ACRONYMS/DEFINITIONS Acronyms used throughout this Performance Work Statement are defined as follows: BMP Baseline Management Plan CIP Continuous Improvement Plan CO Contracting Officer COTR Contracting Officer's Technical Representative CI Certificate of Interpretation CSC Comprehensive Skills Certificate CT Certificate of Transliteration ED The United States Department of Education ED# The United States Department of Education Tracking Number IC Interpretation Certificate MSP Minimum Standards of Performance OTC Oral Transliteration Certificate PD Project Director PWS Performance Work Statement QA Quality Assurance QASP Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan RID Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. TC Transliteration Certificate Definitions used throughout this Performance Work Statement are defined as follows: Contracting Officer (CO) - a person duly appointed with the authority to enter into and administer contracts on behalf of the government. Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR) - an individual designated on behalf of the Contracting Officer to act as his/her authorized representative and perform specific contract administrative functions within the scope and limitations as defined by the Contracting Officer. Contractor - the contractor, its subsidiaries and affiliates, joint ventures involving the contractor, or any entity which the contractor may have merged or any individual or entity that assisted or advised the contractor in the preparation of a proposal under this solicitation. ED# - the United States Department of Education Tracking number for interpreter requests, assigned consecutively by the COTR. Government Furnished Property (GFP) - all equipment, goods, and land possessed by the government, and subsequently, delivered or otherwise made available to the contractor. Performance Indicator (PI) - a characteristic of an output of work process that can be measured. Performance Requirements Summary (PRS) - identifies the key service output and end results of the contract that will be evaluated by the government to assure contract performance standards are met by the contractor. Quality Assurance (QA) - these actions taken by the government to assure that the quality of purchased goods and services received are acceptable in accordance with established standards and requirements of the contract. Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) - a written document used by the government for quality assurance surveillance. The document contains specific surveillance methods used by the government in quantifying and evaluating the contractor's performance. Quality Control (QC) - those actions taken by the contractor to control the production of goods and/or services to meet the requirements of the contract. Random Sampling - a statistical method for evaluating a few individual items and measuring the quantity and/or quality against a pre-determined standard. Sample Size - the number of outputs in the statistical sample; a group of one or more tasks drawn from the specified performance. Similar Assignment - an assignment which requires the same general type of interpreting skills and which is within the same general time frame, same general geographic area, and is equally or less demanding as the original assignment. PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT Provision of Interpreter Services for Persons Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing I. INTRODUCTION The United States Department of Education (ED) requires the services of a Contractor for 12 months with four 12-month option periods to provide prompt, professional sign language/oral/tactile interpreting services for communication access for the Department of Education's central and regional office staffs in association with their employment in a variety of settings nationwide. This Contract may also provide interpreting services at events directly sponsored by the Department to ensure communication access to its constituents. This Contract shall not be used for daily routine staff support. This Contract shall not be used to procure services for grantee or contractor sponsored events. II. AUTHORIZATION Authority for this contractual activity is the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, Title V, Section 501, which provides for reasonable accommodation for employees with a disability, and Title V, Section 504, which provides that no individual with a disability shall, solely because of the disability, be excluded from participation in or be denied the benefits of any Federal program, or program receiving Federal financial assistance. III. BACKGROUND AND NEED There are several important reasons why the Department needs to continue to purchase interpreter services. Since the enactment of Section 501 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and subsequent amendments, plans to employ and address the special needs of individuals with a disability have led to employment opportunities for deaf and hard of hearing persons both within the Department as well as in the general labor market. As of September 30, 1996, the Department employs approximately 4,407 persons nationally. Of this number, 44 identify themselves as deaf or hard of hearing with General Services grade level classification distributions from GS-3 through SES with the greatest percentage of individuals at the GS-12 to GS-14 levels. As a result, interpreters may be needed at various times by both deaf, hard of hearing and hearing employees at all employment levels to carry out their duties. Further, the Department conducts numerous and varied conferences, seminars, training workshops, public