Document ID: EPA-HQ-OLEM-2016-0177-0026
Agency: epa
Document Type: Supporting & Related Material
Title: 
Posted Date: 2016-07-26T04:00Z

e-Manifest Technical Architecture
                              Helpdesk Operations
                                       
                                       
                                       
                               Final Version 1.0
                               November 5, 2014
                                       
REVISION HISTORY

Version
Date
Name of Author
Summary of Changes
                                      1.0
                                    8/25/14
                               Christopher Ludwa
                                   Original
                                      1.0
                                    11/5/14
                               Christopher Ludwa
                                     Final
                                       
                                       
                                       

                               Executive Summary
EPA, in coordination with States, industry and related stakeholders, is developing a national electronic manifest (e-Manifest) system that would facilitate the electronic transmission of the uniform manifest form and make the use of the manifest much more cost-effective and convenient for users. The e-Manifest system will have a dedicated Helpdesk to assist users with use of the system and facilitate the reporting of system issues to development staff.
This document describes the proposed operations of the e-Manifest Helpdesk, including an estimate of tickets that the Helpdesk is likely to receive, the tiering structure, handling of tickets related to the paper manifest, the interface with other helpdesks, the avenues for receiving tickets from users, and a cost estimate to establish and maintain a dedicated Helpdesk. This document also clearly identifies the requirements that will be established in a Request for Proposals (RFP) and resulting contract issued by EPA to operate the e-Manifest Helpdesk.

Table of Contents
Executive Summary	3
1.0	Overall Recommended Layout for the Helpdesk	7
1.1	Hours of Operation	7
1.2	Basic Operations	8
1.3	Coordination with EPA	9
2.0	Review of Helpdesk Software	9
2.1	Software Capabilities	10
2.2	Knowledgebase	10
3.0	Estimated Ticket Volume and Labor Hours Needed to Resolve the Tickets	11
3.1	Estimated Ticket Volume	11
3.2	Labor Hours Needed to Resolve the Tickets	13
4.0	Tiering Structure	14
4.1	Basic Tiering Structure	14
4.2	Responsibilities or Services Provided by Each Tier	15
5.0	Personnel	16
5.1	Number of Personnel	16
5.2	Experience and Education	16
5.3	Knowledge and Demeanor	16
5.4	Training	17
5.5	Identification of Contractor Personnel	17
6.0	Paper Manifest Processing	18
7.0	Interface with Central Data Exchange (CDX) Help Desk and Other EPA Helpdesks	19
8.0	Integration of States to Address Programmatic and State-Specific Questions	20
9.0	Avenues for Receiving Tickets	21
9.1	Automated Telephone Response	21
9.2	Live Telephone Response	22
9.3	Electronic Correspondence	23
9.4	Chat	24
9.5	Directly Through the e-Manifest System	24
9.6	Social Media	25
9.7	Mobile Application (App)	25
10.0	Cost Estimate to Establish and Maintain a Dedicated Helpdesk	26
10.1	Calculations	26
10.2	Assumptions	27
11.0	Scope or Topics Covered	28
12.0	Quality Control Structure	29
Appendix A  -  Hazardous Waste Manifest and Continuation Sheet Examples	32
Appendix B  -  Helpdesk Software	35
Appendix C  -  Helpdesk Ticket Volumes	37
Appendix D  -  Cost Estimate	38

