19AQMM22R0195 Sign Language Interpreter Services.pdf

19AQMM22R0195

SOLICITATION/CONTRACT/ORDER FOR COMMERCIAL ITEMS

OFFEROR TO COMPLETE BLOCKS 12, 17, 23, 24 & 30

1. REQUISITION NUMBER

5. SOLICITATION NUMBER

19AQMM22R0195

2. CONTRACT NO. 3. AWARD/EFFECTIVE DATE 4. ORDER NUMBER 6. SOLICITATION ISSUE

DATE

12/08/2022

7. FOR SOLICITATION

INFORMATION CALL:

a. NAME

Christopher L Toso

b. TELEPHONE NUMBER (No collect calls)

202-285-5913

c. EMAIL TosoCL@state.gov

8. OFFER DUE DATE / LOCAL

TIME

01/23/2023

09:00 ET

CODE AOPE_

OFC OF PROCUREMENT EXECUTIVE (A/OPE)

PO BOX 9115, ROSSLYN STATION

A/OPE/AQM/IP

ARLINGTON, VA 22209

9. ISSUED BY X UNRESTRICTED OR SET ASIDE: % FOR

SMALL BUSINESS

HUBZONE SMALL

BUSINESS

SERVICE-DISABLED

VETERAN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS

WOMEN-OWNED SMALL BUSINESS (WOSB)

ELIGIBLE UNDER THE WOMEN-OWNED

SMALL BUSINESS PROGRAM

EDWOSB

8(A)

NAICS: 541930

SIZE STANDARD:

10. THE ACQUISITION IS

SEE

SCHEDULE

11. DELIVERY FOR FOB DESTINATION

UNLESS BLOCK IS MARKED

12. DISCOUNT TERMS

13a. THIS CONTRACT IS

RATED ORDER UNDER DPAS

(15 CFR 700)

13b. RATING

RFQ IFB X RFP

14. METHOD OF SOLICITATION

HREXDCODE15. DELIVER TO

OFC OF THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (HR/EX)

2401 E STREET, NW

SA-1, H726

WASHINGTON, DC 20522

CODE OPEAQM16. ADMINISTERED BY

INL Support

OPE/AQM/IP/INL

Office of Acquisition (AQM) 1200 Wilson Blvd (SA-06B) Arlington, VA 22209

FACILITY

CODE

CODE

Contact UEI:

Telephone No.

17a. CONTRACTOR/

OFFEROR

OPEAQMCODE18a. PAYMENT WILL BE MADE BY

GLOBAL FINANCIAL SERVICES CENTER, CHARLESTON,

SOUTH CAROLINA

PO BOX 150008; Fax To: 1-866-483-3436

ATTN: OFFICE OF CLAIMS

CHARLESTON, SC 29415-5008

17b. CHECK IF REMITTANCE IS DIFFERENT AND PUT SUCH ADDRESS IN

OFFER SEE ADDENDUM

18b. SUBMIT INVOICES TO ADDRESS SHOWN IN BLOCK 18a UNLESS BLOCK BELOW IS

CHECKED

19. ITEM NO. 20. SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

(Use Reverse and/or Attach Additional Sheets as Necessary)

21. QUANTITY 22. UNIT 23. UNIT PRICE 24. AMOUNT

See Line Items Section

25. ACCOUNTING AND APPROPRIATION DATA 26. TOTAL AWARD AMOUNT (For Govt. Use Only)

X 27a. SOLICITATION INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-1, 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-3 AND 52.212-5 ARE ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE X ARE NOT ATTACHED

27b. CONTRACT/PURCHASE ORDER INCORPORATES BY REFERENCE FAR 52.212-4. FAR 52.212-5 IS ATTACHED. ADDENDA ARE ARE NOT ATTACHED

28. CONTRACTOR IS REQUIRED TO SIGN THIS DOCUMENT AND RETURN ____ COPIES TO

ISSUING OFFICE. CONTRACTOR AGREES TO FURNISH AND DELIVER ALL ITEMS SET FORTH

OR OTHERWISE IDENTIFIED ABOVE AND ON ANY ADDITIONAL SHEETS SUBJECT TO THE

TERMS AND CONDITIONS SPECIFIED.

29. AWARD OF CONTRACT: REF. _____________________________ OFFER

DATED _________________ . YOUR OFFER ON SOLICITATION (BLOCK 5)

INCLUDING ANY ADDITIONS OR CHANGES WHICH ARE SET FORTH HEREIN,

IS ACCEPTED AS TO ITEMS:

30a. SIGNATURE OF OFFEROR/CONTRACTOR 31a. UNITED STATES OF AMERICA (SIGNATURE OF CONTRACTING OFFICER)

30b. NAME AND TITLE OF SIGNER (TYPE OR PRINT) 30c. DATE SIGNED 31b. NAME OF THE CONTRACTING OFFICER (TYPE OR PRINT) Christopher L Toso

31c. DATE SIGNED 12/08/2022

AUTHORIZED FOR LOCAL REPRODUCTION

PREVIOUS EDITION IS NOT USABLE

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 02/2012)

Prescribed by GSA - FAR (48 CFR) 53.212

CGFS // CGFS

19.

ITEM NO.

20.

SCHEDULE OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES

21.

QUANTITY

22.

UNIT

23.

UNIT PRICE

24.