hearings, and other activities, in order to receive input and advice on the development of its policies, to announce program changes, to disseminate program information and to carry out organizational functions required to implement quality programs. These assemblies may vary in size from a two-person meeting to an audience of several hundred or several thousand. When one or more persons who are deaf or hard of hearing are expected to be present, the Department needs to make special arrangements to facilitate communication access. The majority of the Department employees come into face-to-face contact with organizations and individuals conducting business with the agency. Staff liaisons and cooperative relations with outside groups increase the likelihood that agency personnel will be working closely with deaf and hard of hearing persons employed by other agencies in conferences and office settings. Since June 1, 1985, the Department has provided interpreter services through contractual arrangement for persons attending its activities. IV. PURPOSE A. Skill Category Sign Language/Oral/Tactile Interpreter/Transliterator. B. Scope and Effect The purpose of the services provided under this contract is to provide prompt, professional sign language/oral/tactile interpreting/transliterating services for communication access for the Department of Education's central and regional office staffs in association with their employment in a variety of settings nationwide. This Contract may also provide interpreting services at events directly sponsored by the Department to ensure communication access to its constituents. The Contract interpreter shall report directly to the site where services are to be provided, unless otherwise instructed by the Contracting Officer's Technical Representative (COTR). Interpreting assignments are to be performed in accordance with the minimum requirements for the skill category. C. Major Duties 1. The Contractor shall have in place and maintain a procedure for processing local , national, and remote interpreter requests, and be prepared to take requests starting on the effective date of the contract. This procedure shall include a mechanism for confirming assignments. The Contractor shall also maintain an adequate number of qualified sign language/oral interpreters on call to ensure response within the contractually required minimum notice time frame. The Contractor shall not send a particular interpreter based on the request of the COTR on behalf of the deaf or hard of hearing employees of ED. 2. The Contractor shall fill local and national services with a minimum of three (3) business day's notice, not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment, for assignments within the metropolitan DC area (e.g. For interpreter on a Friday, request due to Contractor by the preceding Monday) and a minimum of four (4) business day's notice, not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment, for assignments outside the metropolitan DC area (e.g. For interpreter on a Friday, request due to Contractor by the preceding Friday). In the event that the Department is not able to provide the minimum notice, the Contractor shall attempt to provide coverage, but is under no obligation to do so. The Department will submit requests for remote services as needed, with a minimum of same day notice. 3. The Contractor shall provide interpreters with RID Comprehensive Skills Certificate (CSC), Certificate of Interpretation (CI), Certificate of Transliteration (CT), Oral Transliteration Certificate (OTC), Interpretation Certificate (IC), Transliteration Certificate (TC), or any combination thereof, on assignments for the Secretary of the Department of Education, any other cabinet level or higher officials, press conferences, and congressional hearings with at least one (1) business day's notice (not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment). 4. The contract interpreter(s) shall simultaneously interpret/transliterate for Department staff or visitors/constituents who are deaf or hard of hearing to facilitate their full and equal participation in such events as, but not limited to, inter/intra-office meetings, telephone conferences, video conferences, peer review sessions, staff training sessions, meetings with local public or private organizations, Department sponsored conferences, public hearings, press conferences, town-hall meetings, Congressional hearings, and ceremonies to facilitate the exchange of information among persons with and without hearing disabilities. 5. With input from the deaf/hard of hearing/deaf-blind consumer, arranges seating/placement in meetings to permit effective communication, considering lighting, number and functions of the speakers, and the agenda. Using vocalization or other means, facilitates the entry of the participants who are deaf or hard of hearing into the discussion as appropriate. 6. Provides remote sign language/oral interpreting services to ensure communication access for the Department of Education's central and regional office staffs in association with their employment via video system located at the Department of Education's Central and Regional Offices. 7. All interpreting assignments shall be performed in accordance with the minimum requirements for the skill category, and the preferred communication mode of the person who is deaf or hard of hearing shall be used. D. Knowledge and Skills Required 1. The interpreter/transliterator must be able to faithfully transmit the content and style of spoken English into several forms of visual communication including Manually Coded English, Conceptually Accurate Signed English/Pidgin Signed English, American Sign Language, one of several tactile methods of communication used by persons with both visual and hearing disabilities, oral interpretation, or cued speech, depending on the preferred communication mode of the person who is deaf or hard of hearing. 