Attachment 7_LASTI evaluation criteria 1.10.22.pdf

PART VII

SECTION M (former)

EVALUATION FACTORS FOR AWARD

SOLICITATION PROVISIONS INCORPORAGED BY REFERENCE (JUN 1988)

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.

I. FEDERAL ACQUISITION REGULATION (48 CFR CHAPTER 1) PROVISIONS

NUMBER TITLE DATE

52.217-5 EVALUATION OF OPTIONS JUL 1990

AWARD FACTORS

The major evaluation factors for this solicitation include technical factors which encompass experience and past performance factors and cost or price factors. Although technical factors are of paramount consideration in the award of the contract, cost or price are also considerations to the overall contract award decision. All evaluation factors other than cost or price, when combined, are significantly more important than cost or price alone.

Offerors are advised that award will be made to that offeror whose proposal provides the combination of features that offers the best or greatest overall value to the Government. The determination of best value will be made by determining which proposal is most advantageous to the Government, taking into consideration the proposed technical factors listed in Article M.3, and the costs proposed, in the cost concerned with obtaining performance capability superiority rather than lowest overall cost. However, the Government will not make an award at a significantly higher overall cost to the Government to achieve only slightly superior performance. Overall cost to the Government may become the ultimate determining factor for award of a contract as proposals become more equal based on the other factors.

The evaluation will be based on the demonstratable capabilities of the prospective contractors in relation to the needs of the requirement as set forth in the RFP. The merits of each proposal will be evaluated carefully. Each proposal must document the feasibility of successful implementation of the requirements of the RFP. Offerors must submit information sufficient to evaluate their proposals based on the detailed criteria listed below.

M. 3

TECHNICAL EVALUATION CRITERIA

The criteria below are listed in the relative order of importance.

Relative Order of Importance Factor

1 Factor I : Key Personnel and Personnel Management 2 Factor 2: Corporate Experience and Capabilities 3 Factor 3: General Technical Approach 4 Factor 4: Quality Assurance

1 . Key Personnel and Personnel Management (30 PTS)

Interpreters

Services shall be performed by qualified, professional, experienced interpreters who possess a high level of interpretation skills and proficiency in both the English language and the non-English speaker's language in order to interpret the speaker’s meaning completely and accurately. Specifically, interpreters employed by the Contractor shall be:

1. Knowledgeable of specialized vocabulary including basic scientific language (i.e., terminology) in both English and the foreign language typically used in systems including, but not limited to, health care systems, social service systems and legal systems.

2. Knowledgeable of the Code of Professional Responsibility for Interpreters and protocol of court interpreting, indicated by the interpreter's signature on a copy of the Code of Professional Responsibility.

3. Able to speak English and the foreign language fluently, including high-to-low levels of language register, regional and cultural colloquialisms, and slang expressions, and do so with clear and intelligible pronunciation.

4. Able to interpret in a manner that is factually and conceptually accurate without changes, omissions, or additions.

5. Able to preserve the tone and emotional level of the speaker, as well as manage the delivery, speed and length of the statement (projection, pace and pausing) of the speaker.

6. Able to maintain appropriate speed and projection while rendering interpretation, and request and incorporate clarification of speaker's statements only when justified.

Translators

Translators shall provide grammatically correct translations which preserve the original syntax, writing style, and factual information of the original documents. Each translation will be proofread and checked for quality via a testing protocol. Contractor shall continually monitor and evaluate translators for accuracy listening/recall, speech flow, and appropriate intervening. The Government may require translators to also have expertise in a specific subject matter area, i.e.

legal, health, medical, etc. and/or provide appropriate certification, i.e. ATA certification, ACTFL, ALTA, Defense Language Institute, State/Federal Courts, US State Department, etc.

