Q and A.pdf

FA568220Q0016 Questions and Answers

Q. The Solicitation should be filled up on the beta SAM.gov. Based on this, please indicate: which country’s law will be the governing one? Will you prefer the US law or will You accept the Hungarian one?

A. The contract will be in compliance with Clauses 252.233-7001 and 252.222-7002.

Q. In the case of winning the tender, the respective contract will be under the US law?

A. The contract will be in compliance with Clauses 252.233-7001 and 252.222-7002.

Q. In case of concluding a contract, we will compile a mirror-arrangement two-column form both in English and Hungarian for signing. Is this acceptable for You?

A. No, the only contract resultant from this solicitation will be drafted by the United States Government

(USG).

Q. Please reply: will You consider if we declare that we can not accept the clauses included by reference, the FAR clauses, the DFARS specifications, etc., but instead we will insert our own General Agreement in the place of Statement of Work and Special Contract Requirements in the Solicitation Form? (Probably this is allowed by the content of point 52.212-1).

A. The Contractor may not insert its own terms.

Q. The acting interpreters/translators will be entitled to enter independently into the field of NATO Pápa Air Base. This is impossible if someone did not pass the state security inspection procedure before. Under the concerning law, the concerned persons have a 30 day term to fill in the application form, the inspection and check process takes 60 days at least. Considering the indicated inactive date of Aug. 25th and the commencement date of Oct. 1st, this seems to be impossible. What is Your standpoint considering the security specifications and prescriptions? When will You describe these? At the moment it is obvious due to those above, that a commencement on Oct. 1st will be hindered by the lack of state security inspection for the translator/interpreter team members. What is Your opinion about this? After concluding a contract, the General Director of OFFI will be entitled to intiate such state security inspection procedure contacting the President of National Security Authority. What will You prescribe in this respect?

A. Individuals working for and assisting the USNSE are granted access to Papa AB by the Hungarian MoD as employees of the organization. The contractor would fill out a base access request form for the translators at least 10 days in advance of the date access was required. The contractor employees would then fill out an in-processing data sheet and provide a photo to complete their badges for permanent entry to the base. The employees would have to complete an additional security check for unescorted access to the Heavy Airlift Wing buildings. However, not having this access immediately would not pose a problem. Both facilities where the translators work from are outside of this area (and one of them is actually off base).

Q. In case of concluding the contract and beginning the work, what is Your practice for invoicing? Is a monthly invoicing possible (based on the job made in the previous calendar month) ?

A. Invoicing is at the discretion of the Contractor. The units used for invoices will be based on the CLIN structure.

Q. What is the payment term for the invoices?

A. The Government will accept or reject an invoice within days. The speed of payment is a DFAS process that is not within our control, but typically payment happens within 30 days after acceptance.

Q. Can You pay in HUF? Or which currency is preferred?

A. The quotes and resultant contract will be prices in United States Dollars (USD). Please see the amendment to the solicitation as is changes the quote requirement from Euro to USD.

Q. Is there a possibility to separate only the translation from the described work and make a contract only for that?

A. No, we would like two full time translators that can provide oral and written translation services.

Q. Can you give the proportions or volume of the in fact translation/interpretation work and the other office administration and support tasks separately? Do you possess any data in this respect to facilitate planning and scheduling?

A. The majority of the work is assisting customers with meetings and appointments (medical, shopping, landlord, car etc). This may mean meeting a customer in the office, going with a customer to an appointment, or interpreting over the phone. The contractors do not spend a large amount of time on written translations, but need to be capable of accomplishing written translations if requested. The USG does not currently possess historical workload data for this effort.

Q. What kind of job should be performed outside the Air Base when the translator/interpreter will act in the 50 km range?

A. This would be for assisting customers with appointments. For example, going into town to assist with a purchase for the organization.

Q. Can You provide any terminological support for the translators/interpreters? Do You have any translation memories or term collections which can be used?

A. We do not, nor is this really necessary. The translators typically assist with everyday situations and do not often encounter very technical language.

Q. In PWS point 3.4. You indicate two persons. Do You mean always the same two persons? Or do You accept a team of more persons, of which 2 will be continuously present, if You always will know who will be the 2 persons to be present for a given day?

A. This is up to the contractor to decide. We would prefer the same two persons.

Q. In the solicitation form, You indicated 300 hours/person/year for the work outside regular job hours.

However, in the Power Work Statement point 1.10., You indicate „Emergency/On-call service shall be available during non-standard work hours, weekends and be available 24 hours a day/7days a week/365 days a year.” Considering this, the 300 hours is for which duration? A week? Or did You indicate only the effective work volume outside regular work hours and the on-call 24 hours availability is missing? Will You accept a separate price for the on-call duty?