2. The interpreter/transliterator must be able to faithfully translate the content and style of Manually Coded English, Conceptually Accurate Signed English/Pidgin Signed English, American Sign Language, one of several tactile methods of communication used by persons with both visual and hearing disabilities, oral interpretation, or cued speech into grammatically correct spoken English. 3. The interpreter/transliterator must practice the principles of professional demeanor, confidentiality, faithfulness and accuracy in interpretation/ transliteration to and from spoken English and various sign systems. 4. Training in and knowledge of the Code of Ethics for interpreters/ transliterators developed by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. (RID) is critical, whether or not the interpreter holds current RID certification, as outlined in number 3 of Major Duties. (Appendix A) 5. The interpreter/transliterator must be able to effectively and accurately use the remote video equipment. V. CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL A. Basic Requirements The Contractor shall provide staff who are qualified to perform the work described in this Performance Work Statement (PWS). Contractor personnel are responsible for: scheduling and filling of local, national, and remote interpreter requests; providing prompt, professional sign language/oral/tactile interpreting/transliterating services for communication access for the Department of Education's central and regional office staffs in association with their employment in a variety of settings nationwide; providing prompt, professional sign language/oral/tactile interpreting/transliterating services at events directly sponsored by the Department to ensure communication access to its constituents; and reporting on these activities. B. Project Management The Contractor shall provide a project director (PD) for administration and technical supervision of Contractor employees. The PD shall be the Contractor's primary representative and have the Contractor's full authority to act on matters pertaining to the performance of services under this contract. The PD shall have technical experience and be knowledgeable in all facets of the work required to be performed under the PWS and have recent experience managing a contract or operation similar in scope and complexity to the present contract. C. Technical Qualifications of Interpreting Staff The Contractor shall employ interpreting staff who have the knowledge and skills outlined in Section VI, D. VI. QUALITY CONTROL/QUALITY ASSURANCE A. Contractor's Quality Control Plan The Contractor shall establish a performance based quality assurance (QA) plan to ensure that the requirements of the contract are met as specified. An updated copy shall be provided to the COTR and the CO on the contract start date and as changes occur. This performance based QA plan shall include but not be limited to the following: 1. An inspection program addressing all of the services stated in the PWS. It must specify the areas to be inspected on either a scheduled or unscheduled basis and the names, titles and qualifications of the individuals performing inspections and the extent of their authority. Their functional roles must be depicted in an organizational chart. 2. Methods of identifying deficiencies in the quality of services performed before the level of performance becomes unacceptable and the corrective actions need to be taken; procedures for notifying the COTR when deficiencies are encountered; planned corrective actions and descriptions of proposed sampling techniques. In other words a continuous improvement process. 3. Methods of documenting and enforcing quality control operations of both the Contractor's and Subcontractor's (if any) work, including inspection and testing. 4. The format for the Contractor's Quality Control Reports. Documentation of all quality control inspections, inspection results, and any corrective action required and/or performed, shall be maintained by the Contractor throughout the term of the contract. This documentation shall become the property of ED and made available to both the CO and COTR upon request. The documentation shall be turned over to the CO within ten (10) business days after completion or termination of the contract. B. ED's Quality Assurance Surveillance Plan (QASP) ED will monitor, assess, record and report on the Contractor's technical performance under this contract in accordance with the procedures, methods and guidelines set forth in its Performance Based QASP. A copy of this plan is attached. VII. REQUIREMENT OVERVIEW The Contractor's proposal shall show that the Contractor understands the technical, conceptual, and practical aspects of the work to be performed. The proposal shall also show limits foreseen by the Contractor with respect to cost, deadlines, technical limitations, and personnel limitations. The Contractor shall designate one person as Project Director (PD) who shall oversee all of the Contractor's work in this Contract. The PD shall serve as the liaison with ED's COTR and shall also be responsible for ensuring that the performance of each requested service meets ED's requirements. VIII. SCOPE OF WORK Contract Year 1 TASK 1: UPDATE BASELINE MANAGEMENT PLAN (Comprising Subtasks 1.1, 1.2, 1.3) 1.1 Within five (5) business days after the effective date of the contract, the Contractor shall attend a meeting