Solicitation No. K26-0040-25C – Transcribing Services for the District Court of Maryland – mdcourts.gov/procurement Rev. 11/06/2025

STATE OF MARYLAND

ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICE OF THE COURTS

PROCUREMENT, CONTRACT AND GRANT ADMINISTRATION

187 HARRY S. TRUMAN PARKWAY

ANNAPOLIS, MD 21401

INVITATION FOR BIDS (IFB)

FOR

Transcribing Services for the District Court of Maryland

Solicitation No. K26-0040-25C

To help us improve the quality of the Administrative Office of the Courts solicitations and to make our procurement process more responsive and business friendly, Bidders may provide comments and suggestions regarding this solicitation by utilizing the Intent to Bid under the Submission section of the solicitation.

The sole point of contact for this solicitation is the Procurement Officer. Bidders are specifically directed NOT to contact any other Maryland Judiciary personnel or its contracted consultants for meetings, conferences, or discussions that are specifically related to this IFB at any time prior to any award and execution of a contract. Unauthorized contact with any Maryland Judiciary personnel or the Maryland Judiciary’s contracted consultants may be cause for rejection of the Bidder’s bid.

Unless otherwise stated in this solicitation, the Maryland Judiciary's Procurement Portal will be the sole method of communication during all phases of the solicitation and award process. We encourage Bidders to whitelist emails from the Procurement Portal to ensure relevant emails are not blocked and/or marked as spam. Additionally, Bidders are strongly encouraged to access the Procurement Portal on a regular basis to view and respond to relevant communications.

Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Veteran-owned Small Business Enterprises (VSBE) are encouraged to respond to this Invitation for Bids.

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KEY INFORMATION SUMMARY SHEET

Invitation for Bids (IFB)

Transcribing Services for the District Court of Maryland

Solicitation No. K26-0040-25C

IFB Issue Date: 02/03/2026

IFB Issuing Office: Procurement, Contract and Grant Administration

Procurement Officer: Savannah Anderson Maryland Judiciary, Administrative Office of the Courts Department of Procurement, Contract and Grant Administration

187 Harry S. Truman Parkway Annapolis, MD 21401 410-260-2468 Savannah.Anderson@mdcourts.gov

Bid Submission: Submissions are exclusively accepted electronically via the Procurement Portal.

Important Events: Refer to the project details and important events on the Procurement Portal for the date and time of the pre-proposal conference (as applicable), site visit(s) (as applicable), deadline for questions, and solicitation closing date & time.

Contract Term: Three (3) year base period from 03/25/2026 to 03/24/2029 with the AOC retaining the sole right to exercise two (2) one-year renewal options at its discretion.

MBE Subcontracting Goal: 0%

VSBE Subcontracting Goal: 0% https://www.mdcourts.gov/procurementportal

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SECTION I. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. PURPOSE

B. ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS

C. PROCUREMENT OFFICER

D. CONTRACT MANAGER

E. BID OPENING

F. DURATION OF BID

G. REVISIONS TO THE IFB

H. CANCELLATIONS

I. PROTESTS/DISPUTES

J. MULTIPLE OR ALTERNATE BIDS

K. ARREARAGES

L. VERIFICATION OF REGISTRATION AND TAX PAYMENT

M. FALSE STATEMENTS

N. PRESS RELEASES

O. PAYMENTS TO SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

P. NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

Q. DAMAGE TO STATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY

R. BIDDER SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

S. ACCESS TO AOC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

T. DISTRICT COURT ACCESS AND BACKGROUND CHECKS

U. REQUIRED POLICIES, GUIDELINES, AND METHODOLOGIES

V. SUBSTITUTION OF PERSONNEL

SECTION II. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

A. CONTRACT TYPE

B. PROCUREMENT METHOD

C. AWARD BASIS

D. PRE-BID CONFERENCE

E. QUESTIONS

F. BID CLOSING DATE & TIME

G. INCURRED EXPENSES

H. ECONOMY OF PREPARATION

I. PUBLIC ACCESS TO JUDICIAL RECORDS

J. BIDDER RESPONSIBILITIES

K. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS & CONDITIONS

L. ACCEPTANCE OF SERVICES

M. DIVERSITY & OUTREACH PROGRAMS

N. INSURANCE

O. BID/PROPOSAL AFFIDAVIT

P. CONTRACT AFFIDAVIT

SECTION III. SCOPE OF WORK

A. SUMMARY

B. BIDDER MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

C. SCOPE OF WORK

D. INVOICING

SECTION IV. BID SUBMISSION

A. BID SUBMISSION

B. BID SUBMITTALS

C. EVIDENCE OF BIDDER RESPONSIBILITY

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ATTACHMENTS

Attachment A – Standard Contract Agreement Sample Attachment B – Bid/Proposal Affidavit Attachment C – Contract Affidavit Sample Attachment D – Pre-Bid/Proposal Conference Form Attachment E – Bid/Price Proposal Form Attachment F – Non-Disclosure Agreement Sample Attachment L – Bidder/Offeror Profile Attachment M – Bidder/Offeror Experience

Attachment 1 – Sample Transcript Attachment 2 – Court Reporting Manual Attachment 3 – Sample Request for Transcript

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SECTION I. GENERAL INFORMATION

A. PURPOSE

The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) issues this Invitation for Bids (IFB) on behalf of the District Court of Maryland to seek an experienced transcription firm to transcribe District Court proceedings from electronically and digitally recoded media. There is no guaranteed minimum usage.