A. The CLINs for “ON-CALL TRANSLATION/INTERPRETING LIAISON” are listed as 300 hours for the year. The translators average 10-20 hours a month total in overtime hours. Basically, a translator needs to be on call to assist customers outside of normal work hours (0800-1700, Monday to Friday).

Q. In the Power Work Statement, point 3.4. the number of the simultaneously present translators/interpreters is not clear. Do You need only 2 persons, who will be present in the regular work hours in the office and they can be the same persons who will provide the emergency/on-call duties as well? Or do You mean all together 4 persons, 2 of which will be present in the office in regular work hours, and another 2 who will provide for the 24 hours emergency/on-call duty?

A. It’s up to the company to tell us what they can provide. Presently, the same two individuals provide these services. Customers choose which one to call based on personal preference and availability.

Q. Considering the options for the following years, there are not any information. Will the work description be the same? Will You accept a higher price for the following years considering the inflation rate and other cost increasing factors?

A. The PWS applies to the base period and all option periods. Pricing is determined by the contractor.

Q. Could You describe Your anticipations and opinion about an ideal candidate acting as an interpreter/translator there?

A. An ideal candidate meets the qualifications in the PWS.

Q. How many emergency meetings do you anticipate having outside of standard hours?

A. The translators average 10-20 hours a month total in overtime hours. Few of these meetings are emergencies (less than one a month on average).

Q. Is there a current incumbent and if so who is the current incumbent?

A. The vendor currently providing service is BM Support & Consulting Ltd.

Q. Can the USNSE provide the current rates?

A. No

Q. Given that simultaneous interpretation and written translation are very different services and require completely different skills, can different people be used? That is, translators for the written portions and other tasks, and a certified interpreter for the simultaneous and oral needs?

A. Personnel performing under this contract should be capable of both oral interpretation and written translation. “Simultaneous interpretation” generally refers to the instance when an interpreter orally interprets one language into another while a speaker is speaking. This is a very specialized skill and not one that we require. What we are referring to in the PWS is interpretation that is more informal. For example, an American will tell the translator what is needed. The translator will ask for that service in Hungarian and receive an answer. The interpreter will then relay that answer to the American and ask for the response. The translators may be required to interpret in official meetings as well. This communication would occur in a similar manner.

Q. Per 1.2. – “Contractor shall furnish “meeting minutes”” – Does it mean the rate will be per minute during calls only? Or are they being paid hourly and that’s just for their tracking purposes?

A. Meeting Minutes is an Air Force term used to say that the contractor shall take a record of any meeting they attend and write the record in memo format.

Q. Which platform will be used for the calls that may require interpretation (if any)?

A. Translators should be provided a cell phone by the contractor. They may pass this phone back and forth between parties or put the phone on speaker.

Q. Do USNSE current interpreters go through any specific vetting process or have any necessary certifications?

A. The USNSE has reviewed applicants with the contractor in the past. The interpreters must clearly understand spoken American English and maintain the trust of the community.

Q. How does USNE currently scheduling these services?

A. The translators manage their own schedules. Individuals contact the translators directly in person, via e-mail, or by phone. The translators will schedule their own appointments and respond to written correspondence on their own time. The USNSE Commander and Superintendent may request the translator to be present at certain meetings. This will be communicated in advance and the translators will be given adequate time to adjust their schedules as necessary.

Q. Will USNSE provide any training for linguists on the orientation presentations they’ll be required to conduct?

A. This program will be developed jointly with the translators. The USNSE will outline what is required of the presentations. The translators will schedule appointments at local tourist sites and request information as needed. If necessary, the USNSE and translators will work together to write a script for the presentations.

Q. While reviewing the RFP we had noticed that the Evaluation Factors for Award was left blank, could you please let us know if you intend to release it as a modification?

A. Instructions to Offerors and Eval factors start on page 17 of the solicitation document (clauses 52.212- 1 and 52.212-2)

Q. Lastly, could you please let us know if it is possible to extend the response date to August 28th?

A. The due date is currently set for 10 August at 12:00PM CET, the USG does not intend to extend the due date at this time.

Q. Please let me know the due date to submit the bid for companies registered in United States of America.

A. The due date is currently set for 10 August at 12:00PM CET.