with the Contracting Officer (CO), or his/her representative, the COTR, and other appropriate ED officials in Washington, D.C. The purpose of this meeting is not to alter the contract or the proposed contract design, but to provide better management information for use by both the Contractor and ED in monitoring the work to be performed, the time of performance, and resources to be utilized. Issues to be addressed may include, but are not limited to, reviewing and clarifying the following: the goals and objectives of the procurement; the terms and conditions of the contract; the Contractor's approach to the major tasks as specified in the procedural plan section of the Contractor's proposal; and the procedures to be followed when the ED requests interpreter services. It is also expected that this meeting will provide management information for use by the Contractor and ED in monitoring the work to be performed, the timeliness of performance, and the resources to be used. 1.2 Following the meeting described in task 1.1 and within ten (10) business days after the effective date of the contract, the Contractor shall prepare two (2) copies of a Baseline Management Plan (BMP) for accomplishment of all tasks, subtasks, and deliverables. The plan shall update the Proposed BMP submitted with the proposal. One (1) copy of the BMP shall be sent to the Contracting Officer (CO) and one (1) copy of the BMP shall be sent to the COTR. 1.3 The CO will notify the Contractor of approval or required modification within five (5) business days after receipt of the BMP. Further changes to the BMP may, from time to time, be required as work progresses. (Such changes shall be subject to review and revision by the CO and the COTR) 1.4 The Contractor shall submit two (2) copies of the final BMP within five (5) business days after receipt of approval from the CO. One (1) copy of the final BMP shall be sent to the CO and one (1) copy of the final BMP shall be sent to the COTR. TASK 2: PROCESS INTERPRETER SERVICES REQUESTS (Comprising Subtasks 2.1, 2.2, 2.3, 2.4) In processing interpreter services requests the Contractor shall use all means available to provide quality interpreting services while keeping cost effectiveness a priority. 2.1 Starting on the effective date of the contract, the Contractor shall receive local, national, and remote interpreter requests from the COTR and process them accordingly. The COTR may call or fax the requests into the Contractor. The request shall be logged in at the time the COTR speaks to the Contractor directly, leaves a message for the Contractor, or faxes the Contractor. 2.2 The Contractor shall select qualified interpreters to fill all requests 2.21 The contractor shall have on-call interpreters with the following levels of certification: CSC, CI, CT, OTC, IC, TC, or any combination thereof. The COTR will inform the contractor of the type of audience anticipated and determine the level of interpreters required. All interpreter assignments for the Secretary of the Department of Education, any other cabinet level or higher officials, press conferences, and congressional hearings shall automatically be assigned an interpreter(s) with RID certification. 2.22 The interpreters shall faithfully interpret the content and style of spoken English into several forms of visual communication including Manually Coded English, Conceptually Accurate Signed English/Pidgin Signed English, American Sign Language, one of several tactile methods of communication used by persons with both visual and hearing disabilities, or oral interpretation, depending on the preferred communication mode of the person who is deaf or hard of hearing. 2.23 The interpreter/transliterator shall faithfully interpret the content and style of manually coded English, conceptually accurate signed English, American Sign Language, oral communication, or one of several tactile methods used by persons with both visual and hearing disabilities into grammatically correct spoken English. 2.24 The interpreter/transliterator shall practice the principles of professional demeanor, confidentiality, faithfulness and accuracy in interpretation/ transliteration to and from spoken English and various sign systems. 2.25 The interpreters/transliterators shall adhere to the Code of Ethics for interpreters/ transliterators developed by the RID, whether or not the interpreter holds current RID certification. 2.3 Number of Interpreters Cost effectiveness and the availability of interpreters shall govern in each case the number of interpreters to be provided. If more than one type of interpreting is requested, consideration shall be given to the mode that most effectively and efficiently meets the communication needs of the deaf participants. However, the COTR shall make the final decision on the number of interpreters to be provided per assignment. The Department may request a maximum of 24 interpreters for a single assignment. The Department estimates that it will require approximately 4,120 hours of interpreter services during Contract Year 1. The minimum number of interpreter hours is estimated to be 1,000 hours and the maximum shall be 4,500 hours. TASK 3: CONFIRM INTERPRETERS WHEN ASSIGNED (Comprising Subtasks 3.1, 3.2) 3.1 The contractor shall confirm that each assignment is filled by calling the COTR and providing the name of the interpreter(s) once they are assigned. If no interpreter(s) can be found, the Contractor shall call and inform the COTR at least two days prior to the start of the assignment. If the interpreter(s) has/have not been confirmed by 4:00 pm on the day before the scheduled day of the assignment, the assignment is considered unfilled and shall be billed as unfilled. The contractor, then, shall stop looking for interpreter(s) unless instructed by the COTR to continue the search. Should the Contractor fail to find interpreter(s) for an assignment, the actual cost of the requested number of hours up to, but not to exceed, 16 hours per interpreter slot, shall be deducted from the monthly billing for each occurrence. Failure by the Contractor to provide the number and types of interpreters requested on more than one (1) assignment in any given quarter shall be grounds for ED to terminate this Contract. 