Attachment 1 - PWS Document Translation Services.docx

B.2 PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT

The Integrated Veterans Care (IVC), Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA), Veteran’s Family Member Programs (VFMP) Document Translation Services

1. PURPOSE: The Integrated Veterans Care (IVC), Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA), Veteran’s Family Member Programs (VFMP), Document Control Data Management (DCDM) Department is looking to establish a Contract with a Contractor to provide translations of all original documentation submitted to the claims processing center that supports Medical Insurance and health benefit programs for Veterans, spouses, and children of permanently and totally disable Veterans living in the United States and foreign countries. Document Translation Services shall be translated by standard or exotic words. The Contractor shall assist the IVC, VHA, VFMP Office in continuing its mission to implement standard and exotic language translations.

The Contractor shall work with the Program Office (PO) and Contracting Officer Representative (COR) to provide translations of all original documentation. At no time shall the Contractor direct, change, or engage in the formulation of IVC, VHA, VFMP policy. The IVC, VHA, VFMP Office and the DCDM Department will be responsible for the translations contract to translate all claims and other documents for the purpose of processing at the IVC, VHA, VFMP Office. The IVC, VHA, VFMP Office is solely responsible to review the Contractor’s recommendations and to make decisions concerning the formulation of policy. The DCDM Department is also contacted by other IVC, VHA, VFMP Offices to translate documents into English; this contract covers those requests.

1. BACKGROUND: The IVC, VHA, VFMP Office provides medical insurance for the spouses and dependent children of permanently and totally disabled Veterans living in a foreign country. The IVC, VHA, VFMP Office also provides health benefits to veterans with VA rated service-connected conditions that are residing or traveling abroad. To process the documentation package (claims, medical notes, correspondence, etc.) we, the IVC, VHA, VFMP Office, require that the documents be translated into English. There may be instances where the IVC, VHA, VFMP Office will require documents to be translated from English into another language. The majority of these documents are medical (i.e., medical charts, laboratory reports, prescriptions, letters, etc.), but not exclusively. The DCDM Department also provides translation services to other IVC, VHA, VFMP Offices within the Veterans Health Administration.

1. OBJECTIVES:

0. Provide correct, clear, and concise translations.

0. Provide translations that are formatted in a way that they can be matched up to the original documentation that was submitted.

0. Provide legible word counts for all translated documents.

0. Ensure that translations are returned in a reasonable time frame (5 - 7 business days).

0. Ensure all electronic copies of translations are returned via VA Network electronic folder. The contractor will have access to IVC, VHA, VFMP Pending Translation folders.

1. SCOPE: The Contractor shall provide typed translations of all original documentation submitted (unless otherwise specified) and ensure word counts are provided for all translated documents.

