Questions and Answers.docx

RFP S-47100-00015378 Telephonic Interpretation Answers to questions posted on Q&A Tab in OregonBuys

1. Who are the current vendors? What are the current rates? What is the average length of the calls? If known, how many of the requests did not last less than one hour? The current vendors are all under a state contract which is ending. The pricing is proprietary to those vendors. The average duration of each request is 2 hours and per the Statement of Work located in the Sample Contract, Section 1.3.11, Contractor shall be paid in blocks for hearings lasting one hour or more. The duration of the requested block will be the guaranteed minimum payment for a confirmed interpreter.

1. Since up to 3 vendors are being awarded, how will the work be portioned between them? Requests are equally issued to each vendor. For example, if we receive 6 requests in a day, each vendor would be issued 2 requests. We also monitor the number of requests issued to each vendor on a weekly basis to ensure each vendor is being issued an equal number of requests.

1. Is there a budget for the contract? Is usage data broken down by language available? $83,000 for each contract awarded.

1. Will all the call made under this contract be pre-scheduled or will some be on-demand?. All calls will be pre-scheduled, none will be on-demand. Each interpreter assigned to a hearing must submit the interpreter required documents (Attachment 5 and 6 of Sample Contract). The assigned interpreter will be added to the case prior to hearing. Please also see Section 2.4 of the RFP.

1. Will you allow for a 1 hr minimum for those pre-scheduled calls? Yes. Please specify the minimum requirement on the Rate Sheet submitted.

1. What is the estimated volume of calls expected? The volume of services to be provided by any successful Offeror or Offerors will depend on the respective needs of OAH. It is difficult to estimate the number of requests we will receive. For the period August 1, 2024, through August 15, 2025, approximately 587 Interpreter Request Work Orders were issued for a total of 1084 billed hours.

1. The Reference Check Form (Attachment D), does it need to be sent to our references and returned with the bid response? Yes. The Attachment D must be sent to your reference and included with your bid response.

1. Will other references need to be provided besides those listed on the form D? No. But you will need to submit your key persons per section 3.1.1

1. Is it mandatory to create and have a disadvantage business plan? For clarity, please review section 5.2. Attachment F is not a required form to submit for your bid, but we may ask you to submit it if you are the successful offeror. An amendment has been submitted removing attachment F as a required document.

1. Is there an incumbent for these services? If so, can you share who and what their rates are? The current vendors are all under a state contract which is ending. The pricing is proprietary to those vendors.

1. Is there a budget set aside for this contract? If so, can you share this with us? $83,000 for each contract awarded.

1. How many vendors do you plan on awarding? See section 1.1 introduction. If multiple vendors are awarded, how will the work be distributed fairly? Requests are equally issued to each vendor. For example, if we receive 6 requests in a day, each vendor would be issued 2 requests. We also monitor the number of requests issued to each vendor on a weekly basis to ensure each vendor is being issued an equal number of requests.

1. Do you accept out of state vendors? Yes, If so what the requirements? Must be a registered business with the Oregon Secretary of State.

1. Do you have offshore restrictions for interpreters used under this contract? See section 3.1 Minimum Offer Requirements.

1. What is your anticipated volume, by language, over the course of the contract?

The volume of services to be provided by any successful Offeror or Offerors will depend on the respective needs of OAH. It is difficult to estimate the number of requests we will receive, and what language will be required for each request. From August 1, 2024, through August 15, 2025, approximately 587 Interpreter Request Work Orders were issued for a total of 1084 billed hours. For that period, the top 11 language requests were as follows:

1. Who is the current vendor for the requested services and what are the contracted rates? Current vendors are on a state contract which will be expiring soon. The contracted rates are proprietary to those contracts.

1. Could the Agency please clarify any required technical formatting specifications for proposals�??including page limits, font type/size, margin requirements, file format, and any restrictions on graphics or appendices? We have no specific formatting specifications, just use what is most common 12pt font, .5 to 1in margins and whatever file format works best, Word, PDF are most common.

1. Is the Agency requiring separate volumes for technical and cost proposals, or may all materials be submitted in a single consolidated file as long as sections are clearly labeled? Submit one file with all required attachments.

1. For urgent, last-minute requests, can the Agency clarify its expected response time so offerors can design appropriate staffing and scheduling models? We ask that a response is provided as soon as possible to let us know no one is available, or that an interpreter is being searched for, but do not have any expected response time. Ideally, the email box we would send all requests to would be monitored on a regular basis. The OAH understands that for urgent, last-minute requests, interpreters may not be available. The OAH interpreter coordinators include in the subject line “Urgent” and mark the email high priority to try and flag the urgency of the request.

1. Can the Agency confirm whether OAH will provide the conference bridge system, or whether the contractor should propose telephonic infrastructure to support interpreter connectivity? The OAH already has an in place, a conference management system that is used to manage and record all OAH hearings.