3.2 The Contractor shall call and notify the COTR of any interpreter changes made after the assignment has been filled and confirmed. TASK 4: PROVIDE INTERPRETER SERVICES (Comprising Subtasks 4.1, 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6, 4.7) 4.1 The interpreter(s) shall arrive at the assigned site at least 15 minutes prior to the start of the assignment. The interpreter(s) providing remote interpreting services shall be ready at the requested start time of the assignment. 4.2 The assigned interpreter(s) shall provide the mode of communication and language preferred by the deaf or hard of hearing participant(s). 4.3 If the requestor or the contact person is not present at a scheduled assignment, the interpreter(s) shall check with the COTR, or the COTR's designated staff, before leaving the assignment. If the interpreter is released early by the requestor or the contact person, then the interpreter shall contact the COTR, or the COTR's designated staff, to determine if the interpreter is needed for a similar assignment. A similar assignment constitutes an assignment which requires the same general type of interpreting skills and which is within the same general time frame, same general geographic area, and is equally or less demanding as the original assignment. 4.4 The Contract interpreter(s) shall simultaneously interpret/transliterate for Department staff or visitors/constituents who are deaf or hard of hearing to facilitate their full and equal participation in such events as, but not limited to, inter/intra-office meetings, telephone conferences, video conferences, peer review sessions, staff training sessions, meetings with local public or private organizations, Department sponsored conferences, public hearings, press conferences, town-hall meetings, Congressional hearings, and ceremonies to facilitate the exchange of information among persons with and without hearing impairments. 4.5 With input from the deaf/hard of hearing/deaf-blind consumer, the Contract interpreter(s) shall arrange seating/placement in meetings to permit effective communication, considering lighting, number of functions of the speakers, and the agenda. Using vocalization or other means, facilitates the entry of the participants who are deaf or hard of hearing into the discussion as appropriate. 4.6 If there are no deaf or hard of hearing participants at a scheduled assignment, the interpreter (s) shall check with the on-site contact person before leaving the assignment. If the on-site contact person determines that the interpreter(s) should continue to interpret, the interpreter(s) is/are required to do so. If the interpreter(s) is/are released early by the on-site contact person, then the interpreter(s) in the Washington, DC area, shall contact the COTR or the COTR's delegated staff to determine if the interpreter(s) is/are needed for a similar assignment. 4.7 At the conclusion of each assignment, the Contract interpreter(s) shall complete the Department's Interpreter Verification Form and return it to the ED contact person. See Appendix B. TASK 5: SUBMIT QUARTERLY PERFORMANCE REPORTS AND ANNUAL REPORTS (Comprising Subtasks 5.1, 5.2, 5.3) 5.1 Quarterly Performance Reports: The Contractor shall prepare two (2) copies of a quarterly performance report including work date, number of hours worked, individual interpreter fees, overhead/service fee, travel/per diem charges, and total amounts each quarter. One (1) copy of each quarterly performance report shall be sent to the CO and one (1) copy of each quarterly performance report shall be sent to the COTR within 30 business days after the end of each quarter. 5.2 Annual Performance Reports: The Contractor shall prepare two (2) copies of an annual performance report summarizing events that occurred during the contract base year and two (2) copies of an annual performance report for each option year exercised. One (1) copy of each annual performance report shall be sent to the CO and one (1) copy of each annual performance report shall be sent to the COTR within 30 business days after years one, two, three, four and at the end of contract year 5, if all option years are exercised. Each report shall contain the following topics: Introduction: General overview of organization contracted for these services and its activities and programs. Background: General discussion on nature and scope of services provided for the Department of Education. Manpower: Report summarizing a) the number of interpreters used, b) type(s) of interpreting service(s) provided, c) number of hours of interpreting services provided, and d) levels of certification of interpreters. Problems: Description of any problems encountered and methods of prevention or resolution. Evaluation: A self-assessment of performance by the Contractor. Recommendations. Format for Report: The report shall show the title and contract number on the cover or first page. It is to be typed double spaced on standard letter-size paper without the use of a reduction process. 