1. Use of automated translation software is not permitted.

1. Provide electronic and legible translations for Standard and Exotic languages. The primary languages to be translated include: Spanish, German, Japanese, Korean, and Thai. Exotic languages include, but are not limited to: Afrikaans, Akan, Albanian, Amharic, Arabic, Armenian, Ashante, Assyrian, Azerbaijani, Azeri, Bajuni, Bambara, Basque, Behdini, Belorussian, Bengali, Berber, Bosnian, Bravanese, Bulgarian, Bunnese, Cakchiquel, Cambodian, Cantonese, Catalan, Chaldean, Chamorro, Chao-chow, Chavacano, Chin, Chuukese, Cree, Croatian, Czech, Dakota, Danish, Dari, Dinka, Diula, Dutch, Estonian, Ewe, Farsi, Fijian, Hindi, Finnish, Flemish, French, French Canadian, Fukienese, Fula, Fulani, Fuzhou, Ga, Gaddang, Gaelic, Gaelic-Irish, Gaelic-Scottish, Georgian, Gorani, Greek, Gujarati, Haitian Creole, Hakka, Hakka-Chinese, Hassaniyya, Hausa, Hebrew, Hindi, Hmong, Hungarian, Ibanag, Ibo, Icelandic, lgbo, Locano, Indonesian, Inuktitut, Italian, Jakartanese, Javanese, Kanjobal, Karen, Kashmiri, Kikuyu, Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Kosovan, Kotokoli, Kpelle, Krio, Kurdish, Kurmanji, Lakota, Laotian, Latvian, Lingala, Lithuanian, Luganda, Luo, Lusoga, Luxembourgeois, Maay, Macedonian, Malagasy, Malay, Malayalam, Malinke, Mandarin, Mandingo, Mandinka, Marathi, Mashalleses, Mien, Mina, Mirpuri, Mixteco, Moldavan, Mongolian, Montenegrin, Navajo, Neapolitan, Nepali, Nigerian, Norwegian, Nuer, Oromo, Pahari, Pampangan, Pashto, Patois, Pidgin English, Creole, Polish, Portuguese, Pothwari, Pulaar, Punjabi, Putian, Quichua, Romanian, Russian, Samoan, Sango, Serbian, Shanghainese, Shona, Sichuan, Sicilian, Sindhi, Sinhalese, Slovak, Slovenian, Somali, Soninke, Sorani, Sudanese Arabic, Susu, Swahili, Swedish, Sylhetti, Tagalog, Taiwanese, Tamil, Telugu, Tibetan, Tigre, Tigrinya, Toishanese, Tongan, Toucouleur, Tshilbua, Turkish, Twi, Ukrainian, Urdu, Uyghur, Uzbek, Vietnamese, Visayan, Wenzhou, Wolof, Yiddish, Yoruba, and Yupik.

1. All contractors shall be General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) compliant.

1. All contractor employees must be located within one of the 50 United States.

1. Obtain clearance thru VA Security Process to get access to VA network via CITRIX Access Gateway (CAG).

1. Obtain CAG access and maintain personnel hardware and software that at a minimum meet CAG standard to view documents and perform translations.

1. Access and view PDF version of documents to be translated on VA network shard drive called Pending Translations.

1. Access IVC, VHA, VFMP Office Imaging Archive (DAPER) to view other documents that require translations by VA’s Program Document Identifier (PDI) number.

1. Provide clear and basis English translation of all documents submitted on behalf of the IVC, VHA, VFMP Office.

4.10 Provide document translations from English into another language upon request by the COR.

4.11 Perform all translations in Notepad or Microsoft Word while logged in CAG.

4.12 Save all electronic translations on a VA network drive folder called Completed Translations by control document name or Program Document Identifier (PDI) number.

4.13 Maintain an electronic control sheet, tracking word count and cost via Microsoft Excel. This sheet will be saved on the same VA network drive.

4.14 Have Contractor Point of Contact (POC) provide written notification to the COR three (3) business days prior to the deliverable date for any translated documents that cannot meet the required due date. Written notifications shall:

4.14.1 Include the new deliverable date

4.14.2 Cite reasons for the delay

4.14.3 Contractor Point of Contact will email written notification to COR

4.15 Ensure all electronic translations are returned in a reasonable time frame (5-7 business days).

4.16 Submit monthly invoice for review to the COR in Microsoft Excel that provides control numbers, PDI numbers, word count, and cost.

4.17 Provide the COR with a listing of total documents translated by language on a monthly basis.

4.18 Submit final monthly invoice electronically for payment via: Electronic Payment Request http://www.fsc.va.gov/einvoice.asp

1. PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE (POP): The POP shall be from the date of award for a one (1) twelve (12) month base period-year period, and four (4) consecutive twelve (12) month option years.

