Immigration Services: Better Contracting Practices Needed at Call Centers

CIS has provided a performance work statement and a list of performance measurement requirements that are responsive to the recommendation.

In June 2005, we reported that the US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) developed seven performance measures intended to assess the performance and overall quality of response provided by customer service representative at the contractor-operated call center. The contract between USCIS and its contractor stipulated that the contractor could earn financial incentives awards if the average monthly performance met or exceeded the standards on a quarterly basis at each of the four call centers. Conversely, financial deductions could be made if the standards were not met. In not finalizing the terms regarding how the contractor's actual performance would be calculated or scored before awarding the contract, USCIS's ability to exercise performance incentives positively or negatively was limited. USCIS did not maintain a complete and reliable record of the contractor's performance needed to ensure accountability. Consequently, USCIS failed to meet its contractual and regulatory standards pertaining to how the contractor's performance would be documented. We recommended that USCIS maintain readily available written records of performance assessments and performance evaluation meetings with the contractor. In response to our recommendation, USCIS placed in their performance work statement measures stating that the USCIS contracting officer (COTR) may require the contractor's program manager to meet with USCIS procurement officials and other personnel as necessary and that the contractor shall prepare and provide written minutes of any such meetings to the COTR for his or her signature. As a result, USCIS' call center management team, COTR, and contracting teams hold independent performance review meetings with each of its call center vendors on a monthly basis. USCIS officials also meet on a quarterly basis to review each vendor's performance metrics and submit recommendations for performance incentives or penalties. According to USCIS' Acting Chief of Information and Customer Service for Domestic Operations, records of these meetings and recommendations are also maintained by the call center program manager. As a result, USCIS is now in a better position to evaluate contractor performance and award financial incentives or assess financial deductions, as appropriate.