PWS.docx

Performance Work Statement for Sign Language Interpreter Services for the Hart Dole Inouye Federal Center

1.0 General Scope of Work

The Defense Logistics Agency Disposition Services (DLA DS) the Defense Logistics Agency Logistics Information Services (DLA LIS) and the Defense Logistics Agency Installation Support at Battle Creek (DS-FB) require contractor support on an as needed basis to provide sign language interpreter services to the Deaf and Hard of Hearing employees at the Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center (HDIFC), 74 North Washington Avenue, Battle Creek, MI 49037, and includes provided services to DLA DS Field Activity Sites in the continental United States: Field Activity East, Field Activity Mid-America, and Field Activity West. [See Attachment B]

The Contracting Officer Representative (COR), the Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) Manager, and the EEO Disability Program Point of Contact (POC) are the main contacts and deciding authorities for all sign language assignments. The EEO Disability Program POC and contractor will communicate on all assignment(s) as needed. If the Disabilities Program POC is unavailable or out of the office, the contractor shall contact the EEO office staff of any business pertaining to sign language assignments.

2.0 Qualifications

Sign language interpreter(s): proficiently interprets oral communications in American Sign Language (ASL), Sign English (SE), Pidgin Sign English (PSE) and has the ability to handle the nature of the assignment(s) as stipulated in the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct (CPC). Accepted levels for sign language interpreters are: National Certification through National Association of the Deaf (NAD) - Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) – all levels [See Attachment A], Michigan State BEI Level I, BEI Level II and BEI Level III. [See R 393.5021 thru R 393.5025 of the following link: http://www.michigan.gov/documents/mdcr/2007- 047_General_Interpreter_Rules_5-16_submitted_FINAL 458355_7.pdf]

3.0 Business Protocol

The contractor shall fulfill the general agreement of providing sign language interpreter(s) in the most expeditious manner. The contractor shall provide to the EEO Disability Program POC with email address(es) and a 24 hour on-call number(s), for immediate access to the contractor.

A call order is a request for services and considered accepted when the contractor provides verbal or written acknowledgement within 24 hours of receiving the request to the EEO Disability Program POC or the COR by email or telephone communication.

The contractor shall include in their response the name(s) of the sign language interpreter(s) who will satisfy the call order prior to 24 hours or more of the assignment.

The contractor shall provide to the EEO Disability Program POC and the COR of office personnel authorized to accept call orders on the contractor’s behalf.

The contractor shall provide proof of qualifications that are current and up to date for each sign language interpreter to the EEO Disability Program POC and COR prior to assigning them a call order for required services. This will be required for all interpreters at the start of performance, and any new interpreters who are utilized throughout performance. The government will accept legible electronic copies of certifications.

The contractor shall ensure that all sign language interpreters adhere to the NAD-RID Code of Professional Conduct for all accepted assignments. Any sign language interpreter(s), whose professional conduct is questionable, warrants an immediate review at the discretion of the Contracting Officer, the COR, the EEO Office Manager, and the EEO Disability Program POC. [See Attachment A] As warranted, on a case by case basis, the contractor employee may be required to execute a Non-disclosure agreement.

The sign language interpreter(s) shall be well groomed and dressed in an appropriate manner with an emphasis on casual business attire.

It is understood that the contractor or the sign language interpreter(s) will not act as an agent or employee of the Federal Government, the DLA DS and their Activity Field Sites, DLA LIS, or DS-FB.

The contractor or the sign language interpreter(s) shall not discuss personal business; distribute personal business cards or promotion of personal “cause” while on assignment in order to develop clientele from assignment(s) originating from the Federal Government, the DLA DS and their Activity Field Sites, DLA LIS, or DS-FB.

The EEO Disability program POC will provide orientation to the sign language interpreter(s) regarding the Federal Government’s rules of protocol, ethics, procedures and professionalism while on assignment(s). This one-time informal training will be required for all interpreters before performing services on this contract.

4.0 Invoicing

The contractor shall submit a proper invoice by the 10th of each month for services delivered in the previous month. The contractor shall submit its invoice and be paid using the Wide Area Workflow (WAWF) payment system. The WAWF clause will be incorporated into the contract by full text for informational purposes. In order to prevent payment delays, it is extremely important that the contractor appropriately submit payment requests in WAWF using the information provided in DFARS clause 252.232-7006, WIDE AREA WORKFLOW PAYMENT INSTRUCTIONS.

5.0 Assignment(s) Overview

The contractor shall provide sign language interpreter(s) for an assignment as issued by a call order for assignments scheduled between 7:30 a.m. and 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday with the exception of federal holidays as listed:

*Specific days and/or dates for federal holidays please refer to the Office of Personnel Management website OPM.GOV.