EXHIBITS

TABLES
Table 3-1: Annual Labor Hours at Certain e-Manifest System Adoption Levels.......................	14
Table 5-1: FTE at Certain e-Manifest System Adoption Levels .......................................	16
Table 10-1: Agents Needed at Certain Ticket Levels....................................................	26
Table 10-2: Ticket Volume for Each Level of User Adoption.........................................	27
Table 10-3: Annual Cost for Each Level of User Adoption ............................................	27
Table 12-1: Accuracy Payments and Penalties ...........................................................	30
Overall Recommended Layout for the Helpdesk
EPA, in coordination with States, industry and related stakeholders, is developing a national electronic manifest (e-Manifest) system that would facilitate the electronic transmission of the uniform manifest form. The hazardous waste manifest and manifest continuation sheet, EPA Forms 8700-22 and 8700-22A, are a relatively unique EPA form or report (current example versions provided in Appendix A). It accompanies the transportation of hazardous waste 24 hours a day and requires the signature of all individuals involved in the chain of custody, as opposed to a one-time or annual submission. The manifest requirements also apply to a very wide, diverse range of stakeholders, from large commercial treatment, storage, and disposal facilities (TSDFs) to small, family owned hazardous waste generators. As a result, the e-Manifest system will also be a unique information technology (IT) system with unique functions and requirements. Therefore, it will be important to have a resource dedicated to assisting the wide range of users that will use and interact with the system.
In order to accommodate the unique aspects of the e-Manifest system, the Helpdesk will need to tailor its operations to provide the best possible support for users. In addition to standard business hours, the Helpdesk may need to be available at some capacity 24 hours a day to support the constant transportation industry (subject to available resources). Along with standard means of receiving tickets from users such as telephone and e-mail, the Helpdesk may need to offer support through chat, directly through the system, social media, and/or a mobile application. The Helpdesk will need to be able to communicate effectively and courteously with the wide range of stakeholders that will be using the e-Manifest system. Finally, as the e-Manifest system is developed, implemented, and refined, the contractor operating the Helpdesk will need to be flexible and coordinate closely with EPA to ensure a high level of service for users.
Hours of Operation
As resources allow, EPA currently envisions that the e-Manifest Helpdesk shall be available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year to answer questions from the hazardous waste industry. The Helpdesk shall be available Monday through Friday from the hours of 7am to 9pm Eastern Time (ET) for State agencies, consultants, and the general public (peak hours). During off-peak hours, if callers do not identify their organizational affiliation, Helpdesk agents will need to ask their affiliation and direct all non-industry callers to call back during peak hours. Telephone lines will be open to communicate routine information via recorded messages 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk telephone lines will provide information via recorded messages 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.
TBD
If resources allow and as specified by EPA, Helpdesk agents will be available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year for industry; Monday through Friday, from the hours of 7am to 9pm Eastern Time for States and the general public.
Basic Operations
During scheduled operational hours, the Helpdesk shall not be shut down without prior approval from the EPA Project Officer or Contracting Officer, except for an emergency, such as a fire or fire alarm in the building, local severe weather conditions, or other local disasters. This requirement will be evaluated using quality control (QC) review methods and the service level agreement (SLA) for call center availability.
The primary language for spoken and written communication shall be English; however, the contractor shall have the capability to receive and respond to inquiries from Spanish-speaking users.  The contractor doesn't necessarily have to provide real-time assistance or designate a separate Helpdesk agent for Spanish inquiries; this capability may be accomplished through voicemail, a callback system, or other means.
EPA strongly prefers that the contractor that operates the Helpdesk be an American company and the physical location be in the United States.
The Helpdesk must be available to support initial testing and development of the e-Manifest system, as well as testing and development of new versions after initial deployment, to identify potential Helpdesk problems or questions and the appropriate means for resolution.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk shall not be shut down for any reason other than a bona fide emergency.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall have the ability to communicate in both English and Spanish.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall be available to support testing and development of the e-Manifest system.
Coordination with EPA
Due to the unknown inquiry volume that the Helpdesk is expected to receive, the likely surge of inquiries expected as users initially adapt the e-Manifest and paper processing process, and the unique requirements of the hazardous waste manifest process, the Helpdesk contractor must be flexible and will need to coordinate closely with EPA. Additionally, due to the 24-hour nature of the hazardous waste transportation industry, the contractor must be able to provide support off-hours such as weekday nights, weekends, and holidays.
To facilitate this coordination, during the testing and development phase and for the first 6 months after system launch, the Helpdesk contractor must participate in daily conference calls and weekly in-person meetings. During the testing and development phase, the purpose of these calls will be to identify potential Helpdesk questions or problems that will arise and the appropriate means for resolution. After system launch, the purpose of these meetings will be to go over a weekly status report that should include call metrics, staffing levels, top 10 frequently asked questions (FAQs), and any other questions or concerns.
The Helpdesk will also provide daily raw call metric reports by 9am ET to the EPA Project Officer and other designated EPA staff as well as summaries on a weekly and monthly basis. Raw call metrics and summaries of call metrics shall include at a minimum call volume, wait times, abandonment rate, and other metrics to be specified by the EPA Project Officer.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk shall be flexible and coordinate closely with EPA.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall participate in daily conference calls and weekly in-person meetings.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall provide daily raw call metric reports by 9am ET to the EPA Project Officer and designated EPA staff as well as summaries on a weekly and monthly basis.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall provide a weekly status report that includes a summary of call metrics, staffing levels, top 10 FAQs or topics, and any other issues or concerns.
1.0 
Review of Helpdesk Software
The e-Manifest Helpdesk contractor will need to utilize software to effectively and efficiently perform its operations. Appendix A provides a list of software options, which was developed using a review of the software programs currently in use by other EPA programs and other industry products available.  The Helpdesk contractor must either utilize one of the programs from the list in Appendix A or review the list and state why an alternative, unlisted product is superior to the ones listed in Appendix A.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk must utilize a software program from Appendix A or state why the product that they use is superior.
Software Capabilities
Based on the expected functions of the Helpdesk, the software will need to have the following capabilities:
   * Ability to accept, process, and send outgoing electronic correspondence
   * Ability to track questions received via telephone including the creation of tickets from voicemails and providing a voicemail to text copy of the voicemails in the ticket
   * Ability to track tickets received electronically and chat sessions
   * Ability to support workflow processes for tickets that requiring escalation
   * Ability to integrate/coordinate with other helpdesks
   * Date- and time-stamp capabilities
   * Ability to create, manage, and publish FAQs to a knowledgebase
Knowledgebase
As part of its operations, the Helpdesk shall be responsible for using the selected software program to maintain a knowledgebase of FAQs related to the e-Manifests system. During testing and development of the e-Manifest system, the Helpdesk contractor shall work with EPA to develop an initial set of FAQs in the knowledgebase. After initial launch of the e-Manifest system, the contractor will be responsible for maintaining the knowledgebase and creating new FAQs as new questions arise. When writing an FAQ, the contractor must do a review to ensure that the FAQ is not a duplicate or state conflicting information from any other FAQs.
Also upon activation of the system, all tickets (phone, e-mail, etc.) closed by the helpdesk must refer to at least one knowledgebase FAQ. To measure performance against this requirement, the contractor will be required to track the percentage of tickets that refer to a knowledge base FAQ. For tickets that do not have a relevant knowledge base FAQ that addresses the topic, the contractor must create an FAQ and add it to the ticket. Regardless of the number of tickets that do not have an existing knowledgebase FAQ, the contractor must create at least 3 new FAQs each month.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
100% of tickets closed by the Helpdesk must refer to at least one knowledgebase FAQ, unless a relevant one does not exist.
TBD
For tickets where a knowledgebase FAQ does not exist, an FAQ must be created and added to the ticket.
TBD
The Helpdesk must create at least 3 FAQs each month to ensure that the FAQ database does not go stale and is constantly fresh.
2.0 
Estimated Ticket Volume and Labor Hours Needed to Resolve the Tickets
The single most important factor in planning to operate a helpdesk or hotline is the number of tickets that it will receive. The volume of tickets that a helpdesk receives will determine the labor hours needed to the resolve the tickets; the type, size, and cost of software need to respond to inquiries; and the cost to operate the helpdesk.
Estimated Ticket Volume
In estimating the ticket volume that will be received by the e-Manifest Helpdesk, there are several factors that could significantly affect this volume, including:
      * The percentage of TSDFs that are submitting paper manifests for processing and that contact the Helpdesk
      * The percentage of the total number of manifest stakeholders that adopt use of the e-Manifest system
      * The number of individual users for each stakeholder that utilizes the system
      * The use of new electronic signature methods to sign the e-manifest that have not been used for signature of EPA forms
      * The percentage of e-Manifest users that contact the Helpdesk
      * The fact that there is a highly variable set of stakeholders, especially small generators
      * A likely initial surge in tickets received by the Helpdesk after the e-Manifest system is launched.
To extrapolate a reasonable range for the estimated ticket volume that the Helpdesk will receive, a set of statistics from several EPA helpdesks and regulatory call centers is provided in Appendix B. Another solution for estimating ticket volume the e-Manifest Helpdesk will receive is to analyze the volume of tickets received by existing helpdesks that support State manifest systems or hotlines that support State manifest programs. This State data should be used in addition to other methods of estimating the ticket volume for e-Manifest since there is limited data available from the States. During a stakeholder meeting on July 2, 2014, New Jersey indicated that staff respond to 1,300-1,400 calls annually, covering all environmental topics addressed by their hotline. During the same meeting, Michigan, Minnesota, and Maine indicated that the number of staff that supported their hotlines ranged from 8 to 16 to answer all RCRA calls, 5 staff specifically available to answer manifest and site ID questions.
It should be noted that the volume of tickets received by other EPA helpdesks and call centers and volume received by State helpdesks represents the volume received regarding systems or programs that are at a steady state. In other words, the IT system or regulatory program has been established for a number of years and stakeholders have had time to become familiar with it. Based on this data, it is estimated that the e-Manifest Helpdesk could receive as many as 24,000 tickets annually once the e-Manifest system reaches a steady state (the CDX Help Desk received a higher volume, but it covers over 70 systems either in production or test). Until the e-Manifest system reaches this steady state, the number of tickets received by the Helpdesk will likely be higher upon initial deployment of the e-Manifest system but will also be largely dependent on the percentage of users that adopt use of the system.
Another option for estimating the ticket volume that the e-Manifest Helpdesk will receive is to estimate the number of users of the e-Manifest system and how many will subsequently contact the Helpdesk. The e-Manifest cost benefit analysis (CBA) estimates that there will be 171,941 stakeholders in 2015, assumed to be the year that the e-Manifest Helpdesk will begin operations to provide support during development of the e-Manifest system. This stakeholder number includes hazardous waste generators, transporters, and TSDFs, as well as brokers or service providers that support these parties. There will be some stakeholders that will have more than one individual user of the system; however, it is unknown how many stakeholders will have multiple users and therefore the total number of industry users is also unknown. Also, even if multiple users exist for a given stakeholder, only one user may contact the Helpdesk for assistance such as in the case of a question or problem with the submission of a particular electronic manifest. Therefore, the total number of possible users of the e-Manifest system in 2015 is assumed to be the same as the number of industry stakeholders, 171,941. Applying assumed values for the percentage of users that actually adopt the use of the system, the number of adopted users that contact the Helpdesk, and a likely initial increase or surge due to the system being new, an estimate of the number of tickets can be developed. Table 10-2 presents three estimates based on the percentage of system adoption: the estimated ticket volume for a 10% adoption level is approximately 9,585; the volume for a 25% adoption level is 23,963; and the volume for a 40% adoption level is 38,340.
In addition to industry users, there will also likely be at least one user per State and EPA Regional office that will be using the e-Manifest system and potentially contacting the Helpdesk. Again, the exact number of State and EPA Regional users of the system is currently unknown. In addition, even if there are multiple users per State or EPA Region, this number will be minor compared to the number of industry users and therefore is not included in calculating the estimated ticket volume.
Labor Hours Needed to Resolve the Tickets
Due to the difficulty in developing a reliable estimate of the number of tickets that the e-Manifest Helpdesk will receive, EPA could benefit from implementing a banding strategy when issuing the RFP for operation of the Helpdesk. In this strategy, EPA would request the contractor to provide a cost estimate for certain bands, or levels, of service. EPA could develop these bands based on a number of assumptions (provided in Section 10.2) and possible levels of adoption of the e-Manifest system. Using this strategy, Table 3-1 presents the annual number of labor hours that would be needed to meet the Helpdesk performance requirements (primarily the percentage of calls answered within a specified time). These hours were developed as part of the cost estimates in Appendix C.
Table 3-1: Annual Labor Hours at Certain e-Manifest System Adoption Levels
Metric
10% Adoption
25% Adoption
40% Adoption
Tier 1 Hours, 7am-9pm, M-F
                                                                        6,652.8
                                                                        9,979.2
                                                                       13,305.6
Tier 1 Hours, All Other Times
                                                                        4,708.8
                                                                        4,708.8
                                                                        4,708.8
Total Tier 1 Hours
                                                                       11,361.6
                                                                       14,688.0
                                                                       18,014.4
Tier 2 Hours, 7am-9pm, M-F
                                                                          739.2
                                                                        1,108.8
                                                                        1,478.4
Tier 2 Hours, All Other Times
                                                                          523.2
                                                                          523.2
                                                                          523.2
Total Tier 2 Hours
                                                                        1,262.4
                                                                        1,632.0
                                                                        2,001.6
Total Tier 1 and 2 Hours
                                                                       12,624.0
                                                                       16,320.0
                                                                       20,016.0
3.0 
Tiering Structure
In order to efficiently route tickets to individuals that are best suited to handling them, the Helpdesk shall establish an appropriate tiering structure.
Basic Tiering Structure
Based on the expected range of possible tickets that the e-Manifest Helpdesk would need to handle, the Helpdesk contractor shall establish two tiers, Tier 1 and Tier 2, to handle tickets and be able to coordinate with the e-Manifest development team (Tier 3).  Tier 1 Helpdesk agents shall receive and initially attempt to resolve all tickets and should be adequately trained to recognize tickets that would more appropriately handled by Tier 2 Helpdesk agents or that should be referred to Tier 3.  Upon award of the Helpdesk contract, the contractor shall work with EPA to develop a standard operating procedure (SOP) for triaging calls amongst different tiers of Helpdesk level.
Under this tiering structure, 90% of total contacts must be resolved at the Tier I level. First contact completion applies when the first person that the customer reaches answers the question, resolves the problem or dispatches service where appropriate.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
90% of total contacts must be resolved at the Tier I level.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall create an SOP for triaging calls.
Responsibilities or Services Provided by Each Tier
Based on an analysis of the types of calls that the Helpdesk may receive, the contractor can expect to address the following topics under each service Tier:

