease depending on the needs of the child support program.

4.10.4 Provide all responses to customers in a courteous and respectful manner, documenting all calls and follow-up actions on the KAECSES system or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS.

4.10.5 Provide TDD (Telecommunications Device for the Deaf) access for the hearing impaired, or other improved technology as it becomes available. The state does not currently track the volume of TDD calls received but expects the selected vendor have at least one person who is experienced and available to handle these calls.

4.10.6 Provide technology that is compliant with IRS Publication 1075 that shall record, store and retrieve all Child Support Call Center phone conversations and enable the Contractor or CSS to access conversations at any time without prior notice. Contractor shall describe the technology proposed including the content of notices to inform callers that their conversations might be monitored and/or recorded. Contractor shall describe the length of time said calls shall be archived (not less than 6 months).

4.10.7 Transfer calls to the appropriate CSS’ caseworker when appropriate and per policy. If the CSS caseworker is unable to accept the call, or if the telephone line is busy, Contractor shall inform


the caller and forward an electronic message to the CSS caseworker, unless the call involves a threat to persons or property of the State. [See 4.10.21 below]

4.10.8 Once the call is answered and a caller needs to be placed on hold, hold time shall not exceed four (4) minutes and a caller should not be left in the hold state for more than two (2) minutes before checking back with the caller. Hold time is to be used for research purposes not for documenting the call in KAECSES.

4.10.9 In consultation with the CSS IV-D Director or designee, Contractor shall provide appropriate message or call routing when the KAECSES system or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS is down.

4.10.10 For any outages of the phone system or IVR lasting longer than one (1) minute the Contractor shall report the outage to the CSS IV-D Director or designee within ten (10) minutes of the occurrence. In addition, if the outage lasts longer than fifteen (15) minutes, status reports shall continue to be made to the CSS IV-D Director or designee every hour until the issue is resolved or the CSS IV-D Director or designee directs otherwise. Once the problem is resolved, the Contractor shall provide a report within 2 business days to the CSS IV-D Director or designee of what caused the outage, steps taken to fix the problem and what is being done to ensure it will not be repeated.

4.10.11 In the event of the IVR not functioning correctly and causing problems with client calls, Contractor shall be required to report such issues to the CSS IV-D Director or designee within ten (10) minutes of the occurrence. If the problems continue, reports shall be made to the CSS IV-D Director or designee every hour providing the efforts taken to fix the problem until the issue is resolved or the CSS IV-D Director or designee directs otherwise. Once the problem is resolved, the Contractor shall provide a report within 2 business days to the CSS IV-D Director or designee of what caused the problem, steps taken to fix the problem and what is being done to ensure it will not be repeated.

4.10.12 Provide for priority access by separate phone number(s) for the Call Center Manager and Supervisor(s) for the CSS IV-D Director or designee to directly contact Child Support Call Center management.

4.10.13 Provide the ability for transferring calls to a lead, senior representative and/or supervisor for the purpose of resolving a call which needs more adept handling (i.e.: expertise or difficult caller or complaints regarding specific CSS personnel).

4.10.14 Provide the ability to immediately transfer all media inquiries to the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.10.15 Provide the ability to immediately transfer all legislative inquiries to the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.10.16 Provide the ability that callers who specifically request information under the Freedom of Information Act, Open Records Act, or the Privacy Act to immediately transfer to the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.10.17 Provide a plan to handle short term, high volume call loads.


4.10.18 Provide that all incoming calls, inter and intra state, shall be toll free.

4.10.19 Bidder shall describe the bidder’s process for handling and reducing repeat contacts regarding the same issue.

4.10.20 Contractor shall be responsible for the handling of all types of calls, responding to emotional callers, employer inbound calls, requests for material, potential outbound calls and case documentation, etc.

4.10.21 Develop and test a plan for immediate communication to the CSS IV-D Director or designee of bomb threats, threats directed to individual CSS or Contractor staff, or to CSS customers, etc.

4.11 Additional Call Center Requirements: The Contractor must:

4.11.1 Forward any received correspondence or facsimile that requires action by CSS staff or contractors as appropriate within twenty-four (24) hours of receipt.

4.11.2 Update address data in KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS when provided by a caller and verified pursuant to rules provided by CSS.

4.11.3 Educate the caller on the importance of maintaining current address information and Contractor’s representative shall screen all cases they handle for missing data, phone number(s) and addresses.

4.11.4 Update employment information when the caller provides a new employer for a Child Supportcase. If the call is in regards to a Federal Employer Identification Number (FEIN) or employer address change, the information shall be taken from the caller and forwarded to the appropriate CSS Central Office employee so they may make the changes to update the CSS’ table.

4.11.5 Update health insurance coverage information when provided by employer or parent, and ensure CSS collection officer has been provided the new information. When communicating with employers or parents, the Child Support Call Center staff should ensure the medical insurance information is current on KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS.

4.11.6 Collaborate with CSS on continuous quality improvement and prevention measures.

4.11.7 Inform and obtain approval from the CSS IV-D Director or designee prior to implementation of major decisions that may affect shared processes with the Contractor or could impact customer service. The information provided by the Contractor must include the expected impact.

4.11.8 Prior to making any procedural changes Contractor shall seek approval from the Child Support Service Director or designee.

4.11.9 Develop and administer a joint customer complaint resolution process with Child Support Services.


4.11.10 Designate managers (single points of contact) who shall provide an interface with IT personnel from the State to support the Child Support Call Center technology and connectivity. (See Appendix E & F)

4.11.11 Detail other activities the Child Support Call Center staff can perform for Child Support Services during times when not engaged in responsive phone activities which shall include but not be limited to: out-bound calling such as early intervention, collection calls, reminder of court dates, contact concerning missed payments, employer contacts regarding income withholding orders, gathering income information, and health insurance or other pertinent information, etc.

4.11.12 During the hours of operation of the Child Support Call Center there shall be at least two (2) staff that are designated as “Employer Call Specialists.” Employer Call Specialists shall take all employer calls in addition to other calls. Employer Call Specialists shall be responsible for answering questions regarding Income Withholding orders, employer concerns, employment terminations, employer inquiries sent by CSS or others as needed. The IVR shall include an option for Employers.

4.11.13 Comply with CSS requirements when a Family Violence Indicator (FVI) indicates that an individual is a potential victim of family violence and disclosure of information about the individual is strictly limited.

4.11.14 The Child Support Call Center shall assist in outreach programs as directed by the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.11.15 Contractor shall not use the facility or staff hired for this specific RFP to operate any other business other than what is agreed upon under this RFP.

4.12 Visits to the Contractor:

4.12.1 With no advance notice, CSS, designated staff or federal personnel, may visit the Contractor at any time to observe and inspect the operations of the Contractor providing service under this agreement.

4.12.2 Contractor shall maintain records sufficient for CSS to complete performance audits. The Contractor shall fully cooperate with CSS and other state and/or federal auditors.

4.12.3 Contractor shall supply an on-site office space that is available to the state for a liaison.Contractor shall provide an adequate desk, chair, telephone, basic office supplies, access to printer, copier, fax machine, access to the DCF system/network including but not limited toKAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS, Outlook, LAN connections (including Internet and printer access) and provide a free parking space. Contractor must provide the staff designated by the IV-D Director or designee with training and full access to the Child Support Call Center systems, including real-time conversations and all records or data medium. The state staff will be subject to the appropriate security checks required for this access. The Contractor shall pay for all long distance or local business related calls made by state staff.


4.13 Case Documentation:

4.13.1 Contractor shall create a detailed explanatory case note on the KAECSES CSLN case log for each caller or email inquiry for which there is a CSS case on KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS. A case note must be created even if the call is

transferred to CSS. If the call does not pertain to a case existing in KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS, it shall be logged separately,

in a form submitted to CSS on a monthly report. If it is necessary for the local office to be notified of new information provided by the caller, or follow up activity requested by the caller, or the caller needs to speak directly to the CSS caseworker the Contractor shall first attempt to transfer the

caller to the CSS caseworker and if not able to connect with the CSS caseworker then the Contractor shall send an email using CSS’ approved email messaging system and leave a message. (A majority of the referrals to CSS offices will be made by electronic messaging to the specific caseworker’s designated email address. This communication can be achieved by electronically inserting a copy of the detailed explanatory case log entry into CSS’ approved email with identification of the caller and case number and other comments as necessary.)

4.13.2 Federal regulations contain detailed performance requirements and timeframes; therefore it is mandatory for the Contractor to maintain necessary documentation to ensure compliance. Contractor must use the state wide computer system (KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS and enhancements) and shall ensure that each computerized case record reflects all communications and all documentation relating to the case. In doing so, Contractor must follow procedures and operating instructions as directed by Child Support Services.

4.13.3 Contractor shall update all applicable screens in KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS based on information provided by callers. Failure to provide comprehensive and accurate documentation could result in a finding of contract non-compliance.

4.13.4 All electronic correspondence must be archived for a minimum period of five years, unless there is ongoing litigation. If involved in litigation, such case electronic communications must be archived for five years after the end of such litigation.

4.13.5 Additional requirements regarding documentation can be found in the Kansas Child Support Services Manual and CSS Policy Documents. Contractors will be expected to know, understand and apply the applicable Child Support Enforcement federal and state laws and regulations, as well as the rules and policies of the Kansas Child Support Program. These documents are not available publicly. Accordingly, bidders may schedule appointments to view these documents with Ms. Tulasi Cotsoradis at (785) 296-0006. Appointments will be scheduled in 2-½ hour blocks of time.

4.14 Software and Hardware:

4.14.1 Contractor shall be responsible for acquiring and maintaining all computer equipment including but not limited to PC’s, telephones, IVR, call distribution system, hardware and all software needed to execute this contract. All equipment, hardware and software must be approved by the State prior to implementation of the project. See the standards listed below in Appendix E and F.


Also see Section 3.55.

4.14.2 Contractor is encouraged to propose new technologies or processes that the Contractor feels will enhance the customer experience. Any new technologies or processes must be approved by the CSS IV-D Director or designee prior to implementation.

4.15 State Responsibilities:

4.15.1 Name a CSS designee to collaborate with the Contractor’s Child Support Call Center Manager and to exercise any authority delegated by the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.15.2 Confer with the Contractor on major decisions, reserving the right to make the final decision.

4.15.3 Direct the Contractor to replace Contractor’s staff with equally or more qualified staff, at CSS’ discretion.

4.15.4 Work with the Contractor to develop a joint customer complaint resolution process.

4.15.5 Include the Contractor in new training and meetings sponsored by CSS.

4.15.6 Coordinate with the Contractor to ensure the use of current State and Federal statutory, regulatory and policy updates and changes; as well as other manuals or information required for full answer to customer questions.

