Appendix I
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Call center for the Migration and Citizenship service Business and techincal requirements
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This document is the property of the Council of Europe. It's a part of a consultation launched by the Project ‘’Strengthening Human Rights Safeguards for the Displaced Population in Armenia’’. The supplier will treat this document as strictly confidential. It may not be reproduced or communicated without the author's prior agreement. The content of this document will be disclosed to potential business partners in good faith by the supplier. No part of this document may, in itself, constitute a commitment of the Council of Europe or its staff.
COntents
1. Introduction........................................................................................................................................... 3
1.1 Purpose of the document............................................................................................................. 3
1.2 Reference Documents................................................................................................................. 3
1.3 Lexicon / Glossary........................................................................................................................ 3
2. Executive summary............................................................................................................................. 4
3. Background Information....................................................................................................................... 5
3.1 Project scope and Objectives....................................................................................................... 5
3.2 Identified stakeholders, users, roles & responsibilities.................................................................. 6
3.3 Replacement of existing / older systems...................................................................................... 7
4. Business Requirements........................................................................................................................ 7
4.1 DETAILED FUNCTIONAL REQUIREMENTS............................................................................ 8
4.2 User profiles................................................................................................................................ 10
5. Technical Requirements.................................................................................................................... 11
5.1 Operational environment Standards........................................................................................... 11
5.2 Hardware and infrastructure requirements................................................................................. 12
5.3 Access modes and security requirements................................................................................. 12
5.4 Business Continuity plan (Disaster recovery)............................................................................. 12
5.5 Maintenance and support........................................................................................................... 13
5.6 System Documentation.............................................................................................................. 13
6. User Documentation and Training Requirements.............................................................................. 13
13
This document presents the detailed business requirements for the Call Center for the Migration and Citizenship service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of the Republic of Armenia that will be delivered by the Strengthening Human Rights Safeguards for the Displaced Population in Armenia project.
List all documents describing the application and provide their hyperlink, for example, Business Requirements, User guide, etc. In connection with the various developments in the solution's "history", it may be helpful to provide a link to the detailed "delta" specifications drawn up for each project.
|
Name/Description |
Link to the document |
List all the specific terms and abbreviations used in the document.
|
Term |
Definition |
|
SLA |
Service level agreement |
The Project aims to provide tailored support to the Armenian authorities in addressing the needs of the displaced persons/refugees. Specific focus will be given to supporting the human rights institutions, in particular the Human Rights Defender’s Office (the Ombudsperson), and the Migration and Citizenship Service of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, in terms of strengthening professional capacities and building resilience in highly demanding, overwhelming situation, in light of a significant influx of displaced population due to the escalation in the long-standing conflict (according to official data provided by the Armenian Government, between 24 September and 4 October 2023, 100 632 ethnic Armenians, including 30 000 children arrived in Armenia from Karabakh). The Project will further support the advancement of the relevant legislative and policy framework to ensure the displaced people enjoy basic human rights, as guaranteed under the European Convention on Human Rights and other European standards. The Project will support the establishment of Coordination Platform, involving state agencies, human rights institutions, and civil society organisations to address displaced persons’ urgent and long-term needs. Considering the increased number of women, children (around 30,000), disabled people (16%), and the elderly, particular attention will be given to tailoring policies, frameworks, and practices to their specific needs.
The Project will be implemented in three following directions:
1. National authorities operate with advanced legislative and policy framework, related to the displaced persons, and deriving from the need to address certain challenges.
The primary focus of this component will be the Ombudsperson’s institution. The Project aims to assist the institution in establishing its operational processes and ensuring the proper distribution of work internally, including during emergency situations. This has proven to be critical in responding to the crisis that unfolded as a result of the influx of over 100,000 ethnic Armenians from Karabakh in 2023.
The regulatory framework of the Ombudsperson’s work, including the Constitutional Law of 16 December 2016 on the Human Rights Defender, will be revised, and recommendations will be presented to ensure its harmonisation with the Paris Principles and Venice Principles. Instruments, including guides, will be developed on how to handle sensitive information, such as data on juveniles and personal information, in emergency situations while complying with the duty of reporting on human rights violations. Expertise will be provided to ensure that displaced persons benefit from basic human rights under the European Convention.