Tier 1
   * Password resets
   * User account maintenance
   * Basic electronic manifest creation, transmission, and submission
   * General questions about where to send paper manifests, data files, and images
   * General questions about how to submit paper manifests, e.g. which documents to send
   * Confirmation of known system tickets and any possible workarounds
   * Data access and reporting
   * Other paper documents received with the paper manifest
   * Electronic signatures
Tier 2
   * Fee questions
   * Lost manifests
Tier 3
   * Technical issues or glitches that require system or development changes
   * Questions or comments regarding a new system release
   * Issues identified by the paper processing center such as incorrect validation rules and issues with XML
Although this list provides a general approach, questions regarding an individual topic would not always be handled by the same Tier. The need to escalate a call or ticket would depend on several question-specific factors, such as the urgency of the question, the circumstances of the topic, and whether it has been reported previously.
4.0 
Personnel
The operation of a Helpdesk relies on effective communication and customer service; therefore, the people that are selected to operate the Helpdesk are the most important factor in ensuring successful operations.
Number of Personnel
As described above in Section 3.2, estimates for labor hours were developed for three levels of adoption of the e-Manifest system. These labor hours can then be used to determine the full-time equivalent (FTE) personnel needed for each level of the Helpdesk:
Table 5-1: FTE at Certain e-Manifest System Adoption Levels
Metric
10% Adoption
25% Adoption
40% Adoption
Total Tier 1 FTE
                                                                            5.5
                                                                            7.1
                                                                            8.7
Total Tier 2 FTE
                                                                            0.6
                                                                            0.8
                                                                            1.0

Based on the need to operate the Helpdesk 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for industry, the labor hours would likely need to spread over several more manageable Helpdesk shifts handled by multiple personnel, as displayed in the cost estimates in Appendix C.
Experience and Education
All personnel assigned to the Helpdesk shall have appropriate professional experience and education to ensure that the contractor meets the performance standards, requirements, and SLAs described in this document and specified in the Helpdesk contract.

Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
All Helpdesk personnel shall have appropriate professional experience and education to ensure that the contractor meets the contractual performance standards, requirements, and SLAs.
Knowledge and Demeanor
In addition to education and experience, the contractor shall ensure that all personnel assigned to the e-Manifest Helpdesk are proficient in reading, writing and speaking English, and be able to communicate clearly and effectively with users.  As noted in Section 1.2, the Helpdesk shall have the ability to receive and respond to inquiries from Spanish-speaking users; therefore, at least one individual should be proficient in reading, writing, and speaking Spanish.
Personnel shall also possess the requisite knowledge and skills to receive tickets, perform required processing and research functions (including the ability to read and comprehend EPA technical documents), and provide complete, accurate, and concise responses. Personnel shall also have demeanors that are conducive to this type of work (i.e., customer service focus, professionalism, cooperativeness, a positive attitude, and a willingness to provide assistance). EPA will evaluate this requirement using QC review methods, e.g., EPA will evaluate customer service during test calls and have the ability to administer or receive audio copies of these test calls.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
All Helpdesk personnel shall have the appropriate knowledge, demeanor, and training conducive to operating the Helpdesk.
TBD
All Helpdesk personnel shall be proficient in reading, writing and speaking English, and be able to communicate clearly and effectively with users.
TBD
At least one Helpdesk agent should be proficient in reading, writing, and speaking Spanish.
TBD
EPA shall have the ability to administer or receive audio copies of test calls.
Training
The contractor shall ensure their employees have adequate training to carry out all requirements associated with operating the Helpdesk and will be responsible for training Helpdesk staff to respond to information requests on all technical topics covered by the Helpdesk. EPA will evaluate this requirement using QC review methods, e.g., EPA may join and audit contractor trainings.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The contractor shall ensure their employees have adequate training to carry out all requirements associated with operating the Helpdesk.
Identification of Contractor Personnel
At the commencement of all interactions, contractor personnel shall identify themselves as EPA contractors. This applies to both oral and written communications. It is especially relevant when answering the telephone (a recorded message at the beginning of each Helpdesk call shall be used for identification purposes), placing follow-up calls to requesters, or when placing "research calls" to gather information for a response.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
Contractor personnel shall identify themselves as EPA contractors in all oral and written communications through the Helpdesk.
5.0 
Paper Manifest Processing
The e-Manifest system will be optional for the regulated community, which means that the regulated community will have the option to continue to submit manifests on paper. Users will be required to submit the paper manifests to EPA, whereas the paper manifests are currently being submitted to the States. To handle the paper manifests, EPA will establish a Paper Processing Center to manually input data from typed or handwritten manifests into the e-Manifest system. To effectively support the processing of paper manifests that EPA will continue to receive, the e-Manifest Helpdesk will need to be familiar with the basic process for submitting paper manifests and coordinate closely with the staff that operates the manifest Paper Processing Center.
Calls received based on the paper manifest shall be initially processed in much the same manner as calls related to electronic manifests: Tier 1 agents will attempt to assist the user with the question and escalate any tickets that cannot be resolved to the Tier 2 level. The Helpdesk can provide assistance with general questions about where to send paper manifests, data files, and images and general questions about how to submit paper manifests, e.g., which documents to send. However, the Helpdesk will not answer questions about specific paper manifests; the Paper Processing Center will be in charge of issues identified with specific manifests. Therefore, any questions or tickets regarding receipt of specific paper manifests by the EPA Paper Processing Center will require the Helpdesk to route the question to the Paper Processing Center. The Helpdesk should also direct any questions regarding the quality assurance and correction processes for paper manifests to the Paper Processing Center. Additional information about the procedures for the Paper Processing Center is available in the e-Manifest Paper Processing Operations Document and Cost Model.
To improve coordination with the Paper Processing Center, the Helpdesk shall designate at least one individual to serve as a coordinator with the center and maintain a close working relationship.
Furthermore, the e-Manifest Helpdesk will not answer questions about the completion of specific fields on the paper manifest. Such questions should be transferred or referred to either the EPA regulatory resource described above or to the State contract, as described in Section 8.0 below.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk shall coordinate closely with the manifest Paper Processing Center.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall designate at least one individual to serve as a coordinator with the Paper Processing Center and maintain a close working relationship.
6.0 
Interface with Central Data Exchange (CDX) Help Desk and Other EPA Helpdesks
EPA requires the e-Manifest Helpdesk contractor to establish a set of SOPs for interfacing with other EPA helpdesks and hotlines. Due to the fact that the e-Manifest system will utilize CDX, the most frequent interactions will most likely involve the CDX Help Desk. Examples of topics that might require interaction with the CDX Help Desk include but are not limited to user registration and electronic signatures. Furthermore, the e-Manifest system may make use of CDX Web Services; if those services are down, the e-Manifest Helpdesk would need to be notified so Helpdesk personnel can help users. In general, the e-Manifest Helpdesk must be constantly aware of areas of the system that may not be functioning on a daily basis and report any CDX services that are not functioning to the CDX Help Desk.
The Helpdesk contractor shall add a message on the phone tree and establish a standard procedure for Helpdesk agents to direct callers with CDX issues to contact the CDX Help Desk. For better customer service, EPA requires that e-Manifest Helpdesk agents provide an option to directly connect callers to the CDX Help Desk. For tickets or other electronic correspondence regarding a CDX issue, e-Manifest Helpdesk agents shall directly transfer the tickets if both helpdesks are using the same software; otherwise, they will need to send the ticket via e-mail to the CDX Help Desk. The e-Manifest Helpdesk shall follow the same procedures when transferring callers or tickets to other EPA helpdesks or hotlines.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
Helpdesk agents must directly connect callers when transferring to another EPA helpdesk and remain on the line to ensure that the person is connected.
7.0 
Integration of States to Address Programmatic and State-Specific Questions
EPA requires the e-Manifest Helpdesk contractor to establish an SOP for addressing RCRA regulatory or programmatic questions and State-specific questions. EPA requires the Helpdesk contractor to add a message on the phone tree and establish a standard procedure for Helpdesk agents to direct callers with hazardous waste manifesting or general RCRA regulatory or programmatic questions related to national policy, or callers that wish to contact EPA regarding RCRA regulatory or programmatic questions, to the appropriate resource for these questions.  This resource is currently the Waste Department of EPA's Electronic Customer Service Solution (ECSS) at http://waste.supportportal.com. For tickets or other electronic correspondence regarding RCRA regulatory or programmatic questions that should be addressed by EPA, e-Manifest Helpdesk agents shall directly transfer the tickets if both helpdesks are using the same software; otherwise, they will need to send the ticket to the Waste Department of ECSS via e-mail.
For questions related to the implementation of the RCRA regulations or program, as well as callers with State-specific questions, Helpdesk agents should direct callers to the appropriate contact or Website. Upon initial system development, States will provide the appropriate contact information to EPA and the Helpdesk. The Helpdesk shall maintain this list of State contacts and verify the information every six months. For better customer service, EPA requires that Helpdesk agents look up the relevant State contact or Website and provide an option to directly connect callers if it is a telephone number.
The e-Manifest Helpdesk shall not provide assistance with the completion of specific manifest fields, whether the manifest was completed electronically or by paper. Such questions should be transferred or referred to either the EPA regulatory resource described above or to the State contract, as appropriate. 
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk shall direct callers and tickets with EPA RCRA regulatory or programmatic issues to the appropriate resource as directed by EPA.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall maintain a list of State contacts and verify the information every 6 months.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall direct callers and tickets with issues related to RCRA implementation or State-specific requirements to the appropriate resource as provided by the State.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall not provide assistance with the completion of specific manifest fields.
8.0 
Avenues for Receiving Tickets
Helpdesk agents shall provide accurate, complete, courteous and expeditious responses to inquiries via the following avenues:
   * Automated telephone response and voicemail
   * Live telephone response
   * Electronic correspondence
   * Chat (optional)
   * Directly through the e-Manifest system (optional)
   * Social media (optional)
Automated Telephone Response
Telephone lines shall be open twenty-four (24) hours a day to communicate routine information via recorded messages. These messages can provide information about outages, known issues, and other hot topics related to the e-Manifest system, and direct users to the ORCR website, FAQs, or other sources for additional information. Upon award, the contractor shall coordinate with EPA to develop the phone tree and any applicable messages. Users should also be given the option to leave a voicemail, which will be returned during normal hours of operation. The Helpdesk must respond to 100% of voicemails within 24-48 hours from receipt.

Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk shall coordinate with EPA to develop the phone tree and any applicable messages.
TBD
The Helpdesk must respond to 100% of voicemails within 24-48 hours from receipt.
Live Telephone Response
Although live telephone responses are often thought of as being a time-intensive avenue for handling inquiries, in our experience, live telephone responses can actually be a more efficient mechanism than electronic responses. Through a conversation with the caller, a Helpdesk agent is able to ask follow up questions to gather additional information and facts and diagnose the problem or answer the question in a timelier manner. To establish the e-Manifest Helpdesk telephone option, EPA will need to establish a toll-free telephone number and the toll-free number will redirect to a local number operated by the Helpdesk contractor.
To minimize wait times for callers, the Helpdesk must answer 85% of calls within 2 minutes, measured by the length of time it takes a user to connect with a customer service representative (CSR). Additionally, no more than 5% of calls may be abandoned or transferred to voicemail, measured by the percentage of calls that come into the Helpdesk that hang up, are disconnected, or transferred to voicemail before the service provider's agent answers the phone. The Helpdesk phone system must be available for 99.9% of the hours of operation, as measured by the total available hours divided by the total hours in the measurement period.
In order to document the interaction with the user and maintain contact information for follow-up, Helpdesk personnel must collect a phone number and e-mail address or corporate e-mail address. The Helpdesk must collect a phone number for 95% of calls and an e-mail address for 75% of calls. This metric will be measured by the percentage of phone tickets with a valid phone number or e-mail address. Additionally, the Helpdesk must summarize all calls in the electronic database and share the summary with the user. If a call is interrupted or dropped before the ticket is resolved, the Helpdesk agent will attempt to contact the user via telephone. If live contact cannot be reestablished, the Helpdesk agent should note this in the ticket and send an e-mail to the user.
Any threats received by the Helpdesk must be taken seriously and reported to the appropriate authorities, if necessary, and to the EPA Project Officer.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
85% of calls must be answered by the Helpdesk within 2 minutes.
TBD
No more than 5% of calls may be abandoned or transferred to voicemail before a Helpdesk agent answers the phone.
TBD
The Helpdesk phone system must be available for 99.9% of the hours of operation.
TBD
Helpdesk personnel must collect a phone number for 95% of calls.
TBD
Helpdesk personnel must collect an e-mail address for 75% of calls.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall summarize all calls in the electronic database and share the summary with the user.
TBD
If a call is interrupted or dropped before the ticket is resolved, the Helpdesk agent will contact the user via telephone or e-mail.
Electronic Correspondence
The Helpdesk will receive inquiries electronically (tickets, equivalent to e-mails) twenty-four (24) hours a day via the selected helpdesk software program. Contact information and ticket submission capabilities will be included on all EPA-developed e-Manifest interfaces. The Helpdesk will respond to electronically received questions during the applicable hours of operation noted in Section 1.2; i.e., the Helpdesk shall respond to questions received from industry 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year. The Helpdesk must provide a notice of receipt, which may be automated, to let the user know that their e-mail was received and that they should expect a response within 8-24 hours. The Helpdesk must also provide at least an initial response for all tickets, regardless of Tier, within 24 hours; therefore, for tickets that have not been resolved within 24 hours, the Helpdesk must send an initial response with an update on the status of the ticket. The Helpdesk must track how long tickets remain unresolved, or ticket "open time", and resolve 90% of Tier 1 tickets within 8 hours and 100% of Tier 1 tickets within 24 hours. Tickets that require Tier 2 or Tier 3 support may take longer, especially if a bug is identified from the ticket; in those cases, the ticket will require EPA to direct the system contractor to fix the bug before the ticket can be closed. The Helpdesk may not escalate a ticket appropriately handled at the Tier 1 level to another Tier simply to consider it resolved; EPA will monitor appropriate escalation using the quality control methods identified in Section 12.0. All times specified for resolution are measured using hours that the Helpdesk is in operation.

Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
For all tickets, the Helpdesk must send a notice of receipt with an estimated time for resolution.
TBD
100% of tickets must have an initial response within 24 hours.
TBD
The Helpdesk must resolve 90% of Tier 1 tickets within 8 hours and 100% of Tier 1 tickets within 24 hours.
Chat
In coordination with EPA, the Helpdesk contractor shall explore the use of a chat function to answer questions from e-Manifest users. Upon contract award, the contractor shall prepare an analysis of the cost associated with using the function and deliver to EPA. If executed, EPA will announce the option to chat with the Helpdesk in the e-Manifest system and the contractor will begin using the function. During any period in which chat is used, the contractor shall provide any available metrics on the frequency, length, and topics of chat sessions. If the usage does not justify the cost of the feature, EPA may direct the contractor to discontinue its use. During its use, the contractor shall record all chat sessions. Chat sessions will be counted as tickets and follow the same requirement for resolution, i.e., the Helpdesk must track how long questions from chat sessions remain unresolved and resolve 90% of Tier I chat session questions within 8 hours and 100% within 24 hours. Chat sessions that require Tier 2 or Tier 3 support may take longer, especially if a bug is identified from the chat session; in those cases, EPA will need to direct the system contractor to fix the bug before the chat sessions can be resolved. The Helpdesk may not escalate a chat session issue appropriately handled at the Tier 1 level to another Tier simply to consider it resolved; EPA will monitor appropriate escalation using the quality control methods identified in Section 12.0. All times specified for resolution are measured using hours that the Helpdesk is in operation.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk must record all chat sessions.
TBD
The Helpdesk must resolve 90% of chat session questions within 8 hours and 100% of chat session questions within 24 hours.
Directly Through the e-Manifest System
Pending system development and in coordination with EPA and system developers, the Helpdesk contractor shall explore the use of a function to answer questions submitted directly through the e-Manifest. This functionality could be similar to a component of RCRAInfo, the User Support Issue Tracking System (USITS). USITS is the tool used by the entire RCRAInfo user community to initiate a request for change as part of the RCRAInfo Change Management Process (CMP). USITS allows the RCRAInfo user community to enter and track the status of all issues, change requests, and system bugs. As the RCRAInfo user community submits requests for change through the CMP, the USITS System Administrator (SA) reviews the changes and categorizes them into the appropriate change management types.
If executed and developed in the e-Manifest system, EPA will announce the option to submit questions to the Helpdesk directly through the system and the contractor will begin using the function. During any period in which this function is used, the contractor shall provide any available metrics on the frequency and topics of questions submitted directly through the system. If the usage does not justify the cost of the feature, EPA may direct the contractor to discontinue its use. There will be no specific requirements or SLAs initially established for answering questions submitted directly through the e-Manifest system.
Social Media
In coordination with EPA, the Helpdesk contractor shall explore the use of social media to communicate information with e-Manifest users. For example, EPA may request that the Helpdesk establish and maintain a Twitter account to send out updates to followers of the account with information about system outages or upgrades. If executed, EPA will announce the option to communicate with the Helpdesk via social media in the e-Manifest system and the contractor will begin using the function. During any period in which this function is used, the contractor shall provide any available metrics on the frequency and topics of questions submitted through social media. If the usage does not justify the cost of the feature, EPA may direct the contractor to discontinue its use. There will be no specific requirements or SLAs initially established for answering questions received via social media.
Mobile Application (App)
In the event that EPA develops a mobile app for the e-Manifest system, the Helpdesk contractor shall explore the ability to provide assistance to e-Manifest users through the app, such as an "Ask Us" or "Contact Us" form that would be submitted to the Helpdesk. If executed, EPA will announce the option to communicate with the Helpdesk via the mobile app in the e-Manifest system and the contractor will begin using the function. During any period in which this function is used, the contractor shall provide any available metrics on the frequency and topics of questions submitted through the app. If the usage does not justify the cost of the feature, EPA may direct the contractor to discontinue its use. There will be no specific requirements or SLAs initially established for answering questions received via the mobile app.
9.0 
Cost Estimate to Establish and Maintain a Dedicated Helpdesk
As described in Section 3, it is difficult to estimate the volume of tickets that the e-Manifest Helpdesk will receive and the resulting labor hours; likewise, it is difficult to develop an accurate estimate of the cost to operate the Helpdesk. Using a similar banding strategy as described for the labor hours, cost estimates can be developed for differing bands of service based on the percentage of users that adopt the system.
Calculations
To calculate the labor hours and cost for each band of the Helpdesk, the number of agents needed for the peak hours (7am-9pm) was first determined. Using the Erlang equation, a formula that calculates a statistical equation to predict queuing times, agent workloads, and optimal agent levels, the Helpdesk would need to provide the staffing levels identified in Table 10-1 to meet the performance requirements specified in this Operations Document.
Table 10-1: Agents Needed at Certain Ticket Levels
                                 Ticket Volume
                                    Agents
                                  0  -  3,641
                                       1
                               3,642  -  14,867
                                       2
                               14,868  -  28,793
                                       3
                               28,794  -  44,046
                                       4
Next, an estimate of the number of tickets for each band of user adoption was developed, applying several modifying factors and based on the assumptions in Section 10.2. Using the information in Table 10-1, the number of agents needed at each band can be determined. This information is provided in Table 10-2.

Table 10-2: Ticket Volume for Each Level of User Adoption
                                 Adoption Rate
                                Potential Users
                    Number Adopted (Users * Adoption Rate)
                    Helpdesk Contacts (Adopted Users * 30%)
                               Initial Increase
                             (1.86 * Steady State)
                                    Agents
                                      10%
                                    171,941
                                   17,194.1
                                    5,158.2
                                    9,585.0
                                       2
                                      25%
                                    171,941
                                   42,985.3
                                   12,895.6
                                   23,962.6
                                       3
                                     40 %
                                    171,941
                                   68,776.4
                                   20,632.9
                                   38,340.1
                                       4
With the number of agents determined for peak hours, a cost estimate can be developed for each band of user adoption, as displayed in Appendix C. A summary of the cost for each band of user adoption levels is provided in Table 10-3.
Table 10-3: Annual Cost for Each Level of User Adoption
                                 Adoption Rate
                                     Cost
10%
                                                                    $988,414.86
25%
                                                                  $1,247,689.26
40 %
                                                                  $1,506,963.66
Assumptions
The following assumptions apply to the cost estimate described above and provided in Appendix C.
   * The Helpdesk will begin operations in 2015 to provide support during system development
   * As resources allow, the Helpdesk will be open 24 hours/day, 365 days/year for industry; 7am-9pm, Monday-Friday for States and public
   * From the hours of 7am-9pm, Monday through Friday, SLA is 85% of calls must be answered in 2 minutes
   * From the hours of 7am-9pm, Monday through Friday, the Helpdesk would be required to have either 2, 3, or 4 agents available, depending on adoption rate and subsequent call volume
   * From the hours of 7pm-9am, Monday through Friday, and Saturday and Sunday, the Helpdesk would be required to have 1 agent available
   * The total number of potential users that would contact the Helpdesk is equal to the number of industry stakeholders as identified in the 2013 e-Manifest CBA
   * Average call length is 8 minutes
   * The type of users (e.g., generator versus transporter versus State employee) will likely affect the call length, but the likely distribution spread among the types of users will not impact the overall average call length
   * Calls are distributed equally throughout the month and year
   * Tier 1 CSRs would earn $50,000/year
   * Tier 2 CSRs would earn $65,000/year
   * Tier 1 CSRs will handle approximately 90% of calls, Tier 2 CSRs will handle the remaining 10% (does not include tickets escalated to EPA SMEs or developers, which is considered Tier 3)
   * The system administrator would be necessary to operate and maintain phone system equipment and would earn $115,000/year; this cost would be shared with any other helpdesks operated by the contractor and is assumed to be 500 hours per year specifically for the e-Manifest Helpdesk
   * Helpdesk management hours are 5% of total hours
   * Cost estimate does not include hardware such as computers and telephones and basic computer software, which would be provided by contractor and not charged to the contract
   * Cost estimate does not distinguish between calls and emails or other electronic correspondence; the way the cost model is set up, it is providing a service level for a hypothetical range of inquiries, which could also be emails, chat sessions, etc.
   * Upon initial launch, 30% of users will have questions and contact the Helpdesk
   * At initial launch, the amount of inquiries will be 1.86 times higher than when the system reaches a steady state.
10.0 
Scope or Topics Covered
Based on our analysis and feedback from potential stakeholders, we have determined that the scope of the e-Manifest Helpdesk will include, but not limited to, the following topics that are likely to arise within the system:
         * User accounts
         * Usernames and passwords
         * Creation and transmission of electronic manifests
         * General questions about the submission of paper manifests, images, and data files
         * Lost and duplicate manifests
         * Electronic signature
         * Digitized signature pads
         * Unregistered users attempting to sign electronic manifests
         * Fee collection
         * Errors in data
         * System issues
         * Support during system development
         * How to complete the e-Manifest or web form
         * Biennial report questions (not included in Phase 1).
The Helpdesk contractor shall track the topics of all tickets received at the Helpdesk and provide this information to EPA in the weekly status report.
The scope of the Helpdesk will include all users of the e-Manifest system, including the hazardous waste industry (generators, transporters, and TSDFs), State government employees, EPA employees, and the general public. The Helpdesk should be aware of the differences in the type of support needed among the different types of users that contacts the Helpdesk. In addition, the Helpdesk shall track the types of users that contact the Helpdesk and provide the information to EPA in the weekly status report. EPA may specify that the Helpdesk establish a separate queue or line for specific users that may need specialized assistance due to the nature of their inquiry (e.g., transporters on the side of the road or temporarily stopped at another site).
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk shall track the topics of all tickets and include the information in the weekly status report.
TBD
The Helpdesk shall track the type of users and include the information in the weekly status report.
11.0 
Quality Control Structure
EPA will monitor all Helpdesk operations performed by the contractor for compliance with the terms and conditions of the contract and performance requirements specified in this document.
In addition to the performance requirements for timeliness of responses, the Helpdesk must also meet a performance standard for accuracy. To review performance against this stand, EPA will conduct random test calls and review contractor-generated electronic correspondence to analyze for accuracy and consistency of information. This criteria does not simply mean that a given answer or information was wholly inaccurate; also counting towards incorrect responses would include tickets that were not appropriately escalated to a higher Tier, referrals to the incorrect external helpdesk or State contact, or poor grammar in written electronic responses.
The Helpdesk contractor will receive an incentive payment as applied to their fixed monthly payment if random sampling by the EPA Project Officer determines that over a certain percentage (see table 12-1) of information provided was accurate and consistent with established technical specification, Web content, and response guidance. Conversely, the Helpdesk contractor will incur a penalty, or reduction in their fixed monthly payment, if random sampling determines that over a certain percentage (see table 12-1) of information provided was inaccurate or inconsistent.
Table 12-1: Accuracy Payments and Penalties
Percentage Correct
Incentive or Penalty (% of monthly payment)

