DOCUMENT
R -- Sign Language - Attachment
- Notice Date
- 9/17/2014
- Notice Type
- Attachment
- NAICS
- 541930
— Translation and Interpretation Services
- Contracting Office
- Department of Veterans Affairs;West Palm Beach VA Medical Center;7305 North Military Trail;Palm Beach Gardens FL 33410-6400
- ZIP Code
- 33410-6400
- Solicitation Number
- VA24814Q2054
- Response Due
- 9/24/2014
- Archive Date
- 10/24/2014
- Point of Contact
- Kari Jeanlouis-Haliburton
- E-Mail Address
-
2-1278<br
- Small Business Set-Aside
- N/A
- Description
- This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for commercial services prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. The solicitation number is VA248-14-Q-2054 and is issued as a request for quotations (RFQ), unless otherwise indicated herein. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular FAC 2005-76. The associated North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS) code for this procurement is 541930 with a small business size standard of $7.5 million dollars. This requirement is a (Small Business) set-aside and only qualified offerors may submit proposals. Proposals are due on Wednesday September 24, 2014 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Proposals, as well as any questions or requests for clarifications, should be submitted to Kari Jeanlouis-Haliburton, Contract Specialist at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, by email (kari.jeanlouis-haliburton@va.gov) or facsimile (561-422-6507). The deadline for submitting any questions or request for clarifications is Monday September 22, 2014 at 5 p.m. Eastern Time. Other means of proposal submission must be submitted for consideration to the Contracting Officer who can be reached by phone, (561) 422-1272, or email, kari.jeanlouis-haliburton@va.gov. In all cases, offerors are strongly encouraged to confirm receipt of proposals. All offeror's must include documents in the proposal that demonstration they meet the technical requirements. The West Palm Beach VA Medical Center has a requirement for the following services. STATEMENT OF WORK Sign Language Interpreting Service Contract I.OVERALL SCOPE OF WORK The Contractor shall provide qualified Interpreters for our deaf employees, patients, and family members. These services shall be available 365 days a year, 24 hours per day, 7 days per week at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center and CBOCs. The service shall provide the ability for the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center EEO Officer or Medical Center Point of Contacts (POCs) to contact the vendor to arrange for an Interpreter via phone or e-mail in providing interpretation for our deaf employees for monthly staff meetings, training sessions, counseling sessions, or other type of meetings they are required to attend. The EEO Officer or Medical Center POCs may also be able to contact the vendor to coordinate services for patients who are deaf and their family members. 2.TYPE OF CONTRACT: The method of procurement shall be a firm fixed price contract for services stated herein for the period of a base year with four (4) option years to extend. This procurement is being solicited as restricted to 100% Small Business concerns. The applicable North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) code is 541930. 3.REQUIREMENTS a.Contractor: (1)Contractor will insure all Interpreters are certified and must hold at least one or more of the certifications issued by the National Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) and the National Association of the Deaf (NAD). All Interpreters must adhere to the standard codes of ethics as set forth by RID and NAD. The Contractor will select the appropriate qualified Interpreter for the services requested. The Contractor must provide a qualified interpreter within three (3) business days after receiving a request by phone or e-mail from the EEO Officer or Medical Center POC. During functions or events where an Interpreter is required for more than two (2) hours, a second Interpreter may be provided at the agreed upon cost per hour basis. Functions and events lasting longer than two (2) hours will be prorated in 15 or 30 minutes intervals at the agreed upon price. The hours included are an estimates. b.Certification Levels: (1)There are five assessment levels with Level V being the most advanced Interpreters providing services under this contract to government employees, patients, and family members at the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center. Interpreters will be certified between Level III - Level V. Description of certifications levels are: "Level II (Generalist): The individual who attains this