SAMDaily.us | SRCSGT | R | DFAS-CO Interpreting Services

SAMDAILY.US - ISSUE OF JULY 25, 2021 SAM #7176
SOURCES SOUGHT

R -- DFAS-CO Interpreting Services

Notice Date: 7/23/2021 8:31:59 AM
Notice Type: Sources Sought
NAICS: 541930 — Translation and Interpretation Services
Contracting Office: DEFENSE FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING SVC COLUMBUS OH 432131152 USA
ZIP Code: 432131152
Solicitation Number: KOACO22RC003
Response Due: 8/3/2021 9:00:00 AM
Archive Date: 08/18/2021
Point of Contact: Laura B. Cherryholmes, Phone: 6147013929, Aram M. Duell, Phone: 6147013611
E-Mail Address: Laura.B.Cherryholmes.civ@mail.mil, aram.m.duell.civ@mail.mil
(Laura.B.Cherryholmes.civ@mail.mil, aram.m.duell.civ@mail.mil)
Small Business Set-Aside: SBA Total Small Business Set-Aside (FAR 19.5)
Description: ****This is a Request for Information ONLY, please do not provide a�quote****** This is a request for information only.� Statement of Work (SOW) -�DFAS-CO Interperting Services Document Number - KOACO22RC003 A.GENERAL CONDITIONS AND REQUIREMENTS)� A.1 Description of Work A.1.1. The purpose of this contract is to obtain a sign language interpreter (herein after referred to as interpreter) services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing employees (herein after referred to as Deaf) on an as needed basis at Defense Finance and Accounting Service (DFAS) in Columbus, OH to include interpreting consecutively from: American Sign Language (ASL), Pidgin sign English (PSE), Tactile (Deaf and blind), Conceptually Accurate Signed English (CASE) Oral, Signed English Signed Languages mentioned above (in reverse) to spoken English A.1.2. A sample list of onsite interpreting events is provided below. This list is not inclusive and is subject to change dependent upon the requirements of DFAS-Columbus: Staff meetings, Commemorative programs, Award ceremonies, Safety talks, Discussions on work procedures, policies, or assignments for formal and informal settings, Quarterly performance discussions, Annual performance appraisals, Disciplinary discussions, Basic staff training, classroom training, Interviews, All Hands meetings, and Other ad hoc assignments similar in nature on an as-need basis. A.2 General Operating Conditions A.2.1 Place of Performance. The Contractor shall perform physical interpreting services for DFAS Columbus, OH, throughout the facilities occupied by the Agency located at the Defense Supply Center Columbus, 3990 East Bradstreet, Columbus, OH 43213. Though the location specified above will be the primary place of performance, services may also be required for DFAS-sponsored events at offsite locations in the metro Columbus region, or in a federal virtual environment. Services will need to be performed in offices, training rooms, warehouses, auditoriums and conference rooms. The conditions may be hot, cold, dirty, dusty, noisy, and involve hazards of working around material handling equipment and operations. Services will need to be performed in virtual environment and contractor is responsible to ensure safe and healthy work environment in the remote locations. Virtual Interpreting - All contractor personnel or any representative of the contractor performing interpreting services shall need to connect securely to established DFAS Virtual environment in order to provide services.� Contractor will need telephone access in order to dial into a bridge line or conference call to provide services and or connect with team interpreter and consumer.�� Multiple technology devices shall be utilized to connect to virtual environment and provide services. During connection to DFAS virtual environment, devices shall only be used for government interpreting services.�� A.2.2 Period of Performance. This contract will be established for a one (1) year base period with three (3) - one (1) year option periods. A.2.3 Closures A.2.3.a Federal Holidays. No interpreting services will be required on federal holidays. The Contractor will not bill the Government for service hours when the Government is closed due to Federal holidays. Federal holidays generally observed include: New Year�s Day Martin Luther King Day Presidents Day Memorial Day Juneteenth� Independence Day Labor Day Columbus Day Veterans Day Thanksgiving Day Christmas Day A.2.3.b Inclement Weather, Emergency, Unscheduled Closure or Early Release. Interpreters will not report toan assignment if the federal government is closed due to inclement weather, emergency or in the event of an unscheduled closure. No cancellation fee or charges shall be assessed. The contractor will not bill the government for interpreter service hours when the government is closed due to inclement weather or emergency. Delay and closure information will be announced on the radio and TV stations in addition the Contractor POC may call the number for Center wide information at 614-692-1800. A.2.3.c Inclement Weather - Non-Closures. In the event of severe inclement weather or an emergency that does not result in closure, interpreters are responsible for calling the POC provided on their assignment documentation or the COR to determine if the assignment is still scheduled. If services have been cancelled with less than 16business hour notice, the contractor may assess the cancellation fee established in C.3.1. (Reference C.2.2 for defined business hours.) If services are still required and the Contractor is not able to provide the service, the Contractor will not bill the Government for interpretation service hours when required service is not provided. A.2.4 Current Duty Hours and Access to the Host Installation. A.2.4.1 The