SPOKANE TRANSIT AUTHORITY 1230 W. BOONE AVENUE SPOKANE, WASHINGTON REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #14-STA-498 TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE AUDITING

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1 SPOKANE TRANSIT AUTHORITY 1230 W. BOONE AVENUE SPOKANE, WASHINGTON REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #14-STA-498 TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE AUDITING ISSUE DATE: April 9, 2014 DUE DATE: May 5, 2014; 4:00 p.m.

2 Advertisement Page REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #14-STA-498 TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE AUDITING Eight (8) sets (one original and seven copies) plus one electronic copy of sealed proposals will be accepted until 4:00 p.m., local time, Monday, May 5, 2014, by the Spokane Transit Authority (STA), 1230 W. Boone Avenue, Spokane, Washington 99201, to provide STA Customer Service Audits of all aspects of our service delivery and public/customer contacts for a fiveyear period, in accordance with the conditions stated in the Request for Proposals (RFP) package. Request for Proposals may be obtained from Ms. Laurie Hitchcock, (509) or electronically at lhitchcock@spokanetransit.com. Proposals shall be submitted to Ms. JacquelineTjards, Purchasing Manager, at the above address and are to be marked: Proposal to Provide Customer Service Auditing. The right is reserved to reject any and all proposals, to waive any informalities and irregularities in the proposal submission process, to negotiate with any proposers, and to accept proposals which are considered to be in the best interest of STA. STA is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) organization which does not discriminate against any prospective supplier on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, national origin, or presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability in the consideration of contract award. The successful proposer will be required to comply with all EEO federal, state, and local laws and regulations. Upon request, alternative formats regarding this information will be produced for people with disabilities. Please call (509) (TTY WA Relay 711) or smillbank@spokanetransit.com at least 48 hours in advance to request an accommodation. 2

3 RFP #14-STA-498 CUSTOMER SERVICE AUDITING TABLE OF CONTENTS Advertisement Page 2 I. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS 4 1. Introduction 2. Proposal Closing Date 3. Proposals Received By 4. Procurement Timeline 5. Proposal Evaluation 6. Price Proposal Form 7. Equal Employment Opportunity 8. Request for Clarification/Exception/Change 9. Changes/Alterations to Proposal 10. DBE Participation 11. STA Reserves the Right To 12. Protest Procedures 13. Contract 14. Proposer Certification 15. No Proposal Form 16. Payment 17. Examination of Documents and Conditions 18. Proposer Questions, Inquiries and Contact with STA Staff II. SCOPE OF SERVICES 7 1. Overview 2. Agency Background 3. Project Objectives 4. Observation 5. Reporting 6. Individual Feedback 7. Overall Reports III. PROPOSAL CONTENT & FORMAT 12 IV. ENCLOSURES 13 V. ATTACHMENTS 29 A. Price Proposal Form B. Request for Exceptions, Approved Equals and Clarifications C. Acknowledgement of Amendments D. Bidders List - DBE E. No Proposal Form V. EXHIBITS 36 A. STA Master Contract B. STA Travel Policy 3

4 SPOKANE TRANSIT AUTHORITY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS #14-STA-498 TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE AUDITING SERVICES I. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS 1. Introduction: Spokane Transit Authority (STA) is seeking to establish a firm, fixed-price contract with one responsible vendor to provide STA with customer service audits of all aspects of our service delivery and public/customer contacts for a five-year period. Please read the entire package before submitting your proposal. Careful attention must be paid to all requested items contained in this Competitive Sealed Proposal hereinafter referred to as Request for Proposals (RFP). Proposers are invited to submit proposals in accordance with the requirements of this RFP. 2. Proposal Closing Date: 4:00 p.m. local time, Monday, May 5, All proposals shall be effective for ninety (90) days from the proposal closing date. Proposals received after the time/date set will be returned to the Proposer unopened. 3. Proposals Received By: Ms. Jacqueline Tjards, Purchasing Manager, 1230 West Boone Avenue, Spokane, Washington Sealed envelopes containing proposals shall be marked RFP 14-STA Proposal to Provide Customer Service Auditing". One (1) original proposal and seven (7) copies are required, plus one electronic copy (CD or memory stick). 4. Procurement Timeline: Provided below is the proposed procurement timeline. Unexpected events may cause the timeline to change, particularly as it relates to the schedule of STA Board and Committee meeting days. Month/Day April 9, 2014 May 5, 2014; 4:00 p.m. May 8-12, 2014 July 1, 2014 Event Request for Proposal issued Proposals due date Proposal evaluation Commencement of contract period 5. Proposal Evaluation: A committee comprised of STA staff will privately evaluate the proposals based upon the following factors and their respective weighted importance: CRITERIA POINTS 1. Cost Ability to provide requested services Firm s proposed approach to the project Qualifications/experience of firm and personnel References & RFP Compliance 10 TOTAL 100 STA may request oral presentations from those firms deemed to be within competitive range after evaluation of submitted proposals. However, the right is reserved to award a contract based on proposals submission only. Presentations, if required, will be held at STA s Administration Building, 1230 West Boone Avenue, Spokane, Washington. All expenses for attendance at the presentation are the responsibility of the Proposer. 4

