Market Research, Capability Call, and Virtual Industry Day Announcement: 2030 Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA)

Market Research / Capability Call / Industry Day Announcement

This document is a market research notice from the U.S. Census Bureau to gather information for developing an acquisition strategy for commercial offerings related to 2030 Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA) services. It is not a solicitation, RFP, or RFQ, and responses will not be used to form a contract.

• Notice Type: Market Research, Capability Call, and Virtual Industry Day Announcement.

• Title: 2030 Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA).

• Primary NAICS Code: 561422 - Automated Contact Center Solutions.

• Secondary NAICS Codes: 541511 - Custom Computer Programming Services.

• Solicitation/Identification Number: TBD.

• Purpose: To solicit vendor input to help the government develop and determine an acquisition strategy for CQA services for the 2030 Census.

• 2030 Census Lifecycle: The Census is planned in four phases: Early Planning (FY19-FY21), Design Selection (FY22-FY24), Development and Integration (FY25-FY29), and Peak Production and Close-Out (FY29-FY33).

• Scope of Services: The procurement scope includes planning, building, testing, staffing, and operating an omni-channel contact center solution with an AI focus for inbound phone calls and web chats for the 2028 Census Dress Rehearsal and the 2030 Census.

• Operational Timeframes:

  • 2028 Census Dress Rehearsal: Mid-March 2028 to end of July 2028.
  • 2030 Census: Early-to-mid March 2030 to end of July 2030.

• High-Level Requirements:

  • FedRAMP-certified, Census-Bureau authorized omni-channel contact center solution.
  • Handle a highly variable number of inbound contacts (approx. 13 million over 4.5 months).
  • Support up to 600,000 concurrent contacts daily.
  • Provide support in approximately 12 languages (primarily English and Spanish).
  • Utilize AI for routing, natural language processing, agent assistance, automated QA, and chatbots.
  • Recruitment, onboarding, and training of several thousand CSRs within a 30-day period.
  • Work must be performed within the contiguous United States by US citizens who pass security screening.

• Company Profile: Description, size, UEI, contact info, revenue, affiliate info, contract vehicles.

• Capabilities: Detailed experience in meeting the outlined requirements, including project examples, call volumes, staffing, technologies used, QA, and security procedures.

• Responses Due: May 15, 2026, 4:00 pm EST.

• Submission Method: Email to Matthew Gore (Matthew.S.Gore@census.gov) and Bryan Shearer (Bryan.Allan.Shearer@census.gov).

• Format: Single attachment for Company Profile and Capabilities (max 10 pages). Separate Excel file for questions/comments.

• Questions for Industry Day Deadline: April 27, 2026, 4:00 pm EST.

• Virtual Industry Day: May 7, 2026, 1:00 pm - 2:00 pm EST.

• Final Response Deadline: May 15, 2026, 4:00 pm EST.

• This is for market research only and does not constitute a commitment to solicit or award a contract.

• No costs incurred in responding will be reimbursed.

• Do not submit proprietary, classified, or sensitive information, or actual pricing data.

• Vendors are encouraged to consider teaming or subcontracting.

Solicitation / RFP / RFQ

This document outlines the requirements for a contractor to provide an omni-channel contact center solution to support the 2030 Census Questionnaire Assistance (CQA) program. The program aims to assist individuals in understanding and completing the Census questionnaire through various channels, including voice and chat. This includes support for the 2028 Dress Rehearsal and the 2030 Census operation.

• Design, implement, test, refine, operate, and decommission CQA contact center systems and facilities.

• Support omni-channel respondent interactions (voice and chat).

• Utilize AI technologies for automation, efficiency, and enhanced user experience.

• Provide support for Group Quarters (GQ) operations and Field Infrastructure.

• Ensure secure, scalable, and resilient IT infrastructure.

• Develop and maintain comprehensive Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and a knowledge base.

• Provide comprehensive, role-based training for all staff.

• Manage asset tracking, facilities, and physical security.

• Ensure continuous service quality and compliance.

• The contract will cover the 2028 Dress Rehearsal and the 2030 Census.

• All work is to be performed within the Contiguous United States (CONUS).

• Not detailed in this document; likely found in a separate solicitation document.

• Not detailed in this document.

• This document details the scope of work and requirements. Specific attachments referenced (e.g., J-1, J-4, J-5, J-7, J-9, J-10, J-13, J-21, J-22, J-23, J-24, J-25, J-26, J-28, J-29, J-30, J-32, J-33, J-34, J-35, J-36) are not included but will be in a future version.

• The government reserves the right to adjust priorities and redirect activities.

• The contractor is expected to incorporate advanced technologies, including AI.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This Excel file, titled "2030 CQA Questions and Comments Template.xlsx," serves as a template for vendors to submit questions and comments related to the "2030 CQA" opportunity. It is designed to facilitate structured feedback from potential bidders.

The template includes columns for:

• Company Name
• Topic
• Type of Input (Question or Comment)
• Requirements Document Section Number & Name (if applicable)
• Requirements Document Page Number(s) (if applicable)
• Requirements Document Line Number(s) (if applicable)
• Question/Comment

It also provides categories for the "Type of Input" such as "Requirements Document," "Industry Day," "Acquisition," and "Other."

Bidders should use this template to formally submit any questions or comments they have regarding the opportunity's requirements or acquisition process. This structured approach ensures that feedback is organized and can be efficiently addressed by the government, potentially leading to clarifications or amendments that will impact proposal preparation.