The U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) is soliciting proposals for 45 Virtual Contact Center (VCC) software licenses to support Tier 1 and Tier 2 Help Desk operations. This is a tiered small business set-aside, meaning it will convert to full and open competition only if no acceptable offers are received from responsible small businesses. The contract includes a base year (January 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026) and two option years, each for 45 licenses. Proposals are due three business days after posting by 11:59 AM EST, and the evaluation criterion is Lowest Price Technically Acceptable. Offerors must provide their business size and socioeconomic categories. Past performance will not be evaluated due to the low complexity of the supplies.

This government solicitation outlines the evaluation criteria for awarding a contract based on the Lowest Price Technically Acceptable (LPTA) method. The primary factors for evaluation are technical acceptability and price. Technical acceptability requires offerors to demonstrate that their proposed product meets all specified performance characteristics and specifications, providing comprehensive descriptive materials. Modifications to products must be clearly described. Past performance will not be evaluated due to the low complexity of the supplies being purchased. Price will be assessed based on the total proposed cost, including any options.

This government file, W911QX26QA011, outlines the provisions and clauses for a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract, likely a federal RFP. Key contacts for the ACC - APG include Contract Specialist Myoung-Ju Kang-Jones and Contracting Officer Phillip Amador. The Technical Point of Contact will be determined at the time of award. Government inspection and acceptance will occur at the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL). The contract includes options for CLINs 0002-0003 and explicitly states that subscription and software platform services cannot extend beyond the performance period without an exercised option or new contract. Maryland sales and use tax exemption certificate number 30005004 and ARL's Federal Tax ID 53-0215803 are provided. Payment instructions refer to DFARS PGI 204.7108(b)(2) and require electronic submission via Wide Area WorkFlow (WAWF) using a "Combo 2n1- Invoice" document type for fixed-price line items. Payment terms less than net thirty (30) days are unacceptable, and no award will be made until appropriated funds are available. The document mandates various DFARS commercial clauses, including those related to whistleblower rights, safeguarding defense information, prohibition of hexavalent chromium, Buy American provisions, and restrictions on items from Communist Chinese military companies and the Maduro Regime. It also details prohibitions on covered telecommunications equipment/services (e.g., Huawei, ZTE, Hikvision) and ByteDance applications (TikTok) as per FAR 52.204-24, 52.204-25, 52.204-26, and 52.204-27. Item identification and valuation using unique item identifiers (IUID) are required for items with a unit acquisition cost of $5,000 or more, or as specified. Offerors employing foreign nationals must submit documentary evidence of employment eligibility.

The Army Research Laboratory (ARL) requires a Virtual Contact Center (VCC) System with 45 software licenses to provide Tier 1 and Tier 2 help desk support for one year, with two optional years (PoP: 1/1/2026 – 12/31/2026). The VCC system must be a web-based, cloud-hosted customer support application compatible with Chrome and Edge, requiring only a web browser, internet access, and a headset. Key functionalities include built-in dashboards, native ServiceNow integration, queue visibility, caller ID, Single Sign-on, FAQ/help sections, call management (abandoned, missed, on hold), number porting, warm handoff, customized message recording, IVR, ACD, and SBR capabilities. The system must also offer reliable and scalable solutions for various contact center operations. Reporting requirements include average call times, call/email volumes, agent statistics (answered calls, handle times, phone state, sign-in/out), and supervisor tools with real-time, historical, and custom report builders. The system must allow for customized reporting formats and the ability for both customer and vendor to remove outlier calls from statistics. The vendor must respond to general support requests within 24 hours and work stoppage/outages within 2-4 hours.