level possesses above average voice to sign skills, and good sign-to-voice skills, and demonstrates the interpreting skill necessary for some situations. "Level IV (Advanced): The individual who attains this level possesses excellent interpreting skill necessary for most situations. "Level V (Master): The individual who attains this level possesses superior voice-to-sign skills and excellent sign-to-voice skills, and demonstrates the interpreting skill necessary for just about all situations. (2)Types of Certificates: "Cl - Certificate of Interpretation "CT - Certificate of Transliteration "CSC - Comprehensive Skills Certificate "SCL - Specialist Certificate Legal "IC -Interpretation Certificate "TC -Transliteration Certificate "DCI - Deaf Certified Interpreter (3)NAD Interpreters Code of Ethics: "All information in any interpreting assignment is to be kept in strictest confidence. "Interpreting services shall always be competent, impartial and professional. "Messages shall be rendered faithfully, always conveying the content and spirit of the communicator, and professional judgment should be exercised in assessing whether communication is being understood. "In accepting assignments, discretion based on skill, setting, and the consumers involved must be used. "Counseling or interjecting personal opinion is never permitted. "Information on the role and appropriate use of interpreting services shall be provided to the consumers when necessary. "Information on available resources as appropriate should be provided. "Compensation for services should be pursued in a professional manner. "Respect of and for the deaf person's right must always be evident. "Only the highest professional standards, as promulgated by the NAD, shall be pursued. c.West Palm Beach VA Medical Center agrees to provide the necessary lighting or equipment for all types of interpretive services. If an event or function exceeds the two (2) hour period, a 10-15 minute break will be provided to the Interpreter(s); separate break times will be established for more than one Interpreter. 5.HOURS OF AVAILABILITY: The Contractor shall provide sign language interpretation service 24 hours/7days per week/365. 6.SPECIFIC MANDATORY TASKS AND ASSOCIATED DELIVERABLES Contractor employee performing service under this contract will be controlled, directed and supervised at all times by management personnel of the Contractor. Contractor management will ensure that employees properly comply with the performance work standards outlined in the statement of work. Contractor employees will perform their duties independent of, and without supervision of, any government official. The tasks, duties and responsibilities set forth in the contract may not be interpreted or implemented in any manner that results in any Contractor employee creating or modifying Federal Policy, obligating the appropriated funds of the United States Government, overseeing the work of Federal employees, providing direct personal services to any Federal employee, or otherwise violating the prohibitions set forth in Part 7.5 and 37.1 of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR). The Government will control access to the facility and will perform the inspection and acceptance of the completed work. 7.REPORTING REQUIREMENTS: Quarterly sign language services utilization reports will be provided by the Contractor. 8.PERSONNEL POLICY: The parties agree that the Contractor, its employees, agents and sub-Contractors shall not be considered VA employees for any purpose. 9.BUSINESS ASSOCIATE AGREEMENT (BAA): a.Under the regulations issued by the Department of Health and Human Services as mandated by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1196 (HIPPA); 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and E, the standards for Privacy of Individuality Identifiable Health Information ("Privacy Rule") and 45 CFR Parts 160 and 164, Subparts A and C, the security standards ("Security Rule"), a BAA will be entered into between the Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center West Palm Beach and the awarded Contractor. b.Each potential offeror must fill in the name of their company in the appropriate sections of the BAA and submit with their offer for the services herein (see attachment). 10.HHS/OIG: To ensure that the individuals providing services under the contract have not engaged in fraud or abuse regarding Sections 1128 and 1128A of the Social Security Act regarding federal health care programs, the Contractor is required to check the Health and Human Services - Office of Inspector General (HHS/OIG), List of Excluded Individuals/Entities on the OIG Website (www.hhs.qov/) for each person providing services under this contract. Further the Contractor is required to certify in its proposal that all persons listed in the Contractor's proposal have been compared against the OIG list and are NOT listed. During the performance of this contract the Contractor is prohibited from using any individual or business listed on the List of Excluded Individuals/Entities. 