4.15.7 Provide Contractor access to KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS and Outlook, other systems or information as needed to perform contract functions. (See Appendix E & G)

4.15.8 Permit access to the Contractor, as allowed by law, to pertinent case information.

4.15.9 Approve Contractor Management and Supervisor staff prior to placement on the project.

4.16 Monitoring:

4.16.1 Contractor shall conduct random reviews of calls taken by Call Center employees. Contractor shall propose the method for review to be approved by the CSS IV-D Director or designee. Calls reviewed should vary based on the experience and performance of the employee sampled. Contractor shall provide the outcome of these reviews upon request of the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.16.2 At any time CSS discovers a deficiency or deficiencies under the contract, CSS may issue a letter delineating the deficiency or deficiencies, setting a corrective action time period, and may require submission of a written corrective action plan within 15 days or impose penalties.

4.16.3 CSS will maintain performance information about the Contractor which will be based upon site visits, review of computer activity, data provided pursuant to this contract, timeliness in taking required actions and performing other contract functions, and other relevant information. The records will be maintained by CSS in a manner which allows review by the Contractor. Contractor shall be required to provide certain reports to CSS which have not been developed at


this time. Failure by the Contractor in any of the contract functions could result in penalties as set out in the contract. CSS will work with the bidder to develop all reports required in this RFP.

4.16.4 Federal Authorities review the State CSS for performance in accordance with federal standards which may include Contractor activities. CSS will monitor and review Contractor’s performance through on site visits, review of computer activity, review of performance data, data provided pursuant to this contract, and other relevant information. CSS retains complete authority for interpreting performance under the terms of this contract. When deficiencies are identified CSS will request a Corrective Action Plan to address any deficiency or deficiencies discovered by CSS monitoring, State Audit or Federal Audit. The Contractor shall have 30 days to respond detailing how the deficiency is being addressed and the steps to correct the deficiency. The State has the right to accept or reject the Corrective Action Plan.

4.16.5 CSS will notify the Contractor within 15 days of the receipt of a Corrective Action Plan of the acceptability of the plan and allow 5 days for the Contractor to submit a clarification or revision if the Plan is deemed to be unacceptable to CSS. Acceptance of the Plan by CSS does not guarantee that the implementation of the Plan will result in elimination of the deficiencies for which future penalties for non-performance may be applied by CSS.

4.16.6 CSS will impose a financial penalty for failure to correct the cited deficiencies within the corrective action period. To the extent such failure is beyond the control of the Contractor, as determined by CSS, a penalty will not be imposed. The penalty shall initially be assessed by withholding 10% of the monthly payment due for each of the next three months. Thereafter, on a quarterly basis, the penalty will be increased by an additional 5% of each monthly payment due in each subsequent quarter in which there is a continued failure to meet the standard. Imposition of such penalty shall not preclude contract termination. If Child Support Services imposes any such financial penalty it will do performance reviews during the penalty period. Any such money withheld is forfeited by the Contractor and retained by Child Support Services. Any failure to meet the performance standards required herein shall not result in the imposition of a financial penalty under this subsection until 12 months after the starting date of this contract.

4.16.7 Customer satisfaction will be measured through surveys (letters and random phone calls) to customers and CSS field staff provided by the State. Such data may be used in determining

whether a penalty could be imposed. Any surveys conducted by the Contractor require the prior

approval of the CSS Director or designee.

4.17 Contractor Performance and Compliance Standards:

4.17.1 Contractor shall meet the following performance standards in providing certain customer service tasks that follow compliance service standards listed in this section:

Answer time Busy signals Resolve rate Call backs Message response Error rate


Hold time Complaints Abandoned calls Auto Answer Response to messages Check-back for calls on hold Notification of Outages

The following table shows the performance standards, monetary penalty and how the penalty iscalculated/monitored:

Performance Standard Monetary Penalty How calculated/monitoredAverage hold time less than 2 minutes for 90% of calls to be offered by agents.

1% for each percentage point lower than 90%; maximum 10%

Monthly Contractor Report that provides the daily number of calls that had hold times over 2 minutes. For example: Take the total number of calls that waited over 2 minutes to be answered and divide that by the total calls offered to the agents.

Average hold time less than 30 seconds for 80% of calls.

N/A Monthly Contractor Report that provides the daily number of calls that had hold times over 30 seconds. Monitored and subject to Corrective Action Plan.

Busy rate; no more than 1% of callers shall receive a busy signal.

N/A Monthly Report provided by Contractor. Monitored and subject to Corrective Action Plan.

Resolve rate greater than 85%.

1% per percentage point less than 85%; maximum 10%

Monthly Report provided by Contractor. Resolved and unresolved defined in section 4.17.4. For example:23,612 calls taken by agents, 1939 action/time sensitive emails sent to field.1939/23,612 = 8.21%100 – 8.21 = 91.79= rounded to 92%85% allowed under the contract = 0% penalty

Call back requests sent to the field shall not exceed 2% of the total email notifications sent to the field.

1% for each percentage point above 2%; maximum 5%

Monthly Report provided by Contractor of the total number of the call back requests sent to the field is multiplied by 2%. If the number sent exceeds 2% then the penalty will be applied.

Respond within 24 business hours to all messages left by customers regardless of the method used to leave the message.

N/A Monthly Report provided by Contractor. Monitored and subject to Corrective Action Plan.

Error rate less than 5% of calls.

.5% for each percentage point above 5%; maximum 5%

Monthly Report provided by Contractor. Add the total scores of all calls reviewed under the Quality Assurance Plan (QA) during the month and divide by the total number of calls QA’d during the month.


Take that average quality score and subtract from 100% to get the error rate.

Hold-time for in-process calls shall be 4 minutes or less with 2-minute check-backs.

N/A Monitored and subject to Corrective Action Plan. Callers are not to be placed on hold to document the calls.

No more than one justified complaint per month regarding the services provided by an agent.

N/A Monitored and subject to Corrective Action Plan.

Auto-answer all incoming calls to the Child Support Call Center. If auto-answer is not operable, all calls should be answered by the 3rd ring.


No more than 5% of calls shall be abandoned.

1% for each percentage point higher than 5%; maximum 5%

The calls will be measured by comparing monthly live agent calls offered to the Child Support Call Center with total number of abandoned calls from the Child Support Call Center telephone lines.For example: 1,088 calls /30,007 total calls = 3.6% calls abandoned. Round to the next whole number. Then subtract from 5% allowed = 1% = No penalty applied.

For KAECSES outages at the call center lasting longer than one (1) minute the contractor shall report the outage to IV-D Director or designee within ten (10) minutes of the occurrence. If outage lasts longer than 15 minutes, status reports shall be made every hour until resolved.


For any phone or IVR outage at the call center lasting longer than one (1) minute the contractor shall report the outage to IV-D Director or designee within ten (10) minutes of the occurrence. If outage lasts longer than 15 minutes, status reports shall be made every hour until resolved.


All performance measurement calculations shall be based on whole percentage points and all percentages rounded as follows: Round up to the next whole number when .50 or higher; round down when .49 or lower.


The total maximum monthly monetary penalty for performance measurements shall not exceed 18% of the monthly contract amount. This issuance of the no penalty or the maximum penalty does not preclude CSS from issuing Corrective Action Plans at the same time. Penalties under Section 4.17 shall be imposed effective 3 months after the starting date of this contract.

4.17.2 At the sole discretion of the CSS IV-D Director or designee any of the above penalties may be waived in situations and circumstances where the Director or designee deems warranted.

4.17.3 In the event that customer calls are on hold longer than 30 seconds the caller should receive a message that states “Your call is important to us. Please remain on the line and a representative will be with you as soon as possible.” This message must play every 30 seconds after the initial 30 second hold time.

4.17.4 Contractor shall resolve as many calls as possible and transfer only those calls that require an action that cannot be performed by the Call Center Contractor to the appropriate CSS caseworker for response. If the caller is not connected to a CSS representative then the Call Center Contractor shall send an action email or time sensitive email to the appropriate CSS caseworker for a response. The Contractor shall check the Child Support system narrative screen to see if CSS personnel have requested a direct transfer of a specific call. Note: The definitions of “resolved” and “unresolved” may be amended from time to time by CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.17.4.1 “Resolved” is defined as: The caller received the information requested, no follow-up was necessary, or the successful warm transfer of the call to the Local CSS office (warm transfer is defined as actually transferring the caller and confirming they have reached a live person) and the call is documented regarding IV-D cases on CSLN or documented as prescribed for non-case specific calls.

4.17.4.2 “Unresolved” is defined as: The caller was forwarded to the applicable CSS caseworker without prior request of CSS caseworker. The call information was forwarded to the applicable Program office for response or the call was terminated without resolution by the caller or Child Support Call Center representative.

4.17.5 Contractor’s failure to comply with the standards of performance set forth herein relative to the operation of the Child Support Call Center shall result in the following liquidated damages under this subsection. This liquidated damages provision will be applicable beginning six months after contract inception. Liquidated damages will not be assessed for any calendar month during which incoming Child Support Call Center call volume increases by more than thirty (30) percent over the volume for the prior calendar month.

4.17.6 Contractor shall not have its staff answer calls and immediately place the Child Support Call Center customer on hold in order to avoid the assessment of Liquidated Damages, nor use any other method which is non-responsive to customers, as determined by CSS, to avoid the assessment of liquidated damages.

4.17.7 Documents, call back/action, time sensitive and 2nd request emails are to be sent to thefield immediately. The field is to respond to the time sensitive immediately and the call back


and 2nd request emails within two (2) business days. The contractor will be required to monitor and report its performance in this area. All performance is subject to verification by the State and the Contractor must cooperate with the State in the event of such verification. Notification emails must be sent at least daily.

4.17.8 Contractor shall comply with the request for a corrective action plan and with the terms of any approved corrective action plan. Contractor will be subject to penalties as discussed in Section 4.16.6 for failure to comply.

4.17.9 CSS retains authority for interpreting performance under the terms of this contract.

4.17.10 Contractor shall cooperate fully with any data collection and evaluation activities carried out by CSS in connection with the services performed under this contract. Contractor shall not initiate any evaluations that have not been approved by the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.17.11 Contractor shall indemnify CSS for any and all Federal penalties or sanctions imposed as aresult of the Contractor’s failure to perform in accordance with Federal requirements. (Examples of this would be failure of the Contractor to comply with applicable federal time frames and requirements and misuse or release of confidential or IRS information.)

