Inactive Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) Set-Aside (FAR 19.14)

1. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for Translation Services, as prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice... 1. This is a combined synopsis/solicitation for Translation Services, as prepared in accordance with the format in FAR Subpart 12.6, as supplemented with additional information included in this notice. This announcement constitutes the only solicitation; quotes are being requested and a written solicitation will not be issued. A firm-fixed price purchase order is anticipated. FAR 13, Simplified Acquisition Procedures will be used. 2. The solicitation number is 36C26020Q0315 and is issued as a request for quotation (RFQ). 3. The solicitation document and incorporated provisions and clauses are those in effect through Federal Acquisition Circular 2005-101. 4. This solicitation is set aside 100% for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Businesses and the associated NAICS 541930 code has a small business size standard of $8 Million. The business has been verified for ownership and control pursuant to 38 CFR 74 and is so listed in the Vendor Information Pages (VIP) database, (https://www.vip.vetbiz.gov). The Government is seeking a contract to acquire Translation Services. This solicitation is seeking to fulfill the statement of work. 5. PRICE/COST SCHEDULE ITEM NUMBER DESCRIPTION OF SUPPLIES/SERVICES QUANTITY UNIT UNIT PRICE AMOUNT 0001 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to Veterans/family members/caregivers in support and care of patients at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. Contract Period: Base POP Begin: 07-01-2020 POP End: 06-30-2021 0002 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to support the growth and development of employees at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. POP Begin: 07-01-2020 POP End: 06-30-2021 1001 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to Veterans/family members/caregivers in support and care of patients at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. Contract Period: Base POP Begin: 07-01-2021 POP End: 06-30-2022 1002 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to support the growth and development of employees at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. POP Begin: 07-01-2021 POP End: 06-30-2022 2001 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to Veterans/family members/caregivers in support and care of patients at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. Contract Period: Base POP Begin: 07-01-2022 POP End: 06-30-2023 2002 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to support the growth and development of employees at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. POP Begin: 07-01-2022 POP End: 06-30-2023 3001 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to Veterans/family members/caregivers in support and care of patients at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. Contract Period: Base POP Begin: 07-01-2023 POP End: 06-30-2024 3002 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to support the growth and development of employees at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. POP Begin: 07-01-2023 POP End: 06-30-2024 4001 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to Veterans/family members/caregivers in support and care of patients at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. Contract Period: Base POP Begin: 07-01-2024 POP End: 06-30-2025 4002 1 YR __________________ __________________ Interpretation services provided to support the growth and development of employees at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. This is bulk funded for Services. POP Begin: 07-01-2024 POP End: 06-30-2025 GRAND TOTAL __________________ STATEMENT OF WORK 1. Contract Title: VA Puget Sound Foreign Language and American Sign Language (ASL) Interpreting and Translation Services 2. Background: In accordance with VHA Directive 2012-024, Executive Order 13166, Joint Commission Standard RI.2.100, and EEO laws, VA Puget Sound Health Care System seeks to establish and implement policies and procedures for providing language assistance sufficient to fulfill equal opportunity responsibilities and provide Limited English Proficient (LEP) Veterans/patients, their family members and caregivers with meaningful access to health care programs, services and benefits. Language assistance includes translation of documents and interpreting of spoken