Contractor shall perform services required under this PWS during the operating hours of the Government activity. Normal operating hours for DFAS Columbus is from 0600 to 1800 hours; Monday through Friday except Federal Holidays. Due to changing traffic requirements brought on by construction, changing missions and security concerns within the host installation, access to the host installation is subject to change, sometimes with little or no warning. Inbound and outbound traffic restrictions exist. A.2.4.2. Contractor interpreters must arrive no later than thirty (30) minutes prior to scheduled assignment to clear security. Upon clearing security, Interpreter(s) must contact the COR or designee for assistance with accessing the facility, as required. The COR or designee is responsible for ensuring that interpreters are signed-in upon arrival, escorted to the event(s) where the service is needed, and ensuring the interpreter(s) is escorted to the check-out location, as necessary. The Contractor shall not bill the Agency for any of the time described in this paragraph. A.3 Key Personnel. The Contractor shall designate a point of contact (POC) for Government representatives. The Contractor POC should possess the basic knowledge and skills required to plan, control and manage the scheduling and accomplishment of services required for the successful completion of the work. The Contractor POC should have the authority to plan and manage the project to ensure work is scheduled properly to obtain maximum use of resources and prevent inefficient or wasteful methods in the performance of the services ordered; ensure that accurate and timely reports are provided; resolve problems; manage personnel and subcontractors; and monitor operation performance to ensure complete satisfaction. A.4 Personnel Qualifications and Certifications. A.4.1 Certification. All interpreters should have certification obtained from a recognized certifying organization. Certification must be obtained from organizations such as the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID, NIC, NIC Advanced, NIC Master, CI, CT, CI/CT or CSC). All interpreters shall conduct themselves according to the RID Code of Ethics. A.4.2 Special Qualifications. Interpreters must demonstrate fluency in expressive and receptive skills in oral spoken English into signed English and American Sign Language (ASL), Pidgin sign English (PSE), tactile (Deaf and blind), oral, oral with sign or ASL (in reverse) back to oral English; ability to accurately interpret in a variety of settings; and ability to keep pace with communications in conferences, meetings, seminars, training classes, etc.. The Contractor shall provide interpreters possessing the knowledge, skill and ability to produce complete, accurate, simultaneous translation and display of any live-event setting, with an accuracy of 98% or better. A.4.3 Exceptions to Certification/Qualification Requirement. If the Contractor does not provide interpreters with these certifications/qualifications then the interpreter(s) provided must be submitted in writing to the Contracting Officer within fifteen (15) business days prior to anticipated date of first assignment for approval. Approval will be either granted or denied after the interpreter teams with a DFAS interpreter for an evaluation, at no cost to the Government. DFAS reserves the right to accept or reject any or all interpreters, based upon skills required, background and experience of each individual for any given assignment. A.4.4 Practicum Students. Requests for practicum students/interns to accompany certified interpreters for training purposes shall be submitted to the COR, in writing, 4 business days in advance to start of assignment. Requests will be approved on a case by case basis. Students/interns� time is not billable under this contract. A.4.5 Culture and Language. Contractor interpreters must have a familiarity with the culture and language of a DFAS Government installation or familiarity with Government finance and accounting operations. Knowledge of specific industry jargon and acronyms is essential to the quality of the interpretation services. A.4.6 Interpreter Conduct. Interpreter(s) shall be dressed in business or business-casual attire. It is understood that the interpreter(s) shall not act as an agent or employee of the Federal Government or DFAS. The interpreter(s) shall not discuss personal business; distribute personal business cards or promotion of personal �cause� while on assignment in order to develop clientele from assignments originating from the Federal Government or DFAS. The interpreter(s) shall adhere to the Federal Government�s rules of protocol, ethics, procedures and professionalism while on assignment at DFAS. Any professional conduct in question warrants an immediate review at the discretion of the COR and the Contracting Officer. A.4.7 Licenses. The Contractor shall be responsible for obtaining all necessary licenses and for complying with all applicable Federal, State and local laws. The Contractor shall maintain updated copies of any applicable licenses and certifications for all Contractor personnel and subcontractors and make available to the Government upon request. A.4.8 COVID-19 �Requirements. All individuals on DoD property, installations, and facilities are to comply with latest requirements to prevent the spread of COVID-19.� Examples include wearing cloth face coverings in public areas, work centers, as well as when entering the building; maintaining social distancing; and not displaying symptoms of COVID-19 illness, such as fever.