QA 15JA0522Q00000005.pdf

Questions & Answers

Solicitation 15JA0522Q00000005

1. Whether companies from outside USA can apply for this? (like, from India or Canada)

There are no restrictions prohibiting companies outside the U.S. from providing a quote.

2. Whether we need to come over there for meetings?

Grand Jury & depositions court reporting services require a court reporter to appear in person to provide services.

3. Can we perform the tasks (related to RFP) outside USA? (like, from India or Canada)

See answer to question #2.

4. Can we submit the proposals via email?

Solicitation, Section 10, FAR 52.212-1, #13- “All quotes shall be submitted in writing by email to Brandon Wish at brandon.wish@usdoj.gov”

5. Could you please tell me if the Combined Synopsis/Solicitation posted as solicitation number 15JA0522Q00000005 will be a follow-on requirement to any work performed currently or in the past, or will this be a new requirement?

The services are currently being performed via incumbent contract # DJJ-16-D-EOA02-0065, Task Order # 15JA05-20-F-00000167

6. Can you confirm that bidders may bid on deposition services only, as opposed to being required to bid on both Depositions and Grand Jury hearings?

This requirement is for both Grand Jury & Deposition court reporting. The two requirements will not be separated at this time.

7. Can you confirm that court reporters who only handle only depositions under this contract do not have to go through the security clearance, including the FP85 and fingerprinting, and that it is only Grand Jury court reporters who need to do that?

See answer to question #6.

8. All agencies other than the incumbent on this contract are at a disadvantage regarding the historic number of depositions/pages, as this information does not seem to have been updated in some time. This is probably one of the most crucial pieces of information so that an agency can decide if they would like to bid and what their pricing should be if they do. With the technology available today it would be very simple for the incumbent to advise the USAO EDLA exactly how many pages were taken over the last 5 years, and how many of those pages were daily, expedited, regular, etc., and to also advise the length of depositions. Would the government consider asking the incumbent for this information so that there is a level playing field for all bidders?

Services historically used are listed in Solicitation, Section 1.3b.

9. Can you advise the percentage of depositions that take place in New Orleans City limits versus those that take place outside of the City limits and/or further to question 3 above, can you have the incumbent provide the actual number of depositions in each location over the last 5 years?

The requested information will not be provided at this time.

10. Can you advise how many times in the last 5 years transcripts were requested to not be transcribed?

The requested information will not be provided at this time.

11. For the turnaround times for ordering on page 6, for “Regular Delivery” you have language in this paragraph that this is both 5 business days and 10 business days. Normally “Regular

Delivery” is 10 business days. Can you clarify?

Corrected to reflect 10 business days. See Solicitation Amendment 1.

12. The CLIN for “Expedited” is described as “before 9:00 PM the day of the deposition.” Is this a final, proofread transcript or is this a rough draft?

Final transcript

13. Can invoices be submitted when ready, or must all invoices for a given month be submitted together?

Invoices may be submitted when ready.

14. Are depositions currently (as of this writing) behind handled in-person for the USAO EDLA or are they being handled remotely via Webex or Zoom technology due to Covid?

Currently depositions are handled mostly via Zoom. Occasionally, in-person depositions are conducted dependent upon the needs of the case. Section 2.4, Remote Depositions, added; See

Solicitation Amendment 1.

15. If depositions are being handled remotely, does the USAO EDLA provide the Webex or Zoom platform or is the reporting firm expected to do so?

The Contractor shall provide the video platform (i.e. Zoom).

16. If depositions are being handled remotely is there an estimate of when in-person depositions will be required to resume?

No, there is no estimate of when full-time in-person depositions will resume.

17. Are hard copy (printed) deposition transcripts required to be delivered to the USAO, or does electronic delivery suffice (via ASCII files and PDF files of each of the Full-sized certified transcript, Condensed Transcript and Word Index)?

Hard copies are required to be delivered.