LANGUAGE SERVICES QUESTIONS and ANSWERS 12182023.docx

1. Is there an incumbent and can your share their previous award amount?

Answer: Yes, Sign Language USA, contract # HT0014-19-P-0178 base and 4 option years $710,126.00.

2. On the past performance questionnaire. will the Government take into consideration the subcontractors’ references? Our company has never been awarded a contract for Translation and Interpretation Language Services.

Answer: If they will be doing 50% or more of the work, yes.

3. Please clarify if the translation project has to be performed in Maryland?

Answer: The place of performance for this requirement is at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland.

4. With a 5-page limit on the Technical Volume, it will not be practical to include resumes. To aid the Evaluation Panel in its review of proposals, we recommend allowing offerors to provide resumes of up to 3 service-providers who will be "Key Personnel" for the contract.

Answer: Yes, it will be ok to do so.

5. Performance Work Statement, Part 5, Section 5.4, page 49 states: “The Government reserves the right to videotape/film/digitally record the signing and use as deemed necessary.” Would the Government be willing to commit to communicating which assignments will be recorded with the Vendor ahead of time so that Vendors may seek permission from the service providers directly first?

Answer: The Government should always have the option to record/tape any services the contractor provides. This may be needed for medicolegal reasons and cannot always be known when the request is put in initially.

6. Performance Work Statement, Part 5, Section 5.4, page 49 states: “If the Contractor is notified of a cancellation less than 2 business days prior to the scheduled assignment but, before interpreter(s) arrival on site, the Contractor may invoice for a two (2) hours maximum.” Industry standard requires that interpreters be paid for the full length of the duration of the assignment as originally assigned if cancellation occurs within two business days of the beginning of the assignment, regardless of whether or not an interpreter has arrived on site yet or not (because the interpreter has committed this time to the assignment). Would the Government consider amending this section to instead allow Contractor to invoice for the full duration of the assignment?

Answer: No.

7. Performance Work Statement, Part 5, Section 5.4, page 50 states, “If upon arrival to the assignment and service is no longer required or the assignment ends early, the interpreter(s) shall notify the COR or designee. If the interpreter(s) cannot reach the COR or designee and the original scheduled time expires or the 2-hour minimum passed (whichever occurs first), the interpreter may leave, and the Contractor may invoice for a two (2) hour minimum. The 2-hour minimum does not apply if the assignment was scheduled for less than 2 hours or if the interpreter leaves prior to notifying the COR (or designee) or before the times stated above." Industry standard requires a 2-hour billable minimum for all assignments. Would the Government consider the following amendment to the aforementioned section: “The 2-hour minimum does not apply if the assignment was scheduled for less than 2 hours or if the interpreter leaves prior to notifying the COR (or designee) or before the times stated above.”

Answer: The interpreter must notify the COR (or designee) of their departure, failure to comply will resolute in nonpayment. Proof must be provided to show a minimum of two attempts.

8. Performance Work Statement, Part 5, Section 5.1, page 44 states, “Document translation service will be scheduled and rendered off-site or on-site at the Government's discretion.” Can the Government provide an estimate the volume of requests for on-site document translation services and the languages for this type of request?

Answer: We do not have historical data for this inquiry.

9. Performance Work Statement, Part 1, Section 1.5, page 32 requires “Document Transcription/Translation”. Can the Government clarify how it defines "transcription" in this context? How do the requirements for transcription differ from the requirements for translation and can the Government elaborate on what these requirements are, exactly?

Answer: Transcription: conversion of a spoken words into written language Translation: rendering of one language to another (written or spoken)

10. Over-the-phone interpreters (OPI) must be provided from the U.S. or globally is acceptable too?

Answer: Yes

11. Do the translators must be present/on-site during the translation of the documents at the DHA location, or can they do the translation (off-site)?

Answer: No, the translator does not have to be at the DHA location to translate, they can be off-site.

12. Does the transcription/CART must be done on-site, or can it be done remotely?

Answer: The transcription can be done on or off-site.