Description
This is Amendment 0001 to Request for Information (RFI) number D11PS63927, posted on March 16, 2011, under the FedBizOpps classification code 70, entitled "Sources Sought for Financial Services Center (FSC) Help Desk technology." The purpose of this amendment is to post responses to questions received. Question #1: Is the government open to considering a completely outsourced solution which would encompass outsourced call-taking capability (through hosted telco infrastructure), agent staffing and workforce management, quality monitoring, and hosted software-as-a-service cloud application services for the ticket management, knowledge management, and analytics capabilities? Response to question #1: Not at this time. Question #2: Would the government be open to considering the outsourcing of the Tier 1 function, while continuing to have higher-skilled Tier 2 and Tier 3 personnel employees continue to perform in the roles they do today? Response to question #2: Not at this time. Question #3: The DOI AQD issued a RFQ on 4 March 2011 # RFQ D11PS18902 for the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), Financial Services Center (FSC) which included a Performance Work Statement (PWS) titled "Automation and Integration of Business Practices Using Microsoft Dynamics" dated February 15, 2011 (Attachment 1). From what we can conclude the Enterprise Business Management System has requested a CRM product development. How does this differ from this Help Desk Consolidation and "the idea is based on the evidence that consolidation and efficiency opportunities increase dramatically with standardization across the VA"? Is the idea that vendors should submit a MS Dynamics based solution for standardization across FSC? Response to question #3: Enterprise Business Management System is a separate initiative for the FSC business office which focuses on business plans, service level agreements, and customer service for specific customers. This RFI addresses a much larger number of customers both internal and external to VA. Although MS Dynamics could be the solution, FSC is interested in what is the best solution for this variety and number of help desk calls. Question #4: Different COTS Help Desk solutions are designed for small, medium, and large help desk environments. Please provide the estimated quantities below for the new consolidated Help Desk so vendors can identify solution that best matches the VA-FSC environment.a. Total number of Tier One Support Analysts (include both VA-FSC federal government staff and VA-FSC Service Provider contractor staff who provide Tier One support)b. Total number of Tier Two Support Analysts (include both VA-FSC federal government staff and VA-FSC Service Provider contractor staff who provide Tier Two support)c. Average number of Help Desk tickets per monthd. Average number of Help Desk tickets resolved by Tier 1 per month Response to question #4: a. 50, b. 50, c. 30,000, and d. 20,000 Question #5: The Sources Sought notice focuses on incoming phone calls. While all COTS help desk ticketing tools support phone-based help desk operations, many are optimized for end user access via email and web portal. The information requested below will allow vendors to determine if their help desk solution aligns with the VA-FSC environment.a. Does VA-FSC also process end-user email requests for service? If yes, what percent of the end user requests are submitted via email?b. Does VA-FSC have a web portal for end-users to submit requests? If yes, what percent of the end user requests are submitted via the web portal? Response to question #5: a. Some help desks have an e-mail Group where requests are submitted; however, there is currently no way for the e-mail to generate a ticket and to be tracked nor transferred within a system other than Outlook. Unknown, best guess would be 30%. b. Unknown. Question #6: What vendor software tools does the VA-FSC currently use on the ten separate Help Desks to track and manage help desk incidents and service requests? Response to question #6: IT Help Desk uses MAGIC. Customer Service Help Desk (CSHD) uses a home-grown application built on .Net technology. The other Help Desks have no software tools. Question #7: Can VA-FSC provide some context for this Sources Sought including how it relates to RFIs and RFQs for ITIL-based Help Desk software that VA-FSC released in Aug 2007, Jan 2008, April 2008 and Dec 2008? Response to question #7: ITIL-based Help Desk software is geared heavily to IT issues. Other than the IT Help Desk, FSC has various functional user help desks, and we have no knowledge of strictly IT-based help desk software which could be utilized/adapted for the other help desk areas which include Payroll questions, Vendor Inquiries, Permanent Change of Station (relocation services), Medical Care Claims, accounting questions/issues, etc.