The Migration and Citizenship Service, under the Ministry of Internal Affairs) played a crucial role in registering all 100,632 individuals displaced from Karabagh. To achieve this, 63 humanitarian centres were established to facilitate registration. The process was carried out in alignment with an internal system that was initially established during the 2020 crisis. This well-developed system ensured accurate processing and prevented duplicate registrations. While the system includes vulnerability screening and referrals, large influx of people made it difficult to conduct detailed vulnerability assessments. The Migration and Citizenship Service has expressed a keen interest in collaborating closely with the Council of Europe to enhance the capacity of their staff and explore the possibility of conducting specific surveys to identify potential victims of trafficking, violence, and abuse. This, in turn, would strengthen vulnerability assessment and referral procedures.
2. Legal professionals, relevant national authorities and civil society organisations operate with enhanced capacity while responding to the needs of the displaced population.
The Armenian authorities highlighted the complexity of handling over 100,000 persons. This influx is particularly significant, representing nearly 3% of Armenia’s total population. Consequently, it is essential to strengthen the skills of civil servants, legal professionals, local authorities, and civil society organizations—all of whom are addressing the issue from various perspectives. A specific emphasis will be placed on enhancing the capacity of the staff within the Ombudsperson’s Office, enabling them to conduct fact-finding visits and respond effectively to crisis situations. Furthermore, the Migration and Citizenship Service and other pertinent authorities will receive guidance on conducting and improving vulnerability assessments.
To foster knowledge exchange, peer-to-peer initiatives will be organised with Council of Europe member states that have developed and implemented successful practices. These exchanges may draw insights from countries such as the Republic of Moldova and Ukraine, offering valuable examples.
3. Access to information on the rights and available services is facilitated for the displaced persons.
The provision of information on the rights and available services to displaced persons is a key objective. This component is dedicated to streamlining information exchange among the main national partners, local authorities, and civil society organisations working on these issues. It will encompass the development of user-friendly resources covering temporary and long-term protection, housing, education, access to justice, social benefits, and access to the labour market, among others. A coordination platform will be established to ensure smooth information flow and improved exchange among state institutions, civil society organisations, and international partners.
The project aims to support the Migration and Citizenship service by implementing a software solution tailored for its newly established call centre, a key initiative falling under Outcome 2 of the Project. The Migration and Citizenship service is in the process of setting up a Call Center department, which will comprise 13 staff members, including both managerial roles and operators.
The decision to establish this call centre is rooted in the necessity to enhance accessibility and responsiveness to citizen inquiries and requests. By centralising communication channels through a dedicated call centre, the Migration and Citizenship service can ensure prompt handling of queries, minimising instances of missed calls and improving overall customer satisfaction. This proactive approach aligns with the service's commitment to delivering efficient and effective assistance to citizens navigating migration and citizenship processes.
Implementing the call centre software solution as part of the Council of Europe project on ‘’Strengthening the Human Rights Safeguards for the Displaced Population in Armenia’’ aligns with several critical business objectives of the Migration and Citizenship service. Firstly, it aims to significantly improve customer service by addressing citizen concerns regarding missed calls, ultimately enhancing overall satisfaction levels. By centralising communication channels, the project seeks to streamline workflow processes within the Migration and Citizenship service, leading to increased efficiency and productivity. Additionally, the project aims to bolster security measures by ensuring that citizen inquiries and requests are promptly and securely handled within the call centre framework.
Executing this project now is imperative due to the urgent need to address the challenges faced by the displaced population in Armenia. Delaying the implementation could exacerbate existing issues, potentially leading to further dissatisfaction among citizens seeking migration and citizenship services. Furthermore, postponing the project could prolong the inefficiencies and shortcomings of the current communication system, hindering the timely assistance required by the displaced population and other citizens alike.
Failure to execute the project could result in continued dissatisfaction among citizens due to missed calls and prolonged response times, further straining the already overwhelmed Migration and Citizenship service. This could potentially lead to a negative impact on the reputation of the service and undermine its ability to effectively address the needs of the displaced population and other vulnerable groups.