4.18 Coordination with CSS:

4.18.1 Contractor shall be responsible for mailing and documenting in KAECSES, or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS, on the appropriate screen the following correspondence set out in this section. These may arise as a result of a request from a caller. Contractor shall take appropriate action on the returned documents as indicated in this section or as directed by the CSS IV-D Director or designee. Contractor shall be responsible for postage. CSS expects outbound volume to be approximately 600 documents per month, in addition to the 160 applications sent per section 4.6.5 above. All mail should be sent via USPS First Class Mail. All mail received at the Call Center must be processed and/or sent to the field within 2 days.

Child Support Services Applications: Scan and forward to the Local CSS office per current policy.

Paternity Questionnaire: Scan and forward to the Local CSS office per current policy. Address Verifications: Send outbound for Non-Custodial Parents only when new address

information is received at the call center. (The return address will be that of the appropriate field office.)

Employment Verifications: If received at the call center scan and email to appropriate Local CSS office

Hearings Requests (date, time, subject, etc.): Email request for information to appropriate Local CSS office along with transferring the call to the Local CSS office

Modification Packet: Mail or Scan and email to appropriate Local CSS office Child Support Services brochures and pamphlets: no response needed Child Support Services Handbook or refer to web: No responses will be received Miscellaneous documents related to the day to day operations of the program: Narrate on the

appropriate case, scan and email to the Local CSS office. (Original legal documents are also mailed to the Local CSS office.)


4.18.2 With the exception of the Child Support Services Handbook and Child Support Services brochures and pamphlets (which will be provided by CSS), the contractor shall be responsible for printing the documents, including the applications for services. Contractor shall be responsible for all envelopes. Contractor shall be responsible for postage. No documents printed by the contractor are expected to be in color.

4.19 Training:

4.19.1 Contractor shall be responsible for all initial and ongoing training of Child Support Call Center staff. The contractor will be required to establish the training time frames needed to accomplish the requirements of this RFP. Additionally the contractor should understand that it may take about 6 weeks to train new call center agents.

4.19.2 Contractor shall be responsible for training Child Support Call Center staff to ensure that they have gained the required knowledge to answer and fully resolve customer calls.

4.19.3 The training curriculum must include CSS policy and procedures, and KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS training. At a minimum areas to be covered are:

Overview of CSS’ process and functions and an overview of the Child Support Services program and its administrative structure;

Outlook Email access and use; Definitions of commonly used Child Support Services terminology: Case log reading and narrating; Locate; Establishment; Enforcement; Finance; Interstate procedures; Call screening; IRS; Confidentiality; Appropriate Kansas State Statutes and Regulations; Any other training as directed by the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.19.3 Contractor shall be responsible to teach telephone skills, call management and interviewing techniques.

4.19.4 All training materials prepared or adopted by Contractor shall be provided to CSS for review and approval from the CSS IV-D Director or designee, prior to training. CSS will provide the approved CSS training material to assist the Contractor in creating the curriculum needed.

4.19.5 Ongoing training shall be conducted internally by the Contractor to announce and promote changes in CSS policy or processes, to rectify problem areas, or provide timely notification to Contractor’s staff about temporary CSS office openings/closings and related issues. In addition to periodic training, the Contractor shall maintain a training plan that includes, at a minimum, mandatory training for staff every 6 months and IRS/Security Training at least yearly, to ensure they are current on all policies and procedures. In the event the CSS IV-D Director or designee


issues a directive or new policy such information shall be immediately disseminated to all Call Center Employees and implemented immediately.

4.20 Primary Operating Facility and Hours of Operation:

4.20.1 Contractor shall establish a primary operating facility at a single site through the rental or purchase of appropriate size facilities within the State of Kansas. The CSS IV-D Director or designee must approve of the location prior to any lease of property being signed. The purpose of the primary operating facility shall be the Contractor’s performance of all child support related customer service functions in accordance with the provisions set forth in this RFP and any resulting contract. Contractor shall not use the facility to operate any other business other than what is agreed upon under this RFP. All hardware and network communications must be located at the primary site and the coordination of such must be approved by the State. Contractor shall be responsible for all modifications to the facility. In addition, the Contractor shall be responsible for establishing and maintaining the needed security, fire control, telephone lines, and related equipment for the facility including work space for staff. The State reserves the right to reject the primary facility established by the Contractor. All services provided under this RFP must be maintained within the State of Kansas, United States of America.

4.20.2 While the IVR System shall be operational 24 hours per day, 7 days per week; the Contractor shall adequately staff and provide the ability to transfer calls from the IVR to live operators during the normal business hours of 7:00 am to 6:00 pm.

4.21 Call Center Technology: The Contractor must:

4.21.1 Use the most current software technology for the IVR and periodically upgrade the system as new versions of the IVR software provided, with prior approval by the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.21.2 In conjunction with and subject to the approval of CSS IV-D Director or designee, develop and document a protocol (including scripts) for the operation of the Child Support Call Center IVR, which shall become the Customer Service Protocol handbook. Bidder shall describe the process it proposes to use to develop the script and should submit an existing script it has produced as an example of its experience in developing such a guide. In addition to the IVR scripts the Contractor will be responsible for creating any scripts provided to assist the agents in taking calls.

4.21.3 Provide periodic technology reports quarterly detailing suggested process improvements through technology and innovations to improve the Child Support Call Center operation and customer satisfaction.

4.22 Interactive Voice Response System (IVR):

4.22.1 Contractor shall be responsible for supplying an IVR (software and servers) and all maintenance of the IVR. Contractor shall see that the IVR meets the needs of the State in answering and handling the calls, transferring calls to the appropriate person or agency and providing program information and office locations. Contractor shall work with the designated State staff in regards to the daily operation of the IVR and uploading and exchange of information from CSS. In


addition to answering calls for the Call Center the IVR will need to provide payment information from CSS. The IVR shall provide options for English and Spanish language speakers and any additional languages that CSS may request.

At this time the only anticipated IVR transfer point will need to be to the Kansas Payment Center if callers have payment related questions. However, agents must have the ability to transfer live calls to all CSS offices and contractors as necessary.

4.22.2 DCF currently maintains (and awarded contractor shall use) the following toll free numbers – 1-888-757-2445 (TTY 1-888-688-1666, for the hearing impaired) that are to be answered by the IVR System 24 hours per day, 7 days per week with the ability to transfer to live operators during normal business hours.

4.22.3 CSS will provide a payment file that contains payment information for each Non-custodial Parent (the last 4 payments received at a minimum) from their database for upload of payment information to the IVR. The current IVR information does not include IV-D disbursement information.

4.22.4 CSS will provide a file that contains all caseworker names and caseworker email addresses along with the judicial districts that are used for the sending of emails and tracking the number of calls by judicial districts.

4.22.5 The information provided by the Contractor IVR shall include providing program information and office locations, specific amounts collected from each absent parent, the amount of current support collected and the IVR shall list the last 4 payments received. The information provided by the Contractor via the IVR shall be approved by the CSS Director or designee.

4.22.6 The IVR must provide technology that shall record, store and retrieve Child Support Call Center phone conversations and enable the Contractor or CSS to access conversations at any time without prior notice. Any technology provided by the Contractor shall be compliant with IRS Publication 1075.

4.22.7 The IVR must provide the capability to issue broadcast notices at the option and request of CSS. In addition, the IVR must provide prerecorded messages anticipated for holidays andunanticipated closures for inclement weather or system outages.

4.22.8 The IVR must provide the capability to do Robocalls and/or text messages for the following: To all non-custodial parents at least monthly who have not made a payment by Income

Withholding Order in the last 35 days; To custodial parents when a payment is received; To both parties advising of upcoming hearings or genetic test appointments; Or any other special requests by CSS.

4.22.9 CSS reserves the right to change information provided on the IVR from time to time. The IVR should have the ability to provide emergency messages as approved by the CSS Director or designee.

4.23 Meetings/Reports Requirements:


4.23.1 Unless otherwise specified by the CSS IV-D Director or designee in writing, the reporting and meeting requirements stated herein are effective throughout the duration of the contract.

4.23.2 Contractor shall meet with CSS, at a minimum, weekly during the first sixty (60) calendar days after the effective date of the contract and twice every month thereafter, at the CSS IV-D Director or designee’s discretion, to discuss issues raised by the Contractor or the CSS staff. These meetings may be held by teleconference, at the discretion of the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

Additionally, beginning two (2) weeks after the effective date of the contract, the Contractor shall provide CSS IV-D Director or designee with written (email or hard copy) specific progress reports every two (2) weeks. These reports must include significant events, progress on procedures development, staffing levels, problems or backlogs encountered, planned activities for the next reporting period, meetings held, and other information deemed necessary by CSS or the Contractor. Distribution of these reports shall be determined by CSS and provided in writing to the Contractor.

4.23.3 At the request of CSS IV-D Director or designee, the Contractor’s Call Center Manager and associated administrative staff shall attend periodic CSS staff meetings and training conferences. Expenses incurred by the Contractor’s staff to attend these sessions shall be the responsibility of the Contractor. CSS anticipates a maximum of twelve (12) meetings shall be required annually and all will be located within the State of Kansas.

4.23.4 Contractor shall report to the CSS IV-D Director or designee the following statistics on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis in an electronic format approved by CSS. All monthly reports are due by the 10th of each month. Weekly reports (Monday – Friday) are due each Wednesday of the following week, daily reports are due by close of business the following day. CSS IV-D Director or designee reserves the right to approve all report layouts. If the Contractor fails to provide the required monthly reports by the 10th of the month they will be subject to a fine of $150.00 per day that the reports are late. The reports (daily, weekly and monthly) shall include but not be limited to the following items:

Total number of calls routed to the Child Support Call Center from the Child Support Services toll-free number;

Total number of calls requesting a customer service representative; Total number of calls picked-up by a customer service representative (customer service

representative speaks with caller); Total number of calls resolved by a customer service representative; A list by case number and local CSS office of the total number of calls resolved by a

customer service representative; Total number of calls abandoned while waiting for a customer service representative (caller

hangs up before speaking to a customer service representative); Maximum wait time for abandoned calls; Total number of calls deflected (lost call rate – holding queue is full and cannot accept

incoming calls—caller gets a busy signal); Total number of calls broken down by disposition and outcome of call: Total number of calls answered by a customer service representative for each local CSS

office; Total number of calls referred (via email) to a CCS local office requesting a worker to initiate


an action on a case or advise the worker of pertinent information regarding the case; Total number of calls referred (via email) for the purpose of having the local CSS offices

make a call back to a client by the local CSS offices; A list by case number and local CSS office of the calls answered by a customer service

representative for each local CSS office; Average call talk time (average length of individual calls); Average wait time before caller speaks with a customer service representative; Maximum wait time before caller speaks with a customer service representative; Average wrap-up time (time customer service representative needs after ending one call and

becomes available to answer next incoming call); Total Amount of Down Time (amount of time during operating hours that calls could not be

routed to the Child Support Call Center); Total Amount of Talk Time (total amount of time all customer service representatives spend

talking with callers); Average number of customer service representatives available to answer incoming calls; and Number of After Hours Calls (calls routed to Child Support Call Center outside of normal

operating hours). Total number of Telephone Device for the Deaf (TDD) calls and total number of foreign

language calls by language.

