Veteran's Affairs Medical Center, Contracting Officer (90C), Acquisition & Material Management Service, One Veterans Plaza, San Juan, PR 00927-5800

99 -- TRANSLATION & TRANSCRIPTION IN ENGLISH/SPANISH TO ENGLISH SOL IFB355-004-00 DUE 012600 POC Elisa Cruz (787) 641-2948/49 This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for Commercial Items prepared in accordance with the format Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; bids are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. The solicitation is issued as an Invitation for Bid (IFB). Solicitation number IFB355-004-00. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 97-14. This procurement is a Small Business Set-Aside. SIC (Standard Industrial Classification Code) 7389 is applied, business size standard is $3.5M. SCOPE: The Department of Veterans Affairs, VA Medical Center (VAMC), San Juan, PR, has the requirement to perform transcription of cassettes in English/Spanish to English and translation of documents in Spanish to English of administrative hearings from veterans appeal cases of the Veterans Affairs Regional Office (VARO) in Puerto Rico, the Board of Veterans Appeals in Washington, DC and Veterans Administration Medical Center (VAMC), San Juan, Puerto Rico. The contract will be for one (1) base year and four (4) option years. This is a requirement contract firm- fixed price. BASE YEAR (2/1/00 TO 9/30/00) 1001. Transcription/Translation (Cassettes) English/Spanish to English: Estimated quantity pages 3,600 per year. Cost per page $______. 1002. Translation (documents) Spanish to English: Estimated quantity pages per year 3,600. Cost per page $______. NOTE: Option line items are the same as described in the base year listed above. Offeror shall submit pricing for BASE YEAR (2/1/00 to 9/30/00) L/I # 1001 through 1002 and for each option year on a separate sheet as follows: OPTION YEAR I: (10/1/00 to 9/30/01) L/I # 2001 through 2002. OPTION YEAR II: (10/1/01 to 9/30/02) L/I # 3001 through 3002. OPTION YEAR III: (10/1/01 to 9/30/02) L/I # 4001 through 4002. OPTION YEAR IV: (10/1/02 to 9/30/03) L/I # 5001 through 5002. Contractor shall provide all personnel, space, materials, and equipment necessary to perform transcription of cassettes in English/Spanish to English and translation of documents in Spanish to English. Prices and billing shall be based on 12 Pitch; Elite typed page. ESTIMATED QUANTITY. The quantities listed herein are estimates only. The Government is not obligated to any specified amount of services, but shall be obligated to provide payment for all services requested and received in acceptable condition, and of the quality and quantity as requested. PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS: Offeror personal shall have skill of a fully qualified typist (70/80-WPM), to operate dictation and transcription equipment, PC or word processor along with their corresponding printers. Knowledge of both Spanish and English languages and medical and legal terminology to be able to translate and transcribe accurately from one languages to the other regardless of the complexity of the terminology or level of pronunciation to translate and transcribe in very accurate manner such material. Knowledge of grammar, spelling, capitalization, punctuation and medical and legal guidelines needed to transcribe and translate a variety of material accurately from voice recordings. TYPE OF MATERIAL FOR TRANSCRIPTION/ TRANSLATION: The type of material for transcription shall include veterans appeals cases in English and Spanish (including dialects and accents) containing legal and medical terminology. Type of material for translation shall include documents, printed and handwritten material, legal, medical, letters, and other miscellaneous documents (i.e., birth certificates, death certificates, claims for burial expenses). FORMAT: Transcribed recordings and translated documents shall be of the highest quality:[a] Paper (Good quality white bond paper), [b] Paper Size (8-1/2" x 11"), [c] Typing Font (12 Pitch, Elite), [d] Margins (Left .5" / Right .5"), [e] Line Spacing (Double Spaced), [f] Text Alignment (Left Justification), [g] Translation of documents shall follow the format on the original document in Spanish. [h] Abbreviation: the following will be abbreviated: Chairperson to read as "Hearing Officer" and abbreviated as "CHP"; Representative abbreviated as "REP"; witness abbreviated as "WIT'; and veterans abbreviated as "VET". [I] Page number: shall be identified on the top of page flush with the reference of veterans name on each continuation page. CASSETTES: Transcription/translation of one or two sixty (60) minute standard size cassettes recorded on one or both sides in English and/or Spanish per case of veterans appeals hearing. DOCUMENTS: Translation from Spanish to English printed and handwritten letters, legal, medical, and miscellaneous documents. Work will be mailed and/or delivered by the