Loren Data's SAM Daily™

FBO DAILY ISSUE OF AUGUST 25, 2005 FBO #1368
MODIFICATION

R -- Russian/English Interpreter/Faciliator

Notice Date

8/23/2005
 

Notice Type

Modification
 

NAICS

541618 — Other Management Consulting Services
 

Contracting Office

Department of Commerce, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Acquisition and Grants Office, SSMC4 - Room 7601/OFA61 1305 East West Highway, 7th Floor, Silver Spring, MD, 20910
 

ZIP Code

20910
 

Solicitation Number

TAIP3450-6-90006-7
 

Response Due

8/26/2005
 

Archive Date

9/10/2005
 

Point of Contact

Juanita Beck, Procurement Technician, Phone 301-713-0838 x198, Fax 301-713-0809,
 

E-Mail Address

Juanita.Beck@noaa.gov
 

Small Business Set-Aside

Total Small Business
 

Description

Amendment A001 is issued to respond to the following question. Question 1: In the RFP for Russian-English interpreting and translation services you specify that the bid must be a firm fixed price, but since the length of the reports is not indicated, it is difficult to provide a translation price. Do you have any suggestions about how we can go about estimating and pricing these translations? Answer: 1: The Government estimates that the Translations and Final Report will be no more than $500.00 for each session. A sample of the report is attached. The proposal date has been extended until August 26, 2005. REPORT GUIDELINES 1. Provide name of program and program dates 2. Provide rate and evaluate each company and site visit. • Evaluations should consist of a short narrative of what was positive and/or negative about the visit and why the visit was given the particular rate. • Each site evaluation should contain the location (city), company name and company representatives. Rating Scale: Explanation of ratings (R) of presentations and on-site visits: R1+ - superb R1 - excellent R2 - good R3 - fair R4 - inadequate Please note: ratings should be based on the delegation’s evaluation of the visit. 3. Provide evaluation/feed back on the program logistics. • Feedback on any city tours • Feedback on hotels • Feedback on bus companies 4. Provide any information on business development or business relationships established during the program between the delegates and U.S. host companies. • Information should include the delegate’s name, U.S. host name, U.S. company representative name and contact information. • Description of the business development or relationship. Please Note: please describe any type of business development at any stage. This information will be used to follow-up on potential successes and to provide potential assistance to the delegates and companies. 5. General conclusions or other observations • Please provide an overall assessment of the program as a whole • Information on delegation dynamics • Any problems that may have arisen • Other 6. SUGGESTIONS • Provide any suggestions for future programs The U.S. Department of Commerce, International Trade Administration (ITA), Office of the SABIT Program has a requirement to provide training facilitator. The contractor shall provide Russian/English Interpretation/Facilitation in accordance with the attached Statement of Work entitled, Interpreter/Facilitation”. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial acquisition prepared in accordance with Subpart 12.6 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation, 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 TAIP3450-6-90006/7 is issued as a Request for Quote. This solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-05. This requirement is a 100% small business set-a-side. The associated North American Industry Classification System Code (NAICS) is 541618 and small business size standard is $6M. The Contractor shall provide services in accordance with the Statement of Work included as part of this synopsis. All interested parties shall provide a quote for the following line items: Line Item 0001 Russian/English Interpreter/Facilitator 29 days per sessions x 3 sessions = 87 days. Line Item 0002 Translations Services for (Exit Survey, Final Report) Flat Fee per session. Provision 52.212-1, Instruction to Offerors-Commercial Items applies. Offerors are advised to include a completed copy of the provision at 52.212-3. Failure to submit a completed copy of the representations and certifications may result in Offerors being considered non-responsive. The clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Require To Implement Statues or Executive Orders-Commercial Items applies to this acquisition and a statement regarding which, if any, of the additional FAR clauses cited are applicable to this acquisition. The clause 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition. The clause 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Require To Implement Statues or Executive Orders-Commercial Items applies to this acquisition, with the following clauses incorporated by references as addenda: 52.219-6; 52.222-3; 52.222-19; 52.222-21; 52.222-26; 52.222-35; 52.222-36; 52.222-37; 52.225-13; 52.232-33. The Government anticipates a Firm Fixed Price Purchase Order with a 12 month period of performance will be awarded. A Firm Fixed Price contract is anticipated. Proposals submitted in response to this notice are due by 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on August 22, 2005. Proposals must be delivered to via email to juanita.beck@noaa.gov. If email is not available you can fax to 1-301-713-0809. See Note 1 STATEMENT OF WORK SABIT Regional 2 Program I. INTRODUCTION/BACKGROUND Since 1990, SABIT (Special American Business Internship Training