Description
The Public Utility Commission of Texas is seeking a contractor to manage and operate the Audio Newspaper Assistance Program, a free telephone-based service that provides blind and visually impaired persons access to the text of newspapers using synthetic speech. The contractor will be responsible for establishing and operating all aspects of the program, including creating or obtaining necessary hardware, software, and licenses, and ensuring compliance with relevant laws and regulations. The contract is expected to be for a four-year period, with no option for renewal. The contractor will be required to provide monthly reports, quarterly reports, and annual reports, and to maintain a minimum of 99% operationality for the system and its call features.
Key responsibilities of the contractor will include:
• Providing access to the content of at least 10 Texas newspapers and any national newspapers
• Ensuring the system is operational 99% of the time or more
• Providing a variety of menu choices and navigation features to help users navigate through menu items or articles
• Offering adjustable speaking rates and voice selections
• Providing commands for obtaining help, searching text, and spelling text
• Allowing users to interrupt the presentation and return to the information being read at the same place the user left off when the help, search, or spell command is activated
• Providing customer service representatives available during business hours
The contractor will also be required to develop and implement a 4-year marketing plan to increase participation in the program.