30-26195-DSDHH - Telecommunications Relay Services - RFP

Agency:	State Government of North Carolina
State:	North Carolina
Type of Government:	State & Local
Posted Date:	Feb 27, 2026
Due Date:	Mar 27, 2026
Solicitation No:	Doc2006554633
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Solicitation Number:	Doc2006554633
Project Title:	30-26195-DSDHH - Telecommunications Relay Services - RFP
Description:	The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (“State”) is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to establish a contract for Telecommunications Relay Services.The United States Congress created the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) in Title IV of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, codified at Section 225 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. See Pub.L.No.101-336, 104 Stat.327 (July 26, 2990). Congress also directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe regulations to ensure that interstate and intrastate TRS are available, to the extent possible and in the most efficient manner to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind or have speech disabilities to communicate by telephone in a manner that is functionally equivalent to telephone services used by persons without such disabilities.Pursuant to the North Carolina General Assembly N.C.G.S. §62-157 provides deaf, hard of hearing, speech disabled individuals in North Carolina with access to telecommunications network equal to the provided to other customers. N.C.G.S. allows the state to contract the provision of relay services for four-year periods to one or more service providers. North Carolina established its state program, Relay North Carolina (RNC), on June 1, 1991.The purpose of this Request for Proposal is to establish a single Contract to a single responsible Vendor for high-quality provision of intrastate TRS, in North Carolina 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.Nothing in this RFP precludes the successful Vendor from offering other related services that advances the availability of telecommunications access to North Carolinians with disabilities for the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing’s consideration.The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract.
Opening Date:	3/27/2026 12:00 PM
Posted Date:	2/28/2026
Status:	Open
Department:	DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - DHHS


Solicitation Number * Doc2006554633	Department DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES - DHHS	Status Reason Open
Opening Date 2026-03-27T12:00:00.0000000	Posted Date * 2026-02-27T20:27:32.0000000Z	Primary Commodity Code Customer access
Mandatory Conference/Site Visit — —	Special Instructions —	Solicitation Type * Select RFP IFB RFI
Owner Mike Lovano
Description The North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (“State”) is issuing this Request for Proposal (RFP) to establish a contract for Telecommunications Relay Services.The United States Congress created the Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS) in Title IV of the American with Disabilities Act of 1990, codified at Section 225 of the Communications Act of 1934, as amended. See Pub.L.No.101-336, 104 Stat.327 (July 26, 2990). Congress also directed the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to prescribe regulations to ensure that interstate and intrastate TRS are available, to the extent possible and in the most efficient manner to individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing, deafblind or have speech disabilities to communicate by telephone in a manner that is functionally equivalent to telephone services used by persons without such disabilities.Pursuant to the North Carolina General Assembly N.C.G.S. §62-157 provides deaf, hard of hearing, speech disabled individuals in North Carolina with access to telecommunications network equal to the provided to other customers. N.C.G.S. allows the state to contract the provision of relay services for four-year periods to one or more service providers. North Carolina established its state program, Relay North Carolina (RNC), on June 1, 1991.The purpose of this Request for Proposal is to establish a single Contract to a single responsible Vendor for high-quality provision of intrastate TRS, in North Carolina 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.Nothing in this RFP precludes the successful Vendor from offering other related services that advances the availability of telecommunications access to North Carolinians with disabilities for the Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing’s consideration.The intent of this solicitation is to award an Agency Specific Contract.

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STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES

Request for Proposal #: 30-26195-DSDHH

TELECOMMUNICATIONS RELAY SERVICES

Date of Issue: 27 February 2026

Proposal Opening Date: 27 March 2026

At 12 PM ET

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFP to:

Michael Lovano

Acquisition Support Specialist

Email: [mike.lovano@dhhs.nc.gov]

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Request for Proposal #

30-26195-DSDHH

______________________________________________________

For internal State agency processing, including tabulation of proposals, provide your company’s eVP (Electronic

Vendor Portal) Number. Pursuant to G.S. 132-1.10(b) this identification number shall not be released to the public.

This page will be removed and shredded, or otherwise kept confidential, before the procurement file is made

available for public inspection.

This page shall be filled out and returned with your proposal.

Failure to do so may subject your proposal to rejection.

___________________________________________________

Vendor Name

______________________________

Vendor eVP#

Note: For a contract to be awarded to you, your company (you) must be a North Carolina registered

Vendor in good standing. You must enter the Vendor number assigned through eVP (Electronic Vendor

Portal). If you do not have a Vendor number, register at

https://evp.nc.gov/SignIn

Ver: 11/2025

STATE OF NORTH CAROLINA

Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing

Refer ALL Inquiries regarding this RFP to the

Procurement Lead through the Message Board in

the Sourcing Tool. See section 2.5 for details:

Using Agency: Division of Services for the Deaf

and Hard of Hearing

Requisition No.: RQ249077

Request for Proposal #: 30-26195-DSDHH

Proposals will be publicly opened: 27 March 2026

Commodity No. and Description: 831126 - Customer access

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposals (RFP), and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned Vendor offers and agrees to

furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are bid, at the prices set opposite each item within the time specified herein.

By executing this proposal, the undersigned Vendor understands that false certification is a Class I felony and certifies that:

▪ this proposal is submitted competitively and without collusion (G.S. 143-54),

▪ none of its officers, directors, or owners of an unincorporated business entity has been convicted of any violations of Chapter 78A

of the General Statutes, the Securities Act of 1933, or the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (G.S. 143-59.2), and

▪ it is not an ineligible Vendor as set forth in G.S. 143-59.1.

