SOLICITATION NOTICE
R -- Combined Synopsis/Solicitation for Sign Language Interpretation Services
- Notice Date
- 8/21/2009
- Notice Type
- Presolicitation
- Contracting Office
- Environmental Protection Agency, Information Resource Management Procurement Service Center, 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, Nw, Washington, DC 20460
- ZIP Code
- 20460
- Solicitation Number
- RFQ-DC-09-00286
- Response Due
- 9/11/2009
- Archive Date
- 10/11/2009
- Point of Contact
- Point of Contact, Trina Fisher, Purchasing Agent, Phone (202) 564-1789
- E-Mail Address
-
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
(FISHER.TRINA@EPAMAIL.EPA.GOV)
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- NAICS Code: 541930 NAICS Code: 541930 - Translation and Interpretation Services with a Small Business Administration (SBA) size standard of $7.0M. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR)Subpart 12.6 and under the authority of FAR 13, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. This solicitation is being issued under Solicitation Number RFQ-DC-09-00286 and includes the incorporated provisions and clauses in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 05-36. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) Code for this procurement is 541930 and is being conducted as a small business set aside. ********************************************************************REQUEST FOR QUOTE:Sign Language Support Services The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of Human Resources (OHR) Headquarters Office in Washington DC requests that your company submit a quote to provide Sign Language support services under a Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA) by an authorized Call Ordering Officer. This BPA will be for a one-year base period with four one-year option periods. The vendor shall furnish the necessary personnel, material, equipment, and services (except as otherwise specified), to perform the Statement of Work/Specifications included below. EPA requires the services of a company that must primarily serve Deaf and hard of hearing persons as a major function of their business and be stationed in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. The prospective vendor must have adequate personnel to support this requirement. Additionally, the prospective vendor must have the ability to procure certified and experienced interpreters in different locations throughout the country as some interpreting will be required at various U.S. locations. Enclosed you will find the Statement of Work (SOW) and Evaluation Factors. The Government will evaluate submissions received in response to the request for quote and will issue one order to the vendor whose submission represents the best value to the Government. An electronic copy of the submission must be submitted by 2:00 pm on September 11, 2009 to the Contract Specialist, Trina Fisher, at fisher.trina@epa.gov. Please include your name, point of contact, address, area code and telephone number, facsimile number, tax ID number, DUNS number, and indicate whether you are a small business; woman or minority owned; 8(a), GSA schedule, or open market. This is a small business set-aside. Instructions: Prospective vendors should address the following evaluation factors, against which the quotes will be evaluated. Issue of the order will be made to the vendor that offers the best value to the Government. For this requirement, all evaluation factors other than price, when combined, are more important than price. 1.Personnela.Staffing Plan: The vendor must provide a staffing plan that demonstrates the ability to fully staff any requirements under the EPA BPA, in accordance with the estimated Level of Effort provided in the SOW.b.Key Personnel: All personnel for this requirement are considered key personnel. The offeror shall provide the names and resumes for all of the proposed personnel, of no longer than two pages in length each, which demonstrates relevant education, training and experience. All personnel shall have skill levels equivalent to senior journeymen, plus five years of specialized experience in the technical arena.2.Past Performancea.The offeror shall demonstrate past performance in providing services similar in scope to this requirement by identifying relevant services provided within the last 3 years. Offerors shall be required to provide the following documentation for 3 such projects:i.Contract Numberii.Clientiii.Name of Contract/Projectiv.Period of Performancev.Reference Point of Contactvi.Phone and E-Mail of POC Vendors must also provide proof of location within the Washington, DC metro area and the ability to arrange for out-of-area requests on an as-need basis. Additionally, vendors shall provide proof that interpreting services are one of their primary areas of service. In addition, submit a fixed rate labor-hour quote for this requirement along with minimum hourly requirements. If a daily rate is available, include that rate in the quote. If the vendor is on the GSA Schedules, proposed labor rates must be less than or equal to the schedule rates for that labor category. The EPA will not reimburse for parking, public transportation or mileage for this order. No pricing/penalty fees for short scheduling notice will be accepted under this order. The prospective vendor must be able to fulfill the upcoming requirement for interpreting services for September 29 - October 1, 2009, located in Cabazon, California. The order will be for one year from date of issue with four option