AMOUNT

32a. QUANTITY IN COLUMN 21 HAS BEEN

RECEIVED INSPECTED ACCEPTED, AND CONFORMS TO THE CONTRACT, EXCEPT AS NOTED: _________________________________

32b. SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32c. DATE 32d. PRINTED NAME AND TITLE OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32e. MAILING ADDRESS OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE 32f. TELEPHONE NUMBER OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT

REPRESENTATIVE

32g. E-MAIL OF AUTHORIZED GOVERNMENT REPRESENTATIVE

PARTIAL FINAL

33. SHIP NUMBER 34. VOUCHER NUMBER 35. AMOUNT VERIFIED

CORRECT FOR

COMPLETE PARTIAL FINAL

36. PAYMENT 37. CHECK NUMBER

38. S/R ACCOUNT NUMBER 39. S/R VOUCHER NUMBER 40. PAID BY

41a. I CERTIFY THIS ACCOUNT IS CORRECT AND PROPER FOR PAYMENT 42a. RECEIVED BY (Print)

41b. SIGNATURE AND TITLE OF CERTIFYING OFFICER 41c. DATE

42b. RECEIVED AT (Location)

42c. DATE REC'D (YY/MM/DD) 42d. TOTAL CONTAINERS

STANDARD FORM 1449 (REV. 02/2012) BACK

Line Item Summary

Solicitation Number:

19AQMM22R0195

Contract Number: Title: Sign Language Interpreter Services

Date of Solicitation:

12/08/2022

Line Item No.

Description Quantity Unit Unit Price Total Cost

001 Sign Language Interpreter Services See continuation pages and attachments for the Price Schedule, Performance Work Statement, and contract terms and conditions.

The minimum amount is applicable to each IDIQ contract.

The maximum amount is a total capacity that is shared among all IDIQ contracts.

IDIQ Minimum Quantity/Amount: $2,000.00 IDIQ Maximum Quantity/Amount: $15,000,000.00

This IDIQ has no funding associated; the minimum guarantee of $2,000 will be provided by the first task order.

Resulting task orders may include labor-hour and cost-type line items.

Type of Contract Pricing: OTH

Doc Ref No:

Delivery Date (Start to End) Date FOB:

02/24/2023 to 02/23/2028

1.00 EA

52.252-2 - Clauses Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998)

This contract incorporates one or more clauses by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. Also, the full text of a clause may be accessed electronically at this/ these address(es):

https://www.acquisition.gov/ [Insert one or more Internet addresses] (End of clause)

52.252-1 - Solicitation Provisions Incorporated by Reference (Feb 1998)

This solicitation incorporates one or more solicitation provisions by reference, with the same force and effect as if they were given in full text. Upon request, the Contracting Officer will make their full text available. The offeror is cautioned that the listed provisions may include blocks that must be completed by the offeror and submitted with its quotation or offer. In lieu of submitting the full text of those provisions, the offeror may identify the provision by paragraph identifier and provide the appropriate information with its quotation or offer. Also, the full text of a solicitation provision may be accessed electronically at this/these address(es):

https://www.acquisition.gov/ [Insert one or more Internet addresses] (End of provision) Clause Title Fill-ins

52.246-4 Inspection of Services-Fixed-Price (Aug 1996)

52.246-6 Inspection-Time-and-Material and Labor-Hour (May 2001)

52.242-15 Stop-Work Order (Aug 1989)

52.242-17 Government Delay of Work (Apr 1984)

Clause Title Fill-ins

52.203-3 Gratuities (Apr 1984)

52.203-5 Covenant Against Contingent Fees (May 2014)

52.203-6 Alt I Restrictions on Subcontractor Sales to the Government (Jun 2020) - Alternate

I (Nov 2021)

52.203-7 Anti-Kickback Procedures (Jun 2020)

52.203-12 Limitation On Payments to Influence Certain Federal Transactions (Jun 2020)

52.203-13 Contractor Code of Business Ethics and Conduct (Nov 2021)

52.203-16 Preventing Personal Conflicts of Interest (Jun 2020)

52.203-17 Contractor Employee Whistleblower Rights and Requirement To Inform

Employees of Whistleblower Rights (Jun 2020)

52.204-9 Personal Identity Verification of Contractor Personnel (Jan 2011)

52.209-9 Updates of Publicly Available Information Regarding Responsibility Matters

(Oct 2018)

52.212-4 Contract Terms and Conditions-Commercial Products and Commercial

Services (Nov 2021)

52.215-2 Audit and Records-Negotiation (Jun 2020)

52.215-8 Order of Precedence - Uniform Contract Format (Oct 1997)

52.215-19 Notification of Ownership Changes (Oct 1997)

52.215-21 Requirements for Certified Cost or Pricing Data and Data Other Than

Certified Cost or Pricing Data-Modifications (Nov 2021)

52.224-2 Privacy Act (Apr 1984)

52.228-5 Insurance-Work on a Government Installation (Jan 1997)

52.249-6 Alt IV Termination (Cost-Reimbursement) (May 2004) - Alternate IV (Sept 1996)

652.215-70 EXAMINATION OF RECORDS (JAN 2022)

52.203-11 Certification And Disclosure Regarding Payments To Influence Certain

Federal Transactions (Sept 2007)

B-000 - SUPPLIES OR SERVICES AND PRICES OR COSTS

CONTRACT TYPE

The U.S. Department of State contemplates a multiple-award Indefinite-Delivery Indefinite-Quantity contract with time and materials for labor hours and cost reimbursable line items for travel and other direct costs. The contractor shall provide the necessary services in accordance with the Statement of Work.

