SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETERS
- Notice Date
- 8/12/2004
- Notice Type
- Solicitation Notice
- NAICS
- 541930
— Translation and Interpretation Services
- Contracting Office
- Defense Logistics Agency, Logistics Operations, DLA-DSS Corporate Contracting Office, 8725 John J. Kingman Road Suite 0119, Fort Belvoir, VA, 22060-6220
- ZIP Code
- 22060-6220
- Solicitation Number
- D05208001
- Response Due
- 8/31/2004
- Archive Date
- 9/15/2004
- Point of Contact
- Crystal Clark, Contract Specialist, Phone (703) 767-1130, Fax (703)767-1130, - Crystal Clark, Contract Specialist, Phone (703) 767-1130, Fax (703)767-1130,
- E-Mail Address
-
crystal_clark@hq.dla.mil, crystal_clark@hq.dla.mil
- Description
- This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial items prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; proposals are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. Solicitation number is D05208001. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular (FAC 24); 19 July 2004. This solicitation is unrestricted and the associated NAICS code is 541930, size standard is $6.0M. The Government intends to award a Firm Fixed Price (FFP) contract. The contract line items are Contract Line Item Number (CLIN) 0001 One Full-Time Interpreter, 1,882.5 Hours, CLIN 0002 Two Part-Time Interpreters 1,848 Hours, CLIN 0003 Ad Hoc Interpreters shall not exceed $75,000.00. The amount will increase yearly by 25% for the remaining years; the performance period will be a one-year base period with four separately priced option years for the same hours applicable to each CLIN. C.1 BACKGROUND Under the provisions of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Amendments of 1992, which make employment standards established under Title 1 of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990, applicable to Federal employment under Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act, Federal Agencies are required to make ?reasonable accommodations? to the known employees with physical or mental disabilities, former employees and applicants. The Headquarters of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) has approximately 3,000 employees and customers in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. Approximately 30 employees use sign language and require interpreter services routinely or for specific events. C.2 SCOPE The contractor(s) shall provide one (1) full-time interpreter, two (2) part-time interpreters, and ad hoc interpreters as required for interpreter requests from the applicants, employees, family members, and customers of the agencies and organizations serviced by the DLA EEO office. The majority of assignments shall be located at the Headquarters of the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) located in the McNamara Complex at Ft. Belvoir, Virginia; however, some assignments shall be off-post, in the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) modular building located in the McNamara Complex parking lot or at designated locations within the Washington metropolitan area. Attachment J.1 is a map of Fort Belvoir North Post and directions to the McNamara Complex facility. C.3 SERVICE TO BE PROVIDED C.3.1 The contractor(s) shall provide interpreters who: Translate between English-like signing and spoken English and/or who interpret between American Sign Language and spoken English. Translate Pidgin Signed English (PSE) or Signed Exact English (SEE) Interpreters should have a National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Level III (Generalist), Level IV (Advanced), or Level V (Master) certification and/or a Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Comprehensive Skills Certification (CSC). C.3.2 The contractor(s) shall provide one full-time, preferably NAD Level IV and/or RID CSC certified, interpreter. The interpreter will report to the Contracting Officer?s Representative (COR) or one of the two federal employees designated as alternate interpreting services coordinators in the absence of the COR at the DLA EEO office, Room 1119, McNamara Complex, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and be located at the DLA EEO office when not on an assignment. The interpreter assigned full-time must report to the COR if the federal employee requiring full-time interpreter services does not report to work, comes in late, or leaves work early on any given business day. The interpreter will not exceed 37.5 hours per week (which does not include 30 minutes for lunch). The interpreter will work Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (factoring in a 30 minute unpaid lunch period) and provide interpreting services as assigned by the COR or the designated alternate interpreting services coordinators. C.3.3 The contractor(s) shall provide two part-time, preferably NAD Level IV and/or RID CSC certified, interpreters. The interpreters will report to the COR or the designated alternate interpreting services coordinators at the DOS office, Room 1119, McNamara Complex, Fort Belvoir, Virginia, and be located at the DLA EEO office when not on an assignment. Each interpreter will not exceed 18 hours per week (which does not include 30 minutes for lunch). Each interpreter will work Tuesday through Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. The COR has the right to change the days of the week the interpreters