S3538 - Technical Requirements and Cost Proposal.docx

TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS AND COST PROPOSAL

EXPERIENCE OF THE CONTRACTOR

Offeror must have at least two years of experience in providing on interpretation and translation services to state or local government entities on a 365-days a year, 7-days a week, 24-hours a day basis.

EQUIPMENT AND FACILITY

1. Contractor must have all necessary equipment, installed and functioning at time of Offer submittal, to provide the services required in the contract.

2. Contractor must have a telephone terminal equipment with expansion capabilities to accommodate an increase in call volume, as needed.

A. Real-time, full-motion video and audio over a dedicated high-speed, wide-bandwidth video connection or wireless connection that delivers high-quality video images that do not produce lags, choppy, blurry, or grainy images, or irregular pauses in communication;

B. A sharply delineated image that is large enough to display the interpreter's face, arms, hands, and fingers, and the participating individual's face, arms, hands, and fingers, regardless of his or her body position;

C. A clear, audible transmission of voices;

D. Adequate training to users of the technology and other involved individuals so that they may quickly and efficiently set up and operate the VRI.

3. Contractor’s telephone terminal and VRI equipment must be capable of collecting the detailed call traffic information needed to produce the reports and invoice details that may be required by a state agency.

4. Outbound calls and/or third-party calls will be required of the Contractors under the resulting Master Agreement. Contractors shall not charge for these calls.

5. Prohibition of Interpretation on a Wireless Device in a Moving Vehicle and in Noisy Areas Contractor agrees no interpretation work by wireless communication device shall take place in a moving vehicle if the interpreter is the driver. This strict prohibition is intended to avoid driver distractions, accidents, risks to others, and lack of interpreter focus on the interpretation work itself. In addition, background noise such as traffic, barking dogs, crying babies, wind, and other people carrying on nearby conversations is a distraction to others on the phone and interpretation work should not proceed when any participant cannot hear due to the background noise and requests the interpreter to relocate to a quiet area. Subject to contract cancelation and other penalties, any interpretation conducted on a wireless device, whether texting or oral, is prohibited under this contract if conducted in a moving vehicle when the interpreter is the driver. To be clear, this prohibition shall also apply in states with laws addressing cell phone use and/or texting while driving and applies to all drivers involved with manually or orally typing; or entering multiple letters, numbers, symbols or other text in a wireless communication device; or sending or reading data in the device, for the purpose of oral or non-voice interpersonal communication, including texting, emailing, and instant messaging. Vehicles equipped with Bluetooth devices and dash mounted phones are not an exception to this prohibition. Interpreters must not be driving in a moving vehicle when conducting interpretations.

EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT PLAN

1. Contractor must have in place an Emergency Management Plan (EMP) to guarantee continued services and/or limited disruptions during and following natural disasters or other potentially disrupting events. (e.g.; earthquakes, power outages, pandemic shutdowns, etc.) EMP should be available upon request by using state agency.

2. Contractor must have a high-speed emergency notification system to be used for crisis communications. The system must be capable of efficiently sending notifications via phone and/or email to all active and scheduled customers prior to, during, and after a crisis or emergency, 365-days a year, 7-days a week, 24-hours a day.

CUSTOMER RESPONSE CRITERIA

1. Response to customer questions and concerns will be handled as expeditiously as possible and according to the following criteria:

a. General questions of concern: A written response to customer questions is due within five working days from initial contact. If the response is incomplete at response due time, the response will be an update of steps taken thus far to answer the customer’s questions along with an estimated completion date. If a complete response is still not provided within seven days from initial contact, at the customer’s request, Contractor must provide a senior administrative contact to escalate the request.

b. Request for materials: Instructional materials must be mailed to the customer within two working days of receiving the request.

c. All other requests: Time requirements for all other requests will be negotiated individually between the customer and the Contractor.

INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS

1. Contractor must provide instructional materials at no additional charge to assist end users in accessing the services that will be provided under the Contract. Materials should include language identification materials such as “I Speak” cards and procedural information for accessing the services.

2. Sample informational posters may be provided to customers for approval and possible editing free of charge in order to suit local languages/needs.

3. Instructional materials must be readily available to all customers, at no cost, throughout the term of the Contract.

Technical Requirements – Document Translation Comply? (Yes, No, n/a)

1. If proposal includes Document Translation, Offeror must be able to provide quality, error-free document translation services on a large scale to multiple state agencies.

TURNAROUND TIME FOR DOCUMENT TRANSLATION SERVICES

1. For all source documents requiring translation from one language to another, standard document translations shall be completed within the turnaround time set in business days below.

2. If a contractor offers expedited translations, they shall be completed within the turnaround time set in business days below.

If proposal includes VRI, Offeror must ensure [VRI must provide] real-time, full-motion video and audio over a dedicated high-speed, wide-bandwidth video connection or wireless connection that delivers high-quality video images that do not produce lags, choppy, blurry, or grainy images, or irregular pauses in communication. [VRI must provide a] sharply delineated image that is large enough to display the interpreter’s face, arms, hands, and fingers, and the participating individual’s face, arms, hands, and fingers, regardless of [their] body position. [VRI must also provide] a clear, audible transmission of voices.

CONNECTION

1. On average per month, Contractor must answer at least 95% of all incoming calls within five seconds of the call starting to ring at the Contractor’s contact number. The call may be answered by an automated attendant, but the customer must be given an option, either by voice prompt or keypad selection, to speak with a live operator/customer service representative. If the customer opts for a live operator/customer service representative, connection must occur within ten seconds of the customer’s selection.

