Introduction

The Office of Refugee Resettlement (ORR) is a federal agency that provides assistance and protection to refugees, asylees, unaccompanied children, victims of human trafficking, and other vulnerable populations in the United States. ORR administers various programs and services to help these populations achieve self-sufficiency and integration into American society. One of these programs is the National Call Center (NCC), which provides information, referrals, and support to refugees and other eligible clients across the country.

The NCC contract is a competitive opportunity for qualified vendors to provide call center services to ORR and its clients. The contract has an estimated value of $49 million and a duration of one year with four one-year options. The solicitation number is RFQ1608275 and the deadline for proposals is October 29, 2023.

In this article, we will provide some historical background on the NCC program, describe the main requirements and objectives of the current solicitation, identify who should participate in this opportunity, and discuss some of the challenges and best practices for preparing a winning proposal.

Historical Background

The NCC program was established in 2016 as a pilot project to enhance ORR’s outreach and communication with its clients. The pilot project was awarded to a vendor called Maximus Federal Services, Inc., which operated the NCC from a facility in Texas. The NCC provided toll-free phone and email services in multiple languages, including English, Spanish, Arabic, Dari, Pashto, Somali, Swahili, and others. The NCC also maintained a website with information and resources for refugees and other eligible clients.

The pilot project was successful in increasing ORR’s visibility and accessibility among its clients and stakeholders. According to ORR’s annual report for fiscal year 2019, the NCC received over 18,000 calls and emails from clients and service providers in that year, with an average satisfaction rating of 4.7 out of 5. The NCC also helped ORR collect data and feedback on its programs and services, identify gaps and needs in service delivery, and improve coordination and collaboration with other federal agencies and partners.

In 2020, ORR decided to expand the scope and scale of the NCC program and issued a new solicitation for a full-scale contract. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and other factors, the solicitation was delayed and revised several times. The current solicitation was finally released on September 29, 2021, with significant changes from the previous versions.

RFP Description

The current solicitation for the NCC contract is a Request for Quotation (RFQ) under the General Services Administration’s Multiple Award Schedule (MAS) for Professional Services (Category 541611). This means that only vendors that have an active MAS contract under this category are eligible to submit a quote for this opportunity. The RFQ also states that ORR intends to award a single-award Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) to the successful vendor, which will allow ORR to issue task orders for specific services under the BPA.

The RFQ outlines the following main objectives for the NCC contract:

  • To provide information, referrals, and support to refugees and other eligible clients on topics such as education, employment, health care, legal assistance, social services, benefits eligibility, immigration status, travel documents, family reunification, etc.
  • To provide information and assistance to service providers who work with refugees and other eligible clients on topics such as program requirements, reporting procedures, best practices, resources, etc.
  • To provide data collection and analysis services to ORR on topics such as client demographics, service utilization, client satisfaction, program outcomes, etc.
  • To provide outreach and marketing services to ORR to increase awareness and utilization of the NCC among its clients and stakeholders
  • To provide quality assurance and improvement services to ORR to ensure compliance with federal standards and regulations, as well as continuous improvement of the NCC’s performance and efficiency

The RFQ specifies that the vendor must operate the NCC from a secure facility that meets all federal requirements for physical and information security. The vendor must also have sufficient staff capacity and capability to handle an estimated volume of 30,000 calls and emails per year from clients and service providers in multiple languages. The vendor must also have experience and expertise in providing call center services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations.

The RFQ requires the vendor to submit a technical quote that addresses the following evaluation factors:

  • Technical Approach: The vendor must describe how they will implement each of the objectives listed above, including their proposed methodologies, tools, processes, staffing plan, training plan, quality control plan, etc.
  • Past Performance: The vendor must provide evidence of their relevant experience in providing call center services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations. The vendor must also provide references and customer satisfaction ratings for their past projects.
  • Price: The vendor must provide a price quote that includes all direct and indirect costs associated with the NCC contract, such as labor, equipment, travel, overhead, etc. The vendor must also provide a breakdown of their proposed prices for each task order under the BPA.

The RFQ states that ORR will evaluate the quotes using a best value trade-off approach, which means that ORR will consider both the technical and price factors in making the award decision. ORR will also conduct oral presentations and discussions with the vendors that submit the most competitive quotes.

Who Should Participate

The NCC contract is a lucrative and strategic opportunity for vendors that have the following qualifications:

  • An active MAS contract under Category 541611 for Professional Services
  • Experience and expertise in providing call center services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations
  • Experience and expertise in providing information, referrals, and support to refugees and other eligible clients on topics related to ORR’s programs and services
  • Experience and expertise in providing data collection and analysis services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations
  • Experience and expertise in providing outreach and marketing services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations
  • Experience and expertise in providing quality assurance and improvement services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations
  • Ability to operate a secure facility that meets all federal requirements for physical and information security
  • Ability to handle an estimated volume of 30,000 calls and emails per year from clients and service providers in multiple languages
  • Ability to offer competitive prices that reflect the value and quality of their services

Vendors that meet these qualifications should consider participating in this opportunity, as it offers the potential to establish a long-term relationship with ORR, expand their market share in the federal sector, enhance their reputation and credibility in the industry, and make a positive impact on the lives of refugees and other vulnerable populations.

Challenges and Best Practices

Preparing a winning proposal for the NCC contract is not an easy task, as it involves several challenges and complexities. Some of these challenges are:

  • Understanding and addressing the needs and expectations of ORR and its clients and stakeholders
  • Developing a comprehensive and compelling technical approach that demonstrates how the vendor will achieve each of the objectives listed in the RFQ
  • Providing evidence of relevant past performance that showcases the vendor’s experience and expertise in providing call center services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations
  • Offering competitive prices that reflect the value and quality of the vendor’s services
  • Complying with all the requirements and instructions of the RFQ, such as formatting, page limits, submission deadlines, etc.

To overcome these challenges, vendors should follow some best practices when preparing their proposals, such as:

  • Conducting thorough research on ORR’s mission, vision, goals, programs, services, policies, regulations, etc.
  • Conducting thorough research on the target population of refugees and other eligible clients, such as their demographics, needs, preferences, challenges, opportunities, etc.
  • Conducting thorough research on the current market conditions and competitors for call center services in the federal sector
  • Developing a clear and concise proposal outline that covers all the evaluation factors listed in the RFQ
  • Developing a detailed work plan that describes how the vendor will implement each of the objectives listed in the RFQ, including their proposed methodologies, tools, processes, staffing plan, training plan, quality control plan, etc.
  • Developing a realistic budget that includes all direct and indirect costs associated with the NCC contract, such as labor, equipment, travel, overhead, etc.
  • Providing specific examples of relevant past projects that demonstrate the vendor’s experience and expertise in providing call center services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations
  • Providing references and customer satisfaction ratings for their past projects
  • Highlighting their unique value proposition and competitive advantages over other vendors
  • Using clear and concise language that is easy to understand by ORR evaluators
  • Using graphics, charts, tables, diagrams, etc. to illustrate key points and data
  • Proofreading and editing their proposal for grammar, spelling, punctuation, etc.
  • Following all the requirements and instructions of the RFQ, such as formatting, page limits, submission deadlines, etc.

Conclusion

The NCC contract is a great opportunity for vendors that have experience and expertise in providing call center services to federal agencies or similar organizations that serve vulnerable populations. The contract offers the potential to establish a long-term relationship with ORR, expand their market share in the federal sector, enhance their reputation and credibility in the industry, and make a positive impact on the lives of refugees and other vulnerable populations.

However, the contract also involves several challenges and complexities that require careful planning and preparation, if you need any help contact us at www.gdicwins.com and let us be of your assistance today.