5 6. Price Proposal Form The Price Proposal Form (Attachment A) shall be fully completed and signed by an officer of the company authorized to submit the proposal. Proposers shall fill in firm prices for each item for each of the first three (3) years of the contract. The Proposer may either fill in firm fixed prices for the 4 th and 5 th years -OR- leave those years blank. If the 4 th and 5 th year pricing is left blank, then pricing for those years shall be adjusted from the previous year s rate according to the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Month of April, as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Prices submitted shall include all travel and expenses. Travel for any additional related work not contemplated by this scope of work will be mutually agreed upon and follow STA's travel policy. See Exhibit B. A City of Spokane Business License is not required at time of proposal, but must be acquired by the successful Contractor before the effective date of the contract. 7. EEO: STA is an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) organization, which does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, age, marital status, national origin, or the presence of any sensory, mental, or physical disability in consideration of a contract award. The successful proposer will be required to comply with all EEO federal, state, and local laws and regulations. 8. Request for Clarification or Change: Proposer requests for clarification or changes to the RFP shall be submitted on the form provided herein as Attachment B. Requests may be mailed, sent via facsimile, or sent electronically to the contact person listed herein, no later than (10) calendar days prior to proposal due date. Any changes to this RFP or scope of work will be made by written addendum and all prospective vendors receiving the initial RFP package will be notified by mail, facsimile, or electronically of these changes. Prospective vendors shall complete and return the Acknowledgment of Amendments form (Attachment C) with their proposal. 9. Changes/Alterations to Proposal: Proposers may change or withdraw proposal at any time prior to proposal due date; however, no oral modifications will be allowed. Only letters or other formal written requests for modifications or corrections of a previously submitted proposal that is addressed in the same manner as the proposal, and received by STA prior to the scheduled closing time for receipt of proposals, will be accepted. The proposal, when opened, will then be corrected in accordance with such written request(s), provided that the written request is plainly marked modifications of proposal. 10. DBE Participation: STA is committed to ensuring that all firms regardless of race, color, sex or national origin have equal opportunity to participate in STA contracts. Therefore, STA has established an annual agency goal for DBE participation in its contracting opportunities. It shall be understood that no specific goal has been assigned to this contract; however, STA encourages DBE prime firms or subcontractors to submit a proposal in response to this RFP. DBE Bidders List STA is required to create and maintain a bidders list of all firms bidding on prime contracts and bidding or quoting subcontracts on Department of Transportation-assisted contracts. To assist STA in compliance with this provision of the regulations, please complete and return the DBE Bidders List (Attachment D) with your proposal. 11. STA Reserves The Right To: Reject any or all proposals, to waive minor informalities or irregularities in the proposal submission process, to negotiate further with those proposers within the competitive range, and to award a contract based not necessarily upon lowest proposed prices, but in the best overall interests of STA. Please note that this RFP does not constitute an offer, but rather a Request for Offers from Customer Service Audit Service Providers. 12. Protest Procedures: STA maintains a set of proposer protest procedures. If any proposer desires this information, it may be obtained by calling Ms. Jacqueline Tjards, Purchasing Manager at (509)

6 13. Contract: See the attached contract (Exhibit A) to be executed with the successful proposer. It is not necessary for proposers to sign and return the contract with their proposal, but proposers should note applicable provisions relating to this Request for Proposals contained therein and submit any proposed language changes no later than (10) calendar days prior to proposal due date. STA reserves the right to add additional services at fairly negotiated prices or delete services if STA s needs change. 14. Proposer Certification: By submittal of a response pursuant to this request, the Proposer certifies that they have not paid or agreed to pay any fee or commission, or any other thing of value contingent on the award of this contract, to any employee, official, or current consultant of STA. The Proposer certifies that the financial information in this response has been arrived at independently and without consultation, communication or agreement for the purpose of restricting competition as to any matter relating to such costs with any other response or Proposer. 15. No Proposal Form: Prospective vendors choosing not to submit a proposal are requested to complete and return the attached No Proposal Form (Attachment E). 16. Payment: The payment terms for the contract shall be net 30 days. Submit invoices to: Spokane Transit Authority Attn: Patricia Talbott, Paratransit Contract Manager Spokane, Washington Examination of Documents and Conditions: Each Proposer by submitting a proposal represents the following: A. The Proposer has examined, read, and understands the RFP Document and his/her proposal is made in accordance therewith. B. The proposal is based upon the materials and requirements outlined in the scope of work in the RFP Document and on conditions affecting the work as determined by the Proposer's own examinations and includes a sum sufficient to cover the total cost of the Work. 18. Proposer Questions, Inquiries and Contact with STA Staff: STA is committed to providing all prospective Proposers with accurate and consistent information in order to ensure that no Proposer obtains an undue competitive advantage. To this end, from the date of this RFP through award of contract, all questions and inquiries shall be addressed to: Ms. Laurie Hitchcock Purchasing Department 1230 W. Boone Avenue Spokane, WA Phone: (509) Fax: (509) lhitchcock@spokanetransit.com STA RESERVES THE RIGHT TO DISQUALIFY ANY PROPOSER WHO CONTACTS AN STA OFFICIAL, EMPLOYEE, OR AGENT CONCERNING THIS PROPOSAL OTHER THAN IN ACCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION. 6