most expeditious method agreed by the parties after contract award herein VARO and Contractor, from VARO in Puerto Rico and Department of Veterans Affairs Central Office, Board of Appeals, in Washington, DC. It is determined that a standard page consists of an average of 250 words. Contractor pricing will be based on an average word count stated and payment of services for each individual page. Document contents is based on general and technical information as prescribed. VARO shall prioritize and mark the cassettes/documents either "Regular" (Response Time: 5 working days) or "Priority" (Response Time: 3 working days). Contractor shall make every effort to transcribe the complete recorded and translate documents. Translated document showing official seals, stamps, etc., shall be referenced as a footnote in lieu of the original seal, stamp, etc. Where the recording is non-intelligible or the document is illegible or non-decipherable the word "non intelligible", illegible, or non-decipherable may be inserted where necessary. Translator's notes may be shown as footnotes on transcription/translation, if deemed necessary for explanatory reasons, but such notes must be extraneous to the matter. The Contractor shall maintain a procedure, which provides for screening and/or proofreading for accuracy and uniformity in terminology and format. Strikeovers, poor erasures or irrelevant remarks will not be allowed. Any transcriptions and/or translated documents requiring correction or are unacceptable to VARO or the Board of Appeals shall be returned to the Contractor who shall correct and return the corrected transcription and/or translated documents to VARO within THREE (3) working days at no additional cost to the Government. All original cassettes, documents, printed and handwritten material, legal, medical, letters, and other miscellaneous documents (i.e., birth certificates, death certificates, claims for burial expenses) are considered the property of the Government and are required to be returned to VARO and Board of Appeals, respectively. Contractor shall not retain any copies of cassettes and/or documents for their own use and/or files. The Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR), VARO, will review transcriptions and translations for quality. MARKINGS: Pages of transcribed/translated text shall be marked as follow: BOTTOM/RIGHT-HAND CORNER: If the veteran's name and reference number appear in the Spanish language documents (for translation), translator must type the words "IN RE" (meaning: " in regard to") Example: IN RE: SMITH, JOHN. BOTTOM/RIGHT-HAND SIDE OF LAST SHEET: Type the contract number, name of the language translated from, the number of words (for billing purposes), and translator's initials. SERVICE HOURS AND RESPONSE: Government Regular Working Hours: Regular working hours will be Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 4:30PM except for Federal Holidays: (New Year's Day January 1); (Martin Luther King's Birthday 3rd Monday in January); (Washington's Birthday 3rd Monday in February); (Memorial Day Last Monday in May); (Independence Day July 4); (Labor Day 1st Monday in September); (Columbus Day 2nd Monday in October); (Veteran's Day November 11); (Thanksgiving Day 4th Thursday in November); (Christmas Day December 25). Or any other day declared a national holiday by the President of the United States. REGULAR (NON-PRIORITY) WORK: All material (translated/transcribed) shall be accompanied by VA Form 3-2801 and shall be returned within five (5) working days from date of receipt by the on Contractor to the VARO and Board of Appeals, respectively. PRIORITY WORK: All material (translated/transcribed) shall be accompanied by VA Form 3-2801 and shall be returned within three (3) working days from date of receipt by the Contractor to the VARO and Board of Appeals, respectively. VA FORM 3-2801 "REQUEST FOR TRANSLATION IN TO ENGLISH": VA Form 3-2801 shall accompany each cassette and document for transcription/translation or correction. The form shall show, as a minimum: [a] Veteran's names; [b] VA identifying file number; [c] Number of cassettes recorded in each hearing and documents in Spanish. Contractor shall complete and return VA Form 3-2801 accompanied by original cassette documents, transcribed cassettes, and translated documents to VARO or Board of Appeals, respectively. When a cassette and/or document cannot be transcribed/translated because it is non-decipherable or illegible, the Contractor shall complete and return VA Form 3-2801(indicating the reason why it cannot be transcribed/translated) accompanied by original cassettes and documents to VARO or Board of Appeals within THREE (3) working days. Contractor shall retain a copy of VA Form 3-2801 for his files. Under no circumstances is the Contractor to erase a cassette and/or mark, mar or in any way alter the original cassettes and/or documents. Contractor shall ensure the confidentiality of all veteran