B. ABBREVIATIONS AND DEFINITIONS

For this IFB, the following abbreviations or terms have the meanings indicated below:

1. AOC – Administrative Office of the Courts.

2. Bidder – An entity that submits a bid in response to this solicitation.

3. Contract – A formal, written agreement entered into by the Judiciary for the provision of materials, supplies, and/or services. A Contract sample is attached to this solicitation as Attachment A.

4. Contract Manager – The AOC representative that serves as the technical manager for the resulting contract. The Contract Manager monitors the daily activities of the contract and provides technical guidance to the Successful Bidder.

5. Diversity & Outreach Programs – Judiciary Program established to encourage and increase participation in Judiciary procurement by underrepresented or disadvantaged groups. The Program includes Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Veteran-owned Small Business Enterprises

(VSBE).

6. eMMA – eMaryland Marketplace Advantage online procurement platform used to connect the supplier community with contracting opportunities from within the state, county, and local government entities.

7. IFB – Invitation for Bids

8. Local Time – Time in the Eastern Time Zone.

9. MBE – Minority Business Enterprise means any legal entity, other than a joint venture, organized to engage in commercial transactions, that is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are in a minority group (African American, Native American, Hispanic, women, or the physically or mentally disabled) that is socially and economically disadvantaged, and managed and operated by one or more of the socially and economically disadvantaged individuals who own it, and is so certified by the Maryland Department of Transportation.

10. Procurement Officer – The AOC representative responsible for this solicitation, for the determination of contract scope issues, and the only AOC representative who can authorize changes to the contract.

11. Procurement Portal – Strategic sourcing software allowing the Judiciary to receive and evaluate bids and proposals electronically.

12. Successful Bidder – The awarded Bidder.

13. VSBE - Veteran-owned Small Business Enterprise means any legal entity that meets the requirements set by the United States Small Business Administration, that is organized to engage in commercial transactions, and is at least 51 percent owned and controlled by one or more individuals who are Veterans, and who manage the operations of the business, and is so registered and certified in eMMA.

C. PROCUREMENT OFFICER

The sole point of contact in the AOC for purposes of this IFB is the Procurement Officer noted on the Key Information Summary Sheet. The AOC may change the Procurement Officer at any time by written notice.

Only information communicated by the Procurement Officer shall be deemed the official position of the AOC. No other State of Maryland or AOC employee, official, or representative has the authority to change the requirements of this solicitation. Attempts by the Bidder to circumvent this procedure in any manner may be grounds for disqualification.

D. CONTRACT MANAGER

The Contract Manager for post-award activities will be disclosed to the Successful Bidder. The AOC may change the Contract Manager at any time by written notice to the Successful Bidder.

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E. BID OPENING

The Procurement Officer shall hold all bids and modifications in a secure place (i.e., Procurement Portal) until the closing date, after which time the bids will be opened.

F. DURATION OF BID

Bids submitted in response to this IFB shall be valid and irrevocable for 90 days following the closing date for this IFB. This period may be extended at the Procurement Officer’s request only with the Bidder’s written agreement.

G. REVISIONS TO THE IFB

1. The AOC reserves the right to amend this IFB at any time prior to the bid closing date and time. If the IFB is revised prior to the bid closing date and time, the AOC shall post any addenda to the IFB on the Procurement Portal and shall attempt to provide such addenda to all prospective Bidders that received the IFB or are otherwise known by the Procurement Officers to have obtained this IFB. It remains the responsibility of all prospective Bidders to review the Procurement Portal for any addenda issued prior to the submission of bids.

2. If one (1) or more than one (1) addenda are issued to this IFB, Bidders shall acknowledge receipt of all addenda on the Procurement Portal.

3. Failure to acknowledge receipt of an addendum does not relieve the Bidder from complying with the terms, additions, deletions, clarifications, or corrections set forth in the addendum, and may cause the bid to be rejected.

H. CANCELLATIONS

The AOC reserves the right to cancel this IFB; accept or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, received in response to this IFB; or waive or permit cure of minor irregularities. Bidders, whose bids are not accepted, will be notified in writing.

I. PROTESTS/DISPUTES

Any protest or dispute related to this solicitation or the resulting Contract shall be subject to the provisions of the Judicial Branch Procurement Policy.

J. MULTIPLE OR ALTERNATE BIDS

Neither multiple nor alternate bids will be accepted.

K. ARREARAGES

By submitting a bid in response to this IFB, the Bidder shall be deemed to represent that it is not in arrears in the payment of any obligation due and owing the State of Maryland, including the payment of taxes and employee benefits, and that it shall not become so in arrears during the term of the contract if selected for Contract award.

L. VERIFICATION OF REGISTRATION AND TAX PAYMENT

Before an entity can do business in the State of Maryland, it must be registered with the Department of Assessments and Taxation (SDAT), State Office Building, 123 Market Place, Baltimore, Maryland 21202.