7 II. SCOPE OF SERVICES 1. OVERVIEW Spokane Transit (STA) is seeking Proposals from a qualified company to provide customer service audits of all aspects of our service delivery and public/customer contacts for a five-year period commencing July 1, AGENCY BACKGROUND STA operates within an area encompassing approximately 248 miles of Spokane County which includes approximately 393,490 residents or 87 percent of the county population, and is governed by a Board of Directors consisting of nine members appointed by the membership of the elected governing bodies of Spokane County and the seven cities (Airway Heights, Cheney, Liberty Lake, Medical Lake, Millwood, Spokane Valley and Spokane) included within its boundaries. STA services include thirty four (34) local fixed routes, Paratransit service for customers who are unable to use the fixed route bus system due to their disabilities, and approximately 96 vanpool groups. STA also contracts approximately 35% of its Paratransit service with a supplemental service provider, MV Transportation, Inc. In 2013, STA provided nearly 12 million rides for all services. STA has a commitment to customer service as demonstrated in our mission and priorities. Mission We are dedicated to providing safe, convenient and accessible public transportation services to Spokane area neighborhoods, businesses, and activity centers. We are leaders in transportation and a valued partner in the community's social fabric, economic infrastructure, and quality of life. Our Vision: We aspire to be a source of pride for the region. Operational Priorities Ensure Safety. Emphasize safety of our customers and employees in all aspects of our operations. Earn and Retain the Community s Trust. Engender trust and accountability and satisfy and exceed the expectations of citizens, customers, and employees; increase ridership; provide service that is responsive and tailored to the area s needs. Provide Outstanding Customer Service. Provide consistently high-quality service to customers at every interaction with Spokane Transit; be rated by customers, the community, and employees as providing excellent customer service as measured annually in surveys. Enable Organizational Development. Have a well-trained and highly productive workforce; promote healthy dialogue on important issues; Have an active and engaged Board of Directors. Exemplify Financial Stewardship. Operate an efficient, cost-effective operation; maintain tight control of operational, administrative, and capital expenditures of public resources; establish reasonable, user-based revenue targets; plan for future operational and capital needs. 7

8 3. PROJECT OBJECTIVES The project is intended to provide an assessment of the agency s overall performance against its stated customer service objectives. This will be an unrevealed mystery shopper observation and reporting program. The intent of the program is to reinforce outstanding customer service on the part of our employees. Collected information will be used to assess organizational strengths and weaknesses and improve where necessary. The information will be used to provide feedback to employees as to their performance in providing excellent customer service. 4. PROJECT VARIABLES: OBSERVATION AND REPORTING The project consists of an ongoing program to observe employee customer interactions and a reporting system that quickly provides feedback for individuals, and allows for team, group and overall results in an environment that many persons at the agency can access at any time. The reporting system must include a database of results that can be queried for ad hoc reporting as needed. STA is committed to continuous improvement. Over the life of the project STA will need to change the Observation Reports (add/delete or modify questions asked) as needs or performance change. Additionally, the reporting requirements may also change as needs or performance change. We will look to the successful bidder for their expertise and request their recommendations and suggestions for where observations and reporting can improve. 5. OBSERVATION The program of observations of employee customer interactions will monitor service on a monthly basis for the contract term. Observations will occur during our regular hours of service: M-F 5:30 AM to 11:00 PM; Sat. 6:00 AM to 9:00 PM; Sun. 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM. Observations may be made on Holidays if the proposer elects to, it is not required. Task 1: Administration/Staff Observations (Phone) Task 2: Fixed Route Ride Along Observation (In Person Ride on Fixed Route Bus) Task 3 Paratransit Ride Along Observation (In Person Ride on Paratransit Van) Call and interact with STA Management and Administrative staff using various scenarios. Perform 4 observations per month. Observations will be scored using the STA Customer Service Observation Report for Managers, Supervisors, Paratransit Dispatch, and Administrative Staff. See Enclosure 1 Ride on a fixed route bus and observe operator interactions. Produce 36 observations per month. Observations will be conducted based on a weighted sample of routes provided by STA's Planning Department. Observations will be scored using the STA Customer Service Observation Report for Fixed Route Ride Along. See Enclosure 2. Approximate length of Ride Along: 30 minutes. Ride on a Paratransit van and observe operator actions. Perform 16 observations per month. Observations will be scored using the STA Customer Service Observation Report for Paratransit Ride Along. See Enclosure 3. Approximate length of Ride Along: 2 hours. 8