information and will be held liable in the event of breach of confidentiality Contractor shall ensure the confidentiality of all veteran information and will be held liable in the event of breach of confidentiality. The Contractor shall comply with provisions of the Federal Privacy Act of 1974 (Public Law 93-579), Clause 52.224-1, Privacy Act (APR 1984) and as well other statutes regarding confidentiality of patient information. MAILING FROMVARO (San Juan, Puerto Rico) TO CONTRACTOR: Every Tuesday and Thursday VARO will mail via Certified Mail or Express Mail (mailing costs paid by the Government) to the Contractor VA Form 3-2801 accompanied by original cassettes and copies of documents. Whenever Tuesday and/or Thursday are a Federal Holiday, it will be mailed the next working day. MAILING FROM BOARD OF APPEALS (WASHINGTON DC) TO CONTRACTOR: As required, the Board of Appeals (Washington, DC) will mail via Certified Mail or Express Mail (mailing costs paid by the Government) to the Contractor VA Form 3-2801 accompanied by original cassettes and copies of documents. MAILING FROM CONTRACTOR TO VARO: Return-mailing addresses for transcribed cassettes and translated documents received from VARO (accompanied by VA Form 3-2801, original cassettes and documents):VA REGIONAL OFFICE, ATTN: CHIEF, ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICE, (FOB/ADM/355/023) Room 270, GPO BOX 364867, SAN JUAN, PUERTO RICO 00936-4867. MAILING FROM CONTRACTOR TO BOARD OF APPEALS: Return-mailing address for transcribed cassettes and translated documents received from Board of Veterans Appeals (accompanied by VA Form 3-2801, original cassettes and documents): DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, CENTRAL OFFICE, BOARD OF APPEALS, 810 VERMONT AVENUE, NW WASHINGTON, DC 20420. Contractor shall pay all return mailing costs to VARO in Puerto Rico and Board of Appeals in Washington, DC. INSPECTION OF OFFEROR'S FACILITIES: VARO reserves the right to inspect and investigate the establishment and facilities and other qualifications of any offeror and to reject an offer regardless of price, if it should be administratively determined to be lacking in any of the essentials necessary to ensure acceptable standards of performance. MANAGEMENT: The Contractor shall manage the total work effort associated with the contract services required to assure fully adequate and timely completion of these services. Included in this function will be a full range of management duties including, but not limited to, planning, scheduling, report preparation, establishing and maintaining records, and quality control. The Contractor shall provide an adequate staff of personnel with the necessary management expertise to assure the performance of the work in accordance with sound and efficient management practices. WORK CONTROL: The Contractor shall implement all necessary scheduling and personnel/equipment control procedures to ensure timely accomplishment of all services requirements. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION DATA: At no time shall any understanding or agreement, cntract modification, change order, or other matters in deviation from the terms of this contract between the Contractor and a person other than the Contracting Officer, be effective of binding upon the Government. All such actions must be formalized by the proper contractual document executed by the Contracting Officer. CONTRACTING OFFICER'S TECHNICAL REPRESENTATIVE (COTR): Prior to contract award, the Contracting Officer will designate a VARO employee as COTR. No other person(s) shall be authorized to act as COTR of the VARO under this contract. INVOICING PROCEDURES: Contractor shall properly execute separate invoices for cassette transcription/translation documents from VARO and Board of Appeals. Contractor shall submit a properly prepared invoice, provided. At a minimum, Contractor's invoice will contain the following: date of service, contract number, purchase order number, contract prices, quantity (total number of words and/or documents transcribed/translated, payment terms, remittance address, patient's name (last name, first initial, patient's identification number, if provided by VARO/Board of Appeals. Payment shall be made monthly in arrears upon certification by the COTR as to the accuracy and completeness of the services. Contract shall submit invoices to: VA Regional Office, Administration Division (FOB/355-023), GPO BOX 364867, San Juan, Puerto Rico 00936. When the service covered by this contract is discontinued, the VA shall terminate that portion of the contract upon thirty- (30) days written notice to the Contractor. BIDDER'S QUALIFICATION: Bidder is required to submit sufficient evidence that they have adequate equipment, facilities, personnel and that they have also all the necessary experience to establish responsibility and integrity to meet the requirement of this contract. Any offer from a bidder who does not