are routinely scheduled to work, based on requirement, with a five calendar day notice. C.3.4 The COR or the part-time interpreters may be responsible for coordinating and scheduling interpreter requests. When ad hoc services are required, approval must be obtained from the COR before being coordinated and scheduled with the contractor by the part-time interpreters. The COR or the part-time interpreters shall contact the contractor(s) via e-mail, facsimile, web and/or telephone with requests for, changes to, or cancellations of interpreter services. The COR or part-time interpreters will provide pertinent information related to the assignment (date, time, projected length of assignment, type of assignment, location, employee?s name requiring the service, two (2) point of contacts (POC) for the request, their respective telephone numbers, sign language preference and copies of speeches, documents or training material that will be used during the event prior to the event if possible.) Requests shall be made by the COR or part-time interpreters at a minimum of two (2) business days (Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.) prior to the assignment. Occasions may occur where the COR or part-time interpreters are unable to provide the required two (2) business days notice. The contractor(s) shall have right to refuse an assignment when less than two business days notice is given. The contractor(s)? refusal must be given within two (2) hours of the time the request was placed during DLA?s business days. If the contractor(s) accepts the request the agency shall be billed at the hourly rate established. No special rates shall be used for requests placed with less than two (2) business day?s notice. The contractor(s) shall provide the COR the name(s) of the interpreter(s) and the level of the interpreter?s certification, if requested, at a minimum of twenty-four (24) hours prior to the assignment. C.3.4.1 The Contracting Officer?s Representative?s (COR) and the part-time interpreter?s primary sources of communication with the contractor(s) will be by telephone for initial contact, if required, and by web, facsimile or electronic mail (e-mail). C.3.4.2 The contractor shall provide to the Defense Logistics Agency for review and approval a web based scheduling tool to coordinate all DLA interpreter service requests with the contractor(s). In addition to interpreting, scheduling and coordinating interpreting services will be a duty of the two (2) part-time interpreters with COR oversight. C.3.4.3 The part-time interpreters will be responsible for picking-up ad hoc or alternate interpreters at the security desk and escorting them to their respective assignments when available and necessary. C.3.5 Ad Hoc Interpreters: The contractor(s) shall provide additional interpreters for any ad hoc requirements lasting two (2) to eight (8) hours in duration that cannot be covered by the full-time and/or part-time interpreters, preferably NAD Level IV and/or RID CSC certified, as required at the designated location within the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. See C.3.4 for how ad hoc interpreters will be scheduled. C.4 QUALIFICATIONS OF INTERPRETERS. All interpreters should have a National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Level III (Generalist), Level IV (Advanced), or Level V Master) certification and/or a Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Comprehensive Skills Certification (CSC). If the contractor does not provide interpreters with these certifications then the interpreters provided must be approved by a cross section of DLA?s employees who are deaf or hard of hearing. All interpreters shall conduct themselves according to the NAD and/or RID code of ethics. C.4.1 All full-time and part-time interpreters who are routinely in the building a minimum of three (3) business days are required to be able to obtain and keep a DLA contractor?s clearance, which requires a completed and favorably adjudicated National Agency Check with written inquiries (NACI). If DLA denies or withdraws an interpreter?s clearance, the contractor(s) will be required to supply the agency with another interpreter within 72 continuous hours. C.5 NUMBER OF INTERPRETERS REQUIRED. The number of interpreters required is subject to the approval of the COR. In general, two (2) interpreters shall be required for assignments lasting more than two (2) hours; requiring detailed or technical interpreting; or involving general audiences that last more than one (1) hour. C.6 ARRIVAL OF INTERPRETERS. Full-time and part-time interpreters. Interpreters shall have a DLA contractor?s badge. Interpreters will arrive at the designated location of an assignment 15 minutes prior to the start of the assignment. Ad hoc interpreters and alternate interpreters (temporary replacements for the full-time or part-time interpreters). All interpreters must have a photo ID that is accepted by the DLA Security Office, for example a valid driver?s license, to enter the McNamara Complex and any of its grounds or buildings. Interpreters shall arrive not later than thirty (30) minutes prior to a scheduled assignment regardless of where the assignment is located. At the DLA McNamara Complex, interpreters shall arrive at the main entrance security desk not later than thirty (30) minutes prior to a scheduled assignment because sufficient