QA 15JA0526Q00000174.pdf

Questions & Answers

Solicitation #15JA0526Q00000174

1. Could you please clarify whether this subcontracting structure is permissible under the solicitation, provided (Vendor Name) remains responsible for contract management, scheduling, compliance, quality oversight, invoicing, and overall contract performance?

Subcontracting is permissible.

2. May the required court-reporting experience, personnel qualifications, certifications, and security requirements be satisfied by the subcontractor/personnel actually performing the court-reporting services, or must those qualifications be held directly by the prime contractor?

All contractual requirements pertain primarily to the prime contractor but are applicable to subcontractors as well.

3. Must proposed court reporters hold a Louisiana Certified Court Reporter (CCR) license, or will a national certification (e.g., NCRA RPR) be accepted for grand jury work? The Section 2.3(d) deposition certificate references a Notary Public; is a Louisiana notary commission required for deposition reporters?

See Solicitation, Section 7, Addendum to 52.212-1 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors, Volume I for court reporter requisite qualifications.

4. May offerors propose Key Personnel who are named candidates under signed contingent-hire letters of commitment, rather than current employees, provided they remain available through award?

See Solicitation, Section 7, Addendum to 52.212-1 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors, Volume I.

5. Section 1.1(g) requires clearance for personnel with access to Grand Jury material. Since the videographer supports depositions only, will the videographer require the same background investigation as the court reporters?

A lesser background investigation may be required.

6. Grand Jury processing space. Under AI-10-1E paragraph 3.b, would the USAO consider making space available at 500 Poydras Street for processing and storage of Grand Jury material in lieu of a contractor facility? If not, will the contractor's processing site be inspected before award or after award and before notice to proceed?

No Government provided space will be provided. The contractor’s proposed storage site will be inspected annually in accordance with EOUSA AI-10-1E Federal Grand Jury Court Reporter Security Requirements (December 2015) and Solicitation Attachment 4- Security Checklists.

7. Please confirm offerors should leave the unit price and amount for the Travel CLINs (x011) blank, with travel outside the 50-mile radius reimbursed under the FTR upon pre-approval.

See Solicitation, Section 7, Addendum to 52.212-1 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors, Volume III: Price and Solicitation, Sections 2.2(c) and 2.3(c).

8. Is this a follow-on to an existing contract? If so, can the Government share the contract number and actual annual page and hour volumes for the most recent year?

Yes, this is a follow-on to an existing contract. Estimated pages, hours, etc. are provided in the CLINs in Attachment 2 - Pricing Schedule.

9. Please confirm whether any amendments have been or will be issued, and how offerors should acknowledge them.

No amendments have been issued as of 10/6/2026.

10. If the prime offeror is a newly established small business with no relevant corporate past performance, may the Government consider the relevant past performance and experience of the proposed subcontractor that will perform the court reporting services? If so, should the subcontractor’s references be included in Volume II and clearly identified as subcontractor past performance?

No. See Solicitation, Section 7, Addendum to 52.212-1 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors, Volume II: Past Performance: “The Offeror will be evaluated based on their past performance experience”

11. Does the USAO require proposed court reporters to hold a current Louisiana Certified Court Reporter (CCR) certificate? If so, does that apply to grand jury work, deposition work, or both?

See Solicitation, Section 7, Addendum to 52.212-1 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors,

12. For the monitored multi-microphone recording option, what qualifications are required of the person operating the equipment and preparing the transcript? Would a Louisiana Certified Digital Reporter, a Louisiana Electronic reporter, or an AAERT-certified electronic reporter or transcriber be acceptable?

See Solicitation, Section 7, Addendum to 52.212-1 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors,

13. The deposition certificate identifies the reporter as "a Shorthand Reporter and a Notary Public." Is a Louisiana notary commission required for each reporter administering oaths at depositions, or is other oath authority acceptable?

No, a different oath will be used if reporter is not a notary. See Solicitation, Section 7, Addendum to 52.212-1 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors, Volume I for court reporter requisite qualifications.

14. Louisiana Code of Civil Procedure art. 1434 treats a reporter with a contractual relationship with a party as that party's "employee" for deposition purposes. Has the USAO determined whether this applies to depositions taken under this contract? Should offerors expect any related certification, such as the Louisiana CSR Board safe-harbor affidavit?

No, see Solicitation, Section 7, Addendum to 52.212-1 - Instructions, Conditions and Notices to Offerors, Volume I for court reporter requisite qualifications.

15. Section 2.6(a) requires searchable PDFs through USAfx, while 2.6(d)–(e) describe bound, hole-punched paper copies. Are paper copies required?

No, deliverables will be requested via USAfx.

16. RFQ asks whether costs differ by platform, but the pricing schedule has no remote-deposition CLIN.

Where should any platform-related costs be reflected?

Within the CLINs provided in Attachment 2 - Pricing Schedule.

17. Would we qualify under the Small business criteria to quote this directly?

If your business is under the minimum size standard for NAICS code 561492, which is $19 Million dollars in annual revenue, then yes.

18. Would the Government accept proceedings captured using an approved digital recording device, with the recordings subsequently transcribed and verified by qualified personnel, rather than requiring a stenographic court reporter physically present for each proceeding? If digital recording is acceptable, are there specific requirements regarding onsite recording operators, transcription personnel, equipment, secure transfer, transcript certification, or approved transcription software?

No, except for remote depositions, reporters must appear in person.

19. Can you provide the pricing schedule for the current contract that is in place?

No, this is proprietary information and cannot be shared.

20. Who is the present vendor?

Dawn Tupper

21. In the event that one of our pre-approved court reporters are not available how is a substitution handled?

The vendor on contract is contractually obligated to provide preapproved and cleared reporters, provided the Government notifies the contractor within the minimum established timelines outlined in the contract.

22. Need verification that hardcopies will be required for each deposition and grand jury transcript?

No, transcripts are only to be provided via USAfx.

23. Are the lines per page for the grand jury the same as depositions?

If you mean CLIN lines- no. There are separate CLINs for Grand Jury and depositions.

24. Please clarify how to fill out the form “ Federal Grand Jury Court Reporters security review commercial facility “

This form is not required to be provided for quote submissions. It will be required after contract award and is to be filled out per directions and as applicable.