KET - Pop-On Multi-Positional Post-Production Captions

Kentucky Educational Television (KET), a state agency under the Commonwealth of Kentucky Finance and Administration Cabinet located in Fayette County, issued Request for Bid 758 2300000166 seeking qualified vendors to provide pop-on multi-positional post-production captioning services through a master agreement. The procurement encompasses human-generated and edited offline closed captioning for video programming ranging from 30 to 90 minutes in duration, designed to serve deaf and hard-of-hearing audiences. Vendors must deliver captions in SCC file format meeting 99% accuracy and synchronicity standards, with captions positioned to avoid obscuring on-screen graphics or faces. The solicitation includes six line items totaling 240 units: 200 units of 30-minute captions without provided transcripts, 10 units each of 60-minute and 90-minute captions without transcripts, and 10 units each of 30-minute, 60-minute, and 90-minute captions with KET-provided transcripts. All deliverables must meet a mandatory five-working-day turnaround from receipt of proxy video/audio files, with penalties of 1 percent per day assessed for late delivery. Bidders must employ only human captioners with exceptional English proficiency; artificial intelligence-based transcription is strictly prohibited. The original bid deadline of September 28, 2022, was extended to October 11, 2022, at 1:30 PM Eastern Time, with written questions due by September 20, 2022, at 10:00 AM ET. Award will be determined using a best value methodology allocating 90 points to price (lowest bidder receives maximum points) and 10 points to delivery performance, with the initial contract period of one year from award date and four optional one-year renewal periods available with written approval from all parties.

Bidders must register in the Commonwealth eProcurement System at least 24-48 hours prior to submission and submit responses electronically; paper submissions are not permitted. Kentucky resident bidders qualify for reciprocal preference as defined in KRS 45A.490-494, while qualified bidders including Kentucky Correctional Industries and Kentucky Industries for the Blind receive statutory preferences of 20 percent and 15 percent respectively of maximum available points. Nonprofit agencies serving individuals with severe disabilities may also qualify for preference consideration. All bidding entities must comply with Kentucky tax registration requirements, provide proof of Secretary of State registration if foreign-owned, and certify accessibility compliance with federal rehabilitation and telecommunications standards. The incumbent vendor is Caption Advantage under Master Agreement MA 758 2200000086. Pricing must be quoted per defined time segments (30, 60, and 90 minutes) on an F.O.B. Destination Freight Prepaid and Allowed basis, excluding federal excise taxes and Kentucky sales or use taxes, with all prices remaining firm for the first twelve months and subject only to industry-wide adjustments thereafter. No specific budget allocation or estimated contract value is disclosed in the solicitation documents; vendors are required to provide unit pricing for each line item based on program length categories. Foreign companies and foreign-owned entities with U.S. operations are eligible to bid provided captioners maintain exceptional English proficiency, the company maintains a regular business phone line, and support is available during KET staffed operational hours from 7:00 AM to midnight Eastern Time.