11.POINT OF CONTACT: The Contractor shall notify the Contracting Officer if there are any questions or issues regarding the performance of this contract. 12.CONTRACTING OFFICER'S TECHNICAL REPRESENATIVE (COR): The COR is delegated authority by the Contracting Officer certain duties to the technical administration of the contract. The COR cannot change the scope of the Statement of Work. Any changes will be negotiated by the Contracting Officer with the Contractor and a Supplemental Agreement will be issued. 13.PRIVACY ACT TRAINING All Contractor employees and sub-Contractor employees requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and its systems: Successfully complete the appropriate VA privacy training and annually complete required privacy training. 14.PAYMENT AND INVOICING: a.CONTRACTOR REMITTANCE ADDRESS: Effective January 1, 1999 all payments by the Government to the Contractor will be made in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Clause 52.232-34, Payment by Electronic Funds Transfer - Other that Central Contactor Registration (31 U.S.C.). b.Contractor's employee must be present at the VA facility and must be actually performing the required services for the period specified within the contract or the contract cost will be decreased accordingly during each billing cycle. c.The Contractor will submit an itemized invoice to Financial Services Center on a monthly basis for payment. Invoices will be mailed to the address stated on the purchase order issued by the individual VA Medical facility and shall be submitted, ORIGINAL ONLY, unless otherwise specified, and shall contain the following information: purchase order number, description of item billed quantities, unit prices, etc ¦, and extended total. Invoices should be mailed to: Department of Veterans Affairs Financial Services Center P.O. Box 149971 Austin, TX 78714 - 8971 15.SCHEDULE OF ITEMS: This solicitation includes a base year with four (4) twelve (12) months Option to extend the term of the contract. The total contract will not exceed five years. VA includes in this contract the option to extend this contract if required by the Service. If the Service does not submit the appropriate documentation, the Contracting Officer will determine the service is not required and the contract is considered expired. The solicitation's "Schedule of Items" is divided into five (5) parts containing the same line items in each part. The parts represent the following: PART I:Base YearOctober 1, 2014 through September 30, 2015 PART II:October 1, 2015 through September 30, 2016 PART III:October 1, 2016 through September 30, 2017 PART IV:October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018 PART V:October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019 Contractor agrees to provide a Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI), upon request to the West Palm Beach VA Medical Center, 7305 North Military Trail, West Palm Beach, Florida 33410, for the purpose of providing Sign Language Interpretation Service for our deaf employees for monthly staff meetings, training sessions, counseling sessions, or other types of meetings they are required to attend. Contractor agrees to also provide Sign Language Interpretation Service for patients who are deaf and their family members. The CDI may use language or other communication modes that are effective with a particular deaf individual and may use a combination of speech, speech reading, residual, and written communication. The below quantity is an estimate: Base Year: April 1, 2014 through March 31, 2015 Service Description Annual Est Unit Price/ Estimated Quantity Unit Total Price 001. Certified Interpreter 300 Hour _________ ____________ 002. ______ Minutes Intervals (after 2 hours) _____ Hour _________ ____________ 003. 365 days - 24/7 Sign Language Interpretation 004. Please provide in the space below, if applicable, any variation in pricing or additional charges related to: ________________________________________________ _________ _____________ Estimate Base Option Year Value: __________________ 1st Option Year: April 1, 2015 through March 31, 2016 Service Description Annual Est Unit Price/ Estimated Quantity Unit Total Price 001. Certified Interpreter 300 Hour _________ ____________ 002. ______ Minutes Intervals (after 2 hours) _____ Hour _________ ____________ 003. 