2. Corporate Experience and Capabilities (30 PTS)

Interpreters

The Government expects that all work performed under this contract meets widely accepted standards for interpretation in each language required. Contractor shall ensure that oral language interpreters under this acquisition are evaluated based on official qualifications which include fluency/expression, comprehension, and specialized vocabulary criteria and that meet widely accepted and agreed-upon certifications. While there is no official licensing in the United States for general interpreters, contracted interpreters selected to satisfy this requirement shall have a minimum of three (3) consecutive year of professional experience in the field of oral interpretation, one or all of the following certifications and/or qualifications (depending on the services required by the covered entity):

1. Interpreter Certification from an Accredited University or Institution.

2. Community Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization.

3. Legal Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization.

4. Medical Interpreter Certification from an Accredited Organization.

5. The Translators and Interpreters Guild Certification.

6. Federal, State or the National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators (NAJIT) certification.

7. Judiciary Interpreters and Translators Certification Examination (JITCE) certification will be accepted.

8. Passage of one or all of the following levels of State Department examination: (1) Escort;(2)

Conference; and (3) Seminar.

Translators The Government expects that all work performed under this contract meets widely accepted standards for translation in each language required. There is no official licensing in the United States for general translators, therefore, Contractor(s)selected to satisfy this requirement shall have at least two or all of the following recognized language or translation certifications/qualifications:

1. Translator Certification/Degree from an Accredited University or Institution.

2. American Translators Association (ATA) Certification.

3. American Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages (ACTFL) certification

4. The Translators and Interpreters Guild Certification.

5. Defense Language Institute, State/Federal Courts

6. Expertise in a specific subject matter (i.e., legal, medical, etc.)

7. Successful completion of the translation examination administered by the Office of Language Services, Translating Division of the U.S. Department of State.

8. Should no certification exist for a specific language requested by the entity issuing the task order, the translation vendor shall provide a translator who has a minimum of 3-5 working years of experience performing professional written translations to/from English and the requested language. Contractor(s) are required to forward a copy of their certification(s) and resumes with each bid, including their technical area of expertise (e.g., legal, medical, educational, etc.).

3. General Technical Approach Interpreters (30 PTS)

1. Provide oral language assistance services using qualified and certified interpreters or staff whose proficiency in non-English languages has been well documented, (including but not limited to executing second checks for translations) to ensure that individuals have an equal opportunity to participate in the services, activities, and program administered by the NIH. Interactions shall be in the form of in both face-to face and telephone encounters.

Translators

Languages required for the purpose of translations shall include, but are not limited to, Spanish, Chinese (traditional), Vietnamese, Amharic, French, Korean, Brazilian, Portuguese

1. Provide translation of a wide range of materials, including but not limited to print and electronic media, in such a way as to make them accessible in various formats into languages other than English as specified in individual tasks orders that are culturally appropriate, easy to understand by target audience and written using plain language elements and standards as defined by the Plain Language Action and Information Network (PLAIN).Examples of translated materials include but are not limited to the following media:

• Health, medical and scientific information slated for broad public dissemination, including public outreach and educational materials, brochures, fact sheets, guidance and policies, and articles

• Web content and web applications

• Social media content

• Audiovisual files, such as videos and web-based training modules

• Press releases, backgrounders, and summaries of published medical and scientific research

• Materials related to publicly funded research, including materials related to consent and participation in research studies and materials developed to address human protection from research risk

• Talking points and presentations

2. Provide digital information/web content translation by translating public website content and electronic documents. Translation of web content may include web pages that contain important information intended for the general public.

3. Provide written translation services as required and specified in task orders. Services shall include but are not limited to translation of vital documents, proofreading, editing, and desktop publishing, all in the required media format (e.g., hardcopy and electronic media). Work shall be accomplished by technically and linguistically qualified and experienced certified translators. Translations shall reflect an overall approach (e.g., tone and style) appropriate for the target audience Translations shall be accurate, clear and sensitive to the cultural, political, and social environment of the target reader/audience.