1. MANDATORY TASKS AND DELIVERABLES: The contractor shall provide an English translation of the documents submitted on behalf of the IVC, VHA, VFMP Office and other business units designated by the Contracting Officer Representative (COR). Services may require the contractor to provide electronic and legible translations for Standard and Exotic languages to English as designated by the COR. If for any reason, any deliverable cannot be delivered on time according to the below schedule, the contractor shall provide a written explanation to the COR, three days prior to the due date. This written transmittal shall include a firm commitment of when the work shall be completed. This transmittal to the COR shall cite the reasons for the delay, and the impact on the overall project. The COR will review collaboratively with the program office the facts conveyed and issue a response in accordance with the contract terms and conditions. Unless otherwise specified an electronic copy shall be placed in the designated VA Network electronic folder. Specifically, the contractor shall:

6.1 Task One. The contractor shall acknowledge receipt of documents. This acknowledgement is to be conveyed via email only to the COR. No phone calls will be accepted.

Deliverable 6.1.1 Provide an electronic translation (English or other) of the original documents. Return all original documentation translations into English, should be in black Times New Roman Font, 10-12 point, and on 8.5” x 11” size paper with portrait or landscape orientation via VA Network electronic “Pending Translations” folder for processing.

Deliverable 6.1.2 Provide electronic and legible translations for Standard and Exotic languages to English as designated by the COR with Ninety-Five (95%) monthly accuracy.

Deliverable 6.2.1 Progress reports shall be delivered electronically to the COR no later than three (3) business days after the first of the month, with an electronic courtesy copy to the Program Office. Control document filled out legibly (typed) listing of total documents translated by language monthly.

6.3 Task Three. The contractor shall provide an electronic monthly invoice to the COR no later than (3) business days after the first of the month.

Deliverable 6.3.1 Invoice with all listed items which includes:

· Date of receipt / Control Number

· VA document number / File name

· Total word count

· Rate per word

· The amount per file / Total amount for the translation

· The language(s) translated for each document submitted

6.4 Schedule for Mandatory Deliverables.

1. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE: The majority of the work shall take place within a secure Veterans Affairs Network shared drive via CITRIX Access Gateway (CAG) located in the Contiguous United Stated (CONUS) in accordance with (IAW) the Performance Work Statement (PWS). No work at any Government site shall take place on Federal holidays or weekend, unless directed by the Contracting Officer (CO).

1. SECURITY CONTROLS COMPLIANCE TESTING: On a periodic basis, VA, including the Office of Inspector General, reserves the right to evaluate any or all of the security controls and privacy practices implemented by the contractor under the clauses contained within the contract. With a ten (10) working-day notice, at the request of the government, the contractor must fully cooperate and assist in a government-sponsored security controls assessment at each location wherein VA information is processed or stored, or information systems are developed, operated, maintained, or used on behalf of VA, including those initiated by the Office of Inspector General. The government may conduct a security control assessment on shorter notice (to include unannounced assessments) as determined by VA in the event of a security incident or at any other time.

1. KEY PERSONNEL: Certain skilled experience professional and/or technical personnel are essential for accomplishing the work to be performed. They need to be able to perform objectives outlined in this performance work statement. Translators shall be experienced in translating medical terminology as the majority of documents are medical reports.

1. TRAVEL: The IVC, VHA, VFMP Office anticipates NO TRAVEL at this time. All travel is subject to COR written approval in advance. Travel and per diem shall be reimbursed in accordance with VA and Federal Travel Regulations. Travel expenses shall be invoiced in the subsequent month following the completion of travel in order to be reimbursed.

1. FEDERAL HOLIDAYS: The contractor shall not be required, nor is authorized to perform any work on the following U.S. Government Federal holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr’s Birthday, Washington’s Birthday, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Columbus Day, Veterans Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day.

1. CHANGES TO THE PWS: Any changes to this PWS shall be authorized and approved only through written correspondence from the Contracting Officer. A copy of each change will be kept in a project folder along with all other products of the project. Costs incurred by the contractor through the actions of parties other than the Contracting Officer shall be borne by the contractor.