SCHEDULE OF SERVICES

The offeror shall fill in the pricing as appropriate under Attachment D - Price Schedule. The Government reserves the right to order above or below the quantities, limited only by the contract ceiling price.

B-007 - RATE FOR INDEFINITE DELIVERY CONTRACTS (Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour)

(a) The labor rates specified herein are fixed hourly rates which include the following: wages, indirect costs (including overhead, fringe benefits and general and administrative expenses), and profit.

(b) In accordance with FAR 52.232-7 "PAYMENTS UNDER TIME AND MATERIAL AND LABOR-HOUR CONTRACTS," the Contractor shall only voucher for the time of the personnel whose services are applied directly to the work called for in individual task orders and accepted by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR). The Government shall pay the Contractor for the life of a task order at rates effective when the task order was issued, unless the task order is modified to incorporate rates adjusted pursuant to FAR 52.222-43 "FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT AND SERVICE CONTRACT ACT - PRICE ADJUSTMENT (MULTIPLE YEAR AND OPTION CONTRACTS)," or FAR 52.222-44 "FAIR LABOR STANDARDS ACT AND SERVICE CONTRACT ACT

- PRICE ADJUSTMENT," as applicable. The Contractor shall maintain time and labor distribution records for all employees who work under the contract. These records shall document time worked and work performed by each individual on each task order.

(end of clause)

B-008 - TRAVEL COSTS (Time-and-Materials/Labor-Hour)

(a) Except as otherwise provided herein, the Contractor shall be reimbursed for its reasonable actual travel costs in accordance with its usual accounting practices consistent with FAR Subpart 31.2, specifically FAR 31.205-46. Travel must be directly related to and required for performance of this contract, and authorized in advance and in writing by the Contracting Officer's Representative (COR).

In no event shall costs associated with employee commuting be reimbursable as a direct cost under this contract.

(b) Travel costs shall not be burdened with any indirect costs unless specifically allowable in accordance with the Contractor's usual accounting practices consistent with FAR Subpart 31.2. In no event shall travel costs be burdened with fee/profit.

(c) The Contractor shall include a breakout of all authorized travel expenses as an attachment to his invoices. Administrative support (coordination of travel arrangements, etc.) will be the responsibility of the Contractor.

(d) Should any Contractor personnel be requested to perform in any area which has been determined by the Department of State to be a hazardous duty area, hazardous duty premium pay if and to the extent requested and allowed, will be payable at the same rate as would be given to Department of State direct-hire employees pursuant to Chapter 650 of the U.S. Department of State Standardized Regulations (Government Civilians, Foreign Areas).. Hazardous duty premium pay shall not be burdened with any indirect costs (e.g., overhead, G and A) or fee/profit.

(e) When local travel between the Contractor employee's regular place of performance and other locations is specifically authorized by the COR, transportation expenses shall be allowable costs under this contract. For the purposes of this clause, local travel means travel within a 50 mile radius of the Contractor employee's regular place of performance and does not include daily commuting or associated costs.

(f) For travel where use of a personal automobile has been specifically authorized by the COR, reimbursement shall be computed on the basis of actual miles traveled from starting point to destination. Other related miscellaneous expenses, such as tolls and parking fees, incurred in the performance of tasks authorized under this contract, will be reimbursed. Car rentals require advance approval by the COR and will be authorized only when consistent with good business practice. Allowable costs shall not exceed the actual cost of renting a compact automobile (a maximum of one for four Contractor personnel), unless extenuating circumstances (e.g., excess baggage) require other arrangements and subsequent COR approval is obtained.

(g) The Government will reimburse the Contractor for Contractor employee's travel time to or from other authorized work locations;

except that for labor categories which are exempt from the Fair Labor Standards Act (FSLA), a reimbursement will be allowed only for travel during the employee's regular working hours. The Contractor will not be reimbursed for time spent in stand down or temporary layovers for the convenience of the Contractor by FLSA exempt contractor employees except as authorized by the Federal Travel Regulations.

(h) The Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that all personnel who will be required to travel outside the United States have current and valid passports. The Contractor shall also be responsible for obtaining any visas required for travel to foreign countries under this contract. The Contractor shall make no direct labor charges for obtaining/maintaining passports and/or visas.

(end of clause)

B-012 - LIMITATION OF COST OR LIMITATION OF FUNDS

FAR 52.232-20 "LIMITATION OF COST" or FAR 52.232-22 "LIMITATION OF FUNDS," as appropriate, shall apply separately and independently to each separately identified estimated cost.

C-000 - PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

Objective The objective of this Performance Work Statement (PWS) is to develop, implement, and support all Sign Language Interpreting (SLI) and Communication Access Real Time (CART) requests to ensure effective communication as a reasonable accommodation for Department of State employees within the Continental United States (CONUS) as well as Outside of the Continental United States (OCONUS). Services are rendered in classified and unclassified settings. Services included are performance-based and for non-personal services.

Standard of Effective Sign Language Interpreting

SLI is a complex task that requires several abilities beyond language competence to enable delivery of an effective professional interpretation. The Contractor’s employee or designee shall be a credentialed SLI who not only possess expert command of the two languages but who also effectively satisfies the required performance level of the request. Effective SLI services produce a work product in the target language that demonstrates command and accurately and completely conveys the discourse level of the source language while matching the goal of the exchange. An effective work product exemplifies the highest standards of professional conduct and complies with the RID/NAD Code of Professional Conduct (CPC).

