Subject:
Clarification on Procuring Business Telecommunications Systems and Services Including Contact Center Services
References:
Government Code (GC) §§ 11531-11548
Public Contract Code (PCC) §§ 12100, 12120, 10335-10381
State Administrative Manual (SAM) §§ 4600-4606, 4986.1-4986.13
Background
The California Department of Technology’s (CDT) Office of Technology Services (OTech) provides a broad range of Business Telecommunications Systems and Services through the California Network and Telecommunications (CALNET) Program as authorized in Government Code (GC) section 11541.
Pursuant to Public Contract Code (PCC) sections 12100 and 12120, CDT’s Office of Statewide Technology Procurement (OSTP) has statutory authority for acquisition of telecommunications goods and services and telecommunications projects.
Purpose:
The purpose of this Technology Letter (TL) is to:
(a) clarify that Non-Exempt State Entities must procure Business Telecommunications Systems and Services through the CALNET program,
(b) define and clarify the scope of Contact Center Services offered by the CALNET Program, and
(c) clarify the process for procuring Business Telecommunications Systems and Services including Contact Center Services
Business Telecommunications System and Services
Pursuant to GC section 11541 and SAM section 4602 (CALNET Contracts Mandatory Use Policy), Non- Exempt State Entities are required to purchase all Business Telecommunications Systems and Services, including Contact Center Services, through the CALNET Program.
Definition Of Contact Center Services
Contact Center Services means the infrastructure, software, tools, and technical professional support services required to design, configure, manage, and maintain customer interaction capabilities across voice and digital communication channels. These services facilitate the routing, monitoring, analytics, and integration of customer interactions but expressly exclude the provision of non-IT personnel services such as human agents or staff augmentation for directly handling customer interactions that are subject to PCC sections 10335-10381.
An update to the State Administrative Manual (SAM) section 4600.1 Definitions to add this “Contact Center Services” definition is forthcoming.
Types Of Contact Center Services Offered By CALNET
Contact Center Services offered by the CALNET Program include, but are not limited to:
- Call routing.
- Interactive Voice Response (IVR).
- Client Relation Management (CRM) system integrations.
- Reporting and analytics.
- Workforce management tools.
- Omnichannel communication platforms (e.g. Chatbot, phone tree, email, text).
- Technical project management and training (e.g., planning and oversight of migration, developing appropriate key performance indicators, developing training in contact center technology).
- Technical professional support services (e.g., design, configure, manage, integrate, or upgrade telecommunications channels or systems).
Note: Contact Center Services for technical project management or professional support services expressly exclude non-IT personnel services such as human agents or staff augmentation to handle customer interactions, which are subject to PCC sections 10335-10381.
Process For Procuring Business Telecommunications Systems and Services including Contact Center Services
Non-Exempt State Entities are required to purchase all Business Telecommunications Systems and Services, including Contact Center Services, through the CALNET Program. Non-Exempt State Entities can find helpful information on how to order Business Telecommunications Systems and Services, including forms and key resources at CALNET Program’s webpage: https://cdt.ca.gov/services/calnet-services/calnet-ordering/.
Non-Exempt State Entities must obtain an approved CALNET Exemption and General Telecommunications Delegation to purchase alternative solutions outside of the CALNET Contracts in accordance with SAM section 4601, Services Containing Telecommunications Components. In these cases, alternative Business Telecommunications Systems and Services must be procured through OSTP once a CALNET Exemption and General Telecommunications Delegation is approved. Refer to SAM sections 4603 General Telecommunications Delegation and 4605 CALNET Exemption. Non-Exempt State Entities must submit a request for a CALNET Exemption and General Telecommunications Delegation through the CDT IT Services Portal – Request a Service – https://services.cdt.ca.gov/csm.
For business telecommunications projects with an approved CALNET General Telecommunications Delegation for Contact Center Services bundled with human agents, or staff augmentation to handle customer interactions, Non-Exempt State Entities must submit a request to the OSTP Intake Portal https://cadtprod.service-now.com/stp.
Questions:
Direct questions regarding this Technology Letter to the Department of Technology, CALNET Program at CALNEThelp@state.ca.gov.
Signature:
On file
Liana Bailey-Crimmins, State CIO and Director
California Department of Technology