RFP AI-based Interactive Voice Response Solution

The City of Fort Worth is soliciting proposals for an AI-native Interactive Voice Response (IVR) solution to support resident and staff services across voice, chat, SMS, and workflow-guidance channels. The required system must utilize retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) to provide document-grounded responses and integrate with existing City systems, including Cisco IVR, Microsoft 365, Accela, and ESRI. Key technical requirements include support for over 20 voice and 75 chat languages, a 99% uptime service-level agreement, and strict data sovereignty mandates requiring all data processing, storage, and logical access to remain exclusively within the United States. The solution must be SOC 2 Type II certified and compliant with HIPAA and PCI-DSS standards, with a prohibition on using City data to train shared or cross-customer AI models. Proposers must demonstrate at least three years of experience deploying government-focused AI platforms and provide five local government references, including at least two from jurisdictions with populations exceeding 500,000. The City has established a 30% Small Business participation goal, which is a weighted factor in the best-value evaluation process. Proposals will be scored based on staff workflow integration, AI performance, small business participation, cost, and experience. The preferred pricing model is an enterprise flat fee covering an initial one-year term with four optional one-year renewals. Implementation is expected to follow an eight-week timeline, with final acceptance contingent upon successful user acceptance testing and complete knowledge transfer to City staff.