For registration information, visit: https://www.egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress

It is strongly recommended that any potential Bidder complete the registration prior to the due date for receipt of bids. A Bidder’s failure to complete registration with SDAT may disqualify an otherwise Successful Bidder from final consideration and recommendation for Contract award.

https://www.egov.maryland.gov/businessexpress

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M. FALSE STATEMENTS

Bidders are advised that in connection with a procurement contract, a person may not willfully: Falsify, conceal, or suppress a material fact by any scheme or device; make a false or fraudulent statement or representation of a material fact; use a false writing or document that contains a false or fraudulent statement or entry of a material fact; or, aid or conspire with another person to commit any of these acts.

N. PRESS RELEASES

The Successful Bidder shall issue no press release to any publication, including newspapers and social media outlets, regarding work being conducted under the resulting contract from this IFB, or utilize the Maryland Judiciary brand mark in any marketing materials, without the express written consent of the AOC.

O. PAYMENTS TO SUCCESSFUL BIDDER

1. By submitting a response to this solicitation, the Bidder agrees to accept payments by electronic funds transfer unless the State Comptroller’s Office grants an exemption. The selected Bidder shall register using the COT/GAD X-10 Vendor Electronic Funds (EFT) Registration Request Form. Any request for exemption must be submitted to the State Comptroller’s Office for approval at the address specified on the COT/GAD X-10 form and must include the business identification information as stated on the form and include the reason for the exemption. The COT/GAC X-10 form can be downloaded at: https://www.marylandtaxes.gov/forms/state-accounting/static-files/GADX10Form.pdf

2. Payments to the Successful Bidder shall be made not later than thirty (30) days after the acceptance of deliverables, and receipt of a proper invoice from the Bidder. Any charges of interest or the like for late payment are prohibited.

P. NON-DISCLOSURE AGREEMENT

All Bidders are advised that if a contract is awarded as a result of this IFB, the Successful Bidder shall be required to complete a Non-Disclosure Agreement. A sample of this Agreement is included for informational purposes as Attachment F of this IFB. This signed Agreement must be provided with the Successful Bidder’s signed Contract.

Q. DAMAGE TO STATE AND PERSONAL PROPERTY

1. The Bidder, their employees, subcontractors, and agents shall be held directly responsible to repair, replace, or restore to its original condition, to the satisfaction of the AOC, curbs, roadway surfaces, wheel stops, shrubbery, trees, buildings, bollards, gates, light pole, sign poles or any other State-owned property which is damaged by the actions of the above-mentioned representatives.

2. The Bidder, their employees, subcontractors, and agents shall be held directly responsible for any damage caused by their action or inaction to privately-owned property and shall hold the State of Maryland harmless for such damages.

R. BIDDER SECURITY REQUIREMENTS

1. The Successful Bidder, and all Successful Bidder personnel and subcontractor personnel assigned to the Contract, must comply with all applicable federal and state laws, regulations, policies, and AOC policies and procedures for the duration of the contract.

2. The Successful Bidder must comply with the Judicial Information Systems (JIS) Information

Security Policy. The Information Security Policy closely aligns with guidelines published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology. The Information Security Policy is available online at: http://www.mdcourts.gov/procurement/index.html.

3. The AOC reserves the right to monitor all applicable computer and electronic equipment usage for compliance with its policies.

S. ACCESS TO AOC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY SYSTEMS

https://www.marylandtaxes.gov/forms/state-accounting/static-files/GADX10Form.pdf http://www.mdcourts.gov/procurement/index.html

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1. The Successful Bidder’s personnel shall complete all required paperwork as directed for access to any AOC information systems.

2. The Successful Bidder shall ensure the list of authorized Bidder personnel is always maintained and accurate. The system access rights of Successful Bidder personnel must be updated no later than twenty-four (24) hours after notification of the change in status; therefore, the Successful Bidder shall immediately notify the Contract Manager and JIS Information Security of any termination of Successful Bidder personnel or if any approved Successful Bidder personnel no longer require access to an AOC system. The AOC security identification badge and all issued AOC assets must be immediately returned to the Contract Manager.

3. To ensure compliance with the JIS Information Security Policy, the approval, configuration, and monitoring of secured remote access into AOC systems will be processed by JIS staff. All remote connections that utilize a shared infrastructure must utilize encryption for transmission of data and authentication.

4. Any software used to meet the requirements of this solicitation, on any AOC system, must be included in the Bidder’s bid. Software must be assessed by JIS and approved by the JIS Chief Information Officer. At the discretion of JIS, proposed software may be determined to be a risk to system and information integrity security controls and therefore rejected. If software is to be used remotely, the Judiciary shall control the method of access to our network via Virtual Private Network (VPN), firewall configurations, and/or segregating remote machine access within our environment.

5. Bidders using an As-a-Service (e.g., infrastructure, software, platform, hardware) subservice hosting provider (e.g., Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform) must submit a current Service Organization Control (SOC) 2 Type II report, or equivalent (as determined by the AOC), for the subservice and for the As-a-Service service provider. A SOC 2 Type II report for the subservice alone does not meet the requirements of this solicitation.