The primary beneficiaries of this project include the displaced population in Armenia, who will benefit from improved access to migration and citizenship services through the establishment of the call centre. While all citizens will benefit from enhanced customer service, it is crucial to recognise that the refugee population constitutes one of the main target groups for the call centre services. Therefore, prioritising this project is essential to address the immediate needs of the most vulnerable groups affected by the displacement crisis.
The Council of Europe will fund the operation of the software for 16 months only, after which the full operation of the call centre will be handled by the Migration and Citizenship service. This transition is crucial for the sustainability of the project, ensuring its continued operation beyond the initial funding period and reaffirming the commitment of the Migration and Citizenship service to maintaining improved communication channels for the benefit of all citizens, particularly the displaced population and other vulnerable groups.
1. Call Centre Operator:
· Receive incoming calls from citizens.
· Provide information and assistance regarding migration and citizenship services.
· Log call details and inquiries into the system.
· Escalate complex issues to higher authorities when necessary.
· Hand-off unresolved inquiries to other departments if needed.
2. Call Centre Supervisor:
· Monitor call centre operations.
· Provide support and guidance to operators.
· Review call logs and performance metrics.
· Escalate issues to management as necessary.
· Coordinate with IT for system maintenance and updates.
3. Head of Migration and Citizenship Service:
· Oversee the overall functioning of the call centre.
· Set performance targets and objectives.
· Review call centre reports and analytics.
· Allocate resources and personnel as needed.
· Ensure compliance with policies and regulations.
The below RACI table outlines the responsibilities of different stakeholders in various tasks, ensuring accountability and effective collaboration throughout the project.
|
Supplier |
Council of Europe |
Beneficiary IT |
Beneficiary Functional |
|
|
Installation |
R A |
I |
R |
I |
|
Testing |
R A |
I |
C |
C |
|
Training |
R A |
I |
C |
C |
|
Sign off |
R A |
I |
R |
R |
· R = Responsible: This team member does the work to complete the task.
· A = Accountable: This person delegates work and is the last one to review the task or deliverable before it’s deemed complete.
· C = Consulted: Every deliverable is strengthened by review and consultation from more than one team member.
· I = Informed: Informed stakeholders simply need to be kept in the loop on project progress, rather than roped into the details of every deliverable.
There is no existing call centre system in place within the Migration and Citizenship service. Therefore, the implementation of the new call centre software does not entail the replacement of an existing system.
Platform Requirements have been grouped into the following table. The table shows the general requirements for the (hereinafter PLATFORM).
The Bidder shall commit to every function/requirement in the given tables of this document and enclose the completed tables in their Bid.
The required functions/requirements marked with the letter “R” must be met. The requirements/functions that are optional, but desirable, are marked with the letter “O”. In the column “Bidder response”, the Bidder must state how the function/requirement will be met, by using the following marking system:
|
Bidder response |
Description of how the requirements shall be met |
|
A |
Exists as a function and is already implemented with at least one client – may be presented on the client’s premises |
|
B |
Exists as a function, but not implemented with any client – may be presented on the Bidder’s premises |
|
C |
Function requires little modification /programming and may be realized in a set time limit |
|
D |
Function cannot be met |
All the functions marked by the Bidder with A, B and C are the subjects of delivery and the Bidder must deliver these within the bid-price.
The total number of General and Functional requirements is 77, majority of which are required.