� The contractor should use due diligence to ensure any interpreter who is assigned to come on site does not have COVID-19.� Government will not be charged if the assigned interpreter is unable to complete the assignment due to COVID-19 A.5 Security A.5.1 Security Checks. All contractor personnel or any representative of the contractor entering any government facility or government leased facility shall abide by all security regulations and be subject to security checks. Contractor personnel or any representative and property shall be subject to search and seizure upon entering, while on, and upon leaving the government facility pursuant to installation regulations. Contractor personnel or representatives may be removed from the site whose continued presence is deemed to adversely affect health, morale, welfare or good order and discipline on the installation or inconsistent with the best interest of national security. A.5.2 Security and Privacy Act Requirements. All work-performed relative to the tasking identified in the PWS are unclassified or carry a Privacy Act Classification. System security shall be in accordance with DoD Directive5200.28, Security Requirements for AIS. A.5.3 Security Investigation Requirements. No classified work will be required. However, the contractor will be working with sensitive unclassified information which is covered by the Privacy Act, Title 5 of the U.S. Code, Section 552a and applicable agency rules and regulations in their performance under this PWS. A.5.4 Parking and Traffic Control. Contractor personnel and subcontractors shall abide by host installation parking regulations. All vehicles shall be parked in designated parking areas only. The Contractor and its employees shall conform to Federal, State and host installation driving regulations. A.5.5 Security Requirements. On-site contractor operations will follow the security and training requirements IN DFAS 2000.1, �Force Protection Program,� DoD M 5200.01-V1-4, �DoD Information Security Program,� AND DFAS 5200.1-I, �Information Security Program.� On-site contractor operations will follow all host security requirements IAW DoD 5220.22-M, paragraph 6-105. The contractor shall immediately report any occurrences of violation of stated regulations to the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer Representative (COR). B.DEFINITIONS AND ACRONYMS B.1 DOD Dictionary. B.1.1. The DoD Dictionary of Definitions and Terms is available on the Internet at:http://jitc.fhu.disa.mil/jitc_dri/pdfs/jp1_02.pdf. C. SPECIFIC TASKS C.1 General: The Contractor shall provide interpreter services for meeting the requirements as specified in the PWS. At any time assignments can be cancelled, additions made, type of assignment changed, and/or changes made to start and stop time. Contractor personnel and subcontractors provided should be able to easily be reassigned to another comparable assignment if cancelled or current assignment concluded earlier than scheduled time and another need for services has been identified during the time scheduled. Interpreters must possess a high level of language proficiency in English and sign language and must be able to demonstrate to the satisfaction of DFAS that they are competent interpreters who can render spoken discourse accurately from English into sign language and from sign language into spoken English, and as appropriate, perform interpretations in the simultaneous, as well as consecutive modes and/or render sight translations with a high degree of accuracy. The Contractor shall attend scheduled and unscheduled meetings with the COR and other government representatives to furnish input concerning the operation and management of the interpretation program. Meetings may be scheduled by the Contractor to determine program requirement. C.2 Scheduling Requirements. C.2.1 Method of Requesting Services.� The COR shall contact the Contractor POC primarily via e-mail, and secondarily via telephone, with requests for, changes to or cancellations of interpretation services. DFAS-CO Interpreting Office operating hours are defined 0630-1600 Monday through Friday except for Federal Holidays. These hours are for the purpose of sending and confirming requests. Requests may begin as early as 0600 and finish as late as 1800. C.2.2 Request Notification Time Schedule. The Contractor must be able to provide interpreter services for requests received at least sixteen (16) business hours in advance for assignments lasting a duration of 2-8 hours.� Business hours are defined as Monday through Friday (0630 � 1600), except Federal Holidays.� Upon receipt of request, the Contractor shall provide to the COR or designee in writing (email is acceptable) receipt confirmation within one (1) business day of receipt of request.� The name of the assigned interpreter(s) shall be provided to the COR in writing (email is acceptable) no later than one (1) business day prior to start of assignment. Requests for services made with less than 16 business hours� notice will be considered a Last Minute Request (LMR).�� The Contractor shall attempt to provide interpreters for LMRs, but the Government understands that the Contractor may not always be able to comply with such a request and therefore shall have the right to refuse the assignment.� The Contractor�s acceptance must be given within four (4) business hours of the time the request was placed during DFAS� business days.� If the Contractor fails to accept within the time specified, the Government will consider the assignment refused.