1. Can the Agency clarify the mechanism used for timekeeping validation so contractors can align invoicing and audit processes with the Agency�??s official timekeeping method? The mechanism used for timekeeping is our Conference Management System. The system tracks call start times and end times for all phone numbers that access individual conference ID’s.

1. Can the Agency provide any additional historical demand patterns�??such as seasonal fluctuations, average monthly request volume, or additional high-demand languages? The volume of services to be provided by any successful Offeror or Offerors will depend on the respective needs of OAH. It is difficult to estimate the number of requests we will receive, and what language will be required for each request. From August 1, 2024, through August 15, 2025, approximately 587 Interpreter Request Work Orders were issued for a total of 1084 billed hours. For that period, the top 11 language requests were as follows:

1.

Will the Agency accept national interpreter certifications (e.g., ATA, CCHI, NCSC) as equivalent to Oregon-specific certifications, particularly for less common languages?

No. We will accept interpreters with those national qualifications as “qualified” interpreters, however they would not be equivalent to a “Certified” interpreter per ORS 45.291.

1. Can the Agency confirm whether the Interpreter Qualifications form (Attachment 5) must be submitted with the proposal, or only after award for interpreters assigned to hearings? Attachment 5 which is part of the Sample Contract of the RFP Attachment A, will only need to be submitted by the successful Offeror and during the course of contract execution.

Questions/Answers received via Email – Set One

1. Please confirm whether partial bids are allowed. The RFP appears to require coverage for all mandatory languages listed in Section 2.3.1. Can you confirm whether vendors must offer all required languages to be eligible for award? Yes, those 11 languages are required to be eligible.

1. Will OAH consider additional languages beyond the mandatory minimum list if included on our rate sheet, or should we restrict Attachment E strictly to the identified required languages? Yes. Please submit a complete list of languages where interpretation for legal hearings can be supported. Offeror at a minimum must provide the most common languages specified in the RFP.

1. If a certified interpreter under ORS 45.291 is not available for a specific language at the time of a scheduled hearing, is OAH willing to accept a qualified interpreter, or would the hearing be postponed? Yes, the OAH can accept a qualified interpreter in the event a certified interpreter is not available. Please see section 3.1 of the RFP.

1. Can you provide a breakdown of historical usage by language, hearing type, and average duration for the period referenced in the RFP (August 1, 2024 – August 15, 2025)? Breakdown of language requests for the top 11 most common requested languages for telephonic hearings the period August 1, 2024 – August 15, 2025:

Most commonly interpreters are requested for the Unemployment Insurance Program hearings, followed by Department of Human Service and Oregon Health Authority, the Child Support Program, Plaid Leave, Department of Motor Vehicles and Unemployment Insurance Tax. The average duration of each request is 2 hours and per the Statement of Work located in the Sample Contract, Section 1.3.11, Contractor shall be paid in blocks for hearings lasting one hour or more. The duration of the requested block will be the guaranteed minimum payment for a confirmed interpreter.

1. Does OAH anticipate any increases or decreases in annual interpreting volume over the next 3–5 years? The volume of services to be provided by any successful Offeror or Offerors will depend on the respective needs of OAH. It is difficult to forecast the number of requests the OAH will receive.

1. Who are the current or most recent incumbent vendors providing pre-scheduled telephonic interpretation services for OAH? If available, please provide contract numbers and expiration dates. The three current vendors are all under a state contract which will be expiring soon. New contracts are set to go into effect at some point in January 2026.

1. Can OAH share incumbent pricing or rate sheets for the mandatory languages? Pricing is proprietary for our current vendors.

1. What challenges or performance issues, if any, has OAH encountered with previous vendors? Vendors not being able to provide legal interpreters for languages provided on their rate sheet. Vendors providing “qualified” interpreters that have no experience interpreting legal hearings.

1. Is the cost sheet format in Attachment E mandatory Yes because it’s part of the evaluation see Section 3.5.3.1 or may vendors propose alternative formats such as different minimums, alternative units, or additional pricing notes? You may do this for other languages not listed in section 2.3.1

1. Does OAH require any specific billing increments beyond the stated 15-minute increments after the first hour? No. 15-minute increments shall only be billed for services provided that exceed the estimated duration reflected on the Interpreter Request Work Order. See the Statement of Work located in the Sample Contract, section 1.3.11. In the event a hearing proceeds past the estimated duration indicated on the work order, it will be up to the discretion of the assigned interpreter if they are available to continue past the estimated time or to alert the Administrative Law Judge that they must disconnect from the call.

1. Will OAH consider different pricing for urgent or short-notice requests, or must all services be billed at a standard rate regardless of notice? All services shall be billed at a standard rate regardless of notice. The OAH understands that short notice requests may not reasonably be filled.

1. Are all assignments requested exclusively through the Interpreter Request Work Order, or does OAH use additional communication channels for urgent requests? All assignments are requested through the Interpreter Request Work Order, by email.