Program) at the Department of Commerce (DOC) has provided market and business training to professionals from Eurasia. Providing a unique opportunity to facilitate cross-border cooperation with Eurasia, SABIT helps American organizations form relationships with potential customers, distributors, or partners, who can assist in facilitating profitable international transactions. As relationships of mutual trust are the most significant aspect of interactions between partners in joint ventures, contractual arrangements, or business relations in Eurasia, the linkages formed through SABIT serve as a basis for new business development, and often lead to tangible results. The Interpreter/Facilitator is an integral part of the SABIT team, interpreting and facilitating training sessions and meetings with U.S. organizations as part of the specialized industry programs sponsored and financed by SABIT, in addition to serving as a resource and emergency contact for participants from Eurasia outside of meetings and training sessions. II. STATEMENT OF NEED The SABIT program has a requirement for two (2) Expert/Consultant’s who shall provide interpretation and facilitation services (hereunto defined as “Interpreter/Facilitator”). The Interpreter/Facilitator shall provide interpretation and facilitation services for the scheduled program meetings each day for each program session. Each session consists of 29 consecutive working days. There will be three program sessions for each requirement outlined in this statement of work. III. SCOPE OF WORK The major objective of this procurement is to define the necessary requirements to ensure a high level of professional interpretation and facilitation within the SABIT Program. Specific objectives have been defined with respect to the work outlined in this Statement of Work: 1. Present SABIT in a positive manner to U.S. host organizations and Eurasian program participants by ensuring all scheduled events and meetings function smoothly, with a minimum of problems and interruptions. 2. Help SABIT meet its program objectives and performance measures by providing timely and high quality overall facilitation and interpretation of the sessions. 3. Identify strengths and weaknesses of each session, providing feedback to SABIT Program Officers, through final reports, meetings, and informal discussions, that will enable SABIT to better meet the needs of both the U.S. Host Organizations and the Eurasian participants. IV. REQUIREMENTS The Government requires one (1) Interpreter/Facilitator for this Regional 2 program. This program consists of three (3) sessions. The Interpreter/Facilitator will work in conjunction with another Interpreter/Facilitator as a team to provide the outlined services for the duration of each session. BOTH Interpreter/Facilitators will be required to attend ALL program meetings and provide interpretation and facilitation services. The program sessions are as follows: Regional 2: Session 1: Tourism for Russian Far East (RFE), February 4 – March 4, 2006 Session 2: Hotels for Newly Independent States (NIS), May 13 – June 10, 2006 Session 3: Agribusiness for Ukraine, August 5 – September 2, 2006 Interpretation services will be required Monday – Friday, although some weekend hours and federal holidays may be required. In the case of weekends and federal holidays requiring interpretation services, the Government will give 24 hours notice to the Interpreter/Facilitator. The number of daily meetings ranges from one (1) to four (4), excluding conferences and other special events, and the average amount of interpretation required PER DAY is 4 – 5 hours per Interpreter/Facilitator. Facilitation services will be required 7 days a week. These services include facilitation of all program logistics, including meeting the group at the airport upon arrival and departure, escorting the group from the airport to the hotel and vice versa, checking the delegations in and out of all hotels in all scheduled cities, escorting the group to and from all official meetings, receptions, site visits, and events, and being available 24 hours a day for emergencies, and to deal with problems that arise in the course of each session. The Interpreter/Facilitator must make his/her contact information available to all delegation members. The Interpreter/Facilitator will also be responsible for providing the SABIT Program Officers with a written report about the content of the session NO LATER than one (1) month after the session end date. In addition, the Interpreter/Facilitator will gather and provide the translation of exit questionnaires to SABIT Program Officers NO LATER than one (1) month after the session end date. The Interpreter/Facilitator will report to the Program Officer on every day that official meetings or events occur, either via e-mail or telephone. In addition, he/she will contact the Program Officer in the case of any emergencies or problems. These emergencies and problems would include medical emergencies, violations of program regulations and standards, travel emergencies, and scheduling problems. The Interpreter/Facilitator is required to stay at the same hotel with each delegation for the duration of each session. The Interpreter/Facilitator shall become familiar with the details of the SABIT Program including: expectations for conduct and behavior by visiting delegations during meetings, program officer expectations, the overall goals for the particular session, and the program and travel schedules that will be provided to the Interpreter/Facilitator in advance of the program. Additional information about the SABIT Program can be found at: http://www.mac.doc.gov/sabit/index.html. The Interpreter/Facilitator will attend a brief pre-session meeting with SABIT Program Officers, to be scheduled the week prior to the start date of the session. This meeting will cover the logistics, expectations, and goals for the upcoming session. The Interpreter/Facilitator shall ensure that the delegation arrives on time to all scheduled meetings and events, and shall also arrive on time with the delegation, ready to provide interpretation services for all meetings and events. V. DELIVERABLES Deliverables, Regional 2 Program Due Date 1. Interpretation and Facilitation of the 02/04/06 – 03/04/06 Tourism for RFE session. 