Mission Australia After-Hours Answering Service

SOL #: 19AS2026Q0016Solicitation

Overview

Buyer

State

State, Department Of

AMERICAN CONSULATE SYDNEY

WASHINGTON, DC, 20520, United States

Place of Performance

Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, Australia

NAICS

Telephone Answering Services (561421)

PSC

Communications Services (R426)

Set Aside

No set aside specified

Original Source

https://sam.gov/opp/ec18c7c5dbb64dda9e2245d9647c5622/view

Timeline

Posted

May 29, 2026

Submission Deadline

Jul 8, 2026, 2:00 AM

Qualification Details

Fit reasons

NAICS alignment with historical contract wins in similar service areas.
Scope strongly matches core technical capabilities and delivery model.

Risks

Past performance thresholds may require one additional teaming partner.
Potential clarification needed on staffing minimums before bid/no-bid.

Next steps

Validate eligibility requirements, assign capture owner, and schedule partner outreach to confirm teaming strategy before submission planning.

Quick Summary

The U.S. Department of State, through the American Consulate Sydney, is soliciting proposals for a firm-fixed-price contract for After-Hours Answering Services for Mission Australia facilities. This includes the U.S. Embassy in Canberra and Consulates General in Sydney, Melbourne, and Perth, with future expansion to Brisbane and Adelaide. The service will act as the primary after-hours contact for the general public. Quotations are due by 12:00 noon on Monday, July 8, 2026.

Scope of Work

The contractor shall provide comprehensive outside-of-business hours answering services. Key responsibilities include:

Fielding and screening calls from across Australia and internationally.
Providing limited information to callers.
Resolving calls that do not meet the threshold for onward forwarding.
Directing emergency calls to the appropriate duty officer(s).
Ensuring 24-hour coverage on American and Australian holidays.
Maintaining awareness of Australian time zones, regional emergencies, and local holidays.
Operators must be trained on Mission Australia procedures, demonstrate professional communication, and exercise sound judgment in call screening and escalation.
Deliverables include monthly call reports and quarterly performance reports.

Contract & Timeline

Contract Type: Firm-Fixed-Price
Duration: One base year with four one-year option periods.
Set-Aside: None (unrestricted acquisition).
Product Service Code: R426 - Communications Services.
Place of Performance: Services cover U.S. Mission facilities in Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Perth, and future locations in Brisbane and Adelaide, Australia.
Published Date: May 29, 2026.
Quotation Due: July 8, 2026, at 12:00 noon (Sydney time).

Submission & Evaluation

Quotations must be submitted electronically to Sydcontracts@state.gov. Required submission documents include:

SF-1449 form.
Section 1 (Pricing).
Additional information as required in the Work Statement and Section 3.
Section 5 (Representations and Certifications).
Proof of System for Award Management (SAM) Registration.

Award will be made to the lowest priced, acceptable, responsible offeror. Evaluation will consider price, acceptability based on RFQ terms (including work statement and technical information), and contractor responsibility (FAR 9.1).