                                 97% or higher
                                      3%
                                      96%
                                      2%
                                      95%
                                      1%
                                      90%
                                      -1%
                                      87%
                                      -2%
                                      85%
                                      -3%
                                       
In addition to accuracy, the Helpdesk must maintain high levels of customer service. Therefore, the Helpdesk may receive no more than 5 valid complaints about the service provided on calls or tickets per month.
Throughout the period of performance, the contractor shall provide access, upon reasonable notice, to the EPA Project Officer and other authorized EPA staff members to observe the Helpdesk's operations, including the receipt, management, and response to inquiries.  EPA will also conduct random test calls and have the ability to administer or receive audio copies of these test calls.
Requirement Number
Requirement Description
TBD
The Helpdesk may receive no more than 5 valid complaints about the service provided per month.
TBD
The Helpdesk contractor will receive either an incentive payment or penalty based on Government review of accuracy and consistency of information.
TBD
EPA will conduct random test calls and have the ability to administer or receive audio copies of these test calls.

 Appendix A  -  Hazardous Waste Manifest and Continuation Sheet Examples

 Appendix B  -  Helpdesk Software

Software
Benefits
Drawbacks
Costs
Environment
Website
Parature Customer Service Software (from Microsoft)
Currently used Agency-wide to manage FAQs and respond to tickets, including by ORCR for RCRA questions (http://waste.supportportal.com); would allow Helpdesk agents to easily transfer tickets from e-Manifest Helpdesk to Waste queue for regulatory or programmatic questions
Somewhat limited functionality
Small Office (6 customer service representatives (CSRs)) - $6,468/year
Medium Office (18 CSRs) - $30,861/year
Additional CSRs are an additional $1200/year
Service is ordered through the Working Capital Fund
Cloud Based
http://www.parature.com/
Oracle RightNow Contact Center Experience
Extensive functionality and customization; currently in use by CDX Help Desk, which would allow Helpdesk agents to easily transfer tickets from e-Manifest Helpdesk to CDX Help Desk for system issues
Functionality available well beyond what is needed for basic Help Desk ticketing; expensive
No price on website
Cloud Based
http://www.oracle.com/us/products/applications/rightnow/contact-center-experience/overview/index.html

https://cloud.oracle.com/service?tabID=1383678932050
Request Tracker
Good at tracking the history of a ticket
 
Open source, so the software is free; hosting partnership with Gossamer Threads that ranges from $125/month to $3250/month, depending on ticket volume
On-Premises or Cloud Based
https://www.bestpractical.com/rt/
Microsoft Dynamics CRM
Interoperability with Office 365, can integrate with Social Media, and can prioritize tickets by using SLAs 
Price based on user
$65/user/month
On-Premises
http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/dynamics/crm.aspx
Footprints
Customization, extensive reports, various user access roles
Slow; expensive
$6900/year for 5 fixed and 8 concurrent licenses
On-Premises
http://www.bmc.com/it-solutions/footprints-service-core.html
JIRA
SLA reporting, customizable team queues, real-time reporting; JIRA Agile project management tool available
Cumbersome; hosted pricing expensive
$745/month (for eRule); more pricing breakdowns on the website which vary based on number of users and cloud vs. server based
On-Premises or Cloud Based
 
Zendesk
Cheaper, more simplistic packages available, can integrate with social media
No custom roles/permissions for cheaper options
$25/user/month to $195/user/month based on services
On-Premises
http://www.zendesk.com
Freshdesk
Cheap; real time chat
Relatively basic
$16/agent/month to $70/agent/month
On-Premises
http://freshdesk.com/helpdesk-management/ticketing-system
Happyfox
Catered towards government; cheap
Relatively basic
$9/agent/month to $29/agent/month
Cloud Based
https://www.happyfox.com
IssueTrak
Used by USDA, ARMY. Can access through mobile phone or web browser, highly customizable, secure 
Likely expensive and challenging to set up
Can install on own servers and pay once, lease on your own servers and pay annual, or install on the cloud and pay monthly.
On-Premises or Cloud Based
http://www.issuetrak.com/help_desk
Novo Solutions
Used by NOAA, NAVY, ARMY, DOJ; both Intranet and Extranet use; robust functionality
Expensive, requires at least five users
Professional Plan (5 - 10 users) - Base $795 plus
$350/User for On-Premises hosting; $35/User/Month for Cloud hosting
On-Premises or Cloud Based
http://www.novosolutions.com/it-help-desk-software/

 Appendix C  -  Helpdesk Ticket Volumes

Metric
RCRA Hotline Manifest
Questions
HMIC Shipping Papers
Calls & Emails
Toxics Release Inventory
Calls
Federal Docket Management System (FDMS)
Calls
RCRAInfo User Support
Calls & Emails
EPA Info Center
Calls
eRule Helpdesk Calls
RCRA Hotline
Calls
ENERGY STAR Calls
DOT HMIC
Calls & Emails
CDX Help Desk
National Lead Info Center
CDX Lead Fee Tickets
Year
2004
2013
2013
2013
2004
2013
2013
2004
2013
2013
2013
2013-14
2012-13
Approx. Stakeholders
160,000
250,000
21,025
9,596
2,100
1,168,500

