Erie VAMC - Phone Answering Services

This solicitation, numbered 36C24427Q0002, is a combined synopsis and request for quotation issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs through the 244-NETWORK Contract Office 4 for Phone Answering Services at the Erie VA Medical Center in Erie, Pennsylvania, with support also required at satellite locations in Warren, Bradford, Meadville, Venango, Franklin, and Ashtabula. The acquisition is exclusively set aside for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses (SDVOSBs), and responders must be certified in the SBA’s certification database and meet the small business size standard under NAICS code 561421. The contract is anticipated to be awarded as a firm-fixed-price arrangement with a base period running from October 1, 2026, through March 31, 2027, followed by three optional one-year periods extending through March 31, 2030. The contractor must provide 24/7 telephone switchboard services, including answering all incoming calls within five rings, routing calls appropriately, managing emergency alarms and disaster responses, operating office machines, and utilizing Microsoft Office applications such as Outlook, Excel, Word, and Teams. All personnel must hold a high school diploma, possess one to two years of call center experience, understand medical terminology, and complete VA-specific orientation and training before assignment. They are required to wear VA-issued identification badges, are prohibited from representing themselves as VA employees, and must comply with all VA security, privacy, and information technology requirements, including annual privacy and cybersecurity training and adherence to the Contractor Rules of Behavior. Performance is governed by a detailed Performance Work Statement and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan, with key metrics including a 90% compliance rate for call answering within five rings, 100% compliance for prohibiting collect calls and ensuring Privacy Act protections, and quarterly key inventories. The government will conduct oversight through bi-monthly performance evaluation meetings, and failure to meet standards may result in negative evaluations in the Contractor Performance Assessment Reporting System and non-exercise of options. Proposals must be submitted via email by July 3, 2026, and must include itemized pricing for each CLIN and a separate PDF file detailing technical specifications. Offerors must also sign the LOS Certification and adhere strictly to the Government's terms without deviation, as any conflicting terms render a quote ineligible. Invoices are due monthly by the 15th of the following