Market Research, Capability Call, and Virtual Industry Day Announcement: 2030 Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA)

The U.S. Census Bureau is conducting market research for the 2030 Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA) program, seeking industry feedback to shape the final acquisition strategy. This pre-solicitation notice, issued under solicitation number YA1323-26-CQASN-0002, outlines operational requirements for a Contact Center as a Service (CCaaS) that must deliver omni-channel support, AI-enabled automation, and robust quality monitoring to assist the public with census responses. All work must occur within the contiguous United States, with performance potentially spanning remote locations under strict government approval. The 2028 Dress Rehearsal and 2030 Live Operations are critical milestones, requiring scalable, secure, and compliant service delivery aligned with Decennial Program documents including the Integration & Implementation Plan, Operational Delivery Management Plan, and Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan. Vendors must be prepared to meet stringent security, personnel, and IT compliance standards. All staff must be U.S. citizens, pass the Census Investigative Services suitability assessment, and take the Title 13 confidentiality oath. Facilities must be physically secure with noise containment and restricted access, and remote work at personal residences is prohibited. IT systems must achieve FedRAMP Moderate or higher authorization, comply with FISMA, NIST SP 800-88 for media sanitization, and implement real-time monitoring with one-hour incident escalation. Contractors must maintain fully isolated systems from non-Census operations, submit detailed staffing plans, and provide monthly risk and performance reports. Responses, limited to three attachments including a 10-page Company Profile, are due by 4:00 pm EST on May 15, 2026, and must be submitted via email to designated Census Bureau contacts. A Virtual Industry Day on May 7, 2026, is mandatory for questions, with submissions due by April 27, 2026. The acquisition approach, contract type, and evaluation methodology remain undetermined, with the government seeking input on pricing models such as Firm Fixed Price, Time and Materials, or hybrid structures.