4.23.5 Exclusive of the state approved email system, Contractor shall not transmit case data, customer data, or voice recording or translations via the Internet.

4.23.6 Contractor shall not integrate state agency data with any other data of the Contractor except for the purposes of this contract.

4.23.7 The Child Support Call Center shall prepare and submit management reports and other requested information to CSS in a compatible word processing, spreadsheet, database and charts/graphs format agreeable with CSS.

4.23.8 Management reports shall summarize the activity of the Child Support Call Center for the reporting period, at least monthly, and identify any performance, scheduling or financial problems. Bidder must describe in the technical response how these reports shall be generated, to include data collection methods.

4.23.9 All reports shall be developed by the Contractor in cooperation with CSS. The Contractor shall provide all reports required in Section 4.23.4 within 90 days of contract signing.

4.23.10 Any reports recommended by the Contractor in their proposal must be approved by CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.23.11 Contractor shall maintain a system for reporting caller complaints related to ‘no contact response’/second request by the responsible CSS caseworker after an initial follow-up inquiry cannot be resolved by Child Support Call Center and must be sent to the appropriate CSS office for resolution. A “follow-up” complaint in this instance results when a Child Support Call Center customer has previously called, their inquiry has been referred to a caseworker with the expectation that a response will be forthcoming within a stated period of time (two business days), and the customer calls back after the stated time, complaining of a lack of response. Contractor shall note these instances on a Contact Problems Report and send another inquiry


regarding the complaining caller to the appropriate CSS caseworker and supervisor. This report shall be submitted to CSS Central Office weekly for each of the CSS field offices.

4.23.12 In addition to other reporting requirements stated herein, Contractor shall prepare and submit monthly reports to CSS, by the 10th of the following month, regarding the following Child Support Call Center transactions, compiled by Judicial District with a State total. These reports will be formalized by CSS with assistance from the Contractor after contract award:

A. Summarized by contacting persons, such as: Custodial person; Non-custodial person; Governor’s Office; Legislators; Media; Attorney; Judge; Employer; Financial Institution; Other states; Kansas CSS offices; IV-A agency; Other

B. The monthly report shall show whether the call was regarding: Payment problems; Collection actions; Service of process; Hearings; Complaint on case management; Representative conduct; Insurance/medical questions; Information on establishing paternity; Information on criminal charges; Information on locate; Genetic testing questions; Other case status questions; Change of address; Requesting modification of support order; Call back for follow up; General questions - Child Support Services; Questions on Child Support Services Internet Web site; Requests for Child Support Services brochures; Other.

C. The monthly report shall show if the case is an interstate case (outgoing or incoming) or an in- state case.

D. The monthly report shall show how the call was disposed, whether: Caller received the requested information;


Call information was forwarded to (name of office) for follow up; Caller was connected to the KPC for additional information; Caller was transferred to (name of office).

4.23.13 Bidder shall provide other sample reports as a part of their bid which will assist in the efficient and effective management of the Child Support Call Center.

4.24 Coordination with CSS Management:

4.24.1 Working with the CSS IV-D Director or designee and staff shall be an important part of the success of the Child Support Call Center. In order to build that coordination and work effort, Child Support Call Center administrative staff may be required to meet with CSS administrative staff, at CSS central office in Topeka or at other sites as designated, on a regular basis of not more than monthly. Meetings may be scheduled at other times as necessary to ensure communication, coordination and problem resolution.

4.24.2 Child Support Call Center staff shall attend training or meetings mandated by the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.24.3 Contractor shall be required to participate in monthly teleconferences with the CSS IV-D Director and designees for CSS for the purpose of addressing any issues arising regarding the Child Support Call Center.

4.25 General Contract Requirements:

4.25.1 Contractor agrees that all IV-D case information shall be used solely for contract performance and safeguarded as provided for in K.S.A. 39-709b and 39-759 and amendments thereto and federal and state laws, regulations, and policies pertaining to confidentiality.

4.25.2 Information obtained through the Federal Parent Locator Services, as well as address and asset information obtained through the Internal Revenue Service must be safeguarded according to regulations in 45 CFR 303.70 and Internal Revenue Code at 26 U.S.C. 6103(p)(4), Kansas Law and Regulations, and CSS Policy.

4.25.3 CSS will allow access to information by the Contractor to the extent not prohibited by federal or state statute. Any information received or accessed by the Contractor shall be used solely for purposes of fulfilling this contract.

4.25.4 Contractor or their staff shall not access any database or system which is accessible to the Contractor or their staff pursuant to this contract, for any purpose not directly related to performance under this contract. Any and all information obtained in performance of this contract shall be maintained in strict confidence and shall not be used for any other purpose.

4.25.5 Contractor shall only respond to case specific questions from agencies authorized to receive such information and from the parties of a child support case, the custodial parent (CP) and the non-custodial parent (NCP), unless a written authorization to release such information to a non-party has been documented or is provided. Breaches of confidentiality may result in Contractor and individual liability for fines, penalties, and civil or criminal proceedings in accordance with applicable federal and state laws, regulations and policies.


4.25.6 All data collected and maintained by Contractor in the course of performing the contract shall be owned by CSS. CSS will be provided, without additional charge or cost, any Contractor software necessary to access data retained by Contractor to conduct analysis or generate reports.

4.25.7 Any breach of confidentiality or violation of the above provisions may result in a request to terminate Contractor staff or termination of the contract and possible criminal liability. Decisions to terminate for breach of confidentiality will be made by the CSS IV-D Director based on the circumstances of the breach.

4.25.8 Contractor shall respond without delay to any CSS request for information.

4.25.9 Upon discovery, Contractor shall refer any cases of suspected fraud related to child support or receipt of public assistance to the local DCF Service Center responsible for the case. Likewise, all cases of suspected child abuse or elder abuse shall be reported immediately to the Protective Services Worker/Unit of the local Department for Children and Families. Reporting shall be in accordance with the Kansas CSS Manual.

4.25.10 Contractor performance under the contract shall not be contingent upon state personnel or the availability of state resources except those proposed actions of the Contractor specifically requiring access to state systems or those actions arising out of the normal cooperation which can be expected in such a contractual relationship. CSS caseworkers will remain responsible to manage the case and perform CSS functions.

4.25.11 Contractor shall notify CSS immediately upon learning of any situation that might reasonably be expected to adversely affect office operations. Contractor shall, within one (1) working day, provide a written description of the situation and include a recommendation for

resolution whenever possible.

4.25.12 Notwithstanding any contract provision to the contrary, a Disaster Plan for the Contractor’s office(s) shall be presented as part of the proposal and be developed into a fully functional and documented arrangement within 90 days of signing the contract. The disaster plan shall provide for the resumption of the Contractor office activities within 48 hours of a given national emergency or natural disaster, fire, or other acts of God, and include appropriate methods for notifying customers. The CSS IV-D Director or designee has the authority to extend the 48 hours at their sole discretion or that of their designee. The plan shall cover, but not be limited to, such contingencies as internal data backup/restoration, generators, effective representative notification regarding where and when to report for work, and other such matters. Contractor’s disaster plan is subject to approval by CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.25.13 Contractor shall not be assessed penalties when a Service Outage is the result of a national emergency or natural disaster, fire, or other acts of God, provided the Contractor notifies the CSS IV-D Director or designee of such circumstances and the Service Outage is determined to have been beyond the control and without fault or negligence of the Contractor.

4.25.14 Contractor shall immediately notify the CSS IV-D Director or designee of any emergency requiring the initiation of the Disaster Plan.


4.25.15 All contacts with State or Federal Legislators or media contacts by Contractor personnel regarding child support or related issues require prior approval by the CSS IV-D Director or designee.

4.25.16 Contractor shall notify CSS Director or designee, in writing, of any loss of State equipment and software describing the reason(s) for the loss.

4.25.17 The State shall retain ownership of any software and equipment which it purchases and places in the Contractor’s office. Contractor agrees to be responsible for the accountability of such equipment and software. Contractor shall notify the CSS immediately in writing of any loss of State equipment and software describing the reason(s) for the loss. Should the State owned equipment be destroyed, lost or stolen, the Contractor shall be responsible to the State for the amount of the replacement cost. Contractor must notify CSS immediately regarding any release of confidential information on equipment, including a full description and extent of disclosure.

Furthermore, pursuant to IRS requirements all computer and network equipment used in the performance of this contract will be considered the property of the State during the contract term.

4.25.18 Contractor shall operate according to standard accounting principles pursuant to GAAP and shall maintain standard accounting records including corporate balance sheets, statement of income, quarterly income statements, annual audits, annual budget reports and allow inspection by CSS or state and federal auditors upon request at no cost to the state.

4.25.19 If any subcontracts are approved by the State, such sub-Contractors shall be subject to the IRS approval 60 days in advance of being placed on the project, general provisions, operating conditions and performance standards of this contract, and shall not release Contractor from any liability for failure to perform. If a subcontract is necessary it shall be at the expense of the Contractor and subject to state approval.

4.26 Security:

4.26.1 Contractor shall not access any database or system maintained by CSS, or which may be accessible to Contractor pursuant to this contract, (due to arrangements made by CSS with other agencies or entities), for any purpose not directly related to the purposes of the contract. CSS will regularly monitor such Contractor access/non-access.

4.26.2 Contractor shall assure the confidentiality of CSS’ information is maintained.

4.26.3 Contractor shall be responsible for providing a secure environment for disbursement of data, records and data processing operations. Contractor must secure all data from sabotage, manipulation, theft, or breach of confidentiality. Contractor shall be required to use KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS and the existing state security requirements to limit access and manipulation within KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS and its related systems.

4.26.4 Contractor shall provide onsite workspace for auditors or inspectors to include telephone, fax machine, photocopier and any computer system used by the Contractor in performance of this contract.


4.26.5 Contractor must implement any improvements or modifications indicated by a physical security review.

4.26.6 Contractor shall provide a secure area for the KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS terminals to ensure only representatives with security clearance on KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS have access.

