Social Security has released a Request For Information (RFI) in an effort to get feedback on installing self-service kiosks to service customers at Social Security field offices. Presumably this is an effort to improve efficiency at Social Security field offices that can be quite chaotic at times and to limit interaction with Social Security employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, but it is also important to understand that Social Security field offices largely remain closed to the public except for “critical” appointments the agency has begun to offer. These kiosks are likely a longtime away from being in service and it is unclear if this is one way Social Security has decided to change customer service in the future. Below is a portion of the RFI that explains the concept and goals of offering kiosk service.
Objective
The Social Security Administration hereby referred to afterwards as “the agency,” is performing market research to identify potential check-in kiosks with limited self-service features. The agency requests information concerning solutions that are available for purchase in bulk quantities.
Background
The Social Security Administration (SSA) is improving its field office kiosk technology for visitors to check-in and perform simple self-help services. We seek a solution easily usable by all members of the public that visit our field offices and accessible to people with a disability. The kiosks will be:
- Standalone, enclosed units
- Ruggedized for use in semi-supervised locations
- Zero client based systems
- USB attached peripheral devices installed inside the kiosk cabinet
- Meet agency accessibility and usability requirements
The agency will design and host the software on its own infrastructure. This includes software accessibility features that rely on hardware components. For instance, the software is designed to start a screen reader when a user inserts a headphone jack into the kiosk and this will require headphone jack sockets that include a tip switch that detects the insertion and removal of a headphone jack.
The government provided software for the check-in kiosk is nearly complete. We have an immediate need to install several hundred to a couple thousand check-in kiosks within 12-18 months.
Because the check-in kiosk solution needs to be deployed in the near future, we are interested in cabinet designs that are already “on the shelf” and will require little modification. If costs and timelines are not impacted, we may consider a custom cabinet design.
Another part of the RFI provides for the technical specifications of what the kiosks look like. Social Security has asked companies and vendors interested in doing business with Social Security on this project to provide information and potential costs of what one of these kiosks might be per unit. It does seem a bit strange that Social Security is looking at this project right now considering the agency is unsure how it will conduct business in the future because no one can see how long the pandemic is going to last without any sort of vaccine in sight. Social Security is asking for responses from vendors by July 22, 2020.