The Disability Program POC or the COR will issue call orders for assignments by email or telephone to email addresses or telephone numbers provided by the contractor. There may be multiple assignments included in a call order. When a call order is issued by telephone the government will follow up with an email to the contractor delineating a complete reference of all pertinent facts contained in the telephone call order.

Paid time begins from the start of the assignment(s) or when the sign language interpreter(s) arrives on-site, (whichever is later). Paid time ends when the assignment(s) is completed or at the end of the two hour minimum.

A two hour minimum is paid at the agreed upon rate for all call orders.

The government will provide an escort from the designated entrance to the assignment.

It is the responsibility of the contractor to recruit sign language interpreters in the DLA DS Field Activity Sites (outside the Hart Dole Inouye Federal Center in Battle Creek, MI when a call order is issued for interpreting services. [See Attachment B]

Sign language interpreter(s) shall report to the authorized government point of contact at each assignment(s) for any situational information, and should remain at the assignment(s) for the indicated time. This includes all assignment(s) regardless of length. See sections 9.0 and 10.0.

On occasion the government may issue a call order for same day assignment(s) that is requested on short notice. When a call order is issued with less than a three hour notice, the contractor shall accept the assignment(s) provided that the sign language interpreter(s) dispatched to satisfy the call order arrives on or before the requested time.

6.0 Punctuality

Sign language interpreter(s) shall arrive no later than15 minutes before the actual time of the assignment. Tardiness or missed assignments shall not be tolerated except for true emergencies. The contractor shall notify the Disability Program POC or the EEO office if this occurs. If the interpreter(s) arrives 10 or more minutes late for an assignment, the Disability Program POC shall determine if services are still needed. If it is determined that services are needed, the government may take a deduction from the agreed upon rate commensurate of when the sign language interpreter(s) arrived to the servicing site in 15 minute increments. If it is determined that service is no longer needed, this will be recorded as a missed call order and the contractor shall not charge for service or mileage to the missed order

The government retains the right to not accept a particular sign language interpreter for future assignments who is habitually late or misses assignments.

7.0 Cancellations

On occasion the government may deem it necessary to cancel a call order accepted by the contractor. If the government cancels a call order and it is less than 24 hours prior to the agreed start time, the contractor may invoice for the two hour minimum of labor charges stipulated in the contract fee schedule. The contractor may invoice for the mileage if the government cancels after the sign language interpreter(s) arrived at or was enroute to the designated site. If the interpreter is scheduled for services for more than two hours and the assignment ends early, the Government will pay for the remaining hours of the agreed upon time.

If a call order ends early, and there is another assignment in which the interpreter can be used during that 2 hour minimum, the interpreter shall work the additional assignment.

For call orders more than one day: On the days interpreting services are rendered, the interpreter will be paid the one full day even if the assignment ends early. If cancellation for any of the other day(s) is less than 24 hours, the contractor may invoice for the two hour minimum of labor charges for the next day. If cancellations are made for any day(s) after the next consecutive day, the 24 hour policy will remain in effect and those days will not be paid

If a sign language interpreter(s) should cancel, the contractor shall assume responsibility for notifying either the Disability Program POC, COR, or the EEO Office within a 24 hour time frame and provide a substitute interpreter(s). If no interpreter(s) is available, the contractor shall inform the EEO Disability Program POC. At that point, see section 12.0.

The contractor shall not invoice for service or mileage if the government cancels a call order that is more than 24 hours prior to the agreed start time.

8.0 No Escort or Employee(s) Who Fail to Appear for Assignment(s) If the Government employee(s) fails to appear at the assignment or to escort the interpreter to the assignment, the sign language interpreter(s) will remain on-site at least one half hour from the start time of the assignment(s) or until notified to leave the site by an authorized government point of contact aware of the situation or the Disability Program POC (whichever is shorter). The contractor may invoice for the two hour minimum of labor and mileage charges as listed in the bid schedule.

9.0 Multiple Assignments on the Same Day

The two hour minimum applies if there are multiple assignments that are concurrent to each other and less than two hours total. There is no separate billing when one or more assignments are scheduled together within the two hour minimum time frame using the same sign language interpreter(s) on the same day.

Sign language interpreter(s) shall be available for earlier or later time slots to complete the accepted assignment(s). The contractor may invoice for the total hours on-site from the originally scheduled assignment time until completion of the requirement. See section 3.0 and 10.0.

If the sign language interpreter leaves the site prior to being released by the EEO Disability Program POC or an authorized government point of contact aware of the situation, the two hour minimum shall not apply.

10.0 On-Site Modifications

If the assignment(s) goes over the specified time, the contractor shall notify the EEO Disability Program POC, the contractor, and the COR of the situation. The contractor shall then invoice the government for the total time worked, including the two hour minimum of the initial assignment, and in 15 minute increments after the two hour minimum.