4.26.7 Contractor must provide a security plan that covers all requirements in this RFP.

4.26.8 Contractor must require all staff to understand and sign CSS’ Confidentiality Statement, Security Statement and IRS confidentiality statements yearly. (See Appendix C & D & H) (See Appendix B for required IRS statement on confidentiality of information)

4.26.9 Contractor shall be required to perform background checks of all representatives of the Contractor or sub-Contractor who shall have access to the facilities or operations. Individuals who have access to participant addresses must have background checks run for restraining orders, violent crimes against persons, burglary and theft, or other crimes of dishonesty.

4.26.10 The usage of the network and software for unauthorized purposes or by unauthorized persons may result in termination of the contract.

4.26.11 Contractor shall ensure that all data downloaded from any source, or transmitted to Child Support Services, is free of computer viruses in accordance with State IT standards. Contractor shall reimburse CSS for any costs incurred by CSS to remedy Contractor caused computer virus problems.

4.26.12 Contractor shall report immediately upon discovery, any breach of confidentiality to the Child Support Services Director or designee. The breach of confidentiality is grounds for immediate firing.

4.27 Complaint resolution and Quality Assurance:

4.27.1 The Contractor must notify the CSS IV-D Director or designee within one working day after Contractor has received a complaint about Contractor’s performance. CSS IV-D Director or designee shall notify Contractor within one working day after CSS has received a complaint about Contractor’s performance. Contractor shall respond to a complaint within one working day of receipt, or provide CSS IV-D Director or designee with a schedule for resolving the complaint. It shall be Contractor’s goal to receive no more than one justified complaint per month. A justified complaint results when a Contractor representative’s behavior is documented as an inappropriate response to a caller. As examples such behavior includes: rudeness, inexcusable failure to carry through on commitments, inappropriate language, responses which are clearly disrespectful of the caller or incorrect (wrong) responses to the caller’s question. In the event that a Call Center Representative receives more than one justified complaint the Contractor shall adhere to the following for that Call Center Representative:

Verbal warning for the first offense. Written warning for the second offense. Suspended for 5 days for the third offense.


Termination for the fourth offense

4.27.2 Contractor shall be responsible for resolving customer complaints, in accordance with Child Support Service protocol and subject to CSS IV-D Director or designee approval.

4.27.3 The contractor shall provide within 30 days of the contract award a comprehensive QA Plan for the call center operation to be approved by the CSS Director or designee. The QA plan shall include at a minimum the following:

1. Principles, processes and procedures used to support the regular delivery of high quality services.

2. The quality objectives3. Key project personnel and the role they play in the process4. How calls will be identified for QA5. Checklist or form to be used to score the quality of the call handling, and how the QA

scores are calculated6. How contractor will address problems or errors found in the QA process in order to

demonstrate continuous improvement.7. Dispute resolution

Contractor shall provide monthly quality assurance on no less than three point sixty-five percent (3.65%) of calls offered to the Call Center agents based on a QA plan approved by the CSS Director or designee.

The Contractor and the State will use the following formula to determine the error rate:Add the total of the scores of all the calls QA’d during the month divided by the total number of calls QA’d during the month to get the average quality score. Subtract that from 100% to get the error rate.

CSS will audit calls as needed to validate the contractor’s error rate. Below are a few examples of errors that lead to a QA score of less than 100%:

Providing incorrect information to callers. Not documenting the call in the Child Support System Improper/unprofessional communication style

Contractor shall provide an email process for CSS to submit specific errors to the Contractor’s Onsite Manager for training or counseling individual Child Support Call Center staff.

4.27.4 Contractor shall develop appropriate reports regarding accuracy and timeliness to regularly monitor performance in these areas.

4.28 Transition Requirements for Implementation:

4.28.1 Contractor shall develop a detailed implementation/transition plan which sets forth activities to be accomplished and the time frames for their accomplishment. The tasks that the Contractor shall be required to complete prior to performing contract functions for CSS must include:

A. Contractor shall develop a detailed training plan which describes the training to be accomplished prior to contract performance.


B. Contractor shall provide notice to all interested parties affected by this contract of the appropriate phone number or other contact information or methods and the transfer of the existing toll-free number. Contractor must actively market to CSS customers to ensure that all appropriate calls by CSS customers are directed to the Child Support Call Center as early as practicable after contract implementation. Bidders should indicate in their bids how this will be accomplished. Contractor shall take appropriate measures to ensure when the phone company’s directory assistance operator is contacted for Kansas CSS, the Child Support Call Center number is provided.

C. Begin Child Support Call Center services within 60 days of the award and signature of the contract, unless a longer period is allowed by the CSS IV-D Director or designee in writing. The Contractor shall include a proposed plan and time table for an efficient phase-in of Child Support Call Center operations.

D. Minimize any disruption of services provided to customers and other agency offices.

E. Maintain the level of effectiveness specified by the requirements of this RFP and the subsequent contract.

F. Within 60 days of implementation provide a detailed list of all State equipment and software owned by the State.

4.29 Turnover Requirements:

4.29.1 Contractor shall ensure a smooth turnover upon the termination or end of the contract. Contractor shall cooperate with CSS in developing and implementing a plan for turnover which has no adverse effect upon CSS or the customers.

4.29.2 Contractor shall present a general plan, for approval by the CSS IV-D Director or designee, which provides for an orderly and controlled transfer to either CSS or a successor Contractor as part of the bid response. The Contractor shall present a detailed turnover plan 90 days prior to expiration of the contract term, but no later than 30 days after notice of contract termination.

4.29.3 In order to ensure the smooth transfer and efficient continuation of all contracted tasks back to CSS or to any subsequent Contractor, the Contractor shall transfer all necessary software and equipment purchased for use in performance of this contract, with title, leasing or license rights thereto, to the extent the Contractor possesses the same, to a successor Contractor or CSS;

NOTE: Software and equipment used by the Child Support Call Center necessary for the performance of the requirements of this contract which the Child Support Call Center Contractor does not have the right to grant a license to shall only be acquired with the written consent of the CSS IV-D Director or designee. The Child Support Call Center Contractor shall provide the CSS IV-D Director or designee with advance notice in writing of, and permit CSS to participate in, any and all negotiations for the acquisition of such software and the license(s) necessary for CSS to use and possess such software.

4.29.4 Contractor shall transfer to CSS or the successor Contractor any and all


system software, data files, application programs, documentation and scripts, manuals and training materials.

4.29.5 Contractor shall successfully and without delay complete the equipment transfer and lease assignment or transfer of other rights related thereto.

4.29.6 Contractor shall transfer ownership or rights to websites, any phone numbers and email domains associated with the Child Support Call Center to CSS or any successor Contractor. These websites, phone numbers and email domains must be maintained during the whole contract term.

4.29.7 Contractor shall successfully complete all other tasks called for by the turnover plan prior to final payment.


5. COST SHEET

Must be submitted separately from the Technical Proposal(See Response Section, #1)

Bidder Name: ___________________________

Bidder FEIN: ____________________________

Please provide the total cost for the below as well as a detailed cost breakout by year. The State retains the right to ask for clarification or more information during the evaluation process. Please enter the total yearly cost on the cost sheet and include a detailed breakout of this cost.

Initial forty-two month contract period (costs must be provided separately for each period specified below)

January 1, 2015 through June 30, 2015: $ _________________________________

July 1, 2015 through June 30, 2016: $ _________________________________



First additional two-year renewal period (costs must be provided separately for each period specified below)



Second additional two-year renewal period (costs must be provided separately for each period specified below)

July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021: $ _________________________________July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022: $ _________________________________


State of KansasDepartment of AdministrationDA-146a (Rev. 06-12)

CONTRACTUAL PROVISIONS ATTACHMENT

Important: This form contains mandatory contract provisions and must be attached to or incorporated in all copies of any contractual agreement. If it is attached to the vendor/contractor's standard contract form, then that form must be altered to contain the following provision:

"The Provisions found in Contractual Provisions Attachment (Form DA-146a, Rev. 06-12), which is attached hereto, are hereby incorporated in this contract and made a part thereof."

The parties agree that the following provisions are hereby incorporated into the contract to which it is attached and made a part thereof, said contract being the _____ day of ____________________, 20_____.

1. Terms Herein Controlling Provisions: It is expressly agreed that the terms of each and every provision in this attachment shall prevail and control over the terms of any other conflicting provision in any other document relating to and a part of the contract in which this attachment is incorporated. Any terms that conflict or could be interpreted to conflict with this attachment are nullified.

2. Kansas Law and Venue : This contract shall be subject to, governed by, and construed according to the laws of the State of Kansas, and jurisdiction and venue of any suit in connection with this contract shall reside only in courts located in the State of Kansas.

3. Termination Due To Lack Of Funding Appropriation: If, in the judgment of the Director of Accounts and Reports, Department of Administration, sufficient funds are not appropriated to continue the function performed in this agreement and for the payment of the charges hereunder, State may terminate this agreement at the end of its current fiscal year. State agrees to give written notice of termination to contractor at least 30 days prior to the end of its current fiscal year, and shall give such notice for a greater period prior to the end of such fiscal year as may be provided in this contract, except that such notice shall not be required prior to 90 days before the end of such fiscal year. Contractor shall have the right, at the end of such fiscal year, to take possession of any equipment provided State under the contract. State will pay to the contractor all regular contractual payments incurred through the end of such fiscal year, plus contractual charges incidental to the return of any such equipment. Upon termination of the agreement by State, title to any such equipment shall revert to contractor at the end of the State's current fiscal year. The termination of the contract pursuant to this paragraph shall not cause any penalty to be charged to the agency or the contractor.

4. Disclaimer Of Liability: No provision of this contract will be given effect that attempts to require the State of Kansas or its agencies to defend, hold harmless, or indemnify any contractor or third party for any acts or omissions. The liability of the State of Kansas is defined under the Kansas Tort Claims Act (K.S.A. 75-6101 et seq.).

5. Anti-Discrimination Clause: The contractor agrees: (a) to comply with the Kansas Act Against Discrimination (K.S.A. 44-1001 et seq.) and the Kansas Age Discrimination in Employment Act (K.S.A. 44-1111 et seq.) and the applicable provisions of the Americans With Disabilities Act (42 U.S.C. 12101 et seq.) (ADA) and to not discriminate against any person because of race, religion, color, sex, disability, national origin or ancestry, or age in the admission or access to, or treatment or employment in, its programs or activities; (b) to include in all solicitations or advertisements for employees, the phrase "equal opportunity employer"; (c) to comply with the reporting requirements set out at K.S.A. 44-1031 and K.S.A. 44-1116; (d) to include those provisions in every subcontract or purchase order so that they are binding upon such subcontractor or vendor; (e) that a failure to comply with the reporting requirements of (c) above or if the contractor is found guilty of any violation of such acts by the Kansas Human Rights Commission, such violation shall constitute a breach of contract and the contract may be cancelled, terminated or suspended, in whole or in part, by the contracting state agency or the Kansas Department of Administration; (f) if it is determined that the contractor has violated applicable provisions of ADA, such violation shall constitute a breach of contract and the contract may be cancelled, terminated or suspended, in whole or in part, by the contracting state agency or the Kansas Department of Administration.