General Requirements

The United States Department of State’s Disability and Reasonable Accommodations Division (DRAD) has a regulatory mandate to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities (per Rehabilitation Act of 1973). The Contractor shall provide sign language interpreters using the Contractor’s employees or designees who possess valid credentials through the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) or the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).

- Accepted RID certifications – MCSC, CSC, CI/CT, NIC-M, NIC-A, NIC, and CDI

- Accepted NAD certifications – NAD-V

Contractor shall provide Communication Access Real Time (CART) using the Contractor’s CART writers or designees who possess credentials through the National Court Reporters Association (CRA). The accepted credential of Certified CART Provider (CCP) is preferred but other credentials will be considered.

SLI and CART services as described herein shall be provided for Government employees conducting official business within CONUS or OCONUS. Temporary Duty Travel (TDY) may be necessary for both CONUS and OCONUS locations. All TDY assignments shall be approved by the COR.

The Contractor shall provide employees or designees with a valid corresponding security clearance for all cleared requests at any secured location (CONUS/OCONUS). Cleared requests may require the following clearance levels: Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI), Top Secret, (TS) or Secret (S). The Contractor’s employee or designee shall have a current Visitor Access Request (VAR) and shall follow all required security protocols.

Specific Requirements

The Contractor’s employee or designee shall provide effective SLI and CART services for all formal and informal settings. Settings may include but are not limited to:

- Formal/Informal/Highly Formal Events (Conferences, summits, ceremony, speeches, etc.);

- Informal meetings (i.e., Information Technology, Staff Meetings, Human Resources, Finance/Budget, etc.);

- Informal events (networking opportunities, parties, engagement with employee resources, etc.).

- Formal/Informal training;

- Structured or unstructured meetings or events;

- Highly technical meetings/Highly technical training;

- Intelligence briefings/meetings;

- Highly charged/sensitive assignments (Passport interviews, employee evaluations, employee counseling, security clearance interviews, etc.);

- Virtual events (meetings, conferences, trainings, summits, etc.).

An effective SLI work product faithfully and accurately conveys the meaning of the source message reflecting the style, register, and cultural context of the source message without omissions, additions, or embellishments.

Effective SLI from American Sign Language (ASL) to English requires a pleasant voice quality and is absent of hesitations, unnecessary repetitions, embellishments and/or intrusive corrections while accurately matching the register and delivery of the source message.

The Contractor’s employee or designee shall:

- Perform critical and consistent analysis necessary to correctly understand the substance of source language, including attention to detail and nuances. Convey nuance (tone, diction, meaning, etc.) simultaneously in the target language consistent with nuance and details of the source language;

- Possess the entry-to-practice competencies necessary to provide effective services CONUS and OCONUS. Competencies include but are not limited to world knowledge, multi-cultural interpretation, bilingualism, human relations, linguistics, systems thinking, collaboration, and professionalism;

- Adapt to constantly changing circumstances, personalities, and work environments. Flexibility is paramount for successful interactions domestically, internationally and while on TDY;

- Perform services effectively with clarity, accuracy, and professional, poised delivery;

- Adjust to the demands of diplomatic protocol, protective security requirements and similar considerations while executing effective services;

While assigned on TDY (CONUS/OCONUS), the Contractor’s employee or designee shall conduct themselves as a representative of the U. S. Government, while still properly identifying their self as a contractor They shall conduct themselves in accordance with all U.S. Government protocols, rules and regulations and follow all American laws as well as laws of the host country for the complete duration of the TDY including non-working times.

Included within this scope is any interpreting for the Department of State (DOS) for employees who are deaf in emergency situations while posted on TDY for both CONUS and OCONUS assignments.

Requirements

The Government has issued this requirement to meet the high-volume requirement for effective world-wide SLI and CART services for the Department of State. The contractor must possess the key administrative staff, to ensure effective services to fulfill all requests submitted. It is estimated that 99% of the services requested will be SLI services with <1% for CART. The contractor must have the breadth and depth of resources to ensure effective services are secured and the ability to provide effective replacements should a provider no longer be available to complete an assignment. There shall not be any disruption of services. Key requirements include:

1. The Contractor is required to satisfy requests submitted and fulfill each service request providing the requisite number of providers for the full duration as outlined in the Quality Assurance and Surveillance Plan (QASP).

2. In the event that the contractor is not able to fulfill the request they shall notify the program office with 24 hours’ notice before the assignment to allow for contingency planning.

3. The Contractor shall have the ability to secure SLI and CART practice professionals with a broad scope of linguistic capabilities and knowledge to successfully execute services across a wide spectrum of work environments. Some common work situations include entry level positions, case management, applied forensic sciences, law-enforcement, foreign services, and legal consultations.

4. The Contractor shall also be able to execute services for high-ranking officials and principles including the Secretary of State, the Vice President of the United States, Ambassadors, Foreign Service dignitaries at a range of events world-wide.

5. The organizational structure and capacity to successfully manage a high volume of incoming requests and to coordinate and schedule services for all requests including those with less than 24 hours’ notice.

6. The organizational structure and capacity to execute required reports and to submit accurate invoices as outlined in the QASP and the Administrative Responsibilities of the Contractor sections.

7. All interpreters utilized through this contract are required to have a minimum of four (4) years of practical experience in the field of interpreting and possess working technical competencies in the areas of Government, Human Resources, International Relations, Information Technology, Intelligence, Budget/Finance, and Forensic Sciences.