13. FORMAL ACCEPTANCE OR REJECTION OF DELIVERABLES: The VA shall have fifteen (15) business days to review each document and provide feedback and comments. The contractor shall have five (5) business days to incorporate comments. A final review shall be conducted with the COR and the Fiscal Management Office of the IVC, VHA, VFMP Office. Delivery of the post-final review document with incorporated comments from the final review meeting shall constitute acceptance by the VA with the COR’s written approval.

1. QUALITY STANDARDS FOR DELIVERABLES - PERFORMANCE MEASURE STANDARDS:

14.1 Reports. Reports are submitted on time and include those topics described in the PWS, agreed to in the master plan and as requested for special reports; necessary clearances are obtained as needed in a timely manner.

14.2 Translations and other documents. Deliverables are timely submission in formats appropriate to target audiences; consideration of best dissemination mechanisms; user friendly, clear, thorough, and comprehensive documentation and translations.

14.3 Coordination. Contractor collaboration with the IVC, VHA, VFMP Office is timely, appropriate and demonstrates cooperative support to IVC, VHA, VFMP Office Executives and staff.

15. SECURITY REQUIREMENTS:

All Contractor and subcontractor personnel requiring access to VA information and VA information systems shall complete the following before being granted access to VA information and networks:

1. Sign and acknowledge understanding of and responsibilities for compliance with the National Rules of Behavior related to access to VA information and information systems, and Contractor Rules of Behavior (supplement),

2. Successfully complete VA Cybersecurity Awareness training and annual refresher training as required,

3. Successfully complete VA General Privacy training and annual refresher training as required, and

4. Successfully complete any additional cybersecurity or privacy training as required for VA personnel with equivalent information system access.

The Contractor shall provide to the COR a copy of the training certificates and signed Rules of Behavior for each applicable employee within one week of the initiation of the contract and annually thereafter, as required. These online courses will need to be taken through the VA’s online Talent Management System (TMS) at: VA TMS 2.0. To self-enroll, click the “Create New User” button on the red bar and complete the assigned training. The COR will provide the contractor with the appropriate information to complete self-enrollment. Technical issues with TMS should contact the Enterprise Service Desk by going to the yourIT Services website or via phone at 1(855) 673-4357.

Failure to complete this mandatory training within the timeframe required will be grounds for suspension or termination of all physical and/or electronic access privileges and removal from work on the contract until such time as the training is completed.

The Contractor will also complete 20-0344 Annual Certification of Veteran Status and Veteran-Relatives form upon starting, and annually thereafter for the duration of the contract. If the contractor or immediate relative is a veteran, the file will be housed in the Locked Files for the duration of the contract.

15.1 BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION

The contract employee level of background investigation and clearance required for this effort is Tier 1. Work may not commence until the appropriate background investigation has commenced.

15.2 CONTRACTOR RESPONSIBILITIES

0. The contractor shall bear the expense of obtaining background investigations.

0. Immediately after contract or task order award, the Contractor must submit a completed IVC, VHA, VFMP Office Contractor Background Investigation Request Worksheet for all contract employees working the contract, who have access to VA facilities, VA systems, or privacy data, to the COR. This worksheet will be provided by the CO immediately after award.

0. The Contractor and Contractor point of contact (POC) will receive an email notification from SIC identifying the website link that includes detailed instructions regarding completion of the background clearance application process and what level of background was requested. Reminder notifications will be sent if the complete package is not submitted by the due date.

0. The Contractor shall prescreen all personnel who require access to VA site(s) and/or access to VA LAN systems to ensure they maintain a U.S. citizenship or Alien Registration that authorizes them to work in the U.S. and are able to read, write, speak, and understand the English language.

0. Contractors who have current favorable background investigation conducted by OPM or Defense Security Service (DSS) may be accepted through reciprocation. However, it does not preclude the Contractor from submitting a completed Attachment C form immediately after contract or task order award for all contract employees working the contract to the COR.