5.3 Final Performance Report: The Contractor shall prepare two (2) copies of a final performance report summarizing events that occurred during the contract period. One (1) copy of the final performance report shall be sent to the CO and one (1) copy of the final performance report shall be sent to the COTR within 30 business days after the last day of the contract period. The final performance report shall contain the following topics: Introduction: General overview of organization contracted for these services and its activities and programs. Background: General discussion on nature and scope of services provided for the Department of Education. Manpower: Report summarizing a) the number of interpreters used, b) type(s) of interpreting service(s) provided, c) number of hours of interpreting services provided, and d) levels of certification of interpreters. Problems: Description of any problems encountered and methods of prevention or resolution. Evaluation: A self-assessment of performance by the Contractor. Recommendations. Format for Report: The report shall show the title and contract number on the cover or first page. It is to be typed double spaced on standard letter-size paper without the use of a reduction process. Option Year 1 (Contract Year 2) As specified in Year 1, Tasks 1-3 shall be completed during the option year, except in Task 2, the minimum number of interpreter hours is estimated to be 1,000 hours and the maximum is estimated to be 4,500 hours. Option Years 2- 4 (Contract Years 3 -5) The same as specified in Option Year 1, except in Task 2, the minimum number of interpreter hours is estimated to be 1,000 and maximum is estimated to be 5,000 hours. IX. DELIVERABLES Task Deliverable Quantity Time line 1.2 Baseline Management Plan (BMP) Two (2) Copies: One (1) Copy to the CO and One (1) Copy to the COTR Within Ten (10) Business Days after the Effective Date of the Contract 1.4 Final Baseline Management Plan (BMP) Two (2) Copies: One (1) Copy to the CO and One (1) Copy to the COTR Within Five (5) Business Days after Receipt of Approval from the CO 5.1 Quarterly Performance Reports Two (2) Copies: One (1) Copy to the CO and One (1) Copy to the COTR Within 30 Business Days after the End of Each Quarter 5.2 Annual Performance Reports Two (2) Copies: One (1) Copy to the CO and One (1) Copy to the COTR Within 30 Business Days after Years One, Two, Three, Four and at the End of Contract Year 5, If All Option Years Are Exercised 5.3 Final Performance Report Two (2) Copies: One (1) Copy to the CO and One (1) Copy to the COTR Within 30 Business Days after the Last Day of the Contract Period X. MINIMUM STANDARDS OF PERFORMANCE The Contractor shall meet the Minimum Standards of Performance (MSP) described below in performing the work described in Section VIII., Scope of Work. The MSP identify the point of demarcation between satisfactory and unsatisfactory performance. ED will monitor the Contractor's performance in accordance with procedures set forth in its QASP and will take appropriate action for all documentation instances where performance falls below the MSP. 1. Filling Interpreter Requests No more than one request with the minimum notice shall go unfilled in any given Year. Minimum notice is defined as three (3) business day's notice (not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment) for assignments within the metropolitan DC area, a minimum of four (4) business day's notice (not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment) for assignments outside the metropolitan DC area, a minimum of one (1) business day's notice (not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment) for assignments for the Secretary of the Department of Education, any other cabinet level or higher officials, press conferences, and congressional hearings, and a minimum of same day notice for remote services. 2. Confirming Interpreter Requests No more than one request shall go unconfirmed in any given quarter. 3. Interpreting at a Variety of Assignments Locally, Nationally, and Remotely There shall be no more than an average of two instances per month where an interpreter arrives after the actual start time of an assignment . There shall be no more than two instances per year where an interpreter fails to show up for an assignment. There shall be at least a 90% satisfaction rate among consumers. 4. Reporting on Interpreting Services Provided At least 80% of all reports must be submitted within the deadlines outlined in the scope of work. Note: Exceptions may be made to the MSP in the case of natural disaster (e.g. fire, flood, other acts of God), but is left to the discretion of the COTR and the CO. XI. ORDERING REQUIREMENTS A. The COTR will call with a minimum of three (3) business day's notice (not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment) for assignments within the metropolitan DC area, a minimum of four (4) business day's notice (not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment) for assignments outside the metropolitan DC area, a minimum of one (1) business day's notice (not including the day of the request or the day of the assignment) for assignments for the Secretary of the Department of Education, any other cabinet level or higher officials, press conferences, and congressional hearings, and a minimum of same day notice for remote services, and/or fax to the Contractor all information related to the assignment and maintain a record of each interpreting assignment. This information for each assignment will include: 1. Name and telephone number of individual making request. 2. Name and telephone number of on-site contact person. 3. Date(s) and time(s) interpreter(s) is/are needed. 4. The number and type of interpreter(s) needed. 5. Subject and type of meeting or activity. 