8. All interpreters utilized through this contract are required to abide by the RID/NAD Code of Professional Conduct.

9. Assignments may require that the contractor provide interpreters with up to a Top Secret clearance. At the task order level, the Contractor is required to have a valid facility clearance at the assignment’s clearance level prior to receiving interpreting assignments necessitating cleared personnel.

Key Personnel

The following key personnel are essential to contractor performance:

Service Personnel:

1. Dedicated Sign Language Interpreters - The contractor must have Sign Language Interpreters available as full-time equivalent (FTE) employees dedicated to servicing this contract. They shall meet all requirements of the PWS including the Standard of Effective Sign Language Interpreting.

a. All Interpreters must possess valid credentials from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID)’s Center for the Assessment of Sign Language Interpretation (CASLI) or from the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).

i. Accepted RID credentials: MCSC, CSC, CI/CT, NIC-M, NIC-A, NIC, or CDI;

ii. Accepted NAD credentials: NAD-V;

iii. CART Providers shall be credentialed through the National Court Reporters Association;

iv. Additional CART credentials shall be considered as presented.

b. A waiver for International Sign interpreters (IS) may be granted by the COR since accreditation is new.

2. Interpreters with a Security Clearance – The contractor shall also have certified designees with a valid Top Secret (TS) or TS/SCI security clearance and a current Visitor Access Request (VAR) on file. The contractor must have certified designees with a valid Top Secret (TS) or TS/SCI security clearance to receive task orders that include a security clearance.

Work Environment

The Contractor’s designated interpreter(s) and/or CART writers may work in a variety of highly technical environments with a variety of employees including high-level principles. The work may be performed during diplomatic missions, negotiations, contract acquisitions, mediations, social/networking, legal events, or ceremonial events.

The environmental demands of the setting (classification, security, cultural impact, diplomatic negotiations, etc.) may supersede the norms of providing SLI or CART services. Contractor personnel will be briefed prior to entering these environments. The Contractor’s employee or designee shall comply with all protocols while demonstrating the emotional intelligence, flexibility, quick critical thinking skills and the professional controls necessary to effectively provide services.

The Department’s mission of diplomacy may include environments requiring a high degree of cultural awareness and sensitivity. As representatives of the Department of State, the Contractor’s staff or designee(s) shall demonstrate self-awareness and the flexibility to adapt to cultural demands to support the mission of the Department even in the face of adversity.

Work may not always be in a typical indoor office setting. The Contractor’s designated employee or designee could be assigned on-site or off-site using a wide variety of remote platforms. The physical demands include the need to sit or stand for long periods of time, work in non-standard environments (i.e., without modern conveniences of air-conditioning, outside in undeveloped spaces, in extreme temperatures of hot or cold, in tight and/or confined spaces, on an elevated platform surrounded by a large audience, etc.).

Work on this contract can be public facing and it is possible that during the execution of this contract, the contractor’s employees and their work may be documented in photographs, videos and/or be live streamed. Contractors performing work on this contract should anticipate that their work performed may be broadcasted.

Remote Interpreting – Hybrid Work Environment

The goal of this requirement is to provide a consistent and reliable resource of interpreters who not only possess the highest level of knowledge, skills and abilities of the interpreting tradecraft but who are also familiar with the innerworkings of the United States Government. The contractor shall secure dedicated interpreters who will continually be exposed to the necessary elements of DOS (linguistic, diplomatic, cultural, technical, etc.) to maximize the effectiveness of the interpreted work product.

This requirement may require that the Contractor’s interpreter(s) to provide services at a physical location or utilizing a variety of technology to remotely connect to the DOS stakeholders. The Contractor’s designated interpreter must have reliable access to a high-speed video connection, the technical equipment necessary to effectively provide interpretation via technology (Zoom for Government, MS Teams, Google Meet, WebEx etc.,) and a solid back drop/background, effective lighting, and any other logistic necessary to provide remote interpreting effectively.

Hybrid work environments may require interpreters to toggle between a remote environment and an onsite environment. The Contractor’s designated interpreter shall be capable of accommodating a change in requests when provided a minimum of 24 hours’ notice.

Service Provider Readiness The Contractor’s designated Interpreter or CART writer is expected to arrive at the assigned time ready to effectively execute the functions of their role as a practice professional. An effective readiness protocol includes the following:

- Arriving at the assignment location (onsite or virtually) > 15 minutes prior to the starting time to access to the site, equipment/technology effectiveness, orientation to environmental logistics, and briefings with teams when necessary.

- Preparing for the assignment by reviewing any briefing information that may have been provided or conducting research to become as familiar as possible with the source topic;

- Perform pre-assignment technology checks and research the requested video conferencing platforms to understand functionality.

Work Attire The standard dress code is business or business professional attire:

- Example for men: Conservative style business suit or sport coat with a corresponding button-down dress shirt, tie, and dress pants or a conservative (sweater) vest with a corresponding button-down dress shirt, tie, and dress pants.

- Example for women: Conservative style business suits with corresponding blouse and skirt or pant combination or conservative (sweater) vest with a corresponding blouse, and skirt or slacks.

- Example footwear for men: Conservative socks and dress shoes.

- Example footwear for women: Conservative stockings or socks with dress shoes.

Requests for culturally appropriate apparel for culturally sensitive assignments:

- Example for men: Head Coverings (i.e., kippah, yarmulkes, skullcap etc.).

- Example for women: Long-sleeve clothing, head, or hair coverings (i.e., hijab, niqab, etc.).