9 Task 4: Customer Service Observation (Phone) Task 5: Customer Service Observation (Walk In Visit) Task 6: Reservations Observation (Phone) Task 7: Plaza Security Personnel (Walk in Visit) Call and interact with STA Call Center Customer service staff in handling of customer comments, complaints, or requests. Perform 8 observations per month. Observations will be scored using the STA Customer Service Observation Report for Customer Service Staff -Phone See Enclosure 4 Observe STA Plaza Customer service staff in handling of customer comments, complaints, or pass purchases at the customer service counter of the STA Plaza. Perform 4 observations in one month. Observations will be scored using the STA Customer Service Observation Report for Customer Service Staff Walk in Visit See Enclosure 5 Call and interact with STA Paratransit Reservations staff in booking a Paratransit trip, Checking on Rides, canceling rides and making general queries about the service. Perform 10 observations per month. Observations will be scored using the STA Customer Service Observation Report for Paratransit Reservations Staff-Phone. See Enclosure 6 Observe STA and contracted Security in handling of customer inquiries and incidents. Perform 4 observations per month. Observations will be scored using the STA Customer Service Observation Report for Security Staff-Walk in Visit See Enclosure 7 It is not required, but for task 2, Fixed Route Ride Along, STA prefers rides to be completed within the Monday through Friday, 7:00 am to 8:30 am or 4:00 pm to 6:00 pm timeframes. For tasks 1, 4, 5 and 7 a list of scenarios will be provided by STA, recommended scenarios for the successful bidder are welcome. This list will be updated on a semiannual basis. 6. REPORTING As this program is an ongoing measurement of performance, the project requires a reporting system for timely individual feedback. STA defines timely as within 72 hours of the completion of the observation/interaction. The system must be able to provide team, group and overall results in an environment that many persons at STA can access at any time. There should be some way to limit who can see what data (i.e. the Manager for Fixed Route should only see results for Fixed Route, the manager for Customer Service should only see the results for Customer Service, etc.). STA currently is using a reporting website; however STA is open to the proposer s recommendation as to the format of a reporting system that proposer feels will best meet our needs. STA reporting for this program is in a rating system that indicates two types of results, Excellent and other. The results of each of the Observation reports are totaled and the sum of the points either equal Excellent or they do not. Each of the 7 observation/interaction tasks has a different total based on the questionnaire used for that task and that indicates what Excellent is or is not. The reporting system must have a quality assurance process that provides STA with the knowledge that the results have been reviewed for accuracy in reporting to Spokane Transit. Spokane Transit would like this reporting system to have the ability to change over time. For example, if STA determines a question is no longer needed to be surveyed, it can be dropped and a new on put in its place. This type of change of the program over time should not cause a price increase and should be planned into the system. However, STA will discuss with the successful bidder any change that STA is requesting that is integral to the reporting system and requires a significant redesign and programming changes. 9

10 7. INDIVIDUAL FEEDBACK A report will be provided by the successful proposer that summarizes the observation/interaction with the STA employee. It will include a rating or answer all questions asked (tailored to the individual observation report based on the task completed-tasks 1 to 7). The summaries will include extended comments for any question response that is negative or below average or less response (i.e. an answer of NO or a rating of poor on a scale from Excellent, Above Average, Average, Below Average or Poor). This summary must include the date, time and any other identifying feedback for the observation/interaction (i.e. Van or Bus number, Location of Shop, Route Shopped etc.). The summary must also indicate an Excellent rating or no rating at all. As the successful proposer will not have access to employee names and other employee related information, STA requests that each individual report be able to be edited to by STA personnel to add the following information to each individual report: 1. Block number 2. Run number 3. Operator number 4. Employee name 5. Supervisor 6. Date Sent to Supervisor 7. Date of review 8. Notes (with a minimum of 1,000 characters to be added) This edited data must be added to the database of all observation/feedback results. The individual feedback must be printable and easily read so that it can be provided to an employee in a review session. 8. OVERALL REPORTS Reporting must be provided that takes the individual feedback by task and summarizes it by group, team for the day, month, quarter, year and overall program (it is preferred that individual user can select the timeframe needed for any report). Additionally, reporting should be developed such that a user may look at an overall summarized report and have the ability to drill down to the individual survey for easily identifying problem areas. a. Overall Reporting Needed 1. A snapshot of all surveys completed by task showing how many were completed and what percent were rated excellent. 2. A snapshot of all surveys completed by group (tasks grouped together as defined by STA) and what percent were rated excellent. 3. A list of all excellent surveys, by task by employee for any timeframe (day, week, month, year). 4. A report by each task, which shows the average rating (for any time period) for the professional and courteous question from each of the observations/interactions. 10

11 5. The same professional and courteous summary provided in a trend format showing summary results over time (to be determined by the user). 6. A list of the performance from of the maintenance team (results from a specific question on surveys from Tasks 2 and 3) Available in a snapshot and trend form. 7. Key questions trends for task 2 and 3 (see Enclosure 8 for trend questions for each task). 8. A snapshot of the excellent reports for each task. b. By each task, further reporting is needed: 1. An Answer Summary that summarizes by tasks all of the answers to each question on the questionnaire. 2. For each task, showing each of the shop number and the result excellent or not, and the % excellent in total. 3. The trend for that task showing the observation number and the % of surveys/observations that were excellent by person and in total. 4. Professional and Courteous Trend (every task has one question that ask for a rating of 1 to 5 of the employee s professionalism and courteousness). This will show by observation, the rating for that question and can be run by any date range selected by the user. All reports must be printable and easily read. c. Additional Reporting Requirements 1. STA would like each proposer to provide the user ability to query data in any way the user would like. This can be through an ad hoc reporting system that the proposer will detail in their response to this RFP. This should include a method to export data to excel for use by the individual user. 2. Each of these reports listed as needed above needs to have the ability to have a date range changed to the user s needs. Currently we have default report timeframes of a month, year and a custom range available for all reports. 3. In addition to the reporting listed above, using the firm s expertise, the proposer should provide recommendations for additional reporting that the proposer sees as a benefit to STA. 11