years. The issue of the option years will be based on EPA's continued need for service. If you have any questions regarding this request, please contact me via e-mail by 2:00 pm August 27, 2009, at the e-mail address noted above. No telephone inquiries will be accepted. Answers will be provided in the form of an amendment to this RFQ. ********************************************************************STATEMENT OF WORK: BACKGROUND This contract is to provide the Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Human Resources (OHR) with Sign Language support services. The work will be performed in space to be designated by the EPA Project Officer at various Washington, D.C. area EPA facilities. The sign language personnel will report to the location designated by the Call Ordering Officer/Project Officer who will request services and approve invoices per occurrence. There will be periodic requests for assignments in different areas of the United States. The vendor must have the ability to procure certified and experienced interpreters in different locations throughout the country. The work will be monitored by the Project Officer who will orient interpreters and monitor performance. Note: This is an additional interpreting requirement at the EPA, initiated for the purposes of providing interpreting services for professional Deaf staff with exceptionally technical interpreting requirements due to highly visible projects. REQUIREMENTS The estimated level of effort for this requirement is 2,000 hours per annum in the DC area and potentially 500 hours or more of on-site interpreting at locations throughout the country. At least 90% of the interpreting staff and/or contractors must be nationally certified (RID: CI and CT or NAD: Level IV or V or NIC) and all staff responding to EPA requirements must be nationally certified (RID: CI and CT or NAD: Level IV or V or NIC). This is to ensure that the interpreting provided is at a proficiency level compatible with the highly technical and professional requirements of the Deaf staff. Interpreters shall have a minimum of 5 years of demonstrated experience in highly scientific or IT settings, with references to prove superior qualifications. The sign language interpreters shall be capable of providing interpreting services in a wide variety of employment settings. Interpreters shall conform to the standards outlined in the RID Code of Professional Conduct. The EPA specifically requires one interpreter for this order that shall be a dedicated interpreter on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. The interpreter shall be serving as an "on call" interpreter primarily between the hours of 8 am - 5 pm (expected 7 - 9 hours per day). The interpreter/s must be extremely fluent in ASL, have excellent voicing skills in the area of Information Technology and must work well with a particular high-level Deaf client, while also being flexible in going to other assignments at EPA as scheduled. At this time only one slot for each day is necessary, and shall be filled by only one dedicated interpreter, with a backup who may rotate in on some weeks, or who may, with prior approval from the Project Officer, take one day of the ongoing on-call assignment. Other interpreting assignments may also be requested under this order, as the need arises. The prospective vendor must primarily serve Deaf and hard of hearing persons as a major function of their business and be stationed in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. This BPA requires significant interaction between the Call Ordering Officer/Project Officer, the vendor and the interpreting personnel, and cannot be successfully administered from a remote location. The prospective vendor shall have in place an office staff to handle phone calls and emails and Instant Message communications throughout the day. One office contact must be assigned to this contract so that there is always one person who is aware of EPA needs and issues. Assigned interpreters must have a cell phone or text pager that will allow them to get instant messages for quick communication of last-minute changes. Invoices will be sent monthly in an electronic format, with only assignments happening in that month to be billed. The vendor shall provide professional interpreters who shall make every effort to arrive at scheduled assignments 15 minutes prior to the start of the assignment, concurrent with general interpreting standards. The vendor shall be CBI (Confidential Business Information) certified and comply with Environmental Protection Agency Acquisition Regulation (EPAAR 1552.235.70, EPAAR 1552.235.71 and EPAAR 1552.235.79. In order to see the full text for these clauses, please follow this link. If there is a problem with this internet link, use the search feature at www.epa.gov and search for the term EPAAR. The Call Ordering/Project Officer must know in advance who the assigned interpreter will be. The vendor shall notify the Call Ordering/Project Officer of the name of the interpreter(s) at least 3 full business days before the job is to take place. Once the interpreter is confirmed, the vendor shall not replace the interpreter without authorization from the Call Ordering Officer/Project Officer. If an interpreter's manner is unprofessional, or if the interpreter lacks substantive experience or training, the vendor will be notified and the interpreter shall not be sent to future EPA assignments. *********************************************************************
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