The Contractor’s designated interpreter(s) are required to choose the color and style of attire that provides an effective contrast to their skin tone.

If the attire required is anything other than business/business professional attire, the program office shall inform the Contractor prior to the assignment. There may be instances when the employee requiring the interpretation may request a modality of attire different than business/business professional due to specific work requirements (i.e., interpreting outside at a worksite, or needing to blend in for diplomatic or cultural reasons, etc.).

The mode of attire and the demeanor of the Contractor’s designated service provider should always reflect the posture of the stakeholders requiring the service and any diplomatic or cultural nuance that may impact the work.

Walking

Most assignments/sessions require minimal to no walking beyond walking to the interpreting location.

Some assignments may require moderate to high walking/maneuvering. The DOS program office and/or the employee requiring interpretation will notify the contractor of any such requirements prior to the event.

Reassignment for Domestic Requests

If an assignment becomes canceled with less than 72 hours’ notice, the program office may reassign the Contractor’s designated interpreter or CART writer to provide the same mode of service within a ten (10) mile radius from the original assignment.

Hours

Interpreting services may be invoiced with a two (2) hour minimum for every assignment. The Contractor’s staff or designated interpreter(s) shall possess the stamina, skills, and expertise to effectively interpret alone for most assignments for a maximum of one and a half (1.5) hours without a break.

The program office will consider interpreting teams in accordance with the Teaming Practices section.

Breaks

It shall be incumbent upon the Contractor’s certified employee or designee to exercise professional judgment to unobtrusively coordinate with the Deaf DOS employee to incorporate appropriate breaks.

Meal Breaks

If the Contractor’s designated interpreter does not provide services during a meal break, the contractor cannot invoice for the 30-minute or 45-minute meal period.

- All designated meal breaks when the Contractor’s designated interpreter is needed to provide interpretation shall be invoiced.

In the event that a contractor is needed to provide services through their designated meal-break, they shall notify the program office within 24 hours of the occurrence so adjustments can be documented for invoicing.

Time Extensions

- If the assignment runs past the allotted scheduled time, and the interpreter is available and willing to remain at the assignment:

- The contractor’s interpreter or CART writer may continue providing services for a maximum of two (2) hours so long as the following criteria are met:

- The interpreter or CART writer must contact the contractor’s staff to notify them of the extension immediately after the assignment.

- The contractor’s staff shall contact the DOS program office to notify them of the extension within 24 hours.

- If the assignment will continue longer than the two (2) hour allotted extension,the Contractor’s employee or designee must seek approval of the DOS program office to continue. This can be achieved via email or telephone call.

- In the event the Contractor’s employee or designee is unable to reach the DOS program office, they may seek approval by the DOS employee requiring the service and send an email to the program office with the employee cc’d at the completion of the assignment.

TDY Domestic/within the Continental United States (CONUS)

Domestic TDY assignments differ from Domestic interpreting assignments in that the COR has determined that the DOS employee requiring interpretation requires a very specific skillset that can only be achieved by provided the services of a SLI familiar with the work of the employee and thus need to accompany them throughout their travel.

Services may be provided during the workday, in the evenings and/or on the weekends during the TDY.

The Contractor will be provided with a preliminary schedule and a determination of whether a team is required will be made prior to the TDY assignment in accordance with the Teaming Practices session. While performing interpreting services on TDY, it shall be incumbent upon the Contractor’s interpreter to exercise professional judgment to manage all interpreting requirements and to coordinate with the DOS employee(s) who requires interpretation to ensure appropriate breaks.

TDY International/Outside the Continental United States (OCONUS)/ Overseas

The Contractor’s Interpreter(s) assigned to International TDY assignments shall possess the stamina, skills, and expertise outlined in the contract to perform effectively on assignments.

The Contractor will be provided with a preliminary schedule and a determination of whether a team is required will be made prior to the TDY assignment in accordance with the Teaming Practices session. It shall be incumbent upon the Contractor’s interpreter to exercise professional judgment and coordinate with the DOS employees who requires the interpretation to ensure appropriate breaks.

If the Contractor’s Interpreter is called into the U.S. Embassy or is requested to perform interpreting services on the weekends, interpreting services are invoiced with a two (2) hour minimum and then hourly once the 2-hour minimum is exhausted. The Contractor’s interpreter shall send an email immediately to the Contractor including a cc to the employee who received the services, the COR and the program office documenting the time beyond the eight (8) hour day and/or any work outside of the established work week.

The Contractor’s designated interpreter will be expected to provide interpreting services for a period of eight (8) hours Monday through Friday and possibly on Saturday and Sunday. The start and end times will be determined by the time of arrival and departure from the assignment location excluding a meal break. The hours need not be consecutive.

While performing interpreting services on TDY, it shall be incumbent upon the Contractor’s designated interpreter to exercise professional judgment to manage all interpreting requirements and to coordinate with the DOS employee(s) who requires interpretation to ensure appropriate breaks. In the event the interpreter feels additional support is needed they shall reach out to the Contractor to report the need. The Contractor will then reach back to the COR to request additional support.

During long term TDY assignments, the Contractor’s designated service provider is assigned to provide services directly to a designated government employee at post. Should that employee not report to post, the Contractor shall notify the SLI program and the COR that services are not being provided because the employee is not at work. The COR may assign administrative tasks for the assignment duration to be performed at an alternate location, or the assignment may be cancelled at the government’s discretion.