12 III. PROPOSAL CONTENT & FORMAT The contractor shall provide a proposal on 8-1/2 x 11" paper, tabbed as indicated: TAB A: INTRODUCTION 1. Letter of transmittal signed by an authorized official of the company 2. Provide a brief summary of your firm and key personnel qualifications as they relate to the work STA is requesting. 3. Any other materials deemed pertinent to this proposal TAB B: PROGRAM DESCRIPTION 1. Provide a description of your firm s proposed approach to this project. 2. Describe your unrevealed, mystery shopper process (for example, how you recruit agents and educate them as to the tasks to be completed in this program). TAB C: REFERENCES 1. Provide a list of at least three (3) references of similar projects. Please include a description of the project, dates of service provided, contact person, telephone number, and physical and addresses for each reference. Proposals submitted without addresses may be considered non-responsive. TAB D: UNDERSTANDING OF SCOPE OF WORK 1. Provide examples of your proposed reporting system and reports requested in the scope of work as well as any recommended reports your firm would like share with STA. 2. Confirm that your firm is able to change elements of the program over time as outlined in the scope of work. 3. Describe your quality assurance process to ensure accuracy of results. TAB E: ATTACHMENTS Attachment A - Price Proposal Form: Indicate the fee proposed for completion of each task Attachment B - Request for Clarifications/Exception/Change (if applicable) Attachment C - Acknowledgement of Amendments (if applicable) Attachment D - DBE Certification (Voluntary) 12

13 IV. ENCLOSURES Enclosure 1: Customer Service Observation Report for Managers, Supervisors, Paratransit Dispatchers and Administrative Staff Enclosure 2: Customer Service Observation Report for Fixed Route Ride Along Enclosure 3: Customer Service Observation Report for Paratransit Ride Along Enclosure 4: Customer Service Observation Report for Customer Service Staff-Phone Enclosure 5: Customer Service Observation Report for Customer Service Staff-Walk in Visit Enclosure 6: Customer Service Observation Report for Paratransit Reservations Staff-Phone Enclosure 7: Customer Service Observation Report for Security Staff-Walk in Visit Enclosure 8: Key Questions for Tasks 2 and 3 13

14 Enclosure 1: STA Customer Service Observation Report for Managers, Supervisors, Paratransit Dispatchers, and Administrative Staff Person Attempted to Contact Phone/Extension Date/Time 1. Was the call answered within 3 rings? No (comment required) 2. Were you greeted professionally? (If Yes, provide the name given ) No (comment required) 3. How did the staff member respond to your issue/question? Open text comments: 1-3 sentences to explain 4. Did the staff member ask for your name/contact info? (in order to follow-up about the issue/question) Answer N/A for this question if it does not apply, staff member asked for name/contact info No, staff member did not ask for name/contact info (provide comments to explain what happened) N/A (staff member was able to address the question themselves or transfer the call) 5. Were you placed on hold during the middle of the call? (explain the situation and how long you were placed on hold) No 6. Was the staff person professional and courteous throughout the call? 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of Did the staff member provide a professional closing? No (comment required)

15 8. If the staff member transferred you to another employee, did they give you the name and direct contact info for the person they were transferring you to? If the staff member is unable to specifically respond to your scenario, (s)he may need to transfer you. If that is the case, there are standards that need to be followed. The staff member is required to complete a WARM TRANSFER or take your name/number and tell you who will be calling you back and by when. This means when the staff member transfers you to the appropriate person, the staff member may do the following: A. Warm Transfer - Tell you who you will be speaking with. Transfer you to a live person. You should be able to tell the person you were transferred to has some idea as to why you are calling. If the person you are speaking with cannot reach someone, (s)he must take your name and number and tell you that the person will return your call. If the staff person asks you if you want to leave a voice mail, politely decline. The staff member should give you this information if they are transferring this call. This way, if a normal customer was disconnected or needed to call back, they could do so easily. OR B. Explain to you that (s)he is not the correct person to handle the issue you called in about, give you the name and phone number of the person who is the right person; and finally take your name and number and tell you the person will be in touch soon N/A - The call did not need to be transferred, they gave the name and contact info before transferring the call and I spoke with a person., I was transferred to customer service properly, the staff person took my contact info and explained I would have a call back No I was not transferred properly (comment required) No, I was not transferred and my contact information was not requested (comment required) Overall Comments: Provide 1-3 sentences of overall comments, to help paint a picture of the call