� The Contractor shall provide the COR or designee the name(s) of the interpreter(s) as soon as possible but no later than two (2) business hours prior to the assignment. The Contractor must be able to provide interpreter services for requests received at least five (5) business days in advance for assignments lasting a duration of 8-24 hours.� Business hours are defined as Monday through Friday (0630 � 1600), except Federal Holidays.� Upon receipt of request, the Contractor shall provide to the COR or designee in writing (email is acceptable) receipt confirmation within one (1) business day of receipt of request.� The name of the assigned interpreter(s) shall be provided to the COR in writing (email is acceptable) no later than three (3) business days prior to start of assignment. The Contractor must be able to provide interpreter services for requests received at least ten (10) business days in advance for assignments lasting a duration of 24 hours or more.� Business hours are defined as Monday through Friday (0700 � 1500), except Federal Holidays.� Upon receipt of request, the Contractor shall provide to the COR or designee in writing (email is acceptable) receipt confirmation within one (1) business day of receipt of request.� The name of the assigned interpreter(s) shall be provided to the COR in writing (email is acceptable) no later than four (4) business days prior to start of assignment. C.2.3 Agency Provided Information at time of Request. The COR or designee will provide the Contractor POC the following information at time of request: Type of interpretation required (i.e. ASL, Pidgin, Oral, etc.). (Reference A.1.1 for list of types of interpretation applicable.) Start/End� Date(s) to include daily start and end times and identified lunch break if applicable. On-site POC information for Contractor interpreter(s) if other than COR to include office location, telephone number and email address. If no information is provided, it should be expected that the COR will be the primary point of contact for that request. Host installation Building Number for the event. Note: It should be expected that all events will be held at Building 21 unless otherwise specified. Event Assignment Number. Name(s) of Deaf/Hard of Hearing Employee(s) Description of event (i.e. staff meeting, appraisal meeting, one-on-one training, etc.) (Reference A.1.2 for list of types of events applicable.) If available, copies of speeches, documents, program specific acronym lists, training materials that will be used during the event in advance of the event. However, there will be occasions when it is not possible for the Government to provide these materials in advance. The Contractor POC is responsible for ensuring personnel and subcontractors have complete and accurate job information prior to day of assignment. C.3 Cancellations/Reassignments C.3.1 Cancellations: The Contractor and its interpreter(s) shall keep assignments. Canceled assignments are not tolerated except for true emergencies. If the scheduled interpreter(s) cancels an assignment, the Contractor shall provide a substitute interpreter(s) and notify the COR within 24-hours. If the Contractor is not able to provide an interpreter(s), the contractor shall inform the COR or designee. If the Contractor interpreter does not meet qualifications (reference A.4) or fails to appear at the event location within fifteen (15) minutes of the scheduled assignment start time, the assignment may be cancelled. The Government shall not incur any charges associated with such cancellations. The Government may cancel the services no less than 8 business hours in advance with no penalty or charges assessed. If the Contractor is notified of a cancellation less than 8 business hours prior to the scheduled assignment, but before interpreter(s) arrival on site, the Contractor may invoice for a two (2) hour minimum. (For cancellations after interpreter(s) arrival on site see C.3.2 Reassignments below.) In lieu of assessing a cancellation fee, the COR and the Contractor can mutually agree to reassign the interpreter(s) to another service request covered by this PWS, without incurring cancellation charges, at the hourly rate established. No special rates shall be used for requests accepted as described in this paragraph. C.3.2 Reassignments: If upon arrival to the assignment and service is no longer required or the assignment ends early, the interpreter(s) must notify the COR for reassignment. The COR or designee has the option to assign the interpreter(s) 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. (Reference A.1.2 and C.1 for list of types of interpretation applicable.) If the interpreter(s) cannot reach the COR and the original scheduled time expires or the 2- hour minimum passed (whichever occurs first), the interpreter may leave. For assignments where no service was provided, the Contractor may invoice for a two (2) hour minimum (Reference C.3.1 Cancellations). The 2-hour minimum does not apply if the interpreter leaves prior to notifying the COR (or designee) or before the times stated above. For assignments concluded earlier than scheduled time, the Contractor may invoice in accordance with Section C.4. C.4 Kept Appointments Billable Service Hours� Regardless of assignment duration, the Contractor shall be reimbursed for a minimum of two (2) hours with the exception of the following: Assignments lasting more than two (2) hours shall be invoiced in half (�) hour increments for the actual duration of the assignment, not the estimated duration requested by the COR or designee when coordinating and scheduling the request. The assignments are considered complete when the later of the following occurs: �� Conclusion of event equals or exceeds the estimated duration specified when