|
Reference number |
Functional requirements |
Required / optional |
Bidder response (A-D) |
|
GR01 |
Smart Routing of Calls: Implement intelligent call routing algorithms that consider various factors such as caller history, issue type, and operator skills. Smart routing ensures that calls are directed to the most suitable operator, improving first-call resolution rates. |
R |
|
|
GR02 |
Call Matching Based on Operator and Call Skills: Enable the system to match incoming calls with operators based on their specific skills and expertise. This ensures that calls are directed to operators who are best equipped to handle particular types of queries or issues. |
R |
|
|
GR03 |
Automatic Call Distribution (ACD): Implement ACD to automatically distribute incoming calls among available agents. The system should consider factors like workload, skill set, and historical performance to optimize call distribution. |
R |
|
|
GR04 |
Campaign Management: Incorporate campaign management capabilities to handle outbound calls for specific initiatives, promotions, or surveys. The system should support the creation, scheduling, and tracking of outbound call campaigns. |
R |
|
|
GR05 |
Matching the Call to the Last Operator Served: Ensure that the system can match incoming calls to the last operator who served the caller (if applicable). This feature enhances continuity and customer experience by connecting callers with familiar operators. |
R |
|
|
GR06 |
Auto reply: Provide an opportunity for the auto-reply for the non-working days and hours informing about the workings days/hours. |
R |
|
|
GR07 |
Call Back Function: Implement a call back function that allows callers to request a callback instead of waiting on hold. The system should schedule and initiate callbacks, considering the availability of both operators and callers. |
R |
|
|
GR08 |
Call Forwarding and Transfer: Enable call forwarding and transfer features to facilitate seamless collaboration among operators. Calls should be transferable between different operators or departments with minimal disruption to the caller. |
R |
|
|
GR09 |
Call Analytics: Include call analytics tools to track and analyse call performance metrics. This should encompass data on call duration, wait times, call resolutions, and other relevant KPIs to identify areas for improvement. |
R |
|
|
GR10 |
Real-time and Historical Reporting: Implement both real-time and historical reporting features. Real-time reporting should provide instantaneous insights into ongoing call centre operations, while historical reporting allows for trend analysis and performance evaluation over specific time periods. |
R |
|
|
GR11 |
Reports on Operator Activity: Generate comprehensive reports on operator activity, including but not limited to: 1. Call handling times 2. Number of calls handled 3. Break and idle times 4. Call resolutions 5. Customer satisfaction ratings |
R |
|
|
GR12 |
Reports on Task Resolution capturing information on: 1. Types of issues addressed 2. Average resolution times 3. Escalations and reassignments 4. Trends in task resolution efficiency |
R |
|
|
GR 13 |
Security and Access Controls: Implement robust security measures to protect sensitive call center data. Access controls should be in place to restrict access to reports based on roles and responsibilities, ensuring that only authorized personnel can view or modify sensitive information. |
R |
|
|
GR14 |
Call Recordings and Download Capability, including: 1. Archive call recordings securely 2. Provide authorized personnel with the capability to download call recordings for quality assessment and training purposes. |
R |
|
|
GR15 |
Data Collection and Reporting: The system should provide functionality for categorizing and tracking different types of issues raised by citizens. This categorization must allow for detailed insights into the nature of queries and problems encountered by users. The system must support the collection and analysis of demographic information about citizens. This should include but not be limited to: 1. Age 2. Gender 3. Geographic location It is expected that the service provider will work closely with the Migration and Citizenship service to suggest the most fesable solution for the data collection. |
O |
|
|
GR16 |
Data Privacy and Security: Ensure that the system adheres to the highest standards of data privacy and security. It must comply with relevant regulations, and measures should be in place to safeguard the confidentiality and integrity of disaggregated data. |
R |
|
|
GR17 |
Silent Monitoring and Operator Guidance: The contact centre system should include a silent monitoring feature that allows supervisors or designated personnel to listen to ongoing calls. Additionally, the system should provide a capability for supervisors to provide real-time instructions or guidance to operators without being detected by the caller. |
R |
Operator
The Operator role access should be restricted to Calls section.
When the integration with other systems such as Mulberry, Email server, CRM will be implemented, the Operator role should also gain access to the corresponding sections of the software.
Supervisor
With Supervisor role it should be possible to access all functionality available for Operator, plus additional sections such as call monitoring and guidance section, some of the reports in analytics section, real-time reporting section.
Administrator
With Administrator role it should be possible to access all features of the system, in particular create new user accounts, access recorded data, view all reports in analytics section.
It should be possible to control the access rights for the above mentioned roles based on operational business requirements.
Scalability
The proposed software should initially support minimum 8-10 parallel connections with further scaling possibility to handle larger call volumes without affecting the calls quality and system performance. The bidder should clearly state the limit of parallel connections of the proposed software and describe the scaling potential.