T. DISTRICT COURT ACCESS AND BACKGROUND CHECKS

1. Successful Bidder may be required to submit the following information for AOC engagements for Successful Bidder personnel, subcontractors, third-party resources, temporary employees, and training candidates:

a. Full Name.

b. Phone Number.

c. Personal/Private email with no connection to employer.

d. Emergency contact information.

2. Site visits to any District Court location must be coordinated by AOC staff with the designated site personnel in advance of any visit.

3. Any Successful Bidder personnel working at District Court locations, or on District Court systems or projects, or who have access to AOC or State criminal data or systems, must be approved in writing by the Administrative Judge of the District prior to beginning work.

4. All Successful Bidder personnel working on District Court premises, property, systems or projects, contracts, or who have access to AOC or State criminal data or systems, must have a District Court approved criminal background check prior to beginning work. The AOC reserves the right to refuse to allow any Successful Bidder personnel to begin work based upon criminal records.

a. The Successful Bidder shall furnish to the District Court a completed Authorization for

Access to Records form no later than ten (10) days prior to the commencement of work.

b. A completed Authorization for Access to Records form shall be completed for each

Successful Bidder personnel entering District Court premises for work.

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5. All Successful Bidder personnel assigned to work at District Court locations may be required to obtain an AOC security identification badge prior to beginning work, and annually thereafter. The Successful Bidder is responsible for any fees that may be incurred for initial issuance of the badge and for any replacement.

6. The security identification badge shall always be displayed while on District Court premises. To verify identity, the Successful Bidder personnel shall be prepared to provide photo identification upon request by a Judiciary employee.

7. Successful Bidder personnel are required to immediately notify the Director of District Court

Engineering and Central Services Department if their security identification badge is lost or stolen.

8. The Successful Bidder personnel must notify the Director of District Court Engineering and Central

Services Department within one (1) business day if any personnel have been arrested, indicted, served with a criminal summons, named in a peace or protective order, or named as a defendant in any civil case. The Successful Bidder personnel are also required to provide regular updated information regarding the status of any of these court actions.

9. The Director of District Court Engineering and Central Services Department, in conjunction with the

Chief of the Office of Security Administration and the Procurement Officer, may impose restrictive conditions in response to prior criminal convictions, pending criminal charges, or a violation of AOC procedures, including removal from the contract, and/or restricted access to AOC locations or systems.

10. In the event of a security incident or suspected security incident, the Successful Bidder personnel shall immediately notify the Director of District Court Engineering and Central Services Department.

11. The Successful Bidder personnel shall cooperate fully in all security incident investigations.

12. During the contract, if necessary, for the delivery of goods and services, the Successful Bidder may be provided an AOC asset in the form of a cell phone, laptop, or other electronic device. All AOC devices are the property of the AOC and must be returned in working, acceptable condition at the contract’s conclusion. If said devices are not in working acceptable conditions, Successful Bidder may be responsible for the cost of said device(s). All devices must be regularly updated as specified by the manufacturer and JIS and must adhere to all confidentiality guidelines as provided by JIS and the AOC.

13. If the District Court determines that there is cause for the Successful Bidder’s work to be suspended, the Successful Bidder shall take the following steps:

a. Immediately cease to represent itself as providing services to the District Court.

b. Deliver to the District Court: (a) a report describing the current state of the Deliverables provided by the Successful Bidder under this Agreement and any applicable Statements of Work outstanding as of the date of termination; (b) all District Court Confidential information in its possession or, at District Court’s option, destroy all such District Court Confidential information; and (c) all work product to the District Court within seven (7) business days as of the date of termination. Work product includes, but is not limited to, works for hire and materials as described in §29.3.

c. The Successful Bidder is responsible for all District Court assets (including but not limited to, laptops, tablets, computers, cell phones, other portable electronic devices, accessories, and peripherals, etc.), that have been provided to the Successful Bidder at the District Court’s cost. All District Court issued assets are required to be surrendered to the District Court within five (5) business days of the termination of services. Assets will be subject to evaluation and can include normal and expected wear and tear but must be functional and

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U. REQUIRED POLICIES, GUIDELINES, AND METHODOLOGIES

The Bidder shall be required to comply with all applicable laws, regulations, policies, standards and guidelines affecting information technology projects, which may be created or changed periodically by the AOC. The Bidder shall adhere to and remain abreast of current, new, and revised laws, regulations, policies, standards and guidelines affecting project execution. These may include, but are not limited to:

1. A System Development Life Cycle (SDLC) methodology and framework based on best practices and industry standards, such as the incremental waterfall methodology, and the agile software development framework.

2. The Administrative Office of the Courts Judicial Information Systems Security Policy.

V. SUBSTITUTION OF PERSONNEL

1. Successful Bidder personnel may not be removed from working under the Contract without the express written approval of the Contract Manager, or designee, and shall be subject to the same requirements set forth in Access and Background Check Section of this IFB.