6. Location of the interpreter(s) needed: street address, building name, number and room number. 7. Travel and/or per diem allowances, cabs and parking, if applicable. 8. Name(s) of deaf, hard of hearing, or deaf-blind participants(s), when available. 9. ED# for record keeping purposes. The Contractor shall maintain a record of each assignment request to facilitate verification of billing information. B. The Contractor shall establish procedures to select an interpreter(s) and ensure acceptance of assignments prior to date(s) of assignment. The Contractor shall call the COTR when the interpreter(s) is/are assigned and supply the name(s) of the interpreter(s) or inform the COTR that the interpreter(s) has/have not been found, at least two hours prior to the start of the assignment. C. In the event that the Department is not able to provide the minimum three/four business day's notice, the Contractor shall attempt to provide coverage, but is under no obligation to do so. D. The COTR will also be responsible for notifying the Contractor of any cancellations or changes after an assignment has been given to the Contractor. XII. CANCELLATION The contractor shall assure understanding of the following procedures: A. Should the COTR cancel a request for services and the Contractor has found and confirmed interpreter(s) and the cancellation is made with less than two (2) business day's notice before the scheduled event is to occur, then the Government will pay up to 16 hours of services requested per interpreter. If no interpreter(s) has/have been found and confirmed at the time of the cancellation, then there is no cost to the Government. If an interpreter(s) has been found at the time of cancellation and the cancellation is within two (2) business days of the assignment, then the interpreter(s) must be available to accept a similar assignment in order for the contractor to be paid. A similar assignment constitutes an assignment which requires the same general type interpreting skills and which is within the same general time frame, same general geographic area, and is equally or less demanding as the original assignment. The contractor shall not be paid for both the cancellation and the similar assignment, but shall be paid for whichever is longer. XIII. PERFORMANCE EVALUATION Users of the interpreting services may, if they so desire, provide the COTR with a written feedback on the services that have been provided. See Appendix C. Problems, if any, will be identified by the COTR and communicated to the CO, who will take action, as necessary. XIV. PLACE OF PERFORMANCE The work under this contract will be performed at: the Department of Education buildings and other sites requiring ED presence nationwide. These include, but are not limited to: Federal Building-10, 600 Independence Avenue, SW, Washington, DC L'Enfant Plaza, 2100 Corridor, Washington, DC Mary E. Switzer Building, 330 C Street, SW, Washington, DC Regional Office Building-3, 7th and D Streets, SW, Washington, DC Capitol Place, 555 New Jersey Ave., NW, Washington, DC The Portals Building, 1250 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC FOB-6 upon reopening, 400 Maryland Avenue, SW, Washington, DC various Federal buildings, hotels, and conference sites in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. RSA Region I: J.W. McCormack Post Office and Courthouse, Room 232, Boston, Massachusetts 02109 RSA Region II: 75 Park Place, Room 1236, New York, New York 10007 RSA Region III: 3535 Market Street, Room 16120, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19104 RSA Region IV: 61 Forsyth Street, NW, Room 18T91, Atlanta, Georgia 30303 RSA Region V: 111 N. Canal, Room 1048, Chicago, Illinois 60606 RSA Region VI: 1200 Main Tower Bldg., Room 2220, Dallas, Texas 75202 RSA Region VII: 10220 N. Executive Hills Boulevard, Kansas City, Missouri 64153-1367 RSA Region VIII: Federal Office Building, Suite 310, 1244 Speer Boulevard, Denver, Colorado 80204-3582 RSA Region IX: Federal Office Building, Room 215, 50 United Nations Plaza, San Francisco, California 94102 RSA Region X: 915 Second Avenue, Room 2848, Seattle, Washington 98174-1099 Various Federal buildings, hotels, and conference sites nationwide XV. PAYMENT The contractor shall provide assurance that the following conditions/procedures are followed and understood: A. Within 15 working days of the last day of each month, the Contractor shall submit an invoice showing each interpreting service provided during the month to the Department of Education Contracting Officer for payment. See Appendix D. B. The Contractor shall be paid for the actual number of hours of interpreting services requested or provided. However, the Contractor shall receive compensation for a minimum of two hours of interpreting services for each day requested per assignment, if the interpreter(s) is/are available to work the scheduled hours. C. The Contractor will be paid according to the hourly interpreting rate agreed upon in the contract. D. The monthly invoices from the Contractor shall include the ED number, dates of service, number of hours worked, names of interpreter(s), rate of pay per hour, and travel/per diem/Metro/Cabs/parking charges. The invoices shall also indicate if there are charges for specific job-related admission tickets, and overtime (advanced COTR approval required). E. Overtime is for any assignment on which an interpreter works for a total duration of over eight hours (advanced COTR approval required). Time and a half shall be paid only for the actual time worked over eight hours per day per interpreter or one interpreter working a two interpreter assignment. F. Should the Contractor fail to find interpreter(s) for