Literary Braille Transcription Services CN250005

The California Department of Education (CDE) is soliciting bids for Literary Braille Transcription Services through Invitation for Bid (IFB) CN250005, targeting the Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division's Clearinghouse for Specialized Media and Technology. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide comprehensive braille transcription services, including formatting, transcription, proofing, and tactile creation for state-adopted textbooks and instructional materials across all grade levels. Qualified contractors must employ certified transcribers and proofreaders, maintain proficiency in Braille 2000, Duxbury, or Braille Blaster software, and adhere to Braille Association of North America (BANA) guidelines. The contract requires full proofreading of all transcribed materials, with no spot-checking permitted, and focuses specifically on English/Language Arts materials. Key procurement dates include questions due January 21, 2025 at 12:00 PM PST, bid submissions due February 4, 2025 at 2:00 PM PST, and a public bid opening on February 6, 2025, with the initial contract period running from July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026 and potential two one-year renewals.

The procurement includes preference programs with a 5% bid preference for small businesses and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) incentives ranging from 3-5% based on participation levels. The incumbent vendor is T-Base Communications USA, Inc., which previously provided services at rates of $15.50 per print page for new literary transcribing and $0.50 per tactile for literary tactile creation. Current pricing also includes $0.01 per page for revising/reviewing pre-existing transcription, with a total combined rate of $16.02. Contractors must include all associated costs in their pricing, including labor, travel, transportation, materials, equipment, permits, licenses, and insurance. The contract includes provisions for GenAI technology disclosure and reporting requirements, with standard assignments having completion timelines between 30-90 business days. While specific total contract value was not disclosed, invoicing will be based on completed print and tactile pages, with blank pages explicitly excluded from payment calculations.