If the authorized government point of contact dismisses the sign language interpreter(s) prior to the time originally specified on the call order, the contractor or sign language interpreter(s) shall contact the EEO Disability Program POC to inform them of the situation. The contractor may invoice for the two hour minimum rate plus mileage.

11.0 Team Interpreting (assignments over two hours in length) Whenever there is an assignment(s) of constant sign language interpreting and processing of large quantities of information for two hours or more in length, the EEO Disability Program POC shall make arrangements with the contractor to send one interpreter to work with a HDIFC staff interpreter or a team of two sign language interpreters, to rotate approximately every half hour during the assigned time. If the contractor provides the two requested interpreters, the contractor shall invoice for each interpreter the two hour minimum and for time beyond the two hour minimum in 15 minute increments plus mileage for both interpreters.

If the request is for the DLA DS Activity Field Sites, the contractor shall follow the guidance as stated in this 11.0 section for two interpreters.

For any assignment(s) up to six to eight hours in duration and lunch breaks are offered at the assignment(s) to the Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing employee(s), the same time for lunch breaks apply to the sign language interpreter(s) and shall be included within the six to eight hour assignment(s) as paid time.

12.0 Subcontracting

If a sign language interpreter(s) is not available, the contractor shall notify the EEO Disability Program POC of the situation immediately or as soon as possible. This does not relieve the contractor of the responsibility to provide the personnel necessary to perform the needed service(s). It is allowable to subcontract with another sign language interpreter(s) or agency for a certified sign language interpreter(s). The current contractor shall take care of billing directly with the subcontracting agency. The Federal Government, the DLA DS and their Activity Field Sites, DLA LIS, or DS-FB are not responsible for third party billing, and shall only deal directly with the current contractor.

13.0 Travel Reimbursement

Mileage shall not be proposed by the contractor and therefore will not be included as part of the contractor’s proposed price for this requirement. The government shall obligate an estimated amount of travel expenses with award of each task order based upon the estimated requirements. The government shall reimburse the contractor up to the limits of, and in accordance with, Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 31.205-46 Travel Costs, the Joint Travel Regulation (JTR) and/or Federal Travel Regulation for mileage related to performance under this contract. Hours while traveling to and from the work site shall not be billable under this contract, and must be factored into the hourly rates under CLINs 0001, 0002, and 0003.

14.0 Hold Harmless Clause

Whereas the DLA DS and their Activity Field Sites, DLA LIS, or DS-FB acquire services of the sign language agency, and where as the sign language agency agrees to provide sign language services for the DLA DS and their Activity Field Sites, DLA LIS, or DS-FB, all parties stated above agree to protect and hold harmless the other, from any and all liability claims resulting from injury or property loss related to performance under contract stipulations unless such injury or loss is caused by the sole negligence or actions of any of the parties listed above, their employees, officers, and agents. If such liability is caused by negligence; combined with the negligence of any or all parties involved, the concerned parties agree that liability will be apportioned as determined by the DLA DS Contracting Officer, the EEO Office Manager, the EEO Disability Program POC, the sign language agency and/or legal counsel.

15.0 No-Fault Clause

Should any cause or causes, listed below, occur beyond the control of all parties involved, no one will be held at fault, the Government will not be invoiced, and no one held in question:

Acts of God, acts or omissions of any government or any agency thereof; compliance with requests, recommendations, rules, regulations or orders of any governmental authority or any office, departments, agency or instrumentality thereof; fire, storm, flood, earthquake, accident, acts of the public enemy, war rebellion, insurrection, riot, and invasion.

16.0 DLA Disposition Services Environmental Management System (EMS) DLA Disposition Services implemented EMS in accordance with ISO 14001:2004(E), DOD and DLA requirements at all DLA Disposition Services appropriate facilities. An EMS is an overall management system that includes organizational structure, planning activities, responsibilities, practices, procedures, processes and resources for developing, implementing, achieving, reviewing and maintaining the environmental policy of an organization. The DLA Disposition Services EMS is designed to ensure that all personnel, including contract personnel, whose work activities can cause real or potential significant environmental impact, are aware of how their work supports the EMS and are competent to perform their roles, responsibilities and authorities while supporting the DLA Disposition Services mission. The DLA Disposition Services EMS program is explained in DRMS-I 6050.2, Environmental Management System (EMS) Core Instruction. Site supplements detail information required by EMS at a local level such as local, state and host environmental regulations as well as local emergency procedures and operating procedures unique to the location. Site supplements also contain information concerning the local interaction between the DLA Disposition Services tenant appropriate facility and the DOD/DLA host facility EMS program. Contractors and their personnel are required to be aware that each DLA Disposition Services appropriate facility has an EMS and to be aware of EMS policies to perform work and/or gain access to an installation. Each DLA Disposition Services appropriate facility maintains EMS awareness posters that identify the DLA Disposition Services Environmental Management Representative (EMR) and Host facility EMR for specific guidance concerning an individual facilities’ EMS program. Contractors may request current copies of EMS information identified in this paragraph by sending an e- mail request to DRMSEMR@dla.mil.