2. On average per month, Contractor must respond to calls at a rate of 95% or greater within 30 seconds of the client’s language being identified. Once interpretation begins, the call cannot be placed on hold or put into a queue of any kind.

3. In the event over the phone interpretation service for Arabic, Chinese, Spanish, Russian, Somali, Vietnamese, Swahili, Tigrinya, Korean or Farsi does not begin within 60 seconds of the client’s language being identified, the customer shall not be charged for any interpretation services provided for the duration of the call.

4. Contractor must provide toll-free access to interpreter services from anywhere in the United States, 365-days a year, 7-days a week, 24-hours a day.

INVOICING

1. Contractor must only invoice for the time that interpreter service is provided. Time required establishing the language service needed and/or connection time to the appropriate interpreter will not be chargeable. Billing of the interpretation period starts when the interpreter answers and begins interpreting. The interpretation period is ended when the interpreter has been disconnected from both the customer and the client.

2. A) Interpreter Services: Invoices will reflect billing increments of one minute. For any period of time which falls between tenths of a minute, Contractor will round up to the next tenth of a minute. One-tenth of one minute is defined as six seconds.

B) Interpreter Services: Invoices shall clearly reflect costs provided on Contractor’s Cost Proposal submitted to this RFQ. Additional language and services not previously negotiated and agreed to with the end user/agency may not be subject to payment unless agreed upon in writing prior to services being performed.

C) Translation Services: Invoices will reflect per word billing increments

3. The minimum billable charge shall be equal to a one-minute charge at the rate of the language for which interpreter service is provided.

INTERPRETER OPERATIONAL REQUIREMENTS

1. The interpreter will remain neutral in the conversation unless prompted by the customer with additional instructions.

2. The interpreter will speak in the first (1st) person.

3. The interpreter will use the utmost courtesy when conversing with the customer and/or the client.

4. The interpreter will respect cultural differences of the client.

5. The interpreter will refrain from entering into a disagreement with the customer and/or the client.

6. The interpreter will accurately interpret the client’s statements and relay the message in its entirety with the meaning preserved throughout the conversation. Information will not be edited or deleted which may erroneously change the meaning the of the client’s statements.

7. All conversations, interpretations, or translations will remain confidential and will not be shared with individuals unrelated to the call or translation. Calls must only be recorded for Quality Assurance and training purposes. Call recording may be subject to additional state requirements per using agency.

8. The translator will provide accurate (reflect the meaning correctly), effective (provide the intended effect on the reader), and impartial (unbiased) services.

LOCATIONS – IN PERSON SERVICES

1. Contractor is able to provide in person services in Northern Nevada.

a. Washoe, Carson, Douglas, Storey, Lyon, Churchill

2. Contractor is able to provide in person services in Southern Nevada.

a. Clark, Lincoln, Southern Nye

3. Contractor is able to provide in person services in Northern Nevada.

a. Northern Nye, Esmeralda, Mineral, Lander, Eureka, White Pine, Elko, Humboldt, Pershing

SIGN LANGUAGE / CART SERVICES

All sign language interpreters must hold current and valid registration with the Nevada Interpreter/CART Registry in accordance with NRS 656A.100 and can provide their sign language interpreter certification type upon request.

1. In accordance with NRS 656A.230, CART or Realtime Captioning providers must hold current and valid certifications from one of the following:

a. The Certified Court Reporter’s Board of Nevada

b. NCRA Registered Professional Reporter

c. NCRA Certified Communication Access Realtime Translation Provider

d. NCRA Certified Broadcast Captioner

e. NCRA Certified Realtime Reporter

f. Any other state licensing board with a minim skills assessment of 200 words per minute or more.

Additionally, all CART or Captioning providers must hold current and valid registration with the Nevada Interpreter/CART Registry. The only exception is for Broadcast Captioners who work ONLY in broadcast settings.

NEVADA CREDENTIALED COURT INTERPRETER PROGRAM

1. Contractor must be certified/credentialed prior to being able to accept request to provide meaningful access to the information and services to persons with limited English proficiency in a court.

2. Contractor must hold current and valid certifications from the Certified Court Reporter’s Board of Nevada

COST PROPOSAL

All pricing must include account servicing and full compliance with all contractual obligations. Travel expenses are to be included in the proposed rates, as separate reimbursement will not be provided. Only one Unit Price is acceptable and must be calculated on a per minute/per word/per hour basis for all languages as well as for all unlisted languages that may be provided through the resultant Contract. The amount indicated in Unit Price must be bid in whole cents. (e.g.; $1.10 is acceptable, $1.105 is not.)

Over-the-Phone Interpretation

/min

1b.

/min.

/min

/min.

Video Remote Interpretation

/min.

/min.

/min

In Person Interpretation

/word

/min.

/min

Document Translation Services

/word

/word

/word

/word

/word

/word

/word

/word

/hour

Minimum Charges should describe hourly minimum, number of translators, after hours, emergency requests, etc. Duplicate the line below as needed.

Combined Services for Over-the Phone and Video Remote Interpretation

/min.

/min.

/min.

/min.

/min.

CART Captioning Interpretation

/hour.

/hour.

/hour.

/hour.

(Any deviation from this format may result in disqualification of proposal.)