160,000

250,000
253,638

January
51
207
69
203
76
372
737
1,033
1,178
2,301
2,898
1,477
3
February
60
175
77
157
95
606
628
1,371
1,039
2,008
2,825
1,320
3
March
61
154
96
154
113
403
643
1,178
1,172
2,046
3,387
1,612
7
April
57
131
133
162
85
499
665
998
1,363
2,207
3,551
1,650
4
May
43
191
324
168
68
652
622
786
2,727
2,575
5,717
1,638
3
June
46
161
1,243
181
127
1,560
633
928
1,658
2,424
16,299
1,878
8
July
67
141
224
165
85
479
549
913
1,846
2,189
5,552
1,824

August
79
137
54
177
95
346
568
961
1,705
2,094
2,440
1,871

September
64
104
41
154
91
297
503
835
1,595
1,963
2,135
1,611
5
October
67
65
24
103
96
179
472
734
1,001
1,158
2,175
889
14
November
42
90
52
171
46
267
763
693
1,530
1,635
2,477
1,359
2
December
42
68
33
147
54
294
549
646
1,364
1,359
2,915
1,096
5
Total
679
1,624
2,370
1,942
1,031
5,954
7,332
11,076
18,178
23,959
52,371
18,225
54

 Appendix D  -  Cost Estimate
Table D-1: Cost Based on 10% Adoption

                                     Staff
                                    Salary
                 Hourly Loaded Rate [(Salary/2060)*Multiplier]
                      Target Rate (Loaded Rate plus 15%)
                                 Annual Hours
                                  Total Cost
Tier 1 CSR #1 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #2 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #3 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #4 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #5 (9pm-2am, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1188.00
                                                                     $80,910.87
Tier 1 CSR #6 (2am-7am, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1188.00
                                                                     $80,910.87
Tier 1 CSR #7 (7am-3pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 1 CSR #8 (3pm-11pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 1 CSR #9 (11pm-7am, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 2 CSR #1 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         369.60
                                                                     $32,723.95
Tier 2 CSR #2 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         369.60
                                                                     $32,723.95
Tier 2 CSR #3 (9pm-2am, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         132.00
                                                                     $11,687.13
Tier 2 CSR #4 (2am-7am, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         132.00
                                                                     $11,687.13
Tier 2 CSR #5 (7am-3pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Tier 2 CSR #6 (3pm-11pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Tier 2 CSR #7 (11pm-7am, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Project Manager
                                                                          85000
                                                                         100.68
                                                                         115.78
                                                                         180.00
                                                                     $20,840.68
Program Manager
                                                                         135000
                                                                         159.90
                                                                         183.89
                                                                          20.00
                                                                      $3,677.77
Sys Admin
                                                                         115000
                                                                         136.21
                                                                         156.65
                                                                         500.00
                                                                     $78,322.82
Totals

                                                                          13324
                                                                    $988,414.86

Table D-2: Cost Based on 25% Adoption

                                     Staff
                                    Salary
                 Hourly Loaded Rate [(Salary/2060)*Multiplier]
                      Target Rate (Loaded Rate plus 15%)
                                 Annual Hours
                                  Total Cost
Tier 1 CSR #1 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #2 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #3 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #4 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #5 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #6 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #7 (9pm-2am, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1188.00
                                                                     $80,910.87
Tier 1 CSR #8 (2am-7am, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1188.00
                                                                     $80,910.87
Tier 1 CSR #9 (7am-3pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 1 CSR #10 (3pm-11pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 1 CSR #11 (11pm-7am, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 2 CSR #1 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         554.40
                                                                     $49,085.93
Tier 2 CSR #2 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         554.40
                                                                     $49,085.93
Tier 2 CSR #3 (9pm-2am, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         132.00
                                                                     $11,687.13
Tier 2 CSR #4 (2am-7am, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         132.00
                                                                     $11,687.13
Tier 2 CSR #5 (7am-3pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Tier 2 CSR #6 (3pm-11pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Tier 2 CSR #7 (11pm-7am, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Project Manager
                                                                          85000
                                                                         100.68
                                                                         115.78
                                                                         180.00
                                                                     $20,840.68
Program Manager
                                                                         135000
                                                                         159.90
                                                                         183.89
                                                                          20.00
                                                                      $3,677.77
Sys Admin
                                                                         115000
                                                                         136.21
                                                                         156.65
                                                                         500.00
                                                                     $78,322.82
Totals

                                                                          17020
                                                                  $1,247,689.26

Table D-3: Cost Based on 40% Adoption

                                     Staff
                                    Salary
                 Hourly Loaded Rate [(Salary/2060)*Multiplier]
                      Target Rate (Loaded Rate plus 15%)
                                 Annual Hours
                                  Total Cost
Tier 1 CSR #1 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #2 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #3 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #4 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #5 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #6 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #7 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #8 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1663.20
                                                                    $113,275.22
Tier 1 CSR #9 (9pm-2am, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1188.00
                                                                     $80,910.87
Tier 1 CSR #10 (2am-7am, M-F)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                        1188.00
                                                                     $80,910.87
Tier 1 CSR #11 (7am-3pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 1 CSR #12 (3pm-11pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 1 CSR #13 (11pm-7am, Sa-Su)
                                                                          50000
                                                                          59.22
                                                                          68.11
                                                                         777.60
                                                                     $52,959.84
Tier 2 CSR #1 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         184.80
                                                                     $16,361.98
Tier 2 CSR #2 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         184.80
                                                                     $16,361.98
Tier 2 CSR #3 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         184.80
                                                                     $16,361.98
Tier 2 CSR #4 (7am-2pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         184.80
                                                                     $16,361.98
Tier 2 CSR #5 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         184.80
                                                                     $16,361.98
Tier 2 CSR #6 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         184.80
                                                                     $16,361.98
Tier 2 CSR #7 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         184.80
                                                                     $16,361.98
Tier 2 CSR #8 (2pm-9pm, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         184.80
                                                                     $16,361.98
Tier 2 CSR #9 (9pm-2am, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         132.00
                                                                     $11,687.13
Tier 2 CSR #10 (2am-7am, M-F)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                         132.00
                                                                     $11,687.13
Tier 2 CSR #11 (7am-3pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Tier 2 CSR #12 (3pm-11pm, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Tier 2 CSR #13 (11pm-7am, Sa-Su)
                                                                          65000
                                                                          76.99
                                                                          88.54
                                                                          86.40
                                                                      $7,649.76
Project Manager
                                                                          85000
                                                                         100.68
                                                                         115.78
                                                                         180.00
                                                                     $20,840.68
Program Manager
                                                                         135000
                                                                         159.90
                                                                         183.89
                                                                          20.00
                                                                      $3,677.77
Sys Admin
                                                                         115000
                                                                         136.21
                                                                         156.65
                                                                         500.00
                                                                     $78,322.82
Totals

                                                                          20716
                                                                  $1,506,963.66