Teaming Practices

Individually, interpreters must possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities outlined in this PWS to perform effectively on assignments.

Some assignments, however, may need two or more interpreters to maintain an acceptable level of performance throughout the assignment.

This following criterion will be used by the program office to determine whether one or more interpreters are needed for a given assignment. In general, the rationale for criteria is related to (a) cognitive demands or (b) logistics, or both.

Definitions Term Definition/Clarification Assignment An event that an interpreter is expected to cover, which may last multiple days (e.g., a conference) or several sessions (e.g., on-call assignments).

Session An event in which participants come together for a particular purpose or topic, such as a webinar, a staff meeting, a telephone call, etc.

Conference An event consisting of several sessions (e.g., a summit), which may take place consecutively or concurrently.

On-call assignment An assignment in which an interpreter is assigned to a particular person or unit to cover any scheduled sessions or ad hoc meetings during the day.

Scheduled session A session with expected start and end times and notified to the Scheduler at least one workday in advance.

Ad hoc meeting An unscheduled session expected to last less than 2 hours, usually assigned to on-call interpreters. Interpreters must be ready to interpret an ad hoc meeting within 15 minutes of notification.

In-person or virtual assignments

The program office will use the following criteria to determine if the demands of an interpreting assignment require multiple interpreters to ensure the effectiveness of the interpreted message. Decisions will be made assessing the conditions of the assignment considering that the Contractor’s designated interpreter possesses the knowledge, skills, and credentials presented in the

PWS.

Criteria: Rationale/Notes:

Sessions or Assignments expected to last more than 1.5-hours. Interpreters shall possess the stamina, skills, and expertise to perform effectively on assignments.

Any session or assignment greater than one and a half (1.5) hours will have more than one interpreter assigned as decided by the program office.

On-Call Assignment On-Call assignments exist to provide immediate availability of interpreting services to an employee or office for a set period. The Contractor’s interpreter assigned shall be directed by the assigned office or DOS employee requiring the on-call assignment. It is incumbent upon the Contractor’s interpreter to exercise professional judgment to coordinate all interpreting requests with the DOS employee or office who requested the on-call interpreter to ensure appropriate breaks.

The goal of on-call interpreters is to create the ability for the interpreter’s assigned to become intimately familiar with the environmental and linguistic demands of a particular assignment to maximize the effectiveness of the work.

Most often, on-call interpreters are scheduled as one interpreter for a set period. In the event the interpreter feels additional support is needed they shall contact the program office to request additional support.

Exceptionally complex Assignments These assignments are so linguistically or logistically complex that it necessitates multiple interpreters to preserve the interpretations.

This demand supersedes the required skills and expertise that the interpreter already possesses.

(Examples: Platform assignments that require interpreting on stage as well as interpreting for audience members; interpreting for a group of people in a large location; interpreting scientific or highly technical information for long periods of time, etc.).

The program office will consider these conditions and determine the number of interpreters necessary to effectively navigate the work.

Special Events/Conferences Events or conferences consisting of sessions, tracks, or break-out groups happening simultaneously will require multiple interpreters.

The program office will coordinate with the office sponsoring the event to determine the number of interpreters necessary to meet the requirement.

Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI)/Certified Hearing Interpreter (CHI) Teams

A team or teams of Certified Hearing Interpreters (CHI) and Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) may be requested for large public facing events. Determinations for these events will be made by the program office on a case-by-case basis.

Minimum Qualifications of ASL/English Interpreters

The Contractor’s designee shall meet the following minimum required qualifications for all Sign Language Interpreters providing services through this requirement:

- Interpreters shall possess a bachelor’s degree or the equivalent of 5 years of experience as a professional sign language interpreter;

- Credentialed from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) or the National Association of the Deaf (NAD).

- Accepted RID credentials: MCSC, CSC, CI/CT, NIC-M, NIC-A, NIC, or CDI.

- Accepted NAD credentials: NAD-V.

- The COR may grant a waiver for international sign interpreters since accreditation is new.

- Experience does not count toward the certification requirement;

- The COR may make an exception for non-credentialed International Sign (IS) Interpreters;

- Fluent in American Sign Language and English;

- Strong ASL to English (voicing) and English to ASL (expressive) proficiency utilizing various registers required.

- Three (3) plus years of experience in Federal government assignments, to include platform/large audience events, technical interpreting (Human Resources, Information Technology, Budget, Finance and Forensic Document Examination;

- Experience working in diverse (to include domestic or international non-office/public and/or urban) locations.

Below are the desired qualifications for all assignments:

- Knowledge of foreign cultures/countries and historical events;

- Travel experience domestically and internationally;

- Knowledge and experience with technical professions (Information Technology, Finance, Budget, Human Resources, Forensics, etc.).

Below are the specific desired qualifications for interpreters TDY internationally:

- Knowledge/skill and flexibility in working diplomatically with different customs and cultures;

- Fluency in a foreign language;

- Travel experience domestic and international;

- Knowledge and experience working with technical professions (Diplomacy, Information Technology, Communications, Human Resources, Finance, Budget, Forensics, Foreign Service, Forensic Sciences, Politics, etc.);

- Prior experience with working or living in an international location(s);

- Experience in construction situations, procurement/acquisitions, international situations, multi-cultural–communication facilitation situations, and multi-lingual situations;

- Flexibility to accept and conform to specific protocol requirements, restrictive environments, rules, and regulations per

DOS regarding conduct, mobility and/or access restrictions in international locations;

- Have a valid U.S. passport with more than six (6) months before expiration or longer if accepting an assignment greater than three months.

