The Vendor is required to provide to obtain cost-effective, unrestricted, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for the citizens that are hearing and speech disabled in state, also referred to as the state user community, the following services types:
o Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)
o Real Time Text (RTT).
- TRS
• Cost to consumers,
• Call blockages no different than experienced by voice-to-voice non-TRS callers,
• Real-time communications in the transmission and reception of text and speech, and
• Use of advanced and efficient technology, as it becomes technically feasible
- The Contractor has the capability to process the TRS Call Types in a manner that allows users of each TRS Call Type to initiate or receive a call using their preferred TRS Call Type mode.
- Text-To-Voice TTY - based TRS – A person with a hearing or speech disability uses a text telephone, called a TTY, to call the Operator (OPR). TTYs have a keyboard and allow people to type their telephone conversations. The text is read on a display screen and/or a paper printout. The OPR Relays the call back and forth between the parties by speaking what a text user types, and typing what a voice telephone user speaks.
- Voice Carry Over (VCO) – A type of TTY-based TRS that allows a person with a hearing disability, but who wants to use his or her own voice, to speak directly to the called party and receive responses in text from the OPR. No typing is required by either party.
- Hearing Carry Over (HCO) – A type of TTY-based TRS that allows a person with a speech disability, but who wants to use his/her own hearing, to listen to the other party and type his/her part of the conversation on a TTY. The OPR reads these words to the other party, and the caller hears responses directly from the other party.
- Speech-To-Speech (STS) Relay – This form of TRS is used by a person with a speech disability, enabling persons with a speech disability to make telephone calls using their own voice (or an assistive communication device). An OPR, who is specially trained in understanding a variety of speech disorders, repeats what the caller says in a manner that makes the caller’s words clear and understandable to the called party. No special telephone is needed.
- All requirements for processing calls and training Operators also apply to Spanish Translation support.
- The Contractor shall have a call recognition method to accurately determine and record the call type of all inbound calls for proper call set-up and for accurate call type reporting.
- The Contractor shall have a call connection mode-recognition method to accurately determine and record the call connection mode of all inbound calls for proper call set-up and for accurate call connection mode reporting
- The Contractor’s system shall have the ability to increase the volume on the outbound leg of the call for both the Operator’s microphone when the Operator is voicing, and the outbound line when the Relay user is voicing, as in an HCO call.
- These services include Automatic Number Identification (ANI), and other service enhancements, which increase the functional equivalency of the Relay Service for all calls, both carried on the provider’s network and sent out to inter-exchange carrier (IXC) networks.
- Recorded messages are not permissible unless there is system failure. The Contractor shall provide approved recorded announcements as appropriate if a system failure/service interruption occurs within the Relay switch or on outbound circuits Recorded.
- Switching System – Contractor shall have redundancy of equipment and the ability to upgrade system and perform preventative maintenance without taking the system offline.
- Provide access to 900 numbers, and any other pay per call numbers.
- Any additional inbound lines needed to access pay per call numbers are the responsibility of the Contractor and are not a recoverable expense.
- Calls to 7-1-1 are to be answered first in voice mode with additional access for all TRS access modes.
- Provide that the state project manager and/or department designee(s) on a 24/7/365 basis will be given unlimited, unimpeded, physical access to home-based offices to conduct compliance checks.
- System Billing Process –Provide call detail record generation. The call detail records will be automated and available for audit and monitoring by the Department or its designee.
- Contract Period/Term: 5 years
- Pre-Bid Conference Date: February 19, 2026
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: February 26, 2026