an assignment, the actual cost of the requested number of hours up to 16 hours per interpreter slot, shall be deducted from the monthly billing for each occurrence. G. Should the interpreter(s) not show up for an assignment, the actual cost of the requested number of hours, up to 16 hours per interpreter slot shall be deducted from the monthly billing for each occurrence. XVI. EQUIPMENT The Contractor shall provide Remote Interpreting Services using video teleconferencing equipment which complies with ITU H.320 standards. This equipment shall be compatible with ED's equipment. The system must run at minimum data rate of 384 Kbps. Offerors in the competitive range will be contacted for remote video conferencing demonstration of their equipment prior to award of contract. There will be no Government Furnished Property (GFP) associated with this contract. The government will furnish none of the equipment needed for the performance of this contract, including the Remote Video Interpreting equipment. XVII. TIME OF PERFORMANCE Contract interpreters will be called on an "as needed" basis. Contract interpreters may work a minimum of two (2) hours per day. Appendix A Code of Ethics The Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. has set forth the following principles of ethical behavior to protect and guide interpreters and transliterators and hearing and deaf consumers. Underlying these principles is the desire to insure for all the right to communicate. This Code of Ethics applies to all members of the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf, Inc. and to all certified non-members. Interpreters/transliterators shall keep all assignment-related information strictly confidential. Interpreters/transliterators shall render the message faithfully, always conveying the content and spirit of the speaker using language most readily understood by the person(s) whom they serve. Interpreters/transliterators shall not counsel, advise or interject personal opinions. Interpreters/transliterators shall accept assignments using discretion with regard to skill, setting, and the consumers involved. Interpreters/transliterators shall request compensation for services in a professional and judicious manner. Interpreters/transliterators shall function in a manner appropriate to the situation. Interpreters/transliterators shall strive to further knowledge and skills through participation in work-shops, professional meetings, interaction with professional colleagues, and reading of current literature in the field. Interpreters/transliterators, by virtue of membership or certification by the RID, Inc., shall strive to maintain high professional standards in compliance with the Code of Ethics. Appendix B ED # DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION VERIFICATION OF INTERPRETING SERVICES CONTRACT # HR98-____ Name of Interpreter __________________________________________________ Office Requesting Services _____________________________________________ Place of Event _______________________________________________________ _______________________________________________________ Total Hours in Attendance, Not Requested Hours ________ Dates/Times Scheduled Dates Interpreted Time Started Time Ended _____________________ _________________ ____________ __________ _____________________ _________________ ____________ __________ _____________________ _________________ ____________ __________ _____________________ _________________ ____________ __________ _____________________ _________________ ____________ __________ __________________________________ __________ Signature of Interpreter Date ________________________________ _____________________ __________ Signature of Requesting Official Office Date This form is to be returned to: Rehabilitation Services Administration Deafness and Communicative Disorders Branch Mary E. Switzer Building, Room 3217 330 C Street, SW Washington, DC 20202-2736 Attention: Mary Lovley 202-205-9393 Voice 202-401-3664 TDD 202-205-9340 Fax _________________________________ Contact Person: Address: NOTE: This form shall be filled out by each interpreter for each day requested. Actual dates and times are to be documented, not dates and time requested. Appendix C Interpreter Services Feedback Form The purpose of this form is to assist in monitoring the performance of the interpreter services contractor. Any feedback you can provide would be appreciated. Feedback must fit into the areas outlined below. This form corresponds with ED # ____ Dates: __________________________ Times: __________________________ Names of interpreters: ___________________________________________________________ 1. Interpreter(s) arrived on time. Yes ___ No ___ If no, explain ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 2. Interpreter(s) maintained professional demeanor (including adhering to the RID Code of Ethics). Yes ___ No ___ If no, explain ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 3. Interpreter(s) interpreted/transliterated in consumers preferred mode of communication. Yes ___ No ___ If no, explain ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ 4. General Comments (positive or negative) ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Appendix D DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION CONTRACT # INVOICE FOR THE MONTH OF: OCTOBER 1997 ED # DATE(S) TIME(S) INTERPRETER(S) HRS (Local) HRS (Nat'l) MINS (Remote) RATE TRANS/ PER DIEM/ OTHER TOTAL 1 10/3/97-10/4/97 8AM-4PM J. DOE/J. SMITH 16 XX.XX XX.XX XX.XX 2 10/11/97 1PM-3PM J. DOE 2 XX.XX XX.XX 10/12/97 2PM-4PM J. DOE 2 XX.XX XX.XX XX.XX 3 10/30/97 9:50AM-10:02AM J. DOE 12 XX.XX XX.XX XX.XX TOTAL 16 4 12 XX.XX XX.XX