Contractor agrees to comply with all applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws.

The provisions of this paragraph number 5 (with the exception of those provisions relating to the ADA) are not applicable to a contractor who employs fewer than four employees during the term of such contract or whose contracts with the contracting State agency cumulatively total $5,000 or less during the fiscal year of such agency.

6. Acceptance Of Contract: This contract shall not be considered accepted, approved or otherwise effective until the statutorily required approvals and certifications have been given.

7. Arbitration, Damages, Warranties: Notwithstanding any language to the contrary, no interpretation of this contract shall find that the State or its agencies have agreed to binding arbitration, or the payment of damages or penalties. Further, the State of Kansas and its agencies do not agree to pay attorney fees, costs, or late payment charges beyond those available under the Kansas Prompt Payment Act (K.S.A. 75-6403), and no provision will be given effect that attempts to exclude, modify, disclaim or otherwise attempt to limit any damages available to the State of Kansas or its agencies at law, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose.

8. Representative's Authority To Contract: By signing this contract, the representative of the contractor thereby represents that such person is duly authorized by the contractor to execute this contract on behalf of the contractor and that the contractor agrees to be bound by the provisions thereof.

9. Responsibility For Taxes: The State of Kansas and its agencies shall not be responsible for, nor indemnify a contractor for, any federal, state or local taxes which may be imposed or levied upon the subject matter of this contract.

10. Insurance: The State of Kansas and its agencies shall not be required to purchase any insurance against loss or damage to property or any other subject matter relating to this contract, nor shall this contract require them to establish a "self-insurance" fund to protect against any such loss or damage. Subject to the provisions of the Kansas Tort Claims Act (K.S.A. 75-6101 et seq.), the contractor shall bear the risk of any loss or damage to any property in which the contractor holds title.

11. Information: No provision of this contract shall be construed as limiting the Legislative Division of Post Audit from having access to information pursuant to K.S.A. 46-1101 et seq.

12. The Eleventh Amendment: "The Eleventh Amendment is an inherent and incumbent protection with the State of Kansas and need not be reserved, but prudence requires the State to reiterate that nothing related to this contract shall be deemed a waiver of the Eleventh Amendment."


13. Campaign Contributions / Lobbying: Funds provided through a grant award or contract shall not be given or received in exchange for the making of a campaign contribution. No part of the funds provided through this contract shall be used to influence or attempt to influence an officer or employee of any State of Kansas agency or a member of the Legislature regarding any pending legislation or the awarding, extension, continuation, renewal, amendment or modification of any government contract, grant, loan, or cooperative agreement.


ATTACHMENT A: Qualifications

Part 1: Contractor Company Qualifications:

Contractor Name: _______________________________________________________

Years of Experience (leave no blanks, if none then indicate none or

N/A)

Skills/Experience Contractor Explanation of Experience (as applicable)

Prior recent experience running a Call Center for Child Support Enforcement programs.

Prior recent experience running a Call Center for a Social and Health program

Prior recent experience developing training materials for a Child Support Call Center.

Prior experience working with Child Support agencies in Child Support program areas. (Explain)

Experience providing other types of services for state Child Support agencies or other related experience for other health and human services programs. (Explain)


Part 2: Staff Reference Form

Each proposed staff member must complete this form providing 3 business references.

Staff Name: Staff Proposed Position Title:

Contractor Name (Required):

Reference #1 Name (Required):Title (Optional)Company Name (Required):

Phone Number (Required - include area code):E-mail address (Optional):Professional Relationship: (Optional):

Peer Co-Worker Supervisor

Customer End-User Subordinate

Reference #2 Name (Required):Title (Optional)Company Name (Required):

Phone Number (Required - include area code):E-mail address (Optional):Professional Relationship: (Optional):



Reference #3 Name (Required):

Title (Optional)

Company Name (Required):

Phone Number (Required):(Include Area Code)

E-mail address (Optional):

Professional Relationship: (Optional):




Part 3: Staff Requirement Sheet

THIS FORM IS REQUIRED FOR PROPOSED MANAGER/DIRECTOR, SUPERVISOR, TRAINER, AND QUALITY ASSURANCE STAFF. ATTACH THIS SHEET TO THE CONTRACTOR STAFF RESUMES AND SUBMIT FOR EACH APPLICANT BEING SUBMITTED FOR THIS RFP.

Contractor Staff Name (Required):________________________________________________

Contractor Staff Proposed Position Title: __________________________________________

Years of Experience (leave no

blanks, if none then indicate none or N/A)

Skills/Experience

Contractor Comments (as applicable)

Experience on complex automated Child Support Services system projects.Experience as a Program Management in a child support office.Experience as a Supervisor in a child support office.Experience as a Caseworker in a child support office.Experience as an Attorney in a child support office.Experience as a caseworker or legal assistant in a child support office.Experience with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)Experience with Microsoft Office ProjectExperience with Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) rules and regulations related to running a child support program.Experience with defining, documenting and developing business processes including developing business requirements.

Experience in a call center.Experience training Child Support materials.Experience with SharePointExperience in effective general written/oral communication.

NOTE: DO NOT MODIFY THE INFORMATION IN THE SHADED AREAS.


Appendix B

IRS SAFEGUARDING CONTRACT LANGUAGE

Safeguarding of IRS information cannot be over emphasized. Severe criminal and civil penalties are imposed for misuse and/or failure to protect. By signing this new addendum each contractor affirms that they have read, understand and will comply with the attached language; and that they have read IRS Publication 1075 (a copy can be found at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1075.pdf); and that they will ensure that all employees of the contractor, who deal in any way with this contract, receive the initial IRS certification training and renew that certification yearly as required by the IRS; and that each such employee has signed the required documents, and that those signed documents are retained for review by the IRS and CSS.

Any suspected violation of the safeguarding requirements will immediately be brought to the attention of the Kansas IV-D Director for review prior to any report to the IRS.

I. PERFORMANCE

In performance of this contract, the Contractor agrees to comply with and assume responsibility for compliance by his or her employees with the following requirements:

(1) All work will be performed under the supervision of the contractor or the contractor's responsible employees.

(2) Any Federal tax returns or return information (hereafter referred to as returns or return information) made available shall be used only for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this contract. Information contained in such material shall be treated as confidential and shall not be divulged or made known in any manner to any person except as may be necessary in the performance of this contract. Inspection by or disclosure to anyone other than an officer or employee of the contractor is prohibited.

(3) All returns and return information will be accounted for upon receipt and properly stored before, during, and after processing. In addition, all related output and products will be given the same level of protection as required for the source material.

(4) No work involving returns and return information furnished under this contract will be subcontracted without prior written approval of the IRS.

(5) The contractor will maintain a list of employees authorized access. Such list will be provided to the agency and, upon request, to the IRS reviewing office.

(6) The agency will have the right to void the contract if the contractor fails to provide the safeguards described above.

(7) Contractor is responsible for compliance with each of the requirements in this entire document and in IRS Publication 1075; and agrees to hold the state of Kansas, the Dept. of DCF, and CSS harmless for violations by contractor or contractor’s employees or agents.

II. CRIMINAL/CIVIL SANCTIONS

(1) Each officer or employee of any person to whom returns or return information is or may be disclosed shall be notified in writing by such person that returns or return information disclosed to such officer or employee can be used only for a purpose and to the extent authorized herein, and that further disclosure of any such returns or return information for a purpose or to an extent unauthorized herein constitutes a felony punishable upon conviction by a fine of as much as

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p1075.pdf


$5,000 or imprisonment for as long as five years, or both, together with the costs of prosecution. Such person shall also notify each such officer and employee that any such unauthorized future disclosure of returns or return information may also result in an award of civil damages against the officer or employee in an amount not less than $1,000 with respect to each instance of unauthorized disclosure. These penalties are prescribed by IRC Sections 7213 and 7431 and set forth at 26 CFR 301.6103(n)-1.

(2) Each officer or employee of any person to whom returns or return information is or may be disclosed shall be notified in writing by such person that any return or return information made available in any format shall be used only for the purpose of carrying out the provisions of this contract. Information contained in such material shall be treated as confidential and shall not be divulged or made known in any manner to any person except as may be necessary in the performance of this contract. Inspection by or disclosure to anyone without an official need to know constitutes a criminal misdemeanor punishable upon conviction by a fine of as much as $1,000.00 or imprisonment for as long as 1 year, or both, together with the costs of prosecution. Such person shall also notify each such officer and employee that any such unauthorized inspection or disclosure of returns or return information may also result in an award of civil damages against the officer or employee [United States for Federal employees] in an amount equal to the sum of the greater of $1,000.00 for each act of unauthorizedinspection or disclosure with respect to which such defendant is found liable or the sum of the actual damages sustained by the plaintiff as a result of such unauthorized inspection or disclosure plus in the case of a willful inspection or disclosure which is the result of gross negligence, punitive damages, plus the costs of the action. The penalties are prescribed by IRC Sections 7213A and 7431.

(3) Additionally, it is incumbent upon the contractor to inform its officers and employees of the penalties for improper disclosure imposed by the Privacy Act of 1974, 5 U.S.C. 552a. Specifically, 5 U.S.C. 552a(i)(1), which is made applicable to contractors by 5 U.S.C. 552a(m)(1), provides that any officer or employee of a contractor, who by virtue of his/her employment or official position, has possession of or access to agency records which contain individually identifiable information, the disclosure of which is prohibited by the Privacy Act or regulations established thereunder, and who knowing that disclosure of the specific material is so prohibited, willfully discloses the material in any manner to any person or agency not entitled to receive it, shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and fined not more than $5,000.

(4) Granting a contractor access to FTI must be preceded by certifying that each individual understands the agency’s security policy and procedures for safeguarding IRS information. Contractors must maintain their authorization to access FTI through annual recertification. The initial certification and recertification must be documented and placed in the agency's files for review. As part of the certification and at least annually afterwards, contractors should be advised of the provisions of IRC Sections 7431, 7213, and 7213A (see Exhibit 6, IRC Sec. 7431 Civil Damages for Unauthorized Disclosure of Returns and Return Information and Exhibit 5, IRC Sec. 7213 Unauthorized Disclosure of Information). The training provided before the initial certification and annually thereafter must also cover the incident response policy and procedure for reporting unauthorized disclosures and data breaches. (See Section 10) For both the initial certification and the annual certification, the contractor should sign, either with ink or electronic signature, a confidentiality statement certifying their understanding of the security requirements.

