Sign Language / CART Services DR-4277-LA

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS: Questions and Answers for Solicitation # HSFE06-17-Q-0717 ASL Interpreter Services and CART Services 1. Reference: Statement of Work (SOW), Section 3.0, Scope, Paragraph 5, Page 2 Question: Industry standards allow the interpreter to bill for the full duration of the assignment with less than 1 business days' notice. Would you be able to amend the solicitation to meet these standards? Answer: The solicitation will not be amended. ASL on-site Interpreters are allowed to bill for the hours of 8am - 6pm, less hour for lunch for a total of 9.5 hours, Monday through Friday and for the hours of 8am - 12pm on Saturdays. Any extended hours will be reimbursed for actual hours worked. 2. Reference: Statement of Work (SOW), Section 3.0, Scope, Paragraph 2, Page 1 Question: CART and sign language services are priced differently. Are we able to quote a different rate for each of those services? Answer: Yes. 3. Reference: Notice of Solicitation Question: Does a responding agency need to provide a quote for both CART and sign language to obtain an award or can a response only include one of those services? Answer: Yes, FEMA anticipates awarding one contract for the combined requirement. 4. Reference: Statement of Work (SOW), Section 3.0, Scope, Paragraph 2, Page 1 Question: Would Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) or Remote CART be an option and if so would you allow separate pricing for those services? Answer: Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) or Remote CART is not FEMA's preferred method for CART services. The CART services are on-call only with a not to exceed of 200 hours. 5. Reference: Statement of Work (SOW), Section 3.0, Scope, Paragraph 5, Page 2 Question: Can you clarify the scope? Would 5 interpreters be required Monday through Saturday from 8am - 6pm or would this requirement be subject to change? Answer: The scope includes 5 ASL interpreters to be on-site Monday through Friday, 8am until 6pm. Monday through Friday, interpreters will work a 10 hour day with a hour lunch. Time will be compensated for 9.5 hours. Saturday hours are 8am - 12pm, but may be extended as necessary. Interpreters will be compensated for 4 hours, no lunch, unless extended hours are required. If more than 4 hours of service is required, interpreters will be compensated for actual hours worked that exceed the regular 4 hour day. 6. Reference: Statement of Work (SOW) Section 6.0, Evaluation of Services, Page 4 Question: Can you clarify that if the interpreter was dismissed early that the cancelation policy would apply and the full time could be invoiced? Answer: Dismissal in this SOW pertains to deficiencies in performance, ethical standards, dress code, timeliness, or other behavior or performance standards/expectations. If an interpreter is dismissed for a deficiency, FEMA will compensate the vendor only for the actual hours worked, by that interpreter, on the day they were dismissed. 7. Reference: Statement of Work (SOW), Section 3.0, Scope, Reimbursement for Services - Ad Hoc Interpreter Requests, Page 2 Question: Assuming a modification is not made to allow for a full 1 business day cancelation policy can you clarify the billing allowed if a request was canceled with between 4 hours and 24 hours notice. Answer: The FEMA Project Officer will do their best to give adequate notice of cancelation on all ad-hoc service requests. If cancelation is between 4 hours and 24 hours' notice, the vendor shall be reimbursed for two (2) hours. 8. Question: Can you confirm when services would begin/when the contract would be awarded? Answer: The vendor shall be allowed reasonable "ramp-up" time after award of contract. Award of contractor is upon completion of evaluation of offers. 9. Question: Is this a follow-on requirement? If so, could you please provide the incumbent contract number for this opportunity? If not, is this a new requirement? Answer: Yes, the incumbent is Translation Solutions, HSFE70-16-J-0294.