2. The Contract Manager may direct the Successful Bidder to replace any Successful Bidder personnel who, in the sole discretion of the Contract Manager, are perceived as being unqualified, non-productive, unable to fully perform the job duties, disruptive, or known, or reasonably believed, to have committed a major infraction(s) of law, AOC policies, or Contract requirements.

END OF SECTION I.

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SECTION II. INSTRUCTIONS TO BIDDERS

A. CONTRACT TYPE

The Contract that results from this IFB shall be based on indefinite quantity.

B. PROCUREMENT METHOD

The Contract resulting from this IFB shall be awarded in accordance with the Invitation for Bids (IFB) process under the Judicial Branch Procurement Policy.

C. AWARD BASIS

After obtaining all required approvals, a contract shall be awarded to the responsive and responsible Bidder(s) submitting the most favorable bid. The AOC intends to make a single award under this IFB.

D. PRE-BID CONFERENCE

1. A Pre-bid Conference and site visit (as applicable) may be held on the date and time, and at the location (i.e., virtual or on-premises) indicated in the project details and important events sections of the solicitation on the Procurement Portal.

a. If the Pre-Bid Conference is to be held on-premises, Bidders are encouraged to bring a copy of this IFB and a business card to help facilitate a more efficient sign-in process. To ensure adequate seating and other accommodations at the Pre-bid Conference, please email the Pre-bid/proposal Conference Response Form (Attachment D) to the attention of the Procurement Officer no later than one (1) business day prior to the scheduled Pre-bid Conference date and time.

b. If the Pre-proposal Conference will be held virtually, Bidders shall register using the registration link located in the important events section of the solicitation on the Procurement Portal.

2. Bidder’s attendance at the Pre-bid Conference is encouraged in order to facilitate better preparation of bids. If the solicitation includes an MBE or VSBE goal, failure to attend the Pre-bid Conference will be taken into consideration as part of the evaluation of a Bidder’s good faith effort.

3. MBE & VSBE subcontractors are encouraged to attend the Pre-bid Conference to solicit their services to potential Bidders. In addition, all potential subcontractors, including potential MBE & VSBE subcontractors, are encouraged to submit as an interested subcontractor on the Procurement Portal for this specific opportunity under the Interested Contractor section.

4. If there is a need for sign language interpretation or other special accommodations due to a disability, please notify the Procurement Officer at least five (5) business days prior to the Pre-bid Conference.

The AOC will make a reasonable effort to provide such special accommodations.

E. QUESTIONS

1. Bidders shall direct all communication regarding this IFB to the Procurement Officer. Submit questions to the Procurement Officer through the opportunity Q&A section on the Procurement Portal, no later than the date indicated on the solicitation.

2. The Procurement Officer, based on the availability of time to research and communicate, shall answer questions at their discretion prior to the bid closing date.

3. Answers to all substantive questions that are not clearly specific only to one (1) Bidder will be answered via Addenda and will be furnished to all potential Bidders known to have received the IFB as posted on the Procurement Portal.

4. The statements and interpretations contained in responses to any questions, whether responded to verbally or in writing, are not binding on the AOC unless issued in writing as an addendum.

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F. BID CLOSING DATE & TIME

1. Bids must be received through the Procurement Portal not later than the date and time indicated on the solicitation. Bidders shall allow sufficient time to complete the submission process on the Procurement Portal. Untimely bids will not be considered.

2. Bids may be modified or withdrawn by the Bidder through the Procurement Portal any time before the date and time set forth in the solicitation.

3. Unless specifically requested, bids not submitted electronically through the Procurement Portal will not be accepted.

G. INCURRED EXPENSES

The AOC will not be responsible for any costs incurred by a Bidder in preparing and submitting a bid in response to this IFB.

H. ECONOMY OF PREPARATION

Bids shall be prepared simply and economically providing a straightforward, concise description of the Bidder’s ability to meet the requirements of this IFB.

I. PUBLIC ACCESS TO JUDICIAL RECORDS

1. Bidders shall specifically identify those portions of its bid that it considers confidential, proprietary commercial information, or trade secrets and provide justification why such materials, upon request, shall not be disclosed by the AOC under Title 16, Chapter 900 of the Maryland Rules.

2. The inspection of Judiciary procurement documents shall be governed exclusively by the Judicial

Branch Procurement Policy. Procurement documents are presumed to be open to the public for inspection, except as otherwise provided by the Judicial Branch Procurement Policy.

J. BIDDER RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Bidders shall be responsible for all goods and/or services and requirements set forth in this IFB including the contract performance of any subcontractor participation.

2. All subcontractors must be identified and a complete description of their role relative to the bid must be included in the Bidder’s bid. If the Successful Bidder requires the use of a subcontractor during the life of the Contract that was not identified in the bid or the role of an identified subcontractor otherwise changes, the Successful Bidder shall obtain approval from the Contract Manager. If applicable, subcontractors utilized in meeting the established MBE or VSBE participation goal(s) shall be identified as provided in the appropriate MBE/VSBE forms attached to this IFB.

