Captioning Services - ADA Compliance - RFP

The Michigan Department of Education issued Request for Proposal No. 210000002468 on August 5, 2021, to procure comprehensive captioning services ensuring American with Disabilities Act compliance for both live and pre-recorded video content. The procurement requires two primary service categories: offline captioning services involving receipt of video links or server access to caption pre-recorded videos with delivery in standard format caption files (such as .scc files), and live captioning services for State Board of Education Meetings typically running from 9:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. with lunch breaks requiring real-time captioning via telephone interface and modem connection. All offline captions must comply with FCC pre-recorded standards regarding accuracy, synchronization, completeness, and screen placement, while live captions must meet FCC real-time/live broadcast standards without relying exclusively on machine captioning. Contractors must provide project timelines, submit offline work at least three business days prior to final submission for department approval, and deliver post-meeting caption files synchronized and divided into morning and afternoon segments. The evaluation process assigns technical weights of 30 points for general requirements, 25 points for service requirements and staffing, 25 points for project management and pricing, and 20 points for vendor question responses, with proposals receiving 80 or more technical points eligible for pricing evaluation and award consideration. The deadline for bidder questions was August 10, 2021, with proposal submissions due by 2:00 p.m. Eastern on August 19, 2021, and an anticipated contract begin date of October 1, 2021, for a three-year initial term through September 30, 2024, with the option for up to five additional one-year renewal periods.

The RFP does not specify set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises or restrictions limiting response eligibility based on organizational type. Contractors must maintain commercial general liability insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence with $2,000,000 general aggregate, automobile liability insurance of $1,000,000 per accident, workers' compensation coverage, and employers' liability insurance of $500,000 per accident, while accepting liquidated damages of $5,000 plus $100 per day for late or improper completion. Pricing must be firm for the entire contract length in modifiable format including all hourly rates, fee schedules, setup charges, and potential costs such as shipping and handling, with payment made via Electronic Funds Transfer within 45 days of invoice receipt. The state reserves the right to consider prior performance, overall economic impact including Michigan employment and capital investments, and total-cost-of-ownership factors in its award decision. Federal provisions addenda address equal employment opportunity, debarment and suspension, Byrd Anti-Lobbying Certification for contracts exceeding $100,000, Clean Air Act and Federal Water Pollution Control Act compliance, and Davis-Bacon Act prevailing wage requirements if applicable. Contractors must provide a dedicated contractor representative available during business hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST) with remote engineering support and emergency after-hours phone support; notably, the state indicated openness to AI-based Automatic Speech Recognition captioning solutions provided they meet or exceed FCC requirements for live broadcasts.