III. INSPECTION

The IRS and the Agency shall have the right to send its officers and employees into the offices and plants of the contractor for inspection of the facilities and operations provided or the performance of any work under this contract. On the basis of such inspection, specific measures may be required in cases where the contractor is found to be noncompliant with contract safeguards.


Appendix C

IRS SafeguardingThis is to acknowledge that the requirements for safeguarding IRS tax return information have been explained to me and that I understand and agree to abide by these requirements. I further understand the penalties for inspecting and unlawfully disclosing tax return information to any unauthorized individual or agency. I have read the penalties for unlawful disclosure as they appear below.

Internal Revenue Code Sec. 7231 (Title 26 United States Code)Unauthorized Disclosure of Information

(a) (2) STATE AND OTHER EMPLOYEES — It shall be unlawful for any person . . . willfully to disclose to any person, except as authorized in this title, any return or return information [as defined in section 6103(b)] acquired by him or another person under subsection (d), (i)(3)(B)(i), (l)(6), (7), (8), (9), (10), (12), or (15) or (m)(2), (4), (6), or (7) of section 6103. Any violation of this paragraph shall be a felony punishable by a fine in any amount not exceeding $5,000, or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both, together with the cost of prosecution.

(a) (3) OTHER PERSONS -- It shall be unlawful for any person to whom any return or return information (as defined in section 6103(b)1 is disclosed in a manner unauthorized by this title thereafter willfully to print or publish in any manner not provided by law any such return or return information. Any violation of this paragraph shall be a felony punishable by a fine in any amount not exceeding $5,000, or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both, together with the cost of prosecution.

Code Sec. 7213A - Unauthorized Inspection of Returns or Return Information

(a)(2) STATE AND OTHER EMPLOYEES -- It shall be unlawful for any person . . . willfully to inspect, except as authorized by this title, any return information acquired by such person or another person under a provision of section 6103 referred to in section 7213(a)(2).

(b) PENALTY -- IN GENERAL -- Any violation of subsection (a) shall be punishable upon conviction by a fine in any amount not exceeding $1,000, or imprisonment of not more than 1 year, or both, together with the costs of prosecution.

Code Sec. 7431 - Civil Damages for Unauthorized Disclosure of Returns and Return Information

(a)(2) INSPECTION OR DISCLOSURE BY A PERSON WHO IS NOT AN EMPLOYEE OF UNITED STATES -- If any person who is not an officer or employee of the United States knowingly, or by reason of negligence, inspects or discloses any return or return information with respect to a taxpayer in violation of any provision of section 6103, such taxpayer may bring a civil action for damages against such person in a district court of the United States.

(b) EXCEPTIONS -- No liability shall arise under this section with respect to any inspection or disclosure -- (1) which results from good faith, but erroneous, interpretation of section 6103, or

(2) which is requested by the taxpayer.

(c) DAMAGES In any action brought under subsection (a), upon finding of liability on • the part of the defendant, the defendant shall be liable to the plaintiff in an amount equal to the sum of --

(1) the greater of (A) $1,000 for each act of unauthorized inspection or disclosure of a return or return information with respect to which such defendant is found liable, or


(B) the sum of -- (I) the actual damages sustained by the plaintiff as a result of such unauthorized inspection or disclosure, plus (ii) in the case of a willful inspection or disclosure or an inspection or disclosure which is the result of gross negligence, punitive damages., plus

(2) the cost of the action.

(d) PERIOD FOR BRINGING ACTION — Notwithstanding any other provision of law, an action to enforce any liability created under this section may be brought, without regard to the amount in controversy, at any time within 2 years after the date of discovery by the plaintiff of the unauthorized inspection or disclosure.

(e) NOTIFICATION OF UNLAWFUL INSPECTION AND DISCLOSURE If any person is criminally charged by indictment or information with inspection or disclosure of a taxpayer's return or return information in violation of —

(1) paragraph (1) or (2) of section 7213(a)

(2) section 7213A(a), or

(3) subparagraph (B) of section 1030(a)(2) of title 18, United States Code, the Secretary shall notify such taxpayer as soon as practicable of such inspection or disclosure.

(f) DEFINITIONS -- For purposes of this section, the terms "inspect", "inspection", "return" and "return information" have the respective meanings given such terms by section 6103(b).

(g) EXTENSION TO INFORMATION OBTAINED UNDER SECTION 3406 For purposes of this section

(1) any information obtained under section 3406 (including information with respect to any payee certification failure under subsection (d) thereof) shall be treated as return information, and

(2) any inspection or use of such information other than for purposes of meeting any requirement under section 3406 or (subject to the safeguards set forth in 6103) for purposed permitted under section 6103 shall be treated as a violation of section 6103.

For purposes of subsection (b), the reference to section 6103 shall be treated as including a reference to section 3406.

__________________________________________ ________________________________________Witness Signature Employee’s Signature

__________________________________________ ________________________________________Date Date


Appendix D

CERTIFICATION OF NON-PRINTING OFFICE

I, hereby certify that as an employee of _________________________________________, I do not print or otherwise copy information from KAECSES or other automated replacement system implemented by CSS screens that potentially could contain information supplied by the Internal Revenue Service.

Print Name

Title

Date


Appendix E

State of KansasDepartment for Children and Families

Information Technology Services Technical Environment

PC, Server, Network and Business Application Requirements for Contractor’s

January 29, 2015

This document is intended to aide potential contractors in their bidding process by making them aware of the Department for Children and Families (DCF) hardware and software standards. Services provided by contractors must meet the standards listed within this document that apply to the services that they provide. These standards shall include, but are not limited to, desktops (PC), servers, telecommunications, and networking. Although standards and technologies will be outlined in this document, DCF reserves the right to change these standards or technologies at any time.

The vendor is responsible for all costs associated with connecting to the DCF/State systems and must remain compatible as the technologies or systems are updated. This includes, but is not limited to, contractor site setup and installation of contractor owned equipment or software. Costs may vary depending on location, type of equipment, personnel, and other factors particular to the contractor. The bidder (contractor) is solely responsible to make themselves fully aware of the costs associated of accessing and using the system(s).

The contractor must be familiar with network wiring (Cat 5e,6,6a), firewalls (VPN tunneling/encryption), TCP/IP, Ethernet, LAN, and WAN specifications or must obtain these services from a subcontractor or partner. The State/DCF may provide and maintain (at cost to the contractor) all equipment and interoffice communication circuits to the edge of the contractor’s network. All equipment from the contractor’s router internal interface (contractor private side) is the contractor’s responsibility. Dial-up modems or public Internet ISP connections may not be connected to a PC located on the State network.

1. PC, Server, and Network Hardware/Software (Contractor Responsibility):

A. PC Hardware/Software:1) Desktop hardware must be within the current year’s specifications for desktops and laptops. Currently

DCF utilizes Dell PCs. Standard models include: OptiPlex 380, 780, 3020, 7020 Latitude 5400, E6510, 14-5000, E6540

B. Server Hardware/Software:1) Server hardware must meet the industry best practices for the applications to be run efficiently on them.

DCF currently utilizes Dell.2) Systems must run in a VMWare 5.1 vSphere Virtualization environment.

C. Operating System/Application Software:1) All software should conform to the DCF agency standard and be verified before connecting to the DCF

network. DCF is currently utilizing Microsoft solutions for servers and desktops. PC and server software standards are provided by the Information Technology Services (ITS)

division within DCF and will be provided to the contractor. Desktop current standards: Windows 7 SP1, Office 2010 SP2 and IE8.

Server current standards: Windows 2008 R2 Server, SQL 2008R2, Exchange 2010 SP 1

D. Network Hardware/Software:1) Network equipment should conform to DCF agency standards in regards to establishing secure network

connections to and from DCF from contractor. Contractor will work with DCF to determine what is needed.

2) The contractor is responsible for all costs associated with networking equipment and software.

2. Patch and Application Release Management:

A. All hardware and software:


1) The vendor must maintain hardware compatibility and software release synchronization with DCF. All applications and operating systems must be current following the standards within DCF.

2) Service packs and security patches must be up to date. Coordination with DCF ITS division is required before patches and service packs are applied.

3) The contractor is responsible for all costs associated with maintaining compatible equipment and software.

3. Network Connectivity:

A. To and from the contractor:1) Network connectivity to and from DCF must be done in a secure manner. Contractor will work with DCF

to determine the best manner in which to provide network services between the contractor and DCF.2) The contractor is responsible for all costs associated with them connecting to DCF.3) DCF is connected to the State network (KANWIN) which is managed by the Office of Information

Technology Services (OITS). Connections to and from the KANWIN must also be approved or coordinated with OITS.

4. Email/Data Communications:

A. To and from the contractor:1) Communications between the contractor and DCF must be done so in a secure manner. These details

must be approved and coordinated with DCF before any communication begins.2) Communications from contractor to any non-DCF network site must be done so in a secure manner if

client information is to be exchanged. These details must be approved and coordinated with DCF before any communication begins.

B. Must meet Federal, State, and DCF Requirements (see 5. B. Data Protection below)

5. Data Security:

A. All access to DCF requires an annual signed security agreement and annual completion of Computer Security Training that meets DCF regulations.

B. Data Protection:1) Contractor is required to ensure that the IT systems and applications used in providing the service,

including all component elements, are configured in a manner that is consistent with the most current version of the applicable Federal and State requirements including, but not limited to, the State of Kansas Default Security Requirements, NIST 800-53, HIPAA Privacy Rule, IRS publication 1075 and SSA’s Information System Security Guidelines for Federal, State and local agencies receiving electronic information from SSA. Contractor is also required to conduct periodic monitoring, and implement all configuration updates as may be necessary, to ensure that such IT systems/ applications and all component elements are in compliance with all updates to the applicable Federal and State requirements that become available after the effective date of this agreement and during the agreement term.

2) DCF ITS will work with the contractor to ensure data and communications between them are secure. Contractors are required to use DCF authentication systems. DCF reserves the right to inspect and make recommendations in regards to the security of the contractor network connection to DCF, and will give all final approvals for the solutions.

6. Application Software, Tools and DatabaseAll software should conform to the OITS and DCF agency standard for business application software and custom off the shelf applications. The vendor must maintain hardware compatibility and software release synchronization with DCF. All applications and operating systems must be current following the standards within DCF. . For a list of current versions, please submit a request.

