HSFEHQ-12-R-0017 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS 2.pdf

HSFEHQ-12-R-0017

Questions and Answers #2

1. Section 3.1: If linguists have already successfully undergone an adjudicated background check, is it still necessary to submit their fingerprints and complete eQIP? Or is this process intended for linguists who have not yet undergone an acceptable background investigation?

Answer:

A. If people have already successfully completed the adjudication/e-QIP process then FEMA will request the names and social security numbers of said individuals to determine their adjudication/e-QIP status via a reciprocity check (e.g. are they current, expiring soon, etc.).

The awardee(s) shall not submit this information until FEMA requests it as specific instructions will be provided to safeguard such Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

B. People who have never gone through the adjudication/e-QIP process must submit fingerprints and go through the entire process.

2. Section 3.2: Can the Government please confirm that operators, who connect a call but do not stay on the line during the call, do not have to undergo the security investigation process since they do not have access to PII data?

Answer: This is correct.

3. Section 3.8: Who provides/generates the DR# and how is it communicated to the Contractor?

Answer: The FEMA call agent will be able to figure out what the DR # is once the disaster survivor answers a series of questions via interpreter assistance, such as what state the disaster is calling from and when did the disaster occur. The FEMA call agent will then provide the Contractor (interpreter) with the applicable DR #.

4. SSPA-3: How will the Government determine that a complaint is valid and reasonable, when calculating whether the maximum number of three complaints has been reached?

Answer: Determining whether or not a complaint is valid and reasonable is only done after the vendor has a chance to explain what happened and why. What FEMA has typically seen are companies who have professional interpreters typically don’t have a problem with this SSPA.

Who makes these complaints?

Answer: FEMA call agents via a FEMA complaint form, which the Contracting Officer or Contracting Officer Representative will pass on to the vendor.

Is consideration given for the fact that callers may be under significant stress and this may affect perception of services rendered?

Answer: FEMA call agents deal with significant stress 365 days per year. Perception is one thing but rude and unprofessional service will not be tolerated. The contract awardee is expected to provide the same level of professional customer service that FEMA call agents provide to English speaking disaster survivors.

Does the Government intend to deduct 10% for each occurrence in a given month – in other words, if in a given month there are hundreds of thousands of calls and 10 of those calls receive complaints, does the Government intend to deduct 70% from the entire monthly invoice for that month?

Answer: we have never seen this happen but the answer is yes, it could happen. In addition we can review all calls via a voice recording system to confirm the agent’s allegation.

5. SSPA-4: Similar to the question for SSPA-3, how does the Government intend to evaluate claims regarding accuracy of interpretation? Given the potentially severe financial penalty that is possible, how will the Contractor’s CDR response be taken into consideration?

Answer: FEMA will not make a decision without giving the Contractor a chance to respond and explain what happened. This is another one that rarely happens but is listed as an SSPA for a reason. For example, if an interpreter can only interpret 3-5 words at a time then there is a big problem. In addition we can review all calls via a voice recording system to confirm the agent’s allegation.

6. SSPA-6: Can the Government please define the difference between the waiting time described in SSPA-4.2 and the queue time referred to in SSPA-6? How is waiting time defined, if not time waiting in a queue before being connected to an interpreter?

Answer: When FEMA places a call the telephonic interpreter service may initially answer with an automated system. The time from the automated answer until a person is available to direct the call to an interpreter is considered the “queue time.”

The waiting time in SSPA4.2 is the time it takes the person who answers the call to locate and bring an interpreter on the call.

7. General question on SSPAs: It is conceivable that SSPA penalties for a small number of occurrences within a given month could add up to penalties totaling 50% or more of the invoiced amount for that month. For example, a month with 30M seconds, as described in the RFP, and 8 complaints regarding customer service (an extremely small number given the volume) could result in an invoice deduction of 50% -- a very severe penalty that far exceeds typical Government standards for excellence of 95% or better. Will the Government consider revising these invoice deductions in order to attract qualified, responsible bidders who must manage risk for their companies?

Answer: Even in very stressful situations FEMA call agents do not provide poor customer service.

In fact, disaster survivors praise FEMA call agents for their compassion, understanding, willingness, and true desire to help them. FEMA wants to attract the best of the best because the Contractor(s) who win the award will also be representing FEMA.

8. General question on SSPAs: The RFP mentions that test calls will be conducted. How many test calls are anticipated? Will those calls be billable as regular calls?

Answer: There are no minimum or maximum number of test calls FEMA will make or who will make them. For example and very recently a Senior FEMA Executive in Washington, D.C. did several test calls without the Program Office’s knowledge to see what level of service was being provided. And yes, all test calls are billed as regular calls.

9. SSPA 7:This SSPA measures abandoned calls. Occasionally an abandoned call is due to a technical or human error on the part of the caller/client. If the Offeror’s system can show where the error occurred, can the Government confirm that abandoned calls that are not the fault of the Offeror will not be counted in this measurement?

