Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts, One Columbus Circle, N.E., Suite 3-100, Washington, D.C. 20544

D -- TELEPHONE INTERPRETING SYSTEMSOL USCA-95-R-003. POC Penny Starliper, Contracting Officer. The proposed contract action is for services and supplies for which the Government intends to solicit and negotiate with only one source under authority of FAR 6.302. The Administrative Office of the U.S. Courts has a requirement, pursuant to the Court Interpreters Act 28 U.S.C. Sections 1827, to provide, interpreting services to all court proceedings initiated by the U.S., if the presiding judicial officer determines that a party speaks only or primarily a language other than English. At its September 1989 session, prompted by an unsolicited proposal, the Judicial Conference approved a pilot program to determine whether court interpretation was feasible by long distance telephone. The objective of the project was to provide, through the use of telephones, interpreting services to those courts where no certified interpreter is locally available. To accomplish this endeavor, the contractor must provide a telephone switching unit (hub unit) that receives and transmit digital or analog signal on two telephone lines to permit interpretation to occur in a simultaneous mode without the ``baffle'' caused by incoming and outgoing voices on an undivided or single line. The separated receiving and transmitting signals serve to suppress side-tone noise caused when receiving and sending signals are on the same line. A manual switching system to control language direction shall be configured for the interpreter to direct the language interpretation to the appropriate parties. The hub must contain a touch key pad to separately dial each of the two telephone lines. In addition, the hub unit must incorporate an automatic, self-tuning mechanism to test, adjust, and amplify the audio quality of the telephone lines in use. The hub unit shall accommodate up to four headphone/microphone jacks, each with an adjustable volume control. The volume on each of the two incoming telephone lines must be adjustable. The contractor will be responsible for the installation, training, documentation, maintenance, technical support, and contract administration reports of the telephone interpreting system. In addition, the contractor must guarantee all TIS equipment to be warranted for one year from the date of acceptance. Should the equipment fail to perform, the contractor must repair or replace the unit within 24 hours. The Government expected to award a contract consisting of a basic year with four option years. Any interested source must show that it is advantageous to the Government to consider its service. Interested persons may identify their interest and capability to respond to the requirement or submit proposals. This notice of intent is not a request for competitive proposals. However, all requests received within 15 days after date of publication of this synopsis will be considered by the Government. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed contract based upon responses to this notice is solely within the discretion of the Government. Information received will normally be considered solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct a competitive procurement. Vendors will be required to submit a statement of their capabilities by submitting a proposal to include technical data, pricing, certification that it has successfully delivered a system that will accomplish the requirements stated above, and any other information which shows a bona fide ability to meet the requirements. The Government will not pay for information received. As a result of analyzing responses to this synopsis of intent, the Contracting Officer may determine that a solicitation will be issued. If a solicitation is issued, no additional synopsis will be published. Any such solicitation will be issued to the intended awardee and all firms who respond to this synopsis of intent or otherwise request a copy of the solicitation. (283)

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