Minimum Requirements for CART providers

The Contractor’s staff CART writer or designee shall meet the following minimum required qualifications:

- Credentialed by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA) as a Certified CART Provider (CCP);

- Additional accreditations may be considered;

- Three (3) plus years of experience in Federal government assignments, to include platform/large audience events, technical interpreting (Human Resources, Information Technology, Budget, Finance and Forensic Document Examination);

- The ability to execute services effectively in situations that are highly stressful, emotional charged, culturally sensitive, or highly technical;

- The flexibility to effectively connect remotely using a wide variety of platforms;

- Possess the required hardware and peripherals necessary to effectively provide in person CART services.

Below are the desired qualifications:

- Travel experience domestically and internationally;

- Knowledge and experience with technical professions (Information Technology, Finance, Budget, Human Resources, Forensics, etc.).

Below are the desired qualifications specifically for interpreters TDY internationally:

- Knowledge/skill and flexibility in working diplomatically with different customs and cultures;

- Fluency in a foreign language;

- Travel experience domestic and international;

- Knowledge and experience working with technical professions (Diplomacy, Information Technology, Communications, Human Resources, Finance, Budget, Forensics, Foreign Service, Forensic Sciences, Politics, etc.);

- Prior experience with working or living in an international location(s);

- Experience in construction situations, procurement/acquisitions, international situations, multi-cultural–communication facilitation situations, and multi-lingual situations;

- Flexibility to accept and conform to specific protocol requirements, restrictive environments, rules, and regulations per DOS regarding conduct, mobility and/or access restrictions in international locations;

- Have a valid U.S. passport with more than six (6) months before expiration or longer if accepting an assignment greater than three months.

Transition/Contingencies

Domestic Assignments

- The Contractor shall create a contingency plan approved by SLI Program office, the Contracting Officer (CO), the COR or Government designee identifying a designated replacement as a redundancy for any service provider assigned to long-term assignments.

- If the Contractor’s designated service provider arrives later than the designated start time, does not show up, or needs to be removed for cause, the Contractor shall provide an immediate replacement per the contingency plan.

International (TDY) Assignments

- The Contractor shall create a contingency plan cleared by the SLI program office, the Contracting Officer (CO), the COR or Government designee. This plan shall identify designated replacements for any service provider assigned to a long-term TDY (outside of the typical scheduled rotation);

- A typical long-term TDY assignment shall be scheduled in 5 - 12-week rotations for no more than 90 days unless otherwise approved or arranged with the COR;

- When a replacement interpreter or CART provider is required, the Contractor shall initiate a plan at least six (6) weeks prior to the assignment start date with clearance from the CO, COR, or Government designee. The COR will determine if there needs to be an overlap of a few days at the beginning/end of each assignment.

- Only one (1) contract interpreter at a time is required for the entire period of the assignment except during a change of interpreters when an overlap happens to ensure consistency;

- Situations may arise when a second interpreter is necessary and a determination will be made by the COR to provide additional services (i.e., trainings, events, etc.);

- If the interpreter or CART provider requires respite for any reason (i.e., illness, death in family, unforeseen circumstances, scheduled vacation), the Contractor shall be responsible to ensure continued coverage. There shall be no lapse in services rendered during the entire period of performance.

- If the Contractor’s designated interpreter and/or CART provider needs to be removed for cause, the Contractor shall provide an immediate replacement.

International Sign (IS)

International Sign is an interpretation modality used by the United Nations for very specific types of discourse. Interpretation into IS has been shown to be effective for certain kinds of discourse, such as those with conventionalized vocabulary, with certain kinds of audiences, and mostly among those who can lip-read English, have travel experience, and have higher education (Whynot, 2016). The Department may use IS interpretation in conjunction with ASL interpretation for events hosted by the U.S. Government in accordance with the Department’s mission.

IS interpreters are expected to adhere to the RID/NAD Code of Professional Conduct and comply with any requirements for Non- Disclosure Agreements. Since an accreditation system is very new for IS interpreting practitioners, it is expected that the qualified contractors selected demonstrate the highest level of professionalism and possess the complicated and sophisticated command of both IS and English to provide access to highly visible international events.

Administrative Responsibilities of the Contractor In general

- The Contractor is required to maintain a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA) on file for each designated employee annually;

- The Contractor shall use their own NDA and retain files for this purpose.

- Additional pre-clearance forms may be required prior to accessing a site or assignments. Such requirements will be coordinated through the COR and/or Program Office;

- The Contractor will be provided an @state.gov email address and shall use that email for all scheduling correspondences;

- All assignment related communication (other than day of on-site communication) must go through Disabilities and Reasonable Accommodations Division (DRAD)’s SLI program;

- Onsite POC information is only to be used on day of assignment and only for the purpose of coordinating logistics.

- The Contractor’s designated service provider shall not reach out to the client or POC to obtain additional information. All requests for information should be directed to the DRAD SLI program.

- All assignment related information provided to the Contractor’s scheduling team is intended only for the Contractor’s designated service provider;

- The Contractor’s scheduling team shall acknowledge receipt of request via email to ASLservices@state.gov mailbox.

- Contractor shall acknowledge confirmation of SLI or CART services via email to ASLservices@state.gov The required elements of a confirmation or change in service status include:

- Agency Control Number: (Job Number)

- Type of Service: (ASL/English Sign Language Interpreting or…