Performance
The proposed software should be configurable for low latency for data and voice transmission to ensure high-quality communication without interruptions.
APIs Integration
The architecture of the proposed software should support enabling APIs for integration with other systems in the future. The systems should include but not be limited to Mulberry, CRM of the Migration and Citizenship Service, Mail Server of the Migration and Citizenship Service. The integration will be used to automate the ticketing processes, enhance the call center service experience with automatic caller identification based on the phone number, automate e-mailing processes. The bidder is required to list the current available data APIs and describe the potential for further specific requests.
Data Backup
The proposed software should support regular data backups to prevent data loss.
User Experience
The proposed software should have an intuitive, user-friendly interfaces for all user roles, including Operators, Supervisor and Administrator. It is highly preferable that all interfaces be in Armenian language for fast and easy on-boarding of the new staff members in the future. The bidder is required to submit screenshots of the proposed software user interfaces together with the proposal.
System Monitoring
The proposed software should have tools for real-time monitoring of call quality, operator performance, and system health. In case of interruptions in the system processes corresponding logs should be generated for further audit and fixing.
Infrastructure requirements
Considering internet broadband connection speed and uptime requirements, the recorded data sensitivity and the overall accessibility the Migration and Citizenship Service envisages that the contact center software will be deployed on EKENG data center infrastructure.
The provider will be responsible for the installation and configuration of the proposed software on the Migration and Citizenship Service’s server.
In case the software solution is a self-hosted cloud solution, the bidder is required to provide a detailed information regarding internet dedicated and guaranteed bandwidth, uptime, 24/7 physical accessibility, information security standards (ISO 27001, SOC 2 or equivalent).
Please note, that based on the above mentioned considerations, the software solution could be hosted only in the infrastructure physically based in Armenia.
Hardware requirements
The bidder should submit a detailed hardware requirement for the proposed software solution taking into account all the requirements mentioned in Functional and Technical requirements sections. This should include:
· Number and minimal performance requirements of the dedicated PCs/Servers to run the software without interruptions.
· External or internal storage devices required for data recordings and backups. Provide an approximate indication of storage volumes required for one-week data recording and backup.
· Please indicate the minimal internet connection guaranteed bandwidth necessary for the mentioned requirements (in particular 8-10 parallel calls).
List all specific hardware devices which are an essential part of your software and are included with the proposal.
Data Security
In transit data should be encrypted using TLS/SSL protocols. The proposed software should provide possibility for the recorded data encryption using AES-256 or equivalent.
Access Control
The proposed software should support role-based access control and two-factor (2FA) authentication to ensure only authorized personnel can access sensitive data.
In case of self-hosted software solution, describe standard policies, procedures and practices that your company has put in place to resume contact center’s critical operations after a Natural or Man-made disaster.
The proposal must include one-year support and maintenance services. The support services should start after the testing period completion. The support and maintenance services should include:
· Troubleshooting and fast solution in case of software failures
· Availability of the provider’s staff members to solve the possible issues of the software by physically visiting the deployment premises if necessary
· Ongoing updates and patches to address possible security vulnerabilities and functionality improvements
· Provide ongoing support to the Migration and Citizenship Service staff with software usage questions or issues
· Provide support in integrating contact center software with other systems such as Mulberry, CRM, Mail server
The bidder is required to indicate their standard SLA terms in case of software failures or shortcomings.
The proposed software should be supported by detailed documentation in Armenian, which should cover:
· Functional description of the software
· User manual (cf user documentation & training requirements chapter)
If the proposed software is not self-hosted, then the following additional documentation should be provided:
· Technical requirements for the hardware and software (OS, libraries)
· Installation manual
Training and testing
The service provider must conduct a comprehensive training program for the contact centre manager. Also, should provide a separate training program for contact centre operators. Training material, including documentation and presentations, should be provided in written form, preferably in PowerPoint (PPT) format. This will enable the Migration and Citizenship Service to utilize the material for future training sessions and onboarding of new staff members.
The service provider should offer a testing period to ensure that the contact centre solution meets the specified requirements.
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