Answer: Absolutely. Calls are typically abandoned by the applicants (hang up) only after long waits. There may be instances of wrong numbers or technical difficulties but FEMA expects these would be minimal.

10. Section 5.2: How will customer complaints be validated? What are the criteria for determining that a complaint is valid, and will the Offeror have access to mediation in the event that they do not agree with the assessment?

Answer: Determining whether or not a complaint is valid and reasonable is only done after the vendor has a chance to explain what happened and why. What FEMA has typically seen are companies who have professional interpreters typically don’t have a problem with this SSPA.

Again, FEMA can review all calls via a voice recording system to confirm the agent’s allegation.

11. Section 10: Can the Government please confirm that it intends for only U.S. citizens (not legal permanent residents) to work on this contract? Does this restriction include independent contractor interpreters?

Answer: Yes, only U.S. citizens can work on this contract, regardless if the people are independent 1099 contractors.

12. Section 11: Will the Government accept background investigations from other agencies such as the U.S. Department of Justice, if they also involve the SF85P or higher and a fingerprint check?

Answer: Possibly. In this case FEMA will request the names and social security numbers of said individuals to determine their adjudication/e-QIP status via a reciprocity check (e.g. are they current, expiring soon, etc.). The awardee(s) shall not submit this information until FEMA requests it as specific instructions will be provided to safeguard such Personally Identifiable Information (PII).

13. Criterion I, Technical: This RFP requires DHS-cleared interpreters that are dedicated solely to FEMA, but does not provide any minimum guarantee of volume and contemplates multiple awards. This makes properly pricing the opportunity extremely difficult for Offerors, who must build in cost and risk in order to provide a fair price to the Government, and will likely result in extremely high prices or Offerors who propose services that are impracticable to provide. Will the Government consider revising this requirement so that a limited number of awardees is established, with a methodology for assigning call volume by region or language?

Answer: FEMA cannot guarantee a minimum number of calls the awardee(s) will receive because FEMA cannot predict when/where a disaster will strike or its magnitude. In addition, FEMA is absolutely confident the Government will receive adequate price competition. Lastly, it is not FEMA’s intention to award so many contracts that companies do not have a chance to get a fair amount of business. We truly understand the cost/risk involved and need the awardee(s) to be successful because when they are we are.

14. Criterion III, Past Performance: Please provide a copy of the past performance questionnaire that is referenced in this section.

Answer: The past performance questionnaire has been uploaded onto FBO.

15. Please provide address and method of delivery for the proposal. If hard copies are required, please provide number of copies that should be submitted.

Answer: The preferred method is to email to Michelle.Calhoun@dhs.gov. Proposal may be mailed to: DHS/FEMA/AOD, 500 C Street, S.W., Patriots Plaza 5th Floor, Washington, DC 20472 or if hand carried, deliver to 395 E Street, S.W. Patriots Plaza, Washington, DC.

16. Please clarify if price should be included in a separate volume. Please provide desired pricing structure/pricing units/CLINS.

Answer: Pricing should be included as a separate volume. CLIN structure is provided in the description of the Notice.

17. The RFP states that work shall be invoiced in seconds. Industry standards generally include billing by the minute. Will the Government consider changing this contract to the more standard billing by the minute?

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Answer: No. FEMA understands the billing industry standard is generally in minutes but we have seen companies who do operate in seconds and we have been doing it several years now.

18. Given the importance of the responses to these questions in preparing a responsive proposal, we request an extension of the due date to fifteen business days following the issuance of responses to these and other industry questions.

Answer: The closing date will remain the same.

19. What has been the biggest challenge for fulfilling services under this contract, or if this is a new contract, are there any challenges that you anticipate?

Answer: This is not a new contract/requirement. The largest challenge FEMA has encountered are companies who overextend themselves and take on too many contracts they can realistically handle; e.g. companies who theoretically say they have 600 Spanish interpreters but only provide FEMA with 30 of them because the other 570 Spanish interpreters are working on other contracts.

20. Question regarding the past performance. The solicitation states, offerors shall provide past performance on three (3) USG or commercial business for which it has provided interpretation for "call agents to support callers services data entry..."

Does the interpretation services have to be directly related to call services; we have interpretation services of linguistic support services (translation services) for various USG agencies, but not necessarily in a call center fashion. Will this preclude us from being considered as competitive?

Answer: Our sole interpreter requirement is based on over-the-phone interpreter services, not in person translations. In addition, para 3.4 of the PWS states:

“The Contractor shall provide sufficient lines and maintain adequate telecommunications systems capable of meeting the proposed FEMA call volumes. The Contractor shall also have technology that provides clear voice transmission. This presupposes the availability of dedicated T-1 lines serving the call centers established for this purpose, a source of uninterruptible power, backup power facilities, and provisions to handle expected and unexpected volumes of call traffic as shown in Appendix C.”