3. If a Bidder that seeks to perform or provide the services required by this IFB is the subsidiary of another entity, all information submitted by the Bidder such as, but not limited to, references and financial reports, shall pertain exclusively to the Bidder, unless the parent organization will guarantee the performance of the subsidiary. If applicable, the Bidder’s bid must contain an explicit statement, signed by an authorized representative of the parent organization, stating that the parent organization consents to the terms of the IFB and will guarantee the performance of the subsidiary.

4. A parental guarantee of the performance of the Bidder under this section will not automatically result in crediting the Bidder with the experience or qualification of the parent under any evaluation criteria pertaining to the actual Bidder’s experience and qualifications. The Bidder will be evaluated on the extent to which the AOC determines that the experience and qualifications of the parent are applicable to and shared with the Bidder, any stated intent by the parent to be directly involved in the performance of the contract, and the value of the parent’s participation as determined by the

AOC.

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5. The Successful Bidder will be required to follow all current Judiciary protocols referencing pandemic flu or other infectious diseases including, but not limited to, proof of vaccination, producing negative COVID tests, completing/passing an initial screening questionnaire, non-contact temperature taking, the wearing of personal protective equipment (e.g., face mask), and practicing appropriate social distancing. Failure to comply with any of the Judiciary’s protocol could result in being denied entry into Judiciary workspace, and mitigation up to and including contract termination.

K. ACCEPTANCE OF TERMS & CONDITIONS

1. By submitting a bid in response to this IFB, the Bidder, if selected for award, shall be deemed to have accepted the terms and conditions of this IFB and the Standard Contract Agreement Sample attached hereto as Attachment A.

2. A bid that takes exception to these terms and conditions may be rejected.

3. By submitting a bid in response to this IFB, the Bidder, if selected for award, agrees that it will comply with all federal, State, and local laws applicable to its activities and obligations under the contract.

L. ACCEPTANCE OF SERVICES

1. The Contract Manager or his/her designated representative has sole authority to determine the acceptable level of service.

2. When the Contact Manager or his/her designee determines that the Successful Bidder service is unsatisfactory, the Successful Bidder shall return to the site at the request of the AOC, or an authorized designee, and resolve the issue at no additional cost to the AOC.

M. DIVERSITY & OUTREACH PROGRAMS

The objective of the Diversity & Outreach Programs is to encourage and increase participation in AOC procurements by Minority Business Enterprises (MBE) and Veteran-owned Small Business Enterprises

(VSBE).

1. Minority Business Enterprise

MBEs are encouraged to respond to this solicitation notice as Prime Contractors. In order to participate as an MBE in AOC procurements, MBEs must be certified by the Maryland Department of Transportation (MDOT). Additional information regarding certification can be located on the MDOT Website: https://www.mdot.maryland.gov/tso/Pages/Index.aspx?PageId=90

a. There is no MBE goal established for this solicitation.

2. Veteran-owned Small Business Enterprise

VSBEs are encouraged to respond to this solicitation notice as Prime Contractors. VSBEs must complete three (3) steps: Supplier Registration, Veteran Verification, and VSBE Certification through eMMA. These steps are outlined by the State of Maryland VSBE program. Additional information regarding certification can be located at:

https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/VSBE-Program.aspx

a. There is no VSBE goal established for this solicitation.

N. INSURANCE

1. The Successful Bidder shall maintain, at minimum, the insurance coverages outlined in this section, or any minimum requirements established by law, if higher, for the duration of the contract including option periods, if exercised. Evidence that the required insurance coverage has been obtained may https://www.mdot.maryland.gov/tso/Pages/Index.aspx?PageId=90 https://gomdsmallbiz.maryland.gov/Pages/VSBE-Program.aspx

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3 Page 14 be provided by Certificates of Insurance duly issued and certified by the insurance company or companies furnishing such insurance.

2. All insurance policies shall be endorsed to provide that the insurance carrier will be responsible for providing immediate notice to the AOC in the event of cancellation or restriction of the insurance policy by either the insurance carrier or the Successful Bidder, at least sixty (60) days prior to any such cancellation or restriction. All insurance policies shall name as an additional insured the Maryland Administrative Office of the Courts.

3. The requiring of any and all insurance as set forth in this IFB, or elsewhere, shall be in addition to and not in any way in substitution for all the other protection provided under the Contract for acceptance and/or approval of any insurance by the Procurement Officer, and shall not be construed as relieving or excusing the Successful Bidder from any liability or obligation imposed upon it by the provisions of the Contract.

4. The following type(s) of insurance and minimum amount(s) of coverage are required and may be satisfied by either individual policies or a combination of individual policies and an umbrella policy:

a. Commercial General Liability

(1) $1,000,000 combined single limit per occurrence for bodily injury, property damage, and personal and advertising injury, and $2,000,000 annual aggregate.

(2) A combined single limit per occurrence of $2,000,000 is acceptable.

b. Worker’s Compensation

(1) $500,000 each accident.

(2) $500,000 each disease for each employee.

(3) $500,000 each disease per policy limit.

(4) Coverage must be valid in all states where work is performed.

c. Cyber Liability & Data Breach Insurance

(1) $5,000,000 per occurrence for services provided by the Successful Bidder.

