Knowsley Housing Trust - Customer Contact Solution

THIS PROCEDURE HAS BEEN CANCELLED. KHT is seeking bids from service providers to provide an automated customer contact solution. The system will primarily be used to contact customers across the North West region, but may also be used wherever KHT has an operational requirement across the UK.

KHT requires the automated solution to deliver the following four modules:

• Debt collection outbound dialler module: A system that calls customers and provides the option to connect to a KHT member of staff so rent can be paid, or queries answered by the KHT team
• Tenant survey contacts module: A system that calls recipients to request the completion of a survey, and compiles responses
• Appointment setting and confirmation module: A system that calls customers to make and confirm appointments. Any request to rearrange an appointment is connected to a KHT member of staff
• Outbound broadcast module: A system that calls recipients to provide key messages to customers

The successful service provider must provide a single system that delivers all four elements, and will be required to implement, host and maintain the solution on behalf of KHT. The system must fully integrate with the KHT housing management system, Orchard.

All four elements will initially be required to be delivered via an automated voice service. The successful service provider must however have the capability to deliver the outbound broadcast module and appointment setting and confirmation module via SMS, since KHT may require this capability during the contract term.

KHT must have access to extract data from the system 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The system must be able to contact KHT customers between the hours of 8:00AM and 8:00PM, Monday to Friday.

The total number of outbound calls required to be delivered by the system across all 4 modules is estimated to be between 100,000 and 122,500 per annum. The estimated breakdown of outbound calls across the four modules is a follows:

• Debt collection outbound dialler module: approximately 1,400 to 1,700 calls per month
• Tenant survey contacts module: approximately 6,000 to 7,000 calls per month
• Appointment setting and confirmation module: approximately 500 to 1,000 calls per month
• Outbound broadcast module: approximately 500 calls per month

Please note, during the contract term, the annual number of outbound calls associated with the tenant survey contacts and outbound broadcast modules could increase by approximately 25% per module. The annual number of outbound calls associated with the debt collection outbound dialler module could increase by approximately 100%. This is for information only, and KHT do not guarantee that any estimated call volume increases will apply during the contract term.

Additional information: Estimated annual value is approximately £70,000 ex VAT based upon historical expenditure however this is an estimate only. The estimated number of calls and contract value is for information only, and no guarantees are given, nor are implied as to the value of business that will be placed with the successful service provider.

The outcome of the tender process will be a single contract with a single service provider. The contract will be an initial 3 years, with 1 option to extend by a further 24 months, up to a maximum 5 years total contract term, subject to KHT requirements and the performance of the successful service provider. The anticipated contract commencement date is estimated to be during December 2017.

Full details of the required service can be found within the service specification included within the Supporting Information section of this tender.

The form of contract to be used will be the service providers standard service agreement, subject to any changes mutually agreed between KHT and the successful service provider. In the event that a mutually acceptable agreement cannot be reached between the successful bidder and KHT on final contract terms, KHT reserves the right to regard the service providers bid as non-compliant and withdraw the award offer. In this situation, KHT would award the contract to the next highest scoring bidder.

The contract will be available to the following, such that each of the following will be entitled to purchase services from the successful service provider at the discretion of KHT:-

• KHT and all subsidiary undertakings of KHT both current and future

• All parts of any current or future group structure of which KHT is, or may become, a part

For ease of reference, the term "client" is used in a number of places in this ITT to refer to KHT and the other members of the First Ark Group.

Submissions are to be submitted through the Cirrus Purchasing eTender system only.