Mission Australia After-Hours Answering Service

Background
This contract is issued by the U.S. Consulate General in Sydney, Australia, for the provision of outside-of-business hours answering services for Mission Australia. The goal of the contract is to ensure that the general public has access to emergency and non-emergency contact points for various Mission Australia facilities, including the U.S. Embassy in Canberra and several Consulates General across Australia.

The contractor will serve as the first point of contact after hours, directing emergency calls appropriately and providing information as needed.

Work Details
The contractor shall provide telephone answering services during specified hours: weekdays from 17:00 to 08:00 AEST, weekends from 17:00 Friday to 08:00 Monday AEST, and 24-hour coverage on American and Australian holidays. Services include fielding calls from within Australia and internationally, screening calls, providing limited information, resolving non-emergency calls, and directing emergency calls to duty officers.

The contractor must maintain awareness of time zone differences across Australia and regional emergency services protocols. Operators are required to professionally answer all incoming calls, screen them according to guidelines provided by Mission Australia, determine if a call warrants forwarding to a Duty Officer, and resolve non-emergency matters without forwarding. The contractor must also maintain confidentiality regarding sensitive information and ensure all personnel are vetted appropriately.

Period of Performance
The contract will be for a one-year period from the date of award with four one-year options available.

Place of Performance
Services will be performed at various locations across Australia including Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Brisbane, and Adelaide.

Bidder Requirements
Offerors must demonstrate capability in managing multiple incoming lines simultaneously and maintaining secure systems for storing confidential information. Operators must speak English fluently at a native level. Additionally, bidders should have experience in providing similar answering services and be capable of adhering to strict confidentiality protocols.