HSR26-06 Electronic Video Transcription Services

The California High-Speed Rail Authority is requesting bids on electronic video transcription services for virtually held Board Meetings and Authority events under IFB HSR26-06, with bids due July 14, 2026 at 2:30 PM. The contractor must hold either a Certified Electronic Transcriber (CET) certification from AAERT or a Certified Realtime Reporter (CRR) certification from NCRA, maintained throughout the contract term — the mandatory qualification filter.

The scope includes transcribing audio from video files into written text, producing synchronized caption files in SubRip Subtitle (.SRT) and Web Video Text Tracks (.VTT) formats, and ensuring compliance with WCAG 2.2 Level AA and ADA Title II standards. The contractor must maintain 99% or higher accuracy, deliver draft transcripts in Microsoft Word format within five business days of video receipt, and perform services virtually Monday through Friday, 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM Pacific Time. Pricing is submitted on a per-minute basis.

The contract term runs August 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, with a 60-day pilot period following Notice to Proceed during which the Authority may terminate for convenience with five business days' written notice if performance is unsatisfactory. A 5% small business or microbusiness preference applies under California Government Code Section 14835, and a 3–5% Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise participation incentive is available. Subcontracting is not permitted. The contractor must carry Commercial General Liability insurance ($1 million per occurrence), Professional Liability insurance ($1 million per occurrence), and Workers' Compensation insurance with employer's liability limits of at least $1 million.

Written questions are due July 6, 2026 at 3:00 PM, with responses released by July 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM. Award is made to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder. The contract is subject to California's General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025), Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017), Russia sanctions compliance, and Generative Artificial Intelligence disclosure obligations.