16 Enclosure 2: Task 2-STA Customer Service Observation Report for Fixed Route Ride Along Date: Coach Number Route Number Boarding Location Time Alighting Location Time 1. When did the bus depart? Earlier than time published on schedule - one minute increments (comment required, how many min early was it?) 0 to 5 minutes of time published on schedule More than 5 minutes past the time published on schedule (comment required, how many min late was it?) 2. Operator greets/acknowledges boarding customers at each stop Excellent - All customers were acknowledged individually or as part of a group. (Comment required) Above Average - Most customers were acknowledged, but a few were not. (Comment required) Average - Some customers were acknowledged, but some were not. (Comment required) Below Average - Most customers were not acknowledged. (Comment required) Poor - No customers were acknowledged. (Comment required) 3. Operator met appearance requirements No (comments to describe) 4. How many total customers were on the bus after you boarded (include yourself in the count)? Operator audibly announces published stops. Excellent- All published stops, major intersections, transfer points, major landmarks and destination points are announced Above Average- All published stops and major intersections are announced Average- All published stops are audibly announced Below Average - Some or all published stops were announced, but some of them were difficult to hear Poor- Some published stops were not announced at all or No published stops were announced 6. Operator announces his/her route number (only applies to multiple route stops) This question ONLY APPLIES to multiple route stops. If there IS more than one route listed on the bus stop sign, the operator must announce the route number. NA There were no multiple route stops on this portion of my ride Yes, the route number was announced (at all multiple route stops) YES No, the route number was not announced (at one or more multiple route stops)

17 7. Operator answers customer questions as the safe operation of the coach allows. No 8. Starts and stops are as smooth as traffic/road conditions allow. Excellent Above Average Average - (comment required to describe) Below Average - (comment required to describe) Poor - (comment required to describe) 9. Coach interior / exterior is clean and free of graffiti. Check all that apply: (both the interior and exterior were clean) (allowances were made due to weather conditions), please explain (comment) No, there was graffiti on the interior or exterior (comment) No, floors were dirty/littered (comment) No, seats were torn/dirty/littered (comment) No, windows were dirty/spotted (comment) No, Other (comment) 10. Schedules for related routes are available in the coach, an ample supply of schedules were available (4 or more), a small supply of schedules were available (1-3) No, 0 schedules were available 11. Rider Alerts were available N/A-no rider alerts were in effect at the time of the ride along, an ample supply of alerts were available (4 or more), a small supply of alerts were available (1-3) No, 0 alerts were available 12. Operator acknowledges departing customers. Excellent - All departing customers were acknowledged. Above Average - Most departing customers were acknowledged, but a few were not (comment required ) Average - Some departing customers were acknowledged, but some were not. (comment required ) Below Average - Most departing customers were not acknowledged. (comment required ) Poor - No departing customers were acknowledged. (comment required ) 13. How many total customers were on the bus right before you reached your destination (include yourself in the count)?

18 14. When did the bus arrive at your destination? Arrived within 5 minutes of published schedule Did not arrive within 5 minutes of published schedule 15. Operator was professional and courteous throughout the trip (Provide a rating) 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of Overall Comments: 1 to 3 sentences of comments, to help describe the experience of the ride-along

19 Enclosure 3: STA Customer Service Observation Report for Paratransit Ride Along An observation will include one trip from origin to destination. Van Number Date Scheduled Pickup Time Actual Pickup Time Pick up Location Drop off Location 1. Did the operator identify himself/herself by name at your pick-up and greet you? No (comment required) Name of operator 2. Did operator collect your fare? No 3. Did the operator ensure that your seatbelt was secured? No (comment required) 4. Rate the smoothness of your ride. 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of Was the van exterior/interior clean? Check all that apply: (both the interior and exterior were clean) No, the exterior was dirty (comment) No, floors were dirty/littered (comment) No, seats were torn/dirty/littered (comment) No, windows were dirty or spotted_ (comment) No, Other (comment) 19

20 6. Did the operator escort you from door to door at origin into the van? No (comment about what happened) 7. Did the operator escort you from door to door from van to destination? No (comment) 8. Operator was professional and courteous throughout the trip (Provide a rating) 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of Did you feel like the operator was responsive to your needs during the trip? No (comment) 10. Did the operator meet appearance requirements? No (comment required) 11. Did the operator provide a professional departure? No (comment required, what was the closing remark?) Overall Comments (observed on all transactions): 1 to 3 sentences of comments, to help paint a picture of the ride-along 20

21 Enclosure 4: STA Customer Service Observation Report for Customer Service Staff- Phone Contact #: (509) 328-RIDE Date Time 1. How long did you wait between when you finished dialing the phone number and when you spoke to someone? Timing will start after the field agent hits 0. Less than 30 seconds 30 seconds 1 minute 1-2 minutes 2-3 min 3-4 min 5 6 min 6 + minutes 2. Were you greeted professionally? No 3. Did the Staff person identify himself/herself by name? No 4. How well did the staff member express a willingness to help? 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of