0. Contract performance shall not commence before SIC confirmation that it received the investigative documents, that they are complete, and that the background investigation has begun. Once the Contractor’s background investigation has been initiated, contract performance may commence. The COR will notify and forward the Contractor a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility (form 4236) to the Contractor when the investigation has been favorably completed and adjudicated. The Contractor, if notified of an unfavorable adjudication by the Government, shall withdraw the employee from consideration from working under the contract. Failure to comply with the Contractor personnel security requirements may result in termination of the contract for default.

0. If the security clearance investigation is not completed prior to the start date of the contract, the contract employee may work on the contract with an initiated status while the security clearance is being processed. However, the Contractor will be responsible for the actions of those contract and subcontract employees they provide to perform work for VA. In the event damage arises from work performed by Contractor personnel, under the auspices of the contract, the Contractor will be responsible for resources necessary to remedy the incident.

0. Should the Contractor use a vendor other than OPM or DSS to conduct investigations, the investigative company must be certified by OPM/DSS to conduct Contractor investigations. The Vendor Cage Code number must be provided to the VA SIC, which will verify the information and conclude whether access to the Government’s site(s) and/or VA LAN systems can be.

0. The investigative history for Contractor personnel working under this contract must be maintained in the databases of either OPM or the Defense Industrial Security Clearance Organization (DISCO).

15.3 GOVERNMENT RESPONSIBILITIES

0. After the COR has received Attachment C form(s) from the Contractor, SIC will send an e-mail notification to the Contractor and their POC identifying the website link that includes detailed instructions regarding completion of the background clearance application process and what level of background was requested. SIC will also send reminder notifications to the Contractor and their POC if the complete package is not submitted by the due date.

0. Upon receipt of required investigative documents, SIC will review the investigative documents for completion and initiate the background investigation by forwarding the investigative documents to OPM to conduct the background investigation. If the investigative documents are not complete, SIC will return the package to the Contractor with corrective instructions.

0. VA will pay for investigations processed through the VA SIC and conducted by OPM.

0. The COR will notify and forward the Contractor a copy of the Certificate of Eligibility (form 4236) when the investigation has been favorably completed and adjudicated. The COR will also notify the Contractor of an unfavorable adjudication by the Government.

15.4 CONFIDENTIALITY AND NONDISCLOSURE

It is agreed that:

1. The preliminary and final deliverables and all associated working papers, application source code, and other material deemed relevant by the VA which have been generated by the contractor in the performance of this contract are the exclusive property of the U.S. Government and shall be submitted to the COR at the conclusion of the contract.

2. The CO will be the sole authorized official to release verbally or in writing, any data, the draft deliverables, the final deliverables, or any other written or printed materials pertaining to this contract. No information shall be released by the contractor. Any request for information relating to this contract presented to the contractor shall be submitted to the CO for response.

3. Press releases, marketing material or any other printed or electronic documentation related to this project, shall not be publicized without the written approval of the CO.

16. CONTRACT ADMINISTRATION:

All inquiries and correspondence relative to the administration of the Contract shall be addressed to the delegated COR or Contracting Officer.

17. QUALITY ASSURANCE:

The Contractor shall develop and maintain an effective quality control program in accordance with their approved Management Oversight Plan (MOP) to ensure services are performed in accordance with the PWS. The Contractor shall develop and implement procedures to identify, prevent, and ensure non-recurrence of defective services. The Contractor’s Quality Control Program (QCP) is the means to assure that the work complies with the requirement of the Contract. As a minimum, the Contractor shall develop QCP that address the areas identified in the Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP).

18. PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENT:

The Government shall evaluate the Contractor’s performance under this Contract in accordance with the QASP in a separate document. This plan is primarily focused on what the Government shall do to ensure that the Contractor has performed in accordance with the performance standards. The QASP what shall be monitored, how monitoring shall take place, who shall conduct the monitoring, and how monitoring efforts and results shall be documented.