1. When OAH attempts to contact an interpreter who has not joined the hearing within five minutes of the scheduled start time, how many call attempts are expected before the vendor is considered non-responsive? The Administrative Law Judge, or interpreter coordinator will attempt to contact the interpreter directly and if they are unable to reach them, the interpreter coordinator will attempt to contact the vendor. Typically, if we are unable to reach or connect the interpreter within 10 minutes of the start time of the hearing, the Administrative Law Judge will have to postpone the hearing.

1. Are any hearings expected to require multiple interpreters, such as dual-language coverage or multi-day proceedings requiring interpreter rotation? There may be an occasional request for multiple interpreters due to dual-language coverage. OAH does not require multiple interpreters for multi-day proceedings; however, the Agency, under specific circumstances, may approve the request for an interpreter team for hearings scheduled for two (2) hours or more. See Statement of Work, section 1.3.13.

1. Does OAH require interpreters to use any specific type of equipment (e.g., landline phones, noise-cancelling headsets), or is this left to vendor discretion? The OAH does not require any specific equipment, but we do ask that interpreters call in from a private location with no interruption from a device that has good service to prevent any connection or interference issues that would cause calls dropping or sound quality issues.

1. The RFP requires all interpreters to be physically located within the United States. Can you confirm whether U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico or Guam qualify? US Territories do not qualify.

1. What documentation must vendors provide to verify interpreter U.S. location, and must this be updated periodically? We do not require documentation to verify interpreter location. It is up to the vendor to ensure interpreters assigned to OAH are located within the US.

1. Will OAH conduct its own background checks on interpreters, or does vendor attestation under Attachment H satisfy this requirement unless concerns arise? Attachment H is stating that the offeror has read the sample contract in its entirety and agree to the terms and conditions. The successful offeror during contract execution will be required to fill out and sign Attachment 3 within the contract stating that the offeror attests and confirms that all persons (general term) has passed a criminal background check. Which simply means, the background checks are done by the offeror on any staff that will be working as interpreters. OAH does not conduct background checks on interpreters.

1. Please confirm whether resumes are required only for Key Personnel, or if interpreter resumes are required as well. Resumes are required for Key Personnel only.

1. Are electronic signatures acceptable for all required documents, including Attachment C and Attachment H? Yes, for attachment C. Attachment H is not a required document to be submitted with the bid proposal. For the successful offeror, an electronic signature is acceptable.

1. Are notarized documents required at any stage of submission or contract execution? Attachment B for bid submission must be notarized. For the successful offeror, there is no notarized documents during contract execution.

1. If submitting both original and redacted versions of the proposal, must both versions be uploaded through OregonBuys, or may the redacted version be emailed separately? Question withdrawn from offeror. But the answer is, we do not have any redacted versions of the RFP posted on OregonBuys.

1. Will OAH provide section-level scoring, evaluator comments, or summarized feedback during a debrief? No

1. Beyond the point allocation listed in the RFP, can OAH clarify how pricing is weighted relative to technical merit during evaluation? See Section 3.7 Cost evaluation.

1. Can vendors request a formal debrief if not selected, and what level of detail will the debrief include? If requested, we will only share what is relevant to the specific offeror who requested the debrief. We will not be sharing other offerors proposals.

1. Will OAH accept interpreters who cover multiple dialects or variants within a language, or must interpreters be approved individually per dialect? OAH will accept interpreters who cover multiple dialects or variants within a language.

1. Are there any planned updates to OAH’s scheduling systems, conference bridge technology, or interpreter communication processes that vendors should be aware of? There are no planned updates at this time.

1. Does OAH allow subcontracting or partnerships with other interpreter agencies, and must subcontractors be identified in the proposal or only post-award? No, your subcontractors do not need to be identified. Please read the Sample Contract Attachment A because there are 32 instances within the contract that calls out Subcontractors and your responsibility .

Questions/Answers received via Email – Set two

1. Do we need to be registered under ORS chapter 701 to bid on this? Yes.

2. Would you expect us to fill out attachment 5 for every interpreter assigned? Yes, every interpreter assigned to an OAH hearing is required to complete Attachment 5 (Office of Administrative Hearings Interpreter Qualifications) and Attachment 4 (Commitment to Confidentiality) one time only. They will be kept on file with the OAH for the next time they are assigned to a hearing.

3. Exhibit E has a 1-hour minimum pre-populated into the table, and Section 2.4 mentions that hearings will be scheduled for a minimum duration of 1 hour. Will respondents who submit a 2-hour minimum for some or all languages be considered? All offerors are required to submit Exhibit E which the minimums are 1 hour. In the event, the 1 hr min is changed to a 2 hr min, the cost will be divided to be evaluated fairly among the other offerors proposals.

4. Is there an incumbent currently providing these services? If so, can you share the rates? Rates are proprietary

5. What challenges have you faced with similar scope of work from vendors you worked with? Vendors not being able to provide legal interpreters for languages provided on their rate sheet. Vendors providing “qualified” interpreters that have no experience interpreting legal hearings.