22 5. Was the staff person professional and courteous throughout the call? 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of Did the staff member provide clear information to respond to your question? (provide comments) No (provide comments) 7. Did the staff member ask for your name/contact info (in order to follow-up about the issue/question)? N/A, staff member asked for name/contact info No, staff member did not ask for name/contact info 8. Did the staff member apologize that you had an unsatisfactory experience (for complaints only). N/A, staff member apologized No, staff member did not ask apologize N/A 9. If the staff member was unable to resolve the question/issue during the call, did they explain what would happen next? N/A, staff member explained what would happen next and what follow-up would occur No, staff member did not explain what would happen next 10. Did the staff member provide a thank you or a professional closing? No (comment) 11. Did you feel like the call was completed in a timely manner? No (comment required) 12. Were you placed on hold during the middle of the call? (explain the situation and how long you were placed on hold) No Overall Comments: Provide 1-3 sentences of overall comments 22

23 Enclosure 5: STA Customer Service Observation Report for Customer Service Staff -Walk in Visit Location: 701 West Riverside Avenue, STA Plaza Date Time 1. When was your visit completed? During the 1st week of the month During the 2nd or 3rd week of the month During the last week of the month 2. How long did you wait between when you got in line at the customer service desk and when you got to the front of the line and spoke to someone? Or if there is no line, how long did it take someone to greet you when you approached the customer service desk? Less than 30 seconds 30 seconds 1 minute 1-2 minutes 2 + min 3. What was the location of the cash register where you were served? To my left The center To my right 4. Were you greeted professionally? 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor (comment required, what happened?) 5. Provide a physical description of the staff member who helped you. - Gender/Height/Hair/Age Range 6. How well did the staff member express a willingness to help? 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor 23

24 7. The staff person was professional and courteous throughout the transaction 5 - Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of Did the staff member provide clear information to respond to your question? No 9. Did the staff member ask for your name/contact info (in order to follow-up about the issue/question?), staff member asked for name/contact info No, staff member did not ask for name/contact info N/A 10. Did the staff member apologize that you had an unsatisfactory experience (for complaints only). Answer N/A for this question if it does not apply., staff member apologized No, staff member did not ask apologize N/A 11. If the staff member was unable to resolve the question/issue, did they explain what would happen next?, staff member explained what would happen next and what follow-up would occur No, staff member did not explain what would happen next N/A, the question/issue was resolved, no follow-up was needed. 12. Did the staff member provide a thank you or a professional closing? No 13. Did you feel like the question interaction was completed in a timely manner? No Overall Comments: Provide 1-3 sentences of overall comments, to help paint a picture of the visit 24

25 Enclosure 6: STA Customer Service Observation Report for Paratransit Reservations Staff-Phone Phone Number: (509) Date Time 1. How long did you wait between when you entered the purpose of your call using the automated phone system and when you spoke to a live reservationist? Less than 30 seconds 30 seconds 1 minute 1-2 minutes 2-3 minutes 3-4 minutes 5-6 minutes 6 minutes + 2. Were you greeted professionally? No Name of Reservationist 4. Did the reservationist solicit and confirm customer ID and customer name? No 5. Did the reservationist quickly identify the reason for the call? No 6. How did the reservationist respond to your request? Provide 1-3 sentences of comments about what happened 7. Was the reservationist professional and courteous throughout the call? 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of

26 8. Did the reservationist confirm the DATE of the trip to ensure accuracy (at the end of the call)? No N/A 9. Did the reservationist confirm the DAY OF THE WEEK of the trip to ensure accuracy (at the end of the call)? No N/A 10. Did the reservationist confirm the TIME OF PICK-UP AND RETURN of the trip to ensure accuracy (at the end of the call)? No N/A 11. Did the reservationist confirm the LOCATION PICK-UP AND RETURN ADDRESSES of the trip to ensure accuracy (at the end of the call)? No N/A 12. Did the reservationist confirm the 30-MINUTE WINDOW of the trip (while scheduling the ride or at the end of the call)? No N/A 13. Did the reservationist gain agreement from you that all information was correct after repeating it back (at the end of the call)? No N/A 14. Did the reservationist provide a thank you or a professional closing? No 15. Did you feel like the call was completed in a timely manner? No 16. Were you placed on hold during the middle of the call? No Overall Comments: Provide 1-3 sentences of overall comments 26

27 Enclosure 7: STA Customer Service Observation Report for Security Staff-Walk in Visit Location: 701 West Riverside Avenue, STA Plaza Date: Time: 1. Name of Person Contacted 2. Was the security person readily visible in plaza area?, he/she was visible from a distance and easy to find within 60 seconds No, I had to search the plaza to find the person (for more than 60 seconds) 3. Were you greeted professionally? No 4. Was the Security person responsive to your needs? 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of Did the Security person provide clear information to respond to your question? No 6. Was the Security person professional, helpful and courteous throughout the interaction? 5 Excellent 4 Above Average 3 Average 2 Below Average 1 Very Poor Comments are required for a rating of When the security person spoke with you, were you kept at arm s length? No Overall Comments 1 to 3 comments are given to paint the overall picture of the interaction. 27

28 Enclosure 8: Key Questions for Tasks 2 and 3 Task 2: Fixed Route Ride Along 1. Departed On Time (Q.1) 2. Operator Greets/Acknowledges boarding customers (Q.2) 3. Operator audibly announces published stops (Q.5) 4. Operator audibly announces his/her route number (Q.6) 5. Operator acknowledges departing customers (Q.12) Task 3: Paratransit Ride Along 1. Operator Identified Self to Customer (Q.1) 2. Operator Collected Fare (Q.2) 3. Operator Fastened Seatbelt (Q.3) 4. Operator Escorted from Door to Van (Q.7) 5. Operator Escorted from Van to Door (Q.8) 28