(2) The coverage must be valid in all locations where work is performed and/or data or other information concerning the AOC’s claimants and/or employers is processed or stored.

d. The AOC reserves the right to modify, or remove in its entirety, any of the required coverages when in the best interest of the AOC.

5. The insurance required above shall provide adequate protection for the Successful Bidder against claims which may arise from the Contract, whether such claims arise from operations performed by the Successful Bidder or by anyone directly or indirectly employed by the Successful Bidder, and against any special hazards which may be encountered in the performance of the Contract. In addition, all policies required must not exclude coverage for equipment while rented to others.

6. If any of the work under the Contract is subcontracted, the Successful Bidder shall require any subcontractors to obtain and maintain comparable levels of coverage and shall provide the Procurement Officer with the same documentation as is required of the Successful Bidder.

O. BID/PROPOSAL AFFIDAVIT

A bid submitted by a Bidder must be accompanied by a completed Bid/Proposal Affidavit. A copy of this affidavit is included as Attachment B of this IFB.

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P. CONTRACT AFFIDAVIT

All Bidders are advised that if a Contract is awarded as a result of this solicitation, the Successful Bidder will be required to complete a Contract Affidavit. A sample of this Affidavit is included for informational purposes as Attachment C of this IFB. This Affidavit must be provided within five (5) business days of notification of proposed Contract award.

END OF SECTION II.

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SECTION III. SCOPE OF WORK

A. SUMMARY

The Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC) is seeking bids from prospective Bidders to seek an experienced transcription firm to transcribe District Court proceedings from electronically and digitally recoded media on an as-needed basis. There is no guaranteed minimum usage.

B. BIDDER MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

The Successful Bidder must be a corporate member in good standing with the American Association of Electronic Reporters and Transcribers Organization (MERT).

C. SCOPE OF WORK

1. The Successful Bidder shall be responsible for preparing approximately 25,000 pages annually of District Court proceedings from electronically and digitally recorded media.

2. The requests for transcription services will be issued to the Successful Bidder by District Court Head Quarters (DCHQ) and subject to the following procedures:

a. The transcription request will be sent to the Successful Bidder as follows:

(1) Successful Bidder will receive a data transfer for transcript request via email through ShareFile.

i In case of system failure, post-mail will be the alternative delivery method.

ii If system failure occurs, the Contract Manager will contact the Successful

Bidder with additional instructions.

b. The transcription request shall include the following (See Attachment 3 for sample):

(1) Transcript request information.

(2) Case hearing information.

(3) Transcript process updates.

i Process updates include the date(s) the recording was conducted in the court, when the recording is sent to DCHQ, and when request is issued to the Successful Bidder.

ii Transcript process updates are used to track the timeline of events for appeal purposes.

(4) Transcription completion due dates.

(5) Media of court proceedings.

i ShareFile media shall include, but is not limited to, the following:

1. 4-trackcompact disk and 4-track digital data.

2. Compact Disc (i.e., WAV, MP3, CDA and FTR files).

3. Digital Video Disc (i.e., MPEG2).

a. ShareFile digital data will be used in most cases. A CD or DVD will be used in the event of a system issue.

b. ShareFile is a Microsoft cloud-based application. The Successful Bidder will be provided a ShareFile link to access the data and must have internet connectivity to retrieve the information.

ii The completed transcript may be delivered in paper format, electronic format, or both, as determined by DCHQ in its discretion. Electronic format shall be the default.

1. In the event of a system failure preventing electronic delivery, post mail shall serve as the alternative method of delivery.

c. All transcriptions of court proceedings must be confidential.

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d. Upon receipt of the transcription request, the Successful Bidder shall respond to the District Court within forty-eight (48) hours to confirm acknowledgement of the request. Once request for transcript is received from customer by the Court, the Court will forward request along with case hearing information to the Successful Bidder.

(1) Any questions or concerns regarding the transcription request must be addressed with the Contract Manager.

(2) DCHQ may be able to request and grant an extension from the Court.

e. Testimony during a court proceeding via video conferencing and/or telephone conferencing must be transcribed by the Successful Bidder. Testimony is part of the official record and is not provided as a separate audio file.

(1) Testimony file will be provided to the Successful Bidder in the ShareFile link included with the transcript request. In some instances, the testimony may be a secondary file if a remote conference happened on a different day or time than the regular trial took place. For transcripts, if a hearing goes across multiple days, it may be more than one audio file, all to be provided via ShareFile.

(2) In the event that the Successful Bidder receives a transcript request from the DCHQ that contains testimony that is either sealed or shielded, the Successful Bidder shall indicate on the cover page that the transcript is sealed entirely, portions sealed, or portions shielded.

3. Transcript Formatting Requirements

a. The transcript title page shall include the following:

(1) Court name

(2) Division

(3) Case name

(4) Name and title of judge or presiding judicial officer

(5) Type of proceedings

(6) Date of proceedings

(7) Name of each attorney

(8) Name of the party represented

(9) Indication if the transcript (or any portion) is shielded or sealed

(10) Full name and address of the Successful Bidder

b. Compliance and Preparation Standards

(1) Preparation must adhere to Attachment 2 – Court Reporting Manual, Transcription Section.