Furthermore, by executing this proposal, the undersigned certifies to the best of Vendor’s knowledge and belief, that:

▪ it and its principals are not presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible or voluntarily excluded

from covered transactions by any Federal or State department or agency.

As required by G.S. 143-48.5, the undersigned Vendor certifies that it, and each of its sub-Contractors for any Contract awarded as a result

of this RFP, complies with the requirements of Article 2 of Chapter 64 of the NC General Statutes, including the requirement for each employer

with more than 25 employees in North Carolina to verify the work authorization of its employees through the federal E-Verify system.

As required by Executive Order 24 (2017), the undersigned Vendor certifies will comply with all Federal and State requirements concerning

fair employment and that it does not and will not discriminate, harass, or retaliate against any employee in connection with performance of

any Contract arising from this solicitation.

G.S. 133-32 and Executive Order 24 (2009) prohibit the offer to, or acceptance by, any State Employee associated with the preparing plans,

specifications, estimates for public contracts; or awarding or administering public contracts; or inspecting or supervising delivery of the public

contract of any gift from anyone with a contract with the State, or from any person seeking to do business with the State. By execution of

this response to the RFP, the undersigned certifies, for Vendor’s entire organization and its employees or agents, that Vendor is not aware

that any such gift has been offered, accepted, or promised by any employees of your organization.

By executing this bid, Vendor certifies that it has read and agreed to the INSTRUCTION TO VENDORS and the NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL

TERMS AND CONDITIONS incorporated herein. These documents can be accessed from the Ariba Sourcing Tool.

Failure to execute/sign proposal prior to submittal may render proposal invalid and it MAY BE REJECTED. Late proposals

shall not be accepted.

COMPLETE/FORMAL NAME OF VENDOR:

STREET ADDRESS:

P.O. BOX:

ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP:

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

TOLL FREE TEL. NO:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE (SEE INSTRUCTIONS TO VENDORS ITEM #21):

PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING ON BEHALF OF VENDOR:

VENDOR’S AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE*:

DATE:

EMAIL:

Ver: 11/2025

Proposal Number: 30-26195-DSDHH

Vendor: __________________________________________

VALIDITY PERIOD

Offer shall be valid for at least one hundred eighty (180) days from date of bid opening, unless otherwise stated here: ______ days, or if

extended by mutual agreement of the parties in writing. Any withdrawal of this offer shall be made in writing, effective upon receipt by the

agency issuing this RFP.

ACCEPTANCE OF PROPOSAL

If your proposal is accepted, all provisions of this RFP, along with the written results of any negotiations, shall constitute the written

agreement between the parties (“Contract”). The NORTH CAROLINA GENERAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS are incorporated herein and shall

apply. Depending upon the Goods or Services being offered, other terms and conditions may apply, as mutually agreed.

FOR STATE USE ONLY: Offer accepted and Contract awarded this________ day of __________, 20____, as indicated on

The attached certification, by ____________________________________________________________________.

(Authorized Representative of Division of Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing)

Ver: 11/2025

Proposal Number: 30-26195-DSDHH

Vendor: __________________________________________

Contents

1.0 PURPOSE AND BACKGROUND .............................................................................................5

1.1 CONTRACT TERM..................................................................................................................5

2.0 GENERAL INFORMATION.......................................................................................................5

2.1 REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL DOCUMENT .............................................................................5

2.2 E-PROCUREMENT FEE .........................................................................................................5

2.3 NOTICE TO VENDORS REGARDING RFP TERMS AND CONDITIONS ...............................6

2.4 RFP SCHEDULE .....................................................................................................................6

2.5 PROPOSAL QUESTIONS .......................................................................................................7

2.6 PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL .......................................................................................................7

2.7 PROPOSAL CONTENTS ........................................................................................................8

2.8 ALTERNATE PROPOSALS ....................................................................................................8

2.9 DEFINITIONS, ACRONYMS, AND ABBREVIATIONS............................................................8

3.0 METHOD OF AWARD AND PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS.....................................10

3.1 METHOD OF AWARD...........................................................................................................10

3.2 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION.......11

3.3 PROPOSAL EVALUATION PROCESS.................................................................................11

3.4 EVALUATION CRITERIA ......................................................................................................12

3.5 PERFORMANCE OUTSIDE THE UNITED STATES .............................................................12

3.6 INTERPRETATION OF TERMS AND PHRASES..................................................................13

4.0 REQUIREMENTS ...................................................................................................................13

4.1 PRICING................................................................................................................................13

4.2 FINANCIAL STABILITY ........................................................................................................13

4.3 HUB PARTICIPATION ..........................................................................................................13

4.4 VENDOR EXPERIENCE........................................................................................................13

4.5 PERSONNEL.........................................................................................................................14

4.6 VENDOR’S REPRESENTATIONS ........................................................................................14

4.7 AGENCY INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS MODIFICATION .................................................14

4.8 SUBCONTRACTORS............................................................................................................14

4.9 LOBBYING ACTIVITY CERTIFICATION FOR FEDERAL GRANTS.....................................14

4.10 SECRETRY OF STATE REGISTRATION .............................................................................15

5.0 SPECIFICATIONS AND SCOPE OF WORK ..........................................................................15

5.1 GENERAL .............................................................................................................................15

Ver: 11/2025

This page summarizes the opportunity, including an overview and a preview of the attached documents.

* Disclaimer: This website provides information about bids, requests for proposals (RFPs), or requests for qualifications (RFQs) for convenience only and does not serve as an official public notice. Individuals who wish to respond to or inquire about bids, RFPs, or RFQs should contact the relevant government department directly.

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30-26195-DSDHH - Telecommunications Relay Services - RFP

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