54-25575 Amendment One.doc

SAP

State of South Carolina Fixed Priced Bid

Amendment 1

Solicitation:

Date Issued:

Procurement Officer:

Phone:

E-Mail Address:

Mailing Address:

5400025575 08/21/2023

BRANDALYN BREWER

803-898-8486 brandalyn.brewer@SCDMH.ORG SC Dept. of Mental Health SCDMH Procurement Office PO Box 485 Columbia SC 29202

DESCRIPTION: Interpreter Services for Deaf and Hard of Hearing Clients

USING GOVERNMENTAL UNIT: South Carolina Department of Mental Health (SCDMH)

The Term "Offer" Means Your "Bid" or "Proposal". Your offer must be submitted in a sealed package. Solicitation Number & Opening Date must appear on package exterior. See "Submitting Your Paper Offer or Modification" provision.

SUBMIT YOUR SEALED OFFER TO EITHER OF THE FOLLOWING ADDRESSES:

MAILING ADDRESS:

SC Dept. of Mental Health SCDMH Procurement Office PO Box 485 Columbia SC 29202

PHYSICAL ADDRESS:

SC Dept. of Mental Health SCDMH Procurement Office 2414 Bull Street, Room 106 Columbia SC 29201

SUBMIT OFFER BY (Opening Date/Time): 08/25/2023 3:00 P.M. (See "Deadline For Submission Of Offer" provision)

QUESTIONS MUST BE RECEIVED BY: (See "Questions From Offerors" provision)

NUMBER OF COPIES TO BE SUBMITTED: One (1) Original

CONFERENCE TYPE: Not Applicable

DATE & TIME:

(As appropriate, see "Conferences - Pre-Bid/Proposal" & "Site Visit" provisions) LOCATION: Not Applicable

You must submit a signed copy of this form with Your Offer. By signing, You agree to be bound by the terms of the Solicitation. You agree to hold Your Offer open for a minimum of thirty (30) calendar days after the Opening Date. (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

NAME OF OFFEROR

(full legal name of business submitting the offer) Any award issued will be issued to, and the contract will be formed with, the entity identified as the Offeror. The entity named as the offeror must be a single and distinct legal entity. Do not use the name of a branch office or a division of a larger entity if the branch or division is not a separate legal entity, i.e., a separate corporation, partnership, sole proprietorship, etc.

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE

(Person must be authorized to submit binding offer to contract on behalf of Offeror.)

DATE SIGNED

TITLE

(business title of person signing above)

STATE VENDOR NO.

(Register to Obtain S.C. Vendor No. at www.procurement.sc.gov)

PRINTED NAME

(printed name of person signing above)

STATE OF INCORPORATION

(If you are a corporation, identify the state of incorporation.)

OFFEROR'S TYPE OF ENTITY: (Check one) (See "Signing Your Offer" provision.)

___ Sole Proprietorship ___ Partnership ___ Other_____________________________ ___ Corporate entity (not tax-exempt) ___ Corporation (tax-exempt) ___ Government entity (federal, state, or local)

COVER PAGE - PAPER ONLY (MAR. 2015)

SAP

SAP

PAGE TWO

(Return Page Two with Your Offer) HOME OFFICE ADDRESS (Address for offeror's home office / principal place of business)

NOTICE ADDRESS (Address to which all procurement and contract related notices should be sent.) (See "Notice" clause) _________________________________________________ Area Code - Number - Extension Facsimile _________________________________________________ E-mail Address

PAYMENT ADDRESS (Address to which payments will be sent.) (See "Payment" clause) ____Payment Address same as Home Office Address ____Payment Address same as Notice Address (check only one) ORDER ADDRESS (Address to which purchase orders will be sent) (See "Purchase Orders and "Contract Documents" clauses) ____Order Address same as Home Office Address ____Order Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF AMENDMENTS

Offerors acknowledges receipt of amendments by indicating amendment number and its date of issue. (See "Amendments to Solicitation" Provision)

DISCOUNT FOR PROMPT PAYMENT

(See "Discount for Prompt Payment" clause)

PREFERENCES - A NOTICE TO VENDORS (SEP. 2009): On June 16, 2009, the South Carolina General Assembly rewrote the law governing preferences available to in-state vendors, vendors using in-state subcontractors, and vendors selling in-state or US end products. This law appears in Section 11-35-1524 of the South Carolina Code of Laws. A summary of the new preferences is available at www.procurement.sc.gov/preferences .

PERFERENCES DO NOT APPLY

PREFERENCES - ADDRESS AND PHONE OF IN-STATE OFFICE: Please provide the address and phone number for your in-state office in the space provided below. An in-state office is necessary to claim either the Resident Vendor Preference (11-35-1524(C)(1)(i)&(ii)) or the Resident Contractor Preference (11-35-1524(C)(1)(iii)). Accordingly, you must provide this information to qualify for the preference. An in-state office is not required, but can be beneficial, if you are claiming the Resident Subcontractor Preference (11-35-1524(D)).