4. Translate for NIH Institutes and Centers a wide range of vital documents in the following disciplines, in accordance with the requirements and timeframes established in individual task orders: Business documents, legal, medical and technical documents, manuals, and other materials as defined.

5. Provide high quality, technically accurate, and audience-appropriate translation of English language documents in the following formats: electronic and CD ROM copies of final versions of translated documents into HTML, TEXT, Word, PDF, Publisher, Quark or other versions, as requested.

4. Quality Assurance (10 PTS)

Interpreters and Translators

The Contractor shall develop, maintain, and update a Quality Assurance Plan as agreed upon with the Governments Project Officer(s) and the program office issuing individual task orders. Any changes to the plan must be approved by the Government before being implemented. The Contractor's Quality Assurance Plan shall, at a minimum, address the following:

1. Detailed description of the quality assurance measures employed to meet all requirements of this IDIQ.

2. Maintenance of a hard-copy Master File for each interpreter (an electronic format Master File may also be maintained, but not in lieu of the hard-copy). The Master File is a critical factor within the overall Quality Assurance Plan and must contain, ata minimum, the following information for each interpreter and/or translator: resume, copy of certification, and signed Code of Professional Responsibility statement. Contractor shall provide access to interpreter/translator's Master File and/or a copy of the interpreter/translator's Master File to the Government within two (2) working days after the Government's request. Contractor(s) are required to forward copies of their Quality Assurance Plans with each bid.

3. The quality assurance plan will ensure that oral language interpreters under the centralized contract are evaluated based on official qualifications which include fluency/expression, comprehension, and specialized vocabulary criteria and have recognized certifications. Similarly, translators will provide accurate and grammatically correct translations which preserve the purpose, the register, message, writing style, and factual information of the original documents.

Each translation will be proofread and checked for quality via a testing protocol.

4. The government should have 30 days to review and provide feedback to the vendor without incurring any additional cost to written documents.

Total Possible Technical Score 100 pts.

PAST PERFORMANCE

By past performance, the Government will evaluate the Offeror’s:

• Record of conforming to specifications and to standards of good workmanship;

• Record of forecasting and controlling costs;

• Adherence to contract a schedule including the administrative aspects of performance;

• Reputation of reasonable and cooperative behavior and commitment to customer satisfaction; and

• Generally, the offeror’s business-like concern for the interest of the customer.

Past performance will be evaluated on information available to the Government, including but not limited to, information obtained from references noted in the Proposal together with other information that may be available due to past contracts or other venues from other Government agencies will be considered in the evaluation.

M.4

COST AND PRICE FACTORS

(1) The Government will separately evaluate, in accordance with the following formula, the prices for the Items described in Section B, Supplies or Services and Prices/Costs.

(2) An overall rating of each proposal meeting the minimum technical requirements will be developed using a weighted combination of technical and cost/price proposals. The lowest total evaluated price in Section B will be assigned 66 points. Points for all other offers will be calculated as follows:

Lowest Total Evaluated Cost/Price 66 Points = Number of Points to be Assigned

SUMMARY:

Score for Evaluated Price

+ Technical Score

= Total Evaluated Score (out of 166)

It must be noted that points are merely guides for source selection and the mathematical outcome is not necessarily determinative of the awardee. Proposals that are unrealistically high or low may be deemed reflective of an inherent lack or failure to comprehend the complexity and risks of the proposed work, and may be grounds for rejection of the proposal.

(3) A final best-buy analysis will be performed taking into consideration the results of the technical evaluation, past performance survey, cost/price analysis, and ability to complete the work as described.

The Offeror’s past performance information will be included in the evaluation after determination of the competitive range. Only those Offerors included in the competitive range will be evaluated.

Past performance will not be scored separately, but the Government’s conclusions about overall quality of the offertory’s past performance will be highly influential in determining the relative merits of the offeror’s proposal and in selecting the offeror whose proposal is considered most advantageous to the Government.