(2) The transcript must be original, printed in black ink.

(3) Bidder shall use 20-pound white paper of good quality, measuring 8 ½ x 11 inches.

c. Margins and Layout

(1) Left-hand margin: 1.5 inches

(2) Right-hand margin: 0.5 inches

d. Index and Formatting of Testimony

(1) Any transcript containing testimony must include an index page (single-spaced).

(2) The original transcript and all copies must be legible without any material defacing or interlineations.

e. Typing Specifications

(1) The text must be typed using a minimum of ten (10) letters per inch and twenty-five

(25) double-spaced lines per page.

(2) The typing should start as close as possible to the left margin, with words properly hyphenated when necessary (e.g., 1-25).

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f. Pagination and Case Numbering

(1) The transcript pages must be numbered consecutively throughout the case.

(2) Page numbers should be placed flush with the top right-hand margin, before the first line of transcription.

4. Transcript Copies

a. Upon request, the Successful Bidder shall provide transcript copies as follows:

(1) Transcript Delivery Options i Option 1: One (1) original transcript and two (2) paper copies, totaling three

(3) paper copies.

ii Option 2: One (1) electronic PDF of the original transcript, plus two (2) paper copies.

(2) Copy Requirements i Two (2) total copies are required: one (1) paper copy and one (1) electronic copy.

(3) Electronic PDF i Must not exceed 300 pages per PDF file.

ii If the transcript exceeds 300 pages, multiple PDFs may be submitted (each containing no more than 300 pages).

(4) Paper Copy i The paper original may be submitted as one (1) document even if it exceeds 300 pages.

b. Binding Specifications

(1) Cover and Binding i Each copy must be bound with front and rear covers made of clear plastic for the front cover and blue binding with a blue back cover.

ii The transcripts must be fastened securely to keep the document together.

iii No logos or business names shall appear on the binding or covers.

(2) Hole Punching for Paper Copies i Paper copy transcripts must have three holes punched along the left margin.

ii The holes must be spaced 4-1/4 inches apart, center to center, with the middle hole centered on the page.

c. Electronic PDF Format

(1) File Naming Convention i The PDF file should follow the naming format:

ii Case No-MMDDYYYY (date of proceeding).PDF

1. Example: 0101-00001234-2019-04-18-19.PDF

(2) Multiple PDFs i If the transcript is too large and requires more than one PDF, the files should be named with sequential letters appended to the date, in alphabetical order.

ii Example: First PDF: 0101-00001234-2019-04-18-19a.PDF, Second PDF:

0101-00001234-2019-04-18-19b.PDF, and so on, for additional PDFs.

5. Audio Transcription Quality Control:

a. Upon receipt of digital audio, the Successful Bidder shall notify and/or return media to the

Court if the quality of the media produced affects the Successful Bidder's ability to hear court proceedings.

(1) Notification to the Contract Manager shall be within two (2) business days of media receipt. An extension may be granted if timely notification is presented to the Court.

b. If the Successful Bidder has an "unintelligible" (i.e., audio is present but is not understood) portion of a digital audio, the Successful Bidder is required to state "unintelligible" at that

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3 Page 19 portion of the transcript and also indicate how many word(s) or how much tape time or seconds or minutes, cannot be transcribed.

(1) If more than two (2) unintelligible portions occur on a given page, the Successful

Bidder is required to audit the proceedings to ensure quality control. If there are more than a total of five (5) unintelligible portions indicated within a given transcript, the Successful Bidder must notify the Contract Manager immediately.

(2) The Successful Bidder shall guarantee transcripts to be free from defects in material and workmanship.

c. During the transcribing of digital audio, if any disruption in the flow of testimony is detected or loss of audio ("inaudible"), the Successful Bidder must notify the Contract Manager immediately so the Court can take the necessary measures to resolve what caused the disruption in the flow of testimony in the media and correct it.

d. If the Successful Bidder and/or the Contract Manager is unable to resolve the issue of an inaudible, the Successful Bidder is required to state "inaudible" at that portion of the transcript and also indicate how many word(s) or how much time hours or minutes or seconds, cannot be transcribed.

6. Manual Transcript Delivery:

a. The Successful Bidder shall ensure the original and/or copies of transcripts that are hand delivered or electronically delivered to DCHQ containing a Certificate Page to be signed by the transcriber in blue ink or electronically signed.

(1) Once the transcript has been delivered by hand or electronically, the transcript becomes the property of the District Court. Transcripts shall always be delivered and completed electronically unless notified by the Contract Manager for an alternative delivery method.

b. Manual transcript delivery is only necessary in the event there is a system wide failure and electronic delivery is unavailable. The Contract Manager will advise in these circumstances.

c. Transcripts that are not delivered to the District Court at the required contract time (i.e., the due date listed on the transcript request form) are deemed late. The entire invoice will be reduced 10% for every day that a transcript(s) are not received by the Court. A transcript is considered late if any of the transcript(s) pertaining to an invoice are not all delivered on-time. Successful Bidders agrees to provided transcript due date upon acceptance of transcript request.

d. Transcription prices for manual transcription deliveries shall include delivery to the Court.

Delive…