Specifications include, but are not limited to: Mandatory Minimum Requirements Solution conducts a conversation via textual methods. Such program convincingly simulates how a human would behave as a conversational partner. Solution provides 24/7/365 resource to current and prospective students, allowing them to get the answers they need any time of day. Proposed solution must be hosted in a data center or cloud environment. Technical Requirements Among other features: Provides rapid and accurate automated answers to 1000s of common, frequently-asked questions covering all areas of Student Affairs including Admissions, Registration, Advising, Orientation, Financial Aid, and more. It will also need to contain responses for non-Student Affairs departments such as Cashiering, Information Technology, Bookstore, and more. Features initial implementation that is built via automation (i.e. web-crawlers learning information from the SLCC website) instead of necessitating a significant number of workhours by SLCC employees to build and upload the knowledgebase. Updates database automatically by accessing SLCC’s website for new information and then update database accordingly. Integrates with Ellucian Banner, Salesforce-based CRM (Enrollment Rx), CampusLogic Student Forms, and other student information systems using SLCC’s single sign-on methods. Learns from user input and has natural language processing that allows the system to automatically determine new ways a user may be forming a question and learns new ways users may ask questions. Allows for a transition or turnover to a live agent in the event the consumer is unsatisfied with the response provided by the Platform / virtual assistant and provides the user an opportunity to email the College if a live agent is unavailable. Provides automated chat services through a variety of channels including Salt Lake Community College’s website, mobile, SMS, Facebook, WhatsApp, other highly used social media channels, and more with an easy-to-use interface. Provides extensive reporting tools that allow the College to examine usage data, review frequency of questions asked, review questions that don’t receive answers, keyword usage by user, usage by channel, and satisfaction rates by users.