have adequate experience, personnel, equipment and facilities, in the opinion of the Contracting Officer, will be rejected. Offeror shall submit evidence by certificate from an approved college based course of study and/or any documentation of length of experience working on the required job, evidence of the organization's qualifications, experience and achievements, past and present. Bidder's shall provide at least three (3) companies name including type of contract, cost of contract and brief description of the work performed, the geographic location of the office performing the work, point of contact, and telephone number. The Government will evaluate bids inresponse to this solicitation without discussions. After are publicly opened, and award will be made with reasonable to that responsible bidder whose bid, conforming to the invitation for bids, will be most advantageous to the Government, considering only price and the price-related factors included in the invitation. Award may be without any written or oral discussions with any bidders. The Government may make multiple awards for the services listed in the contract to those responsible offerors whose offers, conform to the specification and qualifications required. Final selection will be determined by the lower bid price that meet all the bidder's and personnel qualifications. COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS: The contractor shall comply with Join Commission Accreditation of Health Care Organizations (JCAHO) requirements. In compliance with JCAHO requirement the Contractor shall provided written confirmation that employees are competent to perform the task assigned on this contract. This written confirmation shall specify in which areas each contract employees are competent. The full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at these addresses: www.arnet.gov/far or www.pronet.sba.gov/ or will be provided by the CO upon request. The following provisions and clauses are applicable and are hereby incorporated into the solicitation by reference. Offeror shall submit a completed copy of provision specified herein as part of the bid package. The provision 52.212-1 Instructions of Offerors, Commercial Items (NOV 1999), applies to this acquisition. Addendum to FAR 52.212-1 as follows, MAIL INSTRUCTIONS OF BID: Bid are requested in writing and shall be submitted to the following address: FED EX: When using FED EX as a source to send your Bid, you shall use zip code 00927 instead of 00921. VA Medical Center, Contracting Office (BO-3), 10 Casia Street, San Juan PR 00927. REGULAR MAIL/UPS: All regular mail and UPS will maintain the 00921 Zip code. 52.214-1 Solicitation Definitions Sealed Bidding (Jul 1987), 52.214-3 Amendments to Invitations for Bids (Dec 1989), 52.214-4 False Statements in Bids (Apr 1984), 52.214-5 Submission of Bids (Mar 1997), 52.214-6 Explanation to Prospective Bidders (Apr 1984), 52.214-7 Late Submissions, Modifications, and Withdrawals Of Bids. (May 1997), 52.214-34 Submission of Offers in the English Language (Apr 1991), 52.214-35 Submission of Offers In U.S. Currency (Apr 1991), 852.214-70 Caution to Bidders Bid Envelopes (Apr 1984). The bidder's shall include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3 Offeror Representations and Certifications Commercial Items. The provision 52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items (MAY 1999) applies to this acquisition. Addendum to FAR 52.212-4 as follows, 52.216-21 Requirements (Oct 1995), 52.216-18 Ordering (Oct 1995), 852.216-70 Estimated Quantities for Requirements Contracts. (Apr 1984), 52.216-19 Order Limitations (Oct 1995), 52.232-18 Availability of Funds (Apr 1984), 52.232-19 Availability of Funds for The Next Fiscal Year (Apr 1984), 52.217-8 Option to Extend Services (Aug 1989), 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 1989), 52.204-4 Printing/Copying Double-Sided On Recycled Paper (Jun 1996), 52.222-1 Notice to the Government Of Labor Disputes (Feb 1997), 52.224-1 Privacy Act Notification (Apr 1984), 52.224-2 Privacy Act (Apr 1984), 52.219-16 Liquidated Damages Subcontracting Plan (Jan 1999), 52.242-13 Bankruptcy (Jul 1995), 852.270-4 Commercial Advertising (Nov 1984), 52.239-1 Privacy or Security Safeguards (Aug 1996), 52.208-9 Contractor use of Mandatory Sources of Supply (Mar 1996). The provision 52.212-5 Contract Terms and Conditions required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders Commercial Items applicable clauses (52.203-6, 52.219-4, 52.219-8, 52.219-9, 52.219-14, 52.219-23, 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.225-3, 52.232-34, 52.222-41, 52.222-42, 52.222-43, 52.222-44, 52.222-47). Bids shall be submitted not later than 3:00pm local time on January 26, 2000. The bid envelope shall contain on the bottom left side solicitation number, date opening & time, and bid title. Posted 01/14/00 (W-SN416408). (0014)

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