2. Progress Report #1 due, Tourism for RFE 02/18/06 session. 3. Final report and translated exit 04/04/06 questionnaires due, Tourism for RFE session. 4. Interpretation and Facilitation of the 05/13/06 – 06/10/06 Hotels for NIS session. 5. Progress Report #1 due, Hotels for NIS 05/27/06 session. 8. Final report and translated exit 07/10/06 questionnaires due, Hotels for NIS session. 9. Interpretation and Facilitation of the 08/05/06 – 09/02/06 Agribusiness for Ukraine session. 10.Progress Report #1 due, Agribusiness 08/19/06 for Ukraine session. 12.Final Report and translated exit 10/02/06 questionnaires due, Agribusiness for Ukraine session. VI. TRAVEL The Interpreter/Facilitator shall be required to travel with the delegation at all times. The first week of the session is generally held in Washington, DC, while the remainder of the program is held in other industry-relevant parts of the United States. Each session will visit anywhere from two (2) – five (5) different metropolitan areas. The delegation will either utilize airline, bus or train transportation to these other metropolitan areas. The mode of transportation will be solely determined by the SABIT Program Officer. The government will provide a final travel schedule for each session to the Interpreter/Facilitator ONE (1) week prior to session start date. The final travel schedule will not preclude any unforeseen changes due to flight cancellations, meeting cancellations, or emergency situations. The Government will provide transport, lodging, and per diem for meals and incidental expenses at the GSA-determined rate for each Interpreter/Facilitator. All travel shall be in accordance with Federal Travel Regulations. VII. ACCEPTANCE CRITERIA FOR SUBMITTING INVOICES The Interpreter/Facilitator shall be required to provide a bi-weekly progress report to the SABIT Program Officer with each invoice. The progress report, which should total no less than two typed and double-spaced pages, will summarize and evaluate the daily activities of the delegation, note positive outcomes from meetings and events, and discuss problems encountered during the session. The Government will have a minimum of one week to review and accept the progress report and invoice. Failure to provide the required information may result in a partial payment of the invoice or the invoice being rejected in its entirety. VIII. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION/QUALITY ASSURANCE PLAN The Government will evaluate the Interpreter/Facilitator using a variety of measures. These will include: 1. SABIT Program Officer first-hand evaluation of Interpreter/Facilitator carrying out duties as outlined in the Statement of Work and Scope of Work. Program Officer will evaluate technical quality of interpretation, and their facilitation of session meetings and logistics. 2. Adherence to the session schedule given to the Interpreter/Facilitator. 3. Adherence to the schedule of deliverables for the particular program. 4. Adherence to the expectations of the SABIT Program as outlined by the Program Officer in the pre-session meeting, and in SABIT Program materials. 5. Quality of the written bi-weekly progress reports, and final reports, provided to the SABIT Program Officers. 6. Quality of feedback given to SABIT Program Officers from different participating sources, including U.S. host organizations, other Department of Commerce staff, and session participants. Failure to satisfactorily meet the stated evaluation criteria, as outlined in this Statement of Work, may result in a partial payment of the invoice, or the invoice being rejected in its entirety. PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS: Basis of Award: This contract will be awarded on a best value basis. The Government reserves the right to make multiple awards. The Government reserves the right to award to other than the lowest price Offeror. Each proposal shall be prepared and submitted in three parts as listed below. Part 1: Technical Proposal Part 2: Past Performance Part 3: Price Proposal The Offerors price proposal must be submitted separately from the technical proposal and past performance references. Evaluation Criteria: Each Offeror’s proposal will be evaluated using the following criteria and sub factors listed in order of importance. Technical capability is considered more important than demonstrated, specific examples of Past Performance, and Price. Price will be evaluated but not scored. Technical Capability Past Performance Price I. Technical Proposal: Offerors will be evaluated based on their experience, education, and training shown on their application as it relates to the criteria listed below and their ability to implement the contract requirements. Offerors must state for which program(s) the bid is being submitted. Offerors must include a statement that they understand and have the ability to perform the contract requirements. Offerors