A. Mainframe:1) Emulator: Rocket BlueZone Desktop Version 6.12) z/OS 1.14, z/9 BC (Business Class), The 2818 is serial # 1D3C7. It is a model m10 with Capacity of P04

( 718 MIPs/99 MSUs - DCF using approx. 67 MSU's ) 4 cpu’s on z1143) Unix System Services 11.2.04


4) CICS 4.15) CICS Windows 4.26) ROSCOE 6.07) TSO 9.08) TMON 5.09) ADABAS 8.2.510) DB2 10.1 full function mode11) BMC 7.412) BCV5 3.1 13) CA:Gen 8.0 moving to 8.5 spring 201514) CA:Gen Com-Proxy 8.0 moving to 8.5 spring 201515) Access:Gen 8.5316) JES2 1.917) CA-Spool 11.718) CA-JOBTRAC 11.019) CA-Librarian 4.420) CA-1 TMS 12.6 21) tRelational 5.1122) GoldenGate 12.1.2 (exclusive to KEES)23) COBOL enterprise version for z/OS vs 3.4.124) Natural 8.2.325) Attunity Connect 5.3.226) SAS 9.227) RDz 8.5

B. Application software installed on Windows Server1) IBM WebSphere Application Server 8.52) Host Access Transformation Services HATS 8.53) IBM Rational Application Developer 8.5

RAD RDz RDz with EGL

4) IIS5) Tomcat6) MS SQL Server Database 20087) IBM DB2/LUW 9.7+ - moving away from this database. 8) IBM ClearQuest 8.09) MS Team Foundation and Open source SubVersion edge 10) IBM Optim11) CompuWare Client Vantage12) CompuWare Server Vantage13) CompuWare dynaTrace14) EMC Imaging software Captiva / Documentum – several products, please contact ITS for further detail

6.5 and 7.115) Siebel Customer Order Management Administration Server 8.2.116) Oracle Policy automation 10.217) Oracle Business Intelligence publisher 10.1.3.4.218) Siebel CRM Base / Public Sector eService 8.2.119) Siebel Public Sector Partner Portal 8.2.120) Siebel Tools desktop 8.2.121) Brava

7. Public Facing WebsiteThe Public Internet Site is built upon the Microsoft Office SharePoint Services 2010 platform and will be housed internally by DCF.

8. Accessibility Policy and Law - Computer Hardware, Software, Other Technologies. All products and services provided or developed as part of fulfilling this contract shall conform to:


Section 508 of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires Federal electronic and information technology to be accessible to all people with disabilities, including employees and members of the public. State of Kansas Web Accessibility Requirements which include and exceed Section 508 standards, apply to all state agencies in Kansas.

Web accessibility regulations are based on the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG 2) – a set of standards created by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) is an international community that develops standards to ensure the long-term growth of the Web. Read about the W3C mission.

The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG 2) are organized around four principles.

Online content must be:

1. Perceivable – users can access all information presented 2. Operable - users can find their way around 3. Understandable - users can understand the information 4. Robust - users can continue to access content as technologies advance

If any of these fail, some users will not be able to access your content.

9. System Interactions with current Data: Current methods used in DCF to interface with legacy applications are thru a batch FTP process or by the use of a web service. Vendor must include a recommended solution. Listed below are the current processes in use at DCF for a Web Service.

If a web service is required it must allow for the interfacing of information with DCF and outside agency legacy systems providing real-time or nearly real-time pushes of data. Current interfaces are developed as a web service that interacts through the IBM Host Access Transformation Services (HATS) tool. A minimum, a one-way data push from the solution to the appropriate legacy system, with a system confirmation returned. The HATS software allows DCF to web enable their existing CICS screens. DCF will create a web service for the different systems, provide the vendor with a mapping document and WSDL for each of the screens, provide the valid responses that the vendor may receive when calling one of these web services and what to do if an error is received. In addition, if this is the appropriate solution the vendor supplied solution must integrate with single sign-on and active directory.

10. Vendor Hosted Solutions: Any vendor hosted solutions must meet or exceed the security and data standards that are outlined in this document. Vendors proposing a hosted solution must be able to provide at a minimum the following:

A 3rd party audit of the proposed site completed within the past 12 months. All policies and procedures regarding physical security, access control, and monitoring of the site. Descriptions of physical security controls in place at the site (ie. perimeter fencing, CCTV, guard service, etc..) Complete list of all other customers hosted in the site, or other vendors who use that site. Documentation for HVAC environment including information on maintenance vendors and service contract details. Documentation on the power distribution plan within the data center including details about generator backup. Policies and procedures for data backup processes and security of backup media. COOP (Continuity of Operations Plan) for the facility.

DCF holds the right to ask for additional detail on all the above areas as well as the right to ask for additional information on hosted solutions and their environments that are specific to the vendors proposed solution.

http://srsshare.srs.ks.gov/SRSWiki/Wiki%20Pages/Accessibility%20Checklist.aspx

http://www.w3.org/Consortium/mission.html

http://www.w3.org/TR/

http://www.w3.org/

http://www.w3.org/TR/WCAG20/

http://www.da.ks.gov/kito/itec/Policies/itecitpolicy1210.htm

http://www.section508.gov/


Appendix F

DCF Information Technology System Contractor Access Process Flow

The process flow displayed below details the steps to gain system access for DCF contractors. This information will be beneficial when communicating with new contractors. Notes of importance-

The process begins with the establishment of a contract for service.

An EAS coordinator will need to be named. Business may use the current EAS submitter or the EAS FLA (first line approver) for the role.

Security awareness training is available from the Department of Administration’s Enterprise Security Office “Cyber Security Awareness Training”. A completion certificate is generated upon completion. The certificate must be submitted to DCF Security before access will be granted. The Enterprise Security Office training is available at: http://oits.ks.gov/security/awarenesstraining.htm . Security training may also be available through the organization if the organization must meet certification guidelines for federal requirements, etc.

The DCF Business Associate Computer User Security Agreement form is available upon request.

For filing and tracking purposes it is important to send one scan per user, which may include both the security agreement and the training certificate of completion.

EAS Coordinator will be the knowledge base for the system profiles based on user roles.

Finally, contractor must notify EAS coordinator within one business day of a user’s end of employment. DCF Security will then be able to terminate access timely.

http://oits.ks.gov/security/awarenesstraining.htm


Appendix GEAS User Demographic Information

The purpose of this form is to provide the basic user demographic information that will be needed to make a Department for Children and Families information system access request via the Enterprise Access System (EAS).

This information will typically be given to an EAS coordinator who will enter the information in to EAS and make the request for access. This form is intended to be filled out electronically to ensure legibility.

The EAS coordinator will need to work with the business area or contractor to determine what systems are needed for each user and the level of access that is required. There may be different levels of access needed depending on the functional position of the user.

Field Name Explanation

Name (first, MI, last)

User's legal last name as known to the SHaRP system (for State employees), or as listed on driver's license for contractors/others. If the user truly does not have a middle name, enter NMN. The EAS coordinator can request a photocopy of the ID used for verification.

Office The user's physical work location.

Functional Title Discuss with the business area and contractor to determine the roles; the EAS coordinator can determine what they translate to in EAS.

Phone Number User's work telephone number. Each user is required to have a contact number so that IT Security can reach them if the need arises.

Phone Ext User's work telephone number extension.

Email User's work email address.

DCF Employee ? YES for SRS employee; NO for a contractor

Region KC, East, West or Wichita. Your EAS coordinator can assign this.

Employee ID

This number is assigned by HR for State employees. For contractors, the number starts with the letter Q and is followed by 10 digits. EAS will not allow duplicate numbers, so it is suggested the EAS coordinator devise a sequence to use and enter this information.

Supervisor's Name Name of user's supervisor.

Supervisor's Phone Supervisor's telephone number

Sup Phone Ext Supervisor's telephone extension. If none, leave blank.

Supervisor's Email Supervisor's email address.

System to Access Name of the new system to which the user is to be added.Further information may be required depending on the needs of the contract. The EAS coordinator should consult with the business area and contractor to determine what is needed based upon the functional title and system used.


All fields are required for New requests.What do you want to do? Add new Modify existing End existing

Employee Information First M I Last

Name:

Office:

Functional Title:

Phone #: Ext:

eMail address:

DCF employee? Yes No Region:

Employee ID:

Supervisor Name:

Sup. Phone: Ext:

Sup. eMail:

System to Access Profile / Level of access


Appendix HSTATEMENT OF CONFIDENTIALITY

I, , the undersigned, am employed by the _____________________________________, as contractor for Kansas Child Support Services.I understand certain material which I may handle or create during the course of my employment may be covered by confidentiality requirements.I further acknowledge that in the performance of my duties I may acquire or have access to “personal data” (including social security numbers and dates of birth) and become a “holder” of such personal data or other information deemed confidential under state or federal law, regulation or common practice. I shall comply with state and federal laws and regulations relating to confidentiality and shall not divulge any personal information or data to ANYONE other than that required through the normal course of Title IV-D business. I agree to eliminate any unnecessary use of all personal data in all correspondence.Below is an oath stating I will comply with this statement and I am aware a violation of this oath may result in my IMMEDIATE DISMISSAL from employment and possible prosecution. I, , acknowledge I have read the foregoing and fully understand my obligation to hold all information and data acquired in the performance of my employment as confidential. I further state I have been informed of the state and federal laws and regulations relating to confidentiality and will abide by the same. I understand a violation of this oath may at minimum result in IMMEDIATE TERMINATION of employment and may result in criminal prosecution.

Date (Signature)


Appendix ICONFLICT OF INTEREST DISCLOSURE FORM

A conflict of interest occurs when an appearance between your private, personal relationships or interests and your professional obligations to the Child Support Services Program is such that a customer or any other observer might reasonably question whether your actions or decisions are determined by considerations of personal curiosity, benefit, gain or advantage.The appearance of a conflict of interest can be as damaging or detrimental as an actual conflict. You are required to report actual or potential conflicts with any IV-D or NON-IV-D case through the annual Acknowledgment and Disclosure Form and/or whenever a conflict arises.

ACKNOWLEDGMENT AND DISCLOSURE FORMI have read the Conflict of Interest Policy set for above and agree to comply fully at all times during my employment. If at any time following the submission of this form I become aware of any actual or potential conflicts of interest, I will promptly notify my supervisor.Disclosure of Actual or Potential Conflicts of Interest: Name(s) and CSE KAECSES Number(s) (use back of form if additional space is needed)

I , the undersigned, am employed by ______________________________________. Employee Printed Name: Date: Supervisor Signature and Date: