NIH/OD/EDI Language Access Services: Translation and Interpretation
Added: May 26, 2016 1:41 pm
Statement of WorkIntroductionThe National Institutes of Health (NIH), an Operating Division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is the nation's medical research agency supporting scientific studies that turn discovery into health. NIH is comprised of 27 Institutes and Centers and its mission is to seek fundamental knowledge about the nature and behavior of living systems and the application of that knowledge to enhance health, lengthen life, and reduce illness and disability.The overall NIH goals are:• To foster fundamental creative discoveries, innovative research strategies, and their applications as a basis for ultimately protecting and improving health; • To develop, maintain, and renew scientific human and physical resources that will ensure the Nation's capability to prevent disease; • To expand the knowledge base in medical and associated sciences in order to enhance the Nation's economic well-being and ensure a continued high return on the public investment in research; and • To exemplify and promote the highest level of scientific integrity, public accountability, and social responsibility in the conduct of science.In realizing these goals, the NIH provides leadership and direction to programs designed to improve the health of the Nation by conducting and supporting research:• In the causes, diagnosis, prevention, and cure of human diseases; • In the processes of human growth and development; • In the biological effects of environmental contaminants; • In the understanding of mental, addictive and physical disorders; and • In directing programs for the collection, dissemination, and exchange of information in medicine and health, including the development and support of medical libraries and the training of medical librarians and other health information specialists. PurposeIn accordance with Executive Order 13166, Improving Access to Services for Persons with Limited English Proficiency (LEP), 65 Fed. Reg. 50,121 (Aug. 16, 2000), federal agencies must take reasonable steps to help ensure that Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals can have meaningful access to federal programs and activities. The NIH Language Access Plan establishes a strategy for ensuring meaningful access to individuals who are LEP to NIH administered programs and activities. This initiative is aimed at public contacts and NIH Program beneficiaries, not the NIH workforce.The goal of the NIH and its Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) is to provide meaningful access to individuals of the public who do not speak English as their primary language, who have limited ability to read, write or understand English and interact with the NIH Institutes/Centers (ICs) via any medium, including, but not limited to, websites, email, phone, social media and in-person contact.The NIH is looking is to provide Language Access Translation and Interpretation Services to each of its 27 Institutes and Centers in addition to subcomponents within the Office of the Director that interface with members of the general public:• Oral language assistance • Translation of written materials • Translation of Digital information/Web Content (including social media, infographic platforms, multimedia, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, electronic books and others)• Other translation and interpretation support as outline below and in individual task orders.ScopeNIH requires a variety of services in the languages most frequently encountered by respective ICs. Internal survey data conducted by EDI to date shows the following languages to be the most often encountered across NIH: Spanish, Chinese, French, Korean, and Brazilian Portuguese. Other languages identified across several NIH components include Afrikaans, Thai, Japanese, Hindi, Farsi, Italian, Russian, Arabic, Vietnamese, Navajo, Polish, and Tagalog. In addition, there are 90 other languages encountered at the NIH that shall require contracted support on an occasional basis. (See appendix 1 for listing)Period of PerformanceThe duration of this order is for one year from the date of the award with four option years. All work products produced through this contract are the property of the Federal Government. All tasks issued under this acquisition will begin within 15 days after date of award or as otherwise specified by the Government's designated Contracting Officer.TasksI. InterpretationContractor shall:1. Provide oral language assistance services using qualified and certified interpreters or staff whose proficiency in non-English languages has been well documented, (including but not limited to executing second checks for translations) to ensure that individuals have an equal opportunity to participate in the services, activities, and program administered by the NIH. Interactions shall be in the form of in both face-to face and telephone encounters. 2. Provide support services to component NIH Institutes, Centers, and offices by providing oral multilingual interpretation services for a wide range of meetings and events, including but not limited to intake sessions, interviews, meetings, conferences, workshops, seminars, litigation proceedings, briefings, training events, hearings, and other occasions where the Government requires communication support from one source language into a second language. 3. On a per call basis, Contractor shall provide consultation and planning assistance to requesting agencies for conference interpretation services to determine interpretation team requirements and equipment requirements. Incidental items may include equipment requirements.Services shall be performed by qualified, professional, experienced interpreters who possess a high level of interpretation skills and proficiency in both the English language and the non-English speaker's language in order to interpret the speaker's meaning completely and accurately. Specifically, interpreters employed by the Contractor shall be:1. Knowledgeable of specialized vocabulary including basic scientific language (i.e., terminology) in both English and the foreign language typically used in systems including, but not limited to, health care systems, social service systems and legal systems.2. Knowledgeable of the Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters and protocol of court interpreting, indicated by the interpreter's signature on a copy of the Code of Professional Responsibility;3. Able to speak English and the foreign language fluently, including high-to-low levels of language register, regional and cultural colloquialisms, and slang expressions, and do so with clear and intelligible pronunciation; 4. Able to interpret in a manner that is factually and conceptually accurate without changes, omissions, or additions; 5. Able to preserve the tone and emotional level of the speaker, as well as manage the delivery, speed and length of the statement (projection, pace and pausing) of the speaker; 6. Able to maintain appropriate speed and projection while rendering interpretation, and request and incorporate clarification of speaker's statements only when justified.Certification of InterpretersThe Government expects that all work performed under this contract meets widely accepted standards for interpretation in each language required. Contractor shall ensure that oral language interpreters under this acquisition are evaluated based on official qualifications which include fluency/expression, comprehension, and specialized vocabulary criteria and that meet widely-accepted and agreed-upon certifications. While there is no official licensing in the United States for general interpreters, contracted interpreters selected to satisfy this requirement shall have a minimum of three (3) consecutive year of professional experience in the field of oral interpretation, one or all of the following certifications and/or qualifications (depending on the services required by the covered entity):1. Interpreter Certification from an Accredited University or Institution. 2. Community Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization. 3. Legal Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization.4. Medical Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization.5. The Translators and Interpreters Guild Certification.6. Federal, State or the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) certification. 7. Judiciary Interpreters and Translators Certification Examination (JITCE) certification will be accepted. 8. Passage of one or all of the following levels of State Department examination: (1) Escort; (2) Conference; and (3) Seminar.The Government may verify the qualifications of any interpreter.All vendors selected must contact the agency issuing the task order within twenty-four (24) hours to collect instructions on oral interpretation services required unless otherwise instructed. The covered entity requesting the task order shall specify the need for interpretation (e.g. medical, legal, community-based, etc.) to be matched appropriately with a qualified interpreter. Only interpreters that have specific qualifications (e.g. training/certification) in legal and/or medical interpreting will qualify for task orders requesting a medical and/or legal interpreter. A court interpreter shall not, for example, conduct medical interpretations for an entity unless qualified to do so (i.e. has training in medical interpretation and terminology). Community interpreters will not be used for medical and/or legal interpretation. Contractor(s) shall forward a copy of their "certification(s)" and resumes with each task order.Individual ICs shall submit task orders to the Contractor specifying the language requirement, task requirements, deliverables, location and duty station for work to be performed, dates and times, and contact information. Each task order shall specify required delivery. The Contractor shall adhere to each specified delivery requirement.II. TranslationLanguages required for the purpose of translations shall include, but are not limited to, Spanish, Chinese (traditional), Vietnamese, Amharic, French, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese.Contractor shall:1. Provide translation of a wide range of materials, including but not limited to print and electronic media, in such a way as to make them accessible in various formats into languages other than English as specified in individual tasks orders that are culturally appropriate, easy to understand by target audience and written using plain language elements and standards as defined by the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN). Examples of translated materials include but are not limited to the following media:• Health, medical and scientific information slated for broad public dissemination, including public outreach and educational materials, brochures, fact sheets, guidance and policies, and articles• Web content and web applications• Social media content • Audiovisual files, such as videos and web-based training modules• Press releases, backgrounders, and summaries of published medical and scientific research• Materials related to publicly-funded research, including materials related to consent and participation in research studies and materials developed to address human protection from research risk• Talking points and presentations2. Provide digital information/web content translation by translating public website content and electronic documents. Translation of web content may include web pages that contain important information intended for the general public.3. Provide written translation services as required and specified in task orders. Services shall include but are not limited to translation of vital documents, proofreading, editing, and desktop publishing, all in the required media format (e.g., hardcopy and electronic media). Work shall be accomplished by technically and linguistically qualified and experienced certified translators. Translations shall reflect an overall approach (e.g., tone and style) appropriate for the target audience Translations shall be accurate, clear and sensitive to the cultural, political, and social environment of the target reader/audience.4. Translate for NIH Institutes and Centers a wide range of vital documents in the following disciplines, in accordance with the requirements and timeframes established in individual task orders: Business documents, legal, medical and technical documents, manuals, and other materials as defined.5. Provide high quality, technically accurate, and audience-appropriate translation of English language documents in the following formats: electronic and CD ROM copies of final versions of translated documents into HTML, TEXT, Word, PDF, Publisher, Quark or other versions, as requested.Translators shall provide grammatically correct translations which preserve the original syntax, writing style, and factual information of the original documents. Each translation will be proofread and checked for quality via a testing protocol. Contractor shall continually monitor and evaluate translators for accuracy listening/recall, speech flow, and appropriate intervening. The Government may require translators to also have expertise in a specific subject matter area, i.e. legal, health, medical, etc. and/or provide appropriate certification, i.e. ATA certification, ACTFL, ALTA, Defense Language Institute, State/Federal Courts, US State Department, etc. See Certification, below.Individual ICs shall submit task orders to the Contractor specifying the language requirement, task requirements, deliverables, location and duty station for work to be performed, dates and times, and contact information. At the time a technical directive is issued, the Government's project officer shall assign and provide timelines and deadlines for translated materials, including an outline for any revisions to be made. Translation task will likely require work to be accomplished on a quick turnaround for shorter documents (i.e. up to 1,500 words of material), while other tasks will allow for a longer turnaround time (for longer documents (more than 1,500 words) of material. The Institute contact will work with the vendor on establishing an appropriate turn-around time through the task order. Contractor shall provide translation services on their own premises. Each task order shall specify required delivery. The Contractor shall adhere to this specified delivery requirement.Contractor shall contact the Government's Project Officer within twenty-four (24) hours following the issuance of each task order to collect documents to be translated. Unless otherwise specified and agreed upon, Contractor shall complete assigned written translation tasks no later than thirty (30) calendar days from the date of award unless otherwise instructed.Qualification Requirements of Translators:The Government expects that all work performed under this contract meets widely accepted standards for translation in each language required. There is no official licensing in the United States for general translators, therefore, Contractor(s) selected to satisfy this requirement shall have at least two or all of the following recognized language or translation certifications/qualifications:1. Translator Certification/Degree from an Accredited University or Institution. 2. American Translators Association (ATA) Certification. 3. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) certification 4. The Translators and Interpreters Guild Certification. 5. Defense Language Institute, State/Federal Courts6. Expertise in a specific subject matter (i.e. legal, medical, etc.) 7. Successful completion of the translation examination administered by the Office of Language Services, Translating Division of the U.S. Department of State.8. Should no certification exist for a specific language requested by the entity issuing the task order, the translation vendor shall provide a translator who has a minimum of 3-5 working years of experience performing professional written translations to/from English and the requested language. Contractor(s) are required to forward a copy of their certification(s) and resumes with each bid, including their technical area of expertise (e.g. legal, medical, educational, etc.).A. Quality Controls:The Contractor shall develop, maintain, and update a Quality Assurance Plan as agreed upon with the Governments Project Officer(s) and the program office issuing individual task orders. Any changes to the plan must be approved by the Government before being implemented. The Contractor's Quality Assurance Plan shall, at a minimum, address the following:1. Detailed description of the quality assurance measures employed to meet all requirements of this IDIQ.2. Maintenance of a hard-copy Master File for each interpreter (an electronic format Master File may also be maintained, but not in lieu of the hard-copy). The Master File is a critical factor within the overall Quality Assurance Plan and must contain, at a minimum, the following information for each interpreter and/or translator: résumé, copy of certification, and signed Code of Professional Responsibility statement. Contractor shall provide access to interpreter/translator's Master File and/or a copy of the interpreter/translator's Master File to the Government within two (2) working days after the Government's request. Contractor(s) are required to forward copies of their Quality Assurance Plans with each bid.3. The quality assurance plan will ensure that oral language interpreters under the centralized contract are evaluated based on official qualifications which include fluency/expression, comprehension, and specialized vocabulary criteria and have recognized certifications. Similarly, translators will provide accurate and grammatically correct translations which preserve the purpose, the register, message, writing style, and factual information of the original documents. Each translation will be proofread and checked for quality via a testing protocol.4. The government should have 30 days to review and provide feedback to the vendor without incurring any additional cost.Deliverable Required Measures of Success Indicators Standards-Criteria for Acceptable Quality Level Method of SurveillanceThe contractor shall provide updates to project tracking databases Monthly reports from systems reflect status of projects 100% compliance with government requirements and Technical Monitor Customer review and observation. Government inspections and acceptanceThe contractor shall provide monthly updates to ICs colleagues on the status of projects. Delivered by the 30th of every month. 100% compliance with government requirements and Technical Monitor Customer review and observation. Government inspections and acceptanceThe contractor shall develop spreadsheets and databases to help manage and communicate project status. Delivered as needed by request of EDI staff. 100% compliance with government requirements and Technical Monitor Customer review and observation. Government inspections and acceptanceThe contractor shall provide monthly status reports of completed and in process projects. Delivered by the 15th of every month 100% compliance with government requirements and Technical Monitor Customer review and observation. Government inspections and acceptanceB. Non-Compliance:The Government reserves the right to refuse the employment of an individual interpreter/translator provided by the Contractor due to poor performance or any other reason based on a failure to satisfy the Government's requirements. Once Contractor is notified that a particular interpreter has been disqualified, Contractor shall not employ the interpreter in any Government function unless reinstatement is granted by the Government's Contracting Officer or his or her designated Contracting Officer's Technical Representatives or other designee.Contractor Furnished PropertyContractor shall furnish all necessary property, equipment, personnel, and data services to perform the work outline in this Statement of Work.TravelThe Government does not anticipate a need for Contractor non-local travel under this acquisition.ReportsUnless otherwise agreed upon, Contractor shall provide a Monthly Progress Report to the Project Officer no later than the close of business on the 5th day of each month. The Contractor shall also submit Monthly Status Reports, summarizing all activities performed during each month. All reports required shall be submitted in electronic format. Contractor shall address the following at a minimum in each Monthly Status Report:• Descriptive information about the activities undertaken during the reporting period;• Summary of work accomplished during the previous month;• Milestones and deliverables;• Any issues or problems impacting project progress along with their ultimate resolution.InvoicesContractor shall follow the attached instructions and submission procedures specified below to meet the requirements of a "proper invoice" pursuant to FAR Subpart 32.9, Prompt Payment. Payment requests shall be submitted simultaneously to the offices identified below.The original invoice shall be submitted to the following designated billing office:National Institutes of HealthOffice of Financial ManagementCommercial Accounts2115 East Jefferson Street, Room 4B-432, MSC 8500Bethesda, MD 20892-8500One (1) copy of the invoice shall be submitted to the following approving official:EDI Project OfficerNational Institutes of HealthContractor shall submit an electronic copy of the payment request to the approving official in addition to a paper copy.Government SecurityContractor and contractor's partners, subcontractors, and consultants shall meet all security requirements of the U.S. Government for security clearances, special passes, badging, training, and identification.Place of PerformanceInterpreting and Translation services will be provided to all NIH Institutes and Centers through this contract. In person interpreting services will occur at multiple Government locations principally serving the main NIH Campus in Bethesda, Maryland and surrounding areas but also remote NIH locations including North Carolina, Arizona and Montana. Work may take place in any of the NIH's leased or owned facilities in satellite campuses and alternative locations, including events venues and offices.Transition of Services PlanContractor shall participate in transition activities associated with the hand-off of service responsibilities both at contract start-up and 90 days prior to contract expiration. In the start-up activities, Contractor shall be the recipient of information from both the outgoing service contractor and/or from the Government. In the close-out activities, Contractor shall be the information provider to the Government and to any other agents designated by the Government. Contractor shall ensure that all deliverables are identified and available to the Government.Transition - Contract Start upImmediately following contract award, Contractor shall engage in transition activities with the Government intended at familiarizing Contractor with the existing EDI project and assess background information that serves as a valuable resource as the Contractor assumes responsibilities under this contract.Transition - Contract Close - OutThe purpose of this section is to provide a plan for a transition from the Contractor to the Government or to a successor for support to the EDI during the final 90 days of Contractor's period of performance. During this period, Contractor shall:1. Create and deliver Transition Plan for turning operations over to a Successor;2. Deliver a comprehensive list of all incomplete tasks, both in process and backlogged;3. Generate and deliver a plan for the completion of work prior to the expiration of the Contractor's contract period of performance;4. Support knowledge exchange activities. The nominal requirement for this task is that of being available to answer questions, provide passwords/access to accounts and systems, products and documentation, and brief the Successor on the status of work not completed;5. Provide briefings and other familiarization to the Successor. The Government and its representative will act as a third party in all meetings and communications between the incumbent and Successor specific to knowledge exchange. The Contractor shall provide walk-through for all the deliverables under the effort as well as where the information is stored, and any current information that is under development and6. Work with a Government-established transition management team to coordinate and oversee the implementation of a detailed transition plan, incorporating input from Contractor, the Successor, EDI staff, and other stakeholders as appropriate. This team shall provide procedures and criteria for ensuring the quality of transferred work, identifying a strategy for the evaluation or remedying problems with transferred work products, and hold regular meetings to review progress, identify problems, and ensure prompt problem resolution prior to task order completion.Inspection and Acceptance CriteriaRoles and ResponsibilitiesNotwithstanding Contractor's responsibility for total management during the performance of this contract and task orders thereof, the administration of the contract shall require effective coordination between the government and the contractor. This section describes the roles and responsibilities of individuals and/or authorized users who shall serve as the primary points of contact for the government and contractor on matters regarding contract administration. The government may modify the roles and responsibilities at any time during the period of performance of the contact.Government PersonnelProcuring Contracting Officer (PCO)The PCO is the only person with authority to act as agent of the government under this contract. Only the PCO has authority to:a. Direct or negotiate any changes in the statement of workb. Modify or extend the period of performancec. Change the delivery scheduled. Authorize reimbursement to the contractor for any cost incurred during the performance of this contracte. Otherwise change any terms and conditions of this contractContracting Officer's Representative (COR)A Contracting Officer' Representative shall be assigned to this contract for the following:a. Monitoring Contractor's technical progress, including the surveillance and assessment of performance and recommending to the PCO changes in requirementsb. Interpreting the statement of work and any other technical performance requirementsc. Performing technical evaluation as required d. Assisting in the resolution of technical problems encountered during performance. TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA Adjectival RatingGENERALThe major evaluation factors for this solicitation include technical (which encompasses experience, technical approach, corporate and human resources, quality control and past performance factors) and cost/price factors. Although technical factors are of paramount consideration in the award of the contract, cost/price is also important to the overall contract award decision. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price. In any case, the Government reserves the right to make award(s) to that offeror whose proposal provides the best overall value to the Government.Offerors are advised that award will be made to that offeror whose proposal provides the combination of features that offers the best or greatest overall value to the Government. The Government is more concerned with obtaining performance capability superiority rather than lowest overall cost. However, the Government will not make an award at a significantly higher overall cost to the Government to achieve only slightly superior performance. Overall cost to the Government may become the ultimate factor for award of a contract as proposals become more equal based on other factors.The evaluation will be based on the demonstrated capabilities of the prospective Contractors in relation to the needs of the project as set forth in the RFP. The merits of each proposal will be evaluated carefully. Each proposal must document the feasibility of successful implementation of requirements of the RFP. Offerors must submit information sufficient to evaluate their proposals based on the detailed criteria below.MANDATORY QUALIFICATIONAt least three years experience doing similar workTECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIAThe criteria below are listed in the relative order of importance.Relative Order of Importance Factor 1 Factor 1: Key Personnel and Personnel Management 2 Factor 2: Corporate Experience and Capabilities3 Factor 3: General Technical Approach4 Factor 4: Quality Assurance1. Key Personnel and Personnel ManagementInterpretersServices shall be performed by qualified, professional, experienced interpreters who possess a high level of interpretation skills and proficiency in both the English language and the non-English speaker's language in order to interpret the speaker's meaning completely and accurately. Specifically, interpreters employed by the Contractor shall be:7. Knowledgeable of specialized vocabulary including basic scientific language (i.e., terminology) in both English and the foreign language typically used in systems including, but not limited to, health care systems, social service systems and legal systems.8. Knowledgeable of the Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters and protocol of court interpreting, indicated by the interpreter's signature on a copy of the Code of Professional Responsibility;9. Able to speak English and the foreign language fluently, including high-to-low levels of language register, regional and cultural colloquialisms, and slang expressions, and do so with clear and intelligible pronunciation; 10. Able to interpret in a manner that is factually and conceptually accurate without changes, omissions, or additions; 11. Able to preserve the tone and emotional level of the speaker, as well as manage the delivery, speed and length of the statement (projection, pace and pausing) of the speaker; 12. Able to maintain appropriate speed and projection while rendering interpretation, and request and incorporate clarification of speaker's statements only when justified.TranslatorsTranslators shall provide grammatically correct translations which preserve the original syntax, writing style, and factual information of the original documents. Each translation will be proofread and checked for quality via a testing protocol. Contractor shall continually monitor and evaluate translators for accuracy listening/recall, speech flow, and appropriate intervening. The Government may require translators to also have expertise in a specific subject matter area, i.e. legal, health, medical, etc. and/or provide appropriate certification, i.e. ATA certification, ACTFL, ALTA, Defense Language Institute, State/Federal Courts, US State Department, etc.2. Corporate Experience and CapabilitiesInterpretersThe Government expects that all work performed under this contract meets widely accepted standards for interpretation in each language required. Contractor shall ensure that oral language interpreters under this acquisition are evaluated based on official qualifications which include fluency/expression, comprehension, and specialized vocabulary criteria and that meet widely-accepted and agreed-upon certifications. While there is no official licensing in the United States for general interpreters, contracted interpreters selected to satisfy this requirement shall have a minimum of three (3) consecutive year of professional experience in the field of oral interpretation, one or all of the following certifications and/or qualifications (depending on the services required by the covered entity):9. Interpreter Certification from an Accredited University or Institution. 10. Community Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization. 11. Legal Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization.12. Medical Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization.13. The Translators and Interpreters Guild Certification.14. Federal, State or the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) certification. 15. Judiciary Interpreters and Translators Certification Examination (JITCE) certification will be accepted. 16. Passage of one or all of the following levels of State Department examination: (1) Escort; (2) Conference; and (3) Seminar.TranslatorsThe Government expects that all work performed under this contract meets widely accepted standards for translation in each language required. There is no official licensing in the United States for general translators, therefore, Contractor(s) selected to satisfy this requirement shall have at least two or all of the following recognized language or translation certifications/qualifications:9. Translator Certification/Degree from an Accredited University or Institution. 10. American Translators Association (ATA) Certification. 11. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) certification 12. The Translators and Interpreters Guild Certification. 13. Defense Language Institute, State/Federal Courts14. Expertise in a specific subject matter (i.e. legal, medical, etc.) 15. Successful completion of the translation examination administered by the Office of Language Services, Translating Division of the U.S. Department of State.16. Should no certification exist for a specific language requested by the entity issuing the task order, the translation vendor shall provide a translator who has a minimum of 3-5 working years of experience performing professional written translations to/from English and the requested language. Contractor(s) are required to forward a copy of their certification(s) and resumes with each bid, including their technical area of expertise (e.g. legal, medical, educational, etc.).3. General Technical ApproachInterpreters4. Provide oral language assistance services using qualified and certified interpreters or staff whose proficiency in non-English languages has been well documented, (including but not limited to executing second checks for translations) to ensure that individuals have an equal opportunity to participate in the services, activities, and program administered by the NIH. Interactions shall be in the form of in both face-to face and telephone encounters.TranslatorsLanguages required for the purpose of translations shall include, but are not limited to, Spanish, Chinese (traditional), Vietnamese, Amharic, French, Korean, Brazilian Portuguese. 6. Provide translation of a wide range of materials, including but not limited to print and electronic media, in such a way as to make them accessible in various formats into languages other than English as specified in individual tasks orders that are culturally appropriate, easy to understand by target audience and written using plain language elements and standards as defined by the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN). Examples of translated materials include but are not limited to the following media:• Health, medical and scientific information slated for broad public dissemination, including public outreach and educational materials, brochures, fact sheets, guidance and policies, and articles• Web content and web applications• Social media content • Audiovisual files, such as videos and web-based training modules• Press releases, backgrounders, and summaries of published medical and scientific research• Materials related to publicly-funded research, including materials related to consent and participation in research studies and materials developed to address human protection from research risk• Talking points and presentations7. Provide digital information/web content translation by translating public website content and electronic documents. Translation of web content may include web pages that contain important information intended for the general public.8. Provide written translation services as required and specified in task orders. Services shall include but are not limited to translation of vital documents, proofreading, editing, and desktop publishing, all in the required media format (e.g., hardcopy and electronic media). Work shall be accomplished by technically and linguistically qualified and experienced certified translators. Translations shall reflect an overall approach (e.g., tone and style) appropriate for the target audience Translations shall be accurate, clear and sensitive to the cultural, political, and social environment of the target reader/audience.9. Translate for NIH Institutes and Centers a wide range of vital documents in the following disciplines, in accordance with the requirements and timeframes established in individual task orders: Business documents, legal, medical and technical documents, manuals, and other materials as defined.10. Provide high quality, technically accurate, and audience-appropriate translation of English language documents in the following formats: electronic and CD ROM copies of final versions of translated documents into HTML, TEXT, Word, PDF, Publisher, Quark or other versions, as requested.4. Quality AssuranceInterpreters and TranslatorsThe Contractor shall develop, maintain, and update a Quality Assurance Plan as agreed upon with the Governments Project Officer(s) and the program office issuing individual task orders. Any changes to the plan must be approved by the Government before being implemented. The Contractor's Quality Assurance Plan shall, at a minimum, address the following:5. Detailed description of the quality assurance measures employed to meet all requirements of this IDIQ.6. Maintenance of a hard-copy Master File for each interpreter (an electronic format Master File may also be maintained, but not in lieu of the hard-copy). The Master File is a critical factor within the overall Quality Assurance Plan and must contain, at a minimum, the following information for each interpreter and/or translator: résumé, copy of certification, and signed Code of Professional Responsibility statement. Contractor shall provide access to interpreter/translator's Master File and/or a copy of the interpreter/translator's Master File to the Government within two (2) working days after the Government's request. Contractor(s) are required to forward copies of their Quality Assurance Plans with each bid.7. The quality assurance plan will ensure that oral language interpreters under the centralized contract are evaluated based on official qualifications which include fluency/expression, comprehension, and specialized vocabulary criteria and have recognized certifications. Similarly, translators will provide accurate and grammatically correct translations which preserve the purpose, the register, message, writing style, and factual information of the original documents. Each translation will be proofread and checked for quality via a testing protocol.8. The government should have 30 days to review and provide feedback to the vendor without incurring any additional cost to written documents. ADJECTIVAL RATINGThe Government will evaluate the Technical Proposal using the following adjectival rating.Rating Adjectival DescriptionBlue Exceptional Greatly exceeds all minimum requirements of the criteria; has a high probability of success; contains no weaknesses or deficiencies.Green Good Exceeds all the minimum requirements of the criteria; has an above average probability of success; contains no significant weaknesses and only minor, correctable weaknesses exist.Yellow Acceptable Meets all the minimum requirements of the criteria; has an average probability of success; no significant weaknesses and any deficiencies can be readily corrected.Orange Marginal Fails to meet one or more of the minimum requirements of the criteria; low probability of success; major weaknesses and/or significant number of deficiencies exist.Red Unacceptable Fails to meet any of the minimum requirements of the criteria; proposal needs major revisions; very low probability of success. PAST PERFORMANCE (evaluated but not assigned a score)The Past Performance Factor evaluation will assess the relevance and breadth of the Offeror's experience and the quality of the Offeror's past performance. The Government is seeking to determine whether the Offeror has experience that will enhance its technical capability to perform and whether the Offeror consistently delivers quality services in a timely and cost effective manner. In evaluating past performance, HHS/NIH will only take into consideration the relevant experience and past performance assessments from the Offeror's customers. However, the HHS/NIH reserves the right to use other relevant past performance information it obtains through other sources including other agency databases and information contained in trade literature.Relevance of Experience: The Offeror's experience will be evaluated on the degree of relevance to the requirement on the basis of similarity in size, scope, complexity, technical difficulty, contract type, and period of performance. Only recent experience will be evaluated. Evaluations may include interviews with previous clients of the prime contractor and subcontractors and may include interviews with previous clients of proposed personnel. The Offeror's experience with and knowledge of issues and problems of large organizations will be evaluated.Past Performance Assessments: The Offeror's past performance will be evaluated on the basis of information contained in the Offeror's proposal and the information that the Government obtains through other means. The past performance evaluation will assess the Offeror's record of providing high quality services of a similar nature in a manner that ensures maximum accuracy, throughput, cost effectiveness and overall client satisfaction.If some of the Offeror's experience is relevant and the rest is not, only the relevant experience will be evaluated for purposes of past performance. If no experience is relevant or the experience that is relevant cannot be evaluated due to a reference's failure to respond, a rating of neutral will be assigned for past performance as defined below.The Government will evaluate BUT NOT ASSIGN A SCORE to the Past Performance Factor using the following adjectival ratings.Rating Symbol DefinitionNeutral N No past performance available for evaluation. Offeror has asserted that it has no directly related or similar relevant past performance experience. Proposal receives no merit or demerit for this factor.Outstanding O Based on the Offeror's record of past performance, no issues, concerns, or risks are associated with receiving timely services and contract performance. Past performance surveys and the Offeror's experiences indicate that the Offeror is capable of exceeding the requirements of the delivery order. The Contractor has demonstrated significant experience with and knowledge of the issues and problems of large organizations.Good G The Offeror's record of past performance indicates there is very little risk associated with receiving quality products, timely services and full contract performance. Past performance surveys and the Offeror's experience indicate the Offeror will meet or exceed the requirements of the delivery order. The Contractor has demonstrated experience with and knowledge of the issues and problems of large organizations.Acceptable A The Offer's record of past performance indicates that there is some potential risk associated with receiving quality products, timely services, and contract performance. Past performance surveys and the Offeror's experience indicate the Offeror may have some problems during performance of the delivery order. The Contractor has demonstrated limited experience with and knowledge of the issues and problems of large organizations.Unsatisfactory U The Offeror's record of past performance indicates it will be unable to perform successfully on the delivery order.COST/PRICE FACTORS Offeror(s) price proposal will be evaluated for reasonableness. For a price to be reasonable, it must represent a price to the government that a prudent person would pay when consideration is given to prices in the market. Normally, price reasonableness is established through adequate price competition, but may also be determined through cost and price analysis techniques as described in FAR 15.404. The Offeror shall submit firm fixed prices for all items listed in Section B (including options). EVALUATION OF OPTIONS It is anticipated that any contract awarded from this solicitation will contain option provision(s) and periods(s) In accordance with FAR clause 52.217-5 Evaluation of Options, (July 1990) the Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by addition the total price for all options to the total price of the basic requirement, except when it is determined in accordance with FAR 17.206(b) not to be in the Government's best interests. Evaluation of options will not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s)SELECTION FOR AWARDOfferor should be aware that the Government shall perform a "best value analysis" and the selection for award shall be made to the Offeror whose proposal is most advantageous to the Government, taking into consideration the technical factors listed above and the total proposed price across all contract periods. SAMPLE TASK ORDERIn addition to price proposal please provide a proposal for the proposed task order below.TASK ORDER STATEMENT OF WORKORGANIZATIONOffice of Research Services/Office of Research Facilities/ Office of ManagementOffice of the Director/ National Institutes of Health/Bethesda, MD 20892SCOPEUnder this task order, the contractor will provide expert translation services in Spanish to satisfy the overall objectives of providing expanded support to patients and visitors with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) that visit facilities and websites supported by the Office of Research Services (ORS) and Office of Research Facilities Development and Operations (ORF).TASKS/SERVICESThe contractor shall support ORS and ORF by providing the following translation tasks/services. Services shall include producing Spanish language translation of the following English language materials produced by ORS and ORF:• Spanish language translation of the NIH campus visitor map both for online consumption and physical dissemination at visitor entry points.• Spanish language translation of any written handouts that are currently available or will be available related to visitor parking, patient shuttles, and written explanations for the shuttle kiosk to service patients and visitors. • Spanish language translation of any necessary permanent physical signage for conferences/events. Also the translation to Spanish of the Notification of the Availability of Free Language Assistance Services for those with other language needs.The following ORS sites translated into Spanish and include the notification for those with other language limitations:• The entire security.nih.gov website (excluding links to sources outside of NIH)• NIH Campus Maps (included on security.nih.gov website)• The Visitor Parking FAQs and Patients Services section and of the Division of Amenities and Transportation Services website • The Shuttle Services section of the Division of Amenities and Transportation Services website• The Shuttle Kiosk Service for Patients and Patient Visitors• Providing relevant content in Spanish for use on a Spanish language landing page consolidating all of the translated materials mentioned in this task/services sectionPERIOD OF PERFORMANCEPeriod of performance is for 6 months upon award of this task order contract PLACE OF PERFORMANCEPerformance will be done remotely, but contractor will be available for conference and/or video calls as necessary with the subject matter expert/supervisor/project officer.TASK ORDER CONTRACT TYPEHybrid: fixed price/T&MOPERATIONAL HOURSWork will be on a part-time basis, but more hours may be needed depending on required project deadlines. Total hours NTE 40 hours per week.SAFETY ISSUES There are no safety issuesSECURITY CLEARANCE:Work under this delivery order is___X _UNCLASSIFIED ______SECRET ______TOP SECRETThe contractor shall comply with all applicable Homeland Security regulations and procedures during the performance of this delivery order. The contractor shall not disclose and must safeguard procurement sensitive information, computer systems and data, privacy act data, and Government personnel work products that are obtained or generated in the performance of this delivery order. If necessary, the contractor will be required to provide clearances for personnel requiring access to Government computers and workstations.NON-PERSONAL SERVICE STATEMENT:Contractor employees performing services under this order will be controlled, directed and supervised at all times by management personnel of the contractor. The contractor's management shall ensure that employees properly comply with the performance standards outlined in the Performance Evaluation Standard (PES). Contractor employees will perform independent of and without the supervision of any Government official. Actions of contractor employees 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 U.S. Government, overseeing the work of Federal employees, providing direct personal services to any Federal employee or otherwise violating the prohibitions set forth in Parts 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.RESPONSE INSTRUCTIONSContractors shall submit a summary of experience and past performance, including a brief description of similar projectsContractors shall include separate price proposals.
NIHOD2016090RFP Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health
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