29 V. ATTACHMENTS A. Price Proposal Form B. Request for Exceptions, Approved Equals and Clarifications C. Acknowledgement of Amendments D. Bidders List - DBE E. No Proposal Form. 29

30 Spokane Transit Authority RFP#14-STA-498 Customer Service Auditing ATTACHMENT A PRICE PROPOSAL FORM We, the undersigned propose to provide STA with Customer Service Auditing for the prices listed below for five (5) years effective July 1, 2014 in accordance with the Request for Proposal and Scope of Services. Firm fixed prices are proposed for years 1 through 3*. *Note: The Proposer may either fill in firm fixed prices for the 4 th and 5 th years -OR- leave those years blank. If the 4 th and 5 th year pricing is left blank, then pricing for those years shall be adjusted from the previous year s rate according to the Consumer Price Index for all Urban Consumers (CPI-U) for the Month of April, as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics. FEE SCHEDULE Fee per observation: Years 1 through 3 *Year 4 *Year 5 Task 1 $ $ $ Task 2 $ $ $ Task 3 $ $ $ Task 4 $ $ $ Task 5 $ $ $ Task 6 $ $ $ Task 7 $ $ $ PROPOSED PRICES INCLUDE ALL TRAVEL AND EXPENSES. This proposal is valid for 90 days from the proposal closing date. COMPANY NAME OF PROPOSER CITY OF SPOKANE BUSINESS LICENSE NO. AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE PRINTED NAME AND TITLE ADDRESS TELEPHONE NUMBER FAX NUMBER ADDRESS DATE SIGNED 30

31 Spokane Transit Authority RFP# 14-STA-498 Customer Service Auditing ATTACHMENT B REQUEST FOR EXCEPTIONS, CLARIFICATIONS, AND CHANGES Project Title: Company Name: Document Reference (check one): General Requirements Specifications Contract Contract No. Date: Page No. Section No: Section Title: PROPOSER S REQUEST: STA Response: Approved Denied STA Comments: STA Authorized Signature Date of Response 31

32 Spokane Transit Authority RFP# 14-STA-498 Customer Service Auditing ATTACHMENT C ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS The following form shall be completed and included in the proposal submission. Failure to acknowledge receipt of all amendments may cause the proposal to be considered nonresponsive to the solicitation. Acknowledged receipt of each amendment must be clearly established and included with the proposal. The undersigned acknowledges receipt of the following amendments to the documents: Amendment No. 1 Dated Initials Amendment No. 2 Dated Initials Amendment No. 3 Dated Initials Amendment No. 4 Dated Initials Amendment No. 5 Dated Initials COMPANY NAME OF PROPOSER AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE AND TITLE PRINTED NAME AND TITLE ADDRESS TELEPHONE NUMBER FAX NUMBER DATE SIGNED 32

33 Spokane Transit Authority 1230 West Boone Avenue Spokane, WA (509) ATTACHMENT D Dear Bidder: STA is federally funded and as such are required by 49 CFR Part 26.11, to create and maintain a bidders list of all current and prospective vendors bidding on prime contracts and bidding or quoting subcontracts on Department of Transportation-assisted contracts. STA is also committed to providing equal access to small business in bidding STA s contracting opportunities. The U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) defines a small business in terms of the number of employees over the past year or the average annual receipts over the past three years. This standard varies by industry. STA will use size standards established by the SBA to determine small business eligibility. To comply with this provision of the regulations and to encourage small business participation, STA requests the following information required by the Federal Transit Administration. This information is not used in determining an award of contract or in evaluating your company in any way. Providing this information is voluntary. Company Name: Company Address: NAICS Code: To determine your industry NAICS code go to and enter a keyword of your business classification in the box directly above the 2012 NAICS Search on the left side of the page and choose from the selection of codes that best matches your business classification. Type of Business: Telephone Number: Fax Number: Address: Authorized Signature: Printed Name and Title: Date Signed: Is your firm a Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) registered with the State of Washington Office of Minority and Women s Business Enterprises? Yes No How long has your firm been in business? Please check the box that describes your total gross annual receipts: Less than $500,000 $3,000,001 - $3,500,000 $500,000 - $1,000,000 $3,500,001 - $4,000,000 $1,000,001 - $1,500,000 $4,000,001 - $4,500,000 $1,500,001 - $2,000,000 $4,500,001 - $5,000,000 $2,000,001 - $2,500,000 $5,000,001 - $5,500,000 $2,500,001 - $3,000,000 greater than $5,500,000 33

34 Is your business a small business as defined by the SBA s definition of a small business concern? Yes No To determine if your business is considered a small business by SBA go to and enter your six digit NAICS Code and follow the 3 step process. Thank you very much! Please return this form to STA s Purchasing Manager, 1230 West Boone Avenue, Spokane, WA 99201, or include it with your bid or proposal. 34