365 days - 24/7 Sign Language Interpretation 004. Please provide in the space below, if applicable, any variation in pricing or additional charges related to: ________________________________________________ _________ _____________ Estimate 1st Option Year Value: __________________ 2nd Option Year: April 1, 2016 through March 31, 2017 Service Description Annual Est Unit Price/ Estimated Quantity Unit Total Price 001. Certified Interpreter 300 Hour _________ ____________ 002. ______ Minutes Intervals (after 2 hours) _____ Hour _________ ____________ 003. 365 days - 24/7 Sign Language Interpretation 004. Please provide in the space below, if applicable, any variation in pricing or additional charges related to: ________________________________________________ _________ _____________ Estimate 2nd Option Year Value: __________________ 3rd Option Year: April 1, 2017 through March 31, 2018 Service Description Annual Est Unit Price/ Estimated Quantity Unit Total Price 001. Certified Interpreter 300 Hour _________ ____________ 002. ______ Minutes Intervals (after 2 hours) _____ Hour _________ ____________ 003. 365 days - 24/7 Sign Language Interpretation 004. Please provide in the space below, if applicable, any variation in pricing or additional charges related to: ________________________________________________ _________ _____________ Estimate 3rd Option Year Value: __________________ 4th Option Year: April 1, 2018 through March 31, 2019 Service Description Annual Est Unit Price/ Estimated Quantity Unit Total Price 001. Certified Interpreter 300 Hour _________ ____________ 002. ______ Minutes Intervals (after 2 hours) _____ Hour _________ ____________ 003. 365 days - 24/7 Sign Language Interpretation 004. Please provide in the space below, if applicable, any variation in pricing or additional charges related to: ________________________________________________ _________ _____________ Estimate 4th Option Year Value: __________________ 16.MEDICAL CENTER POINT OF CONTACT INFORMATION: "Contracting Officer - Kari Jeanlouis-Haliburton (561) 422-1278 kari.jeanlouis- haliburton@va.gov "Contract Officer Representative (COR) Norman B. Williams (561) 422-7473 norman.williams1@va.gov The selected Offeror must comply with the following commercial item terms and conditions, which are incorporated herein by reference: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors - Commercial Items, applies to this acquisition; FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items (a) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: Technical, Price and Past Performance. Technical and past performance, when combined, are not equal to price. FAR 52.212-3, Offeror Representations and Certifications - Commercial Items - the selected offeror must submit a completed copy of the listed representations and certifications; FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions - Commercial Items; FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required To Implement Statutes or Executive Orders-Commercial Items, paragraph (a) and the following clauses in paragraph (b): 52.222-21, 52.222-26, 52.222-35, 52.222-36, 52.222-37, 52.225-13, 52.232-34. Buy American Act - Supplies FAR 52.225-1, Evaluation of Options FAR 52.217-5, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned and Veteran-Owned Small Business Evaluation Factors VAAR 852.215-70, Representatives of Contracting Officers VAAR 852.270-1. The full text of the referenced FAR and VAAR clauses may be accessed electronically at https://www.acquisition.gov/far/index.html https://www.va.gov/oamm/oa/ard/policyreg/vaar/index.cfm Offer Period: Bid MUST be good for 30 calendar days after close of Buy. SAM Requirement: Offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM) database before an award can be made to them. If the offeror is not registered in the SAM, it may do so through the SAM website at http://www.sam.gov.
- Web Link
-
FBO.gov Permalink
(https://www.fbo.gov/spg/VA/WPBVAMC/VAMCCO80220/VA24814Q2054/listing.html)
- Document(s)
- Attachment
- File Name: VA248-14-Q-2054 VA248-14-Q-2054.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=1638940&FileName=VA248-14-Q-2054-000.docx)
- Link: https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=1638940&FileName=VA248-14-Q-2054-000.docx
- Note: If links are broken, refer to Point of Contact above or contact the FBO Help Desk at 877-472-3779.
- File Name: VA248-14-Q-2054 VA248-14-Q-2054.docx (https://www.vendorportal.ecms.va.gov/FBODocumentServer/DocumentServer.aspx?DocumentId=1638940&FileName=VA248-14-Q-2054-000.docx)
- Record
- SN03516175-W 20140919/140918000350-fd727875466279ac594660f7ebd85727 (fbodaily.com)
- Source
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