time must be allocated by the interpreters for entrance into the McNamara Complex secured parking area and subsequent secured entrance into the McNamara Complex building. Interpreters shall access the building through the main entrance. Upon clearing security, if one of the two POCs is not at the security desk to escort the interpreters, the interpreters shall call both POCs provided to them prior to contacting the COR or the part-time interpreters to escort them to their assignment. The contractor(s) shall not bill the agency for any of the time described in this paragraph. C.7 NO DEAF EMPLOYEES ATTEND ASSIGNMENT. If an ad hoc interpreter is on-site for a scheduled assignment open to a general audience and no one requiring interpreter services is in attendance, the interpreter shall contact the COR located in the DLA EEO office, Room 1119, McNamara Complex, Fort Belvoir, Virginia thirty (30) minutes after the start of the event. The COR has the option to assign the interpreter to another request without an additional charge/cancellation fee with the stipulation that if the new assignment runs over the original number of hours of the scheduled assignment, the difference will be charged. If the event is being video taped, the interpreter shall provide interpreting services whether or not there are people in attendance requiring interpreter services. C. 7.1 If a part-time interpreter(s) is scheduled for an assignment open to the general audience that is not being video taped and no one requiring interpreter services is in attendance, the interpreter(s) must return to the DLA EEO office for another assignment. C.8 LIBERAL LEAVE FOR FEDERAL EMPLOYEES. Full-time and part-time interpreters. Report to work as usual. Ad hoc interpreters If the federal government is on liberal leave, the ad hoc interpreters are responsible for calling the requesting organization?s POCs at the number provided on their assignment document or the COR at 703-767-6777 to determine if the assignment is still scheduled. If the event has been canceled, the contractor(s) may assess the cancellation fee for less than 24 continuous hours notice. C.9 CLOSURE OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT DUE TO INCLEMENT WEATHER OR EMERGENCY. Full time, part time and ad hoc interpreters. Will not report to work if the federal government is closed due to inclement weather or emergency. No cancellation fee or charges shall be assessed. C10 OTHER UNSCHEDULED FEDERAL GOVERNMENT CLOSURES. In the event of an unscheduled closure of the federal government, the full-time, part-time or ad hoc interpreters will not report to work or to their scheduled assignments. No cancellation fee or charges shall be assessed. C.10.1 No interpreter services are required on federal holidays. C.11 INCLEMENT WEATHER ? NON-CLOSURES. In the event of severe inclement weather or an emergency, all interpreters (full-time, part-time, and ad hoc) are responsible for calling one or both of the requesting organization?s POCs at the numbers provided on their assignment document or the COR at 703-767-6777 to determine if the assignment is still scheduled. If the event has been canceled, the contractor(s) may assess the cancellation fee for less than 24 continuous hours notice. C.12 HOURLY RATE FOR SERVICES. The hourly rate for services includes all travel expenses, evening assignments and weekend assignments. The contractor shall bill the agency using the flat rate established in the pricing schedule. C.13 REIMBURSEMENT FOR SERVICES ? AD HOC INTERPRETER REQUESTS. Regardless of assignment duration, the contractor(s) shall be reimbursed for a minimum of two (2) hours. Assignments lasting more than two (2) hours shall be invoiced for the actual duration of the assignment not the estimated duration called in by the COR or part-time interpreters when coordinating and scheduling the request. For billing purposes the contractor(s) shall round up to the nearest hour. The contractor(s) shall bill in whole hour units only. For example, if the COR or part-time interpreters coordinates and schedules a request for an assignment that is anticipated to last from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. but the assignment actually lasts from 8:00 a.m. to 11:30 a.m., the contractor(s) shall bill the agency for four (4) hours of service (8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.). If the assignment lasted from 8:00 a.m. to 11:15 a.m., the contractor(s) shall bill the agency for three (3) hours of service (8:00 a.m. to 11:00 p.m.). For assignments lasting more than eight (8) continuous hours, the contractor(s) shall be reimbursed at the rate of 1.5 times the hourly rate established in the Pricing Schedule for the portion of the assignment that exceeds 8 hours. For example, if an assignment last ten (10) hours, the contractor(s) shall bill for eight (8) hours using the established hourly rate and two (2) hours at the hour rate multiplied by 1.5. C14 CANCELLATION OF ASSIGNMENT ? AD HOC INTERPRETER REQUESTS. The COR or part-time interpreters shall notify the contractor(s) by e-mail, facsimile, web or telephone when an ad hoc interpreter assignment is canceled for reasons other than those listed under C9., C10., and C.ll. C14.1 Assignments canceled less than or equal to twenty-four (24) continuous hours shall be reimbursed for a minimum of two (2) hours at the normal rate or one half the applicable hourly rate for the scheduled hours. Assignments canceled prior to twenty-four (24) continuous hours before the assignment shall not be reimbursed. C.15 ASSIGNMENT LOG. The COR and part-time interpreters shall maintain a log of the date an order was placed, the time the order was placed, the job number, the date of the assignment, the start time of the assignment, the anticipated duration and a description of the event for each assignment given to the contractor(s). The log shall be made available to the contracting officer for inspection. C.16 FAILURE TO PROVIDE SERVICE. The contractor(s) shall provide interpreting services upon request as long as the time lines described within this SOW are adhered to by the COR. If for any reason not described in this SOW, the contractor(s) fails to fulfill an interpreter service request at the location and time required, the contractor(s) shall not charge the agency for the requested service and will provide the organization who requested the service one hour of free service the next time interpreting services are requested by that organization. C.17 EVALUATION OF SERVICES. Recipients of interpreter services shall provide feedback on the quality of the interpreter services received to the COR as desired and/or requested to do so. This feedback will be provided to the contractor(s) by the COR within 24 continuous hours of receipt of the feedback. The contractor(s) shall take appropriate action based on the feedback and provide the COR with a response to the feedback within 24 continuous hours of receipt of the feedback. The provision at 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors ? Commercial, applies to this acquisition. The following evaluation factors are applicable in descending order of importance: Factor 1 Management. Ability to provide interpreter services to a large government organization up to 55 times a month; Ability to manage multiple sign language interpreters; Ability to supply one (1) full-time interpreter; Ability to provide two (2) part-time interpreters who are flexible, with advance notice, in terms of days per week and hours per day services are required: Ability to provide ad hoc interpreters within two business days of a request; Ability to provide ad hoc interpreters who have a secret security clearance when required; Ability to communicate with the COR by telephone, facsimile, and electronic mail (e-mail); Ability to supply certification of interpreters on staff; Factor 2 Technical ? Ability to provide interpreters who translate between English-like signing and spoken English and/or who interpret between American Sign Language and spoken English; Ability to provide Interpreters who have a National Association of the Deaf (NAD) Level III (Generalist), level IV (Advanced), or Level V (Master) certification and/or a Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) Comprehensive Skills Certification (CSC); Ability to provide interpreters who are able to provide interpreting services to a large group or auditorium audience when required; Ability to provide interpreters who are ableto be video taped when required; Ability to provide interpreters who are able to interpret technical language (for example computer software language); Factor 3 ? Past Performance ? References from at least three (3) customers who use the contractors interpreter services weekly to include a point of contact (POC) and telephone number. At least two of the three (3) references must be a Federal Government Agency; Each contractor shall provide a portfolio on their company; Each contractor shall provide a prospectus on their company; and Factor 4 - Price ? Provide hourly rates for full-time, part-time, and ad hoc interpreters. The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible Offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation isjudged to be most advantageous to the Government, with price and other factors considered. When combined, all evaluation factors other than price are significantly more important than price. The government will evaluate prices and determine their reasonableness on the basis of technical trade-off. If, after evaluation of management, technical, and past performance information, two or more proposals are determined to be relatively equal, price will be the determining factor of award. Offerors are to include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications ? Commercial Items, with its offer. The clause at 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement statutes Or Executive Orders ? Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. FAR clauses 52.219-8, 52.219-9, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.232-33 and 52.222-41 and 43 apply to this solicitation. Offers are due by August 31, 2004 at 12:00 p.m., Defense Logistics Agency, ATTN: DES-ACC, 8725 John J. Kingman Road, Suite 1145, Fort Belvoir, VA 22060-6220. Please contact Ms. Crystal Clark (crystal_clark@hq.dla.mil) for information regarding the solicitation via email.
- Place of Performance
- Address: 8725 John J. Kingman Road, Suite 0119, Fort Belvoir, VA
- Zip Code: 22060
- Country: U.S.A.
- Zip Code: 22060
- Record
- SN00642140-W 20040814/040812211557 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
-
FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
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