PERFERENCES DO NOT APPLY

____In-State Office Address same as Home Office Address ____In-State Office Address same as Notice Address (check only one)

PAGE TWO (SEP 2009)

End of PAGE TWO

AMENDMENTS TO SOLICITATION (JAN 2004)

The Solicitation may be amended at any time prior to opening. All actual and prospective Offerors should monitor the following web site for the issuance of Amendments: www.procurement.sc.gov (b) Offerors shall acknowledge receipt of any amendment to this solicitation (1) by signing and returning the amendment, (2) by identifying the amendment number and date in the space provided for this purpose on Page Two, (3) by letter, or (4) by submitting a bid that indicates in some way that the bidder received the amendment. (c) If this solicitation is amended, then all terms and conditions which are not modified remain unchanged. [02-2A005-1]

Solicitation is amended by incorporating the below questions and responses submitted by the question submission date of 8/14/2023.

1. How many requests per month do you typically make?

RESPONSE: The number of requests per month vary by need. Last year we contracted about 550 appointments. There were between 28-72 appointments requested in a given month last year.

2. What are the percentage of requests made for the following:

RESPONSE: Appointments are requested with as much advanced notice as possible. There were about 20 appointments that were requested with less than 48 hours. So, approximately 5% of appointments are requested with less than 48 hours’ notice.

a. With more than one week's notice

RESPONSE: See above response

b. Less than one week's notice, yet with more than 48 hours’ notice

RESPONSE: See above response

c. 24-48 hours' notice

RESPONSE: See above response

d. Less than 24 hours' notice

RESPONSE: See above response

3. What is your current process for requesting interpreters? If you have any required check-in or check-out requirements for interpreters, please include that as well.

RESPONSE: The interpreter coordinator sends an encrypted email to request the interpreter. Basic information of the time, date, location, type of appointment, and participants involved is provided. The assigned interpreter is encouraged to reach out to the interpreter coordinator for a pre-session to provide additional language and background information that is relevant to the interpretation of the appointment. The interpreter coordinator also provides the interpreter with information on where to go or the point-of-contact on-site. The interpreter does not need to check-out unless there is pertinent information to call and share with the interpreter coordinator for coordination of future services.

4. Are Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI) mandatory for On-Site Interpretation Services? Will our inability to provide CDIs prevent us from bidding on this section of the RFP, even if we can meet all other requirements?

RESPONSE: See question #5 where the requirement for a CDI is removed from virtual appointments. It is not required that a CDI be provided for on-site or virtual interpretation. If a CDI is requested, the interpreter coordinator will work with those agencies that have a CDI available to cover the appointment.

5. Video Remote Interpretation Services

Is it possible for us to submit a bid for this section of the RFP, even if we are unable to offer Certified Deaf Interpreters (CDI), but can satisfy all other requirements for Video Remote Interpretation?

RESPONSE: Remove parts of III. SCOPE OF WORK/SPECIFICATIONS, VIDEO REMOTE INTERPRETING SHALL PROVIDE, page 13.

1. Provide VRI services in American Sign Language (ASL) within 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

2. Provide Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) services within 60 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

6. Who are the incumbent providers?

RESPONSE: DMH does not give out other vendor information, although current vendors are listed on the www.procurement.sc.gov site under the previous award for this service.

7. Is there any historical data for the share of on-site and virtual services?

RESPONSE:

There were 265 virtual appointments out of 550 = 48% virtual.

There were 285 in-person appointments out of 550 = 52% in-person.

8. I would like to question the wording of the following provision in the document found on page 13.

The wording "Contractor must" is exclusionary given that many interpreters are sole practitioners and there is only one CDI in the state of South Carolina, and he is not employed by every interpreting agency. Is it possible to get this wording changed to allow agencies and sole proprietors to provide VRI services when available, similar to On Site services?

Perhaps I'm misreading this portion; please let me know.

VIDEO REMOTE INTERPRETING SHALL PROVIDE:

Contractor must:

1. Provide VRI services in American Sign Language (ASL) within 20 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

2. Provide Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) services within 60 minutes, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week RESPONSE: See Response to Question #5, no longer required by Contractor as it has been removed.

9. How to provides documentation of 2 years’ experience in mental health interpreting without providing patient names.

RESPONSE: The documentation can be with any company that you have provided these types of services to. We are not asking for patient information, just the companies you have provided services to.

10. I am self-employed with no interpreters working under me. SC law doesn’t require me to have Worker’s Compensation, but is that an additional stipulation DMH requires?

RESPONSE: No, Workers Compensation isn’t an additional stipulation DMH requires.

From WCC:

https://wcc.sc.gov/employer-faqs#:~:text=Do%20I%20need%20a%20Workers,members%20are%20counted%20as%20employees.

Exemptions: Casual employees; businesses employing less than 4 employees or businesses with an annual payroll of less than $3,000.00; agricultural employees; a state and county fair association; railroads and railway express companies; and federal employees. Also exempt are owner-operator drivers and certain commission-paid real estate agents, which meet the specific threshold requirements.