must include a resume and cover letter addressing the criteria listed below. The service provider shall have: a. Strong Russian-English and English-Russian simultaneous interpretation skills. b. Experience in simultaneous interpretation and facilitation for government foreign assistance programs that work with delegations from the countries of the former Soviet Union. c. Strong public speaking and intercultural communication skills. d. Ability to conduct all communications in a professional manner. e. Strong organizational skills, in particular, the ability to clearly coordinate program logistics to participants, U.S. host organizations, and other necessary parties over the course of each four-week training program, in various locations within the United States. f. Ability to adhere to deadlines, both in completing deliverables, and in adhering to daily deadlines within the sessions. g. Flexibility and mental agility to deal with unexpected problems and difficulties that arise in the course of the three sessions. h. Strong writing skills, including the ability to produce a well-written final report that evaluates the quality of the meetings, logistics, and other areas in a timely manner in accordance with the table of deliverables. i. Knowledge of the culture, history, economics, and political situation in the countries of the former Soviet Union. j. Ability to quickly respond to, and resolve, problems that arise in the course of the three sessions, involving the SABIT Program Officer, if necessary. k. Past experience facilitating large groups (15 or more people) for extended periods of time (3-4 weeks). Two examples must be provided, detailing the size, duration, employer, and nature of the assignment. l. If an organization proposes to meet the needs outlined in the Statement of Work, it must provide specific names and resumes of individuals it proposes to fulfill the requirements. m. Demonstrated experience facilitating logistics and travel for large groups of delegates in different locations within the United States. Two examples must be provided, detailing the itinerary, types of transport, and delegation size for the program or assignment specified. n. Ability to respond to problems and emergencies 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for the program period stated. Please provide a specific example of experience in this area, and describe your role in successfully resolving the situation. o. The Interpreter/Facilitator must possess a cell phone that must be turned on at all times. p. The Interpreter/Facilitator must be available for a pre-program briefing in Washington, DC. SABIT will pay for any necessary airfare and accommodation to Washington DC; however, this is not a billable day of work. It is anticipated the briefing will last 1-2 hours per program, and usually takes place the Friday prior to the start of the program. q. The Interpreter/Facilitator must have the ability to provide an interim report and a final report in a timely manner, as outlined in the deliverables. SABIT is not responsible for any costs incurred in the production or delivery of these reports. II. Past Performance: Offerors must submit at least three (3) Past Performance References for contracts of similar work performed. References shall include the following information: a. Date of work performed, brief description of assignment b. Dollar value of the contract c. Point of contact References must be able to confirm: d. Experience with simultaneous interpretation in English-Russian and Russian-English. e. The Interpreter/Facilitator’s ability to conduct all program-related business in a professional manner; f. The Interpreter/Facilitator’s ability to ensure all program meetings and events run smoothly and on-time; g. The Interpreter/Facilitator’s ability to adhere to all deadlines, including those pertaining to deliverables as outlined in the Statement of Work, those as outlined in the program schedule, and any other deadlines outlined by a Program Officer in the course of a given session. h. The mental agility and flexibility to deal with unexpected events that may occur in the course of a program. III. Price proposal The Government anticipates an individual shall be needed for three (3) twenty-nine (29) day periods to fulfill this requirement. This will amount to 87 days total. Offerors shall provide a breakdown of their fully burden labor rates by named person or labor category. The price proposal must include a daily rate for interpretation/facilitation services. Interpreter/Facilitator travel, while working for SABIT, will be arranged and paid for by Department of Commerce. Additionally, a per diem will be provided for travel days not in the metropolitan area of the interpreter/facilitator’s residence. Interpreter/Facilitator will receive a flat-fee for translation of all exit questionnaires and satisfactory completion of the final report for each session. Offerors price proposal must include the following: a. Basis of price (Daily rate). NOTE: THIS NOTICE WAS NOT POSTED TO WWW.FEDBIZOPPS.GOV ON THE DATE INDICATED IN THE NOTICE ITSELF (23-AUG-2005); HOWEVER, IT DID APPEAR IN THE FEDBIZOPPS FTP FEED ON THIS DATE. PLEASE CONTACT fbo.support@gsa.gov REGARDING THIS ISSUE.
 

Web Link

Link to FedBizOpps document.
(http://www.eps.gov/spg/DOC/NOAA/AGAMD/TAIP3450-6-90006-7/listing.html)
 

Place of Performance

Address: Washington, DC

Zip Code: 20230
 

Record

SN00877755-F 20050825/050823213958 (fbodaily.com)
 

Source

FedBizOpps.gov Link to This Notice
(may not be valid after Archive Date)

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