Telephone Operator/Switchboard Services

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), through its Network Contracting Office 21, is seeking sources for a Firm Fixed Price contract to provide continuous, 24/7/365 telephone answering and switchboard services at the VA Central California Health Care System in Fresno, CA. The contract, associated with solicitation number 36C26126Q0597, is in a sources sought phase with responses due by June 9, 2026. The scope involves staffing and managing personnel trained to operate Cisco and Lynx switchboard systems, handling call routing, emergency response coordination (including codes such as Code Blue or bomb threats), maintaining call logs, and ensuring compliance with applicable privacy laws, safety regulations, and VA directives. The contractor is responsible for all aspects of service delivery without direct government supervision and must maintain continual coverage during all shifts, including peak times and holidays. The contract includes stringent security, data protection, and supply chain integrity requirements, reflecting the sensitive nature of VA information technology. Personnel must meet VA security clearance standards, and the contractor must use VA-approved encryption and adhere to strict data segregation, transmission, and media sanitization protocols. Packaging and shipment of any hardware must utilize tamper-evident materials and maintain chain-of-custody documentation. The government retains unlimited rights to all data and intellectual property produced under the contract. Payment will be processed electronically through the VA Financial Services Center’s Tungsten Network platform. The contract provides for a base year plus four option years spanning from October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2031. Inspection and acceptance of services and materials occur at the place of performance, with both government and contractor sharing responsibility for quality assurance and compliance with OSHA, VA Handbook 6500, and other relevant standards. Although evaluation factors are not provided, strict adherence to technical, security, and administrative requirements outlined in the solicitation and contract clauses is expected.