scheduling The COR releases the interpreter(s). For any assignment over 6 hours in duration where lunch breaks are provided in the lengths of 30 (thirty) to 60 (sixty) minutes and are offered during the assignment(s) for Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing employee(s), the same time for lunch breaks apply to the interpreter(s) and shall not be included within the assignment(s) as paid time. Other breaks are billable. No travel or per diem will be reimbursed. C.5 Evaluation of Services. Recipients of interpretation services and/or team interpreters may provide feedback on the quality of the services received to the COR. This feedback will be provided to the Contractor POC by the COR within seven (7) business days of receipt of feedback. The Contractor shall take appropriate action based on the feedback and provide the COR with a written response to the feedback within five (5) business days of receipt of feedback. The COR and the Contractor POC will meet every three (3) months, unless mutually agreed to otherwise, to conduct a quality review of services being provided by the Contractor. C.6 Number of Interpreters Required Per Assignment 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.7 Teaming The practice called team interpreting, is a necessary part of interpreting, some meetings may require teaming with interpreters from other agencies. Reference to RID Standard Practice on Teaming: (http://www.rid.org/userfiles/File/pdfs/Standard_Practice_Papers/Team_Interpreting_SPP.pdf. ), and the RID Code of Professional Conduct which outlines the respect for colleagues and professional conduct (http://www.rid.org/ethics/code/index.cfm). In the instance where the teaming partner is with a DFAS interpreter, the DFAS interpreter would be the primary interpreter and the contract interpreter would be the support interpreter. Interpreters will meet prior to the scheduled event to determine their placement, language, signaling, continuity and turn-taking. C.8. Invoicing Invoices shall be submitted as a 2-in-1 or combo on a monthly basis via the automated system Wide Area Work Flow (WAWF) in accordance with the rate/prices established in this contract. Payment will be made in accordance with the Prompt Payment Act. The invoice shall include a detailed list of each interpretation event worked. The detailed list shall include at a minimum the following information: �Sequential invoice number �Event Request Number �Date(s) work performed and hours expended to include start and stop times �Description of event worked to include consumer last name. �Number of Interpreters �Name of Interpreters(s) who provided service �Cumulative totals �Remarks: any specific/pertinent information C.9 Deliverables. C.9.1 Weekly Status Report. The Contractor POC shall submit a weekly status report to the COR no later than the Close of Business (COB) on the first workday following the work week, unless mutually agreed otherwise, that identifies an accurate record of all events that requested interpretation services, whether they were serviced, the number of interpreters required and the length of service time. C.9.2 Contractor Manpower Reporting. The contractor shall report all contractor labor hours (including subcontractor labor hours) required for performance of services provided under this contract for interpreter services at DFAS-Columbus via a secure data collection site. The contractor is required to completely fill in all required data fields using the following web address: http://www.ecmra.mil/. Reporting inputs will be for the labor executed during the period of performance during each Government fiscal year (FY), which runs October 1 through September 30. While inputs may be reported any time during the FY, all data shall be reported no later than October31 of each calendar year. Contractors may direct questions to the help desk at http://www.ecmra.mil/. C.10 Quality Control Plan (QCP). The Contractor�s quality system shall demonstrate its prevention-based outlook by meeting the objectives stated in the PWS throughout all areas of performance (e.g., all functional areas and all performance standards). The QCP shall be developed to specify the Contractor�s responsibility for management and quality control actions to meet the terms of the contract. Within 10 business days from date of award, the Contractor shall provide to the COR the QCP for review. The Contractor�s QCP shall be incorporated into and become part of this contract after the plan has been accepted by the Government. Changes made after the Contracting Officer (KO) or designee approval shall be submitted in writing to the KO or designee for review and acceptance. The Contractor�s QCP shall be maintained throughout the life of the contract and shall include the Contractor�s procedures to routinely evaluate the effectiveness of the plan to ensure the Contractor is meeting the performance standards and requirements of the contract. DFAS-Columbus will implement a Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) to ensure the Contractor provides the required services and adheres to quality standards as specified in this PWS. The COR shall monitor performance. D.CERTIFICATION AND ACCEPTANCE The COR is designated as the point of final inspection and acceptance by the Government of all items and services required by the contract.
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Place of Performance: Address: Columbus, OH 43213, USA; Zip Code: 43213; Country: USA
Record: SN06072394-F 20210725/210723230119 (samdaily.us)
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R -- DFAS-CO Interpreting Services