17.0 Safety

General

1. The Hart-Dole-Inouye Federal Center (HDIFC) is pursuing star status in Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) and is committed to maintaining excellence in safety and health within the work place environment to include the contract workforce. It is the contractor's responsibility to ensure its employees and managers are in full compliance with OSHA requirements and have a general understanding of VPP. All contractors, whether regularly involved in routine site operations or engaged in temporary projects such as construction or repair, must follow the safety and health rules of DLA and the HDIFC.

2. The Contractor shall take all reasonable safety and occupational health measures in performing this contract. The Contractor shall comply with all Federal, State, and local laws applicable to safety and occupational health and with the safety and occupational health standards, specifications, reporting requirements, and any other relevant requirements of this contract. These standards include safety procedures contained within the HDIFC OSH Plan, State and Local safety procedures.

3. All contractors will specifically comply with Department of Labor and OSHA rules and regulations as contained in 29 CFR 1910 (General Industries) and 29 CFR 1926 (Construction) as well as all required sections within the Life Safety Codes (LSC) and National Fire Protection Associations Standards as they relate to the contract services they are performing.

Reporting

1. Applicable contractors are required to submit their TCIR and DART rates and OSHA Form 300A annually to the contracting office for consolidation and submission as part of the installation's annual VPP Safety and Health Management report. Total Case Incident Rate (TCIR) and days away, restricted and transferred DART rates are due by the 15th of January of each year.

2. If required by the contract, the contractor's Quality Control Plan must identify the processes and procedures the contractor will use to track compliance with the Safety and Health Plan, and the process and procedures that will be used to correct violations.

3. Each applicable contractor bears sole responsibility for compliance with the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA) (Public Law 91-596). The contractor must submit a Safety and Health Plan and corresponding site safety checklist to the contracting officer 10 days after contract award. The contractor's plan shall include appropriate measures to ensure the contractor reacts promptly to investigate, correct and track alleged safety & health violations and/or uncontrolled hazards in contractor work areas.

Reporting Mishaps

1. The contractor will comply with safety procedures contained in 29 CFR 1904 (Recording and Reporting Occupational Illness). The contractor shall notify the onsite Safety and Health Manager (SHM) within 24 hours of all mishaps causing damage to Government property or injury/illness to Government contract personnel. The contractor shall investigate all mishaps, prepare a DLA Form 1591, Mishap Report, and provide the completed form (Blocks 1 through 14a) to the SHM and one copy to the COR within 24 hours of mishap. If the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) has Access to and Training in the Enterprise Safety Applications Management System (ESAMS) the Mishap information shall be completed and submitted through the ESAMS reporting system.

Non-compliance

1. The Contracting Officer may notify the Contractor in writing of any noncompliance with this clause and specify corrective actions to be taken. When the Contracting Officer or COR becomes aware of noncompliance that may pose a serious or imminent danger to safety and health of the DLA workforce (including contractor employees working on DLA contracts), or high value mission critical equipment or property, the Contracting Officer or COR shall notify the Contractor orally, with written confirmation. The Contractor shall promptly take and report any necessary corrective action. If the Contractor fails or refuses to institute prompt corrective action in accordance with these safety provisions, the Contracting Officer may invoke the stop-work order clause in this contract or any other remedy available to the Government in the event of such failure or refusal. The Contractor (or subcontractor or supplier) shall insert the substance of this clause, including this paragraph (g) and any applicable Schedule provisions and clauses, with appropriate changes of designations of the parties, in all solicitations and subcontracts of every tier, when one or more of the following conditions exist:

The work will be conducted completely or partly on premises owned or controlled by the Government.

Training

1. The Government will provide VPP awareness training to include the New employee Orientation training (2nd Wednesday of every Month) VPP 101, Hazard Recognition and Office safety training.

18.0 CONTRACTOR MANPOWER REPORTING

The contractor shall report all contractor labor hours (including subcontractor labor hours) required for performance of services provided under this contract for the Defense Logistics Agency via a secure data collection site. The contractor is required to completely fill in all required data fields using the following web address: http://www.ecmra.mil.

Reporting inputs will be for the labor executed during the period of performance during each Government fiscal year (FY), which runs October 1 through September 30. While inputs may be reported any time during the FY, all data shall be reported no later than October 31 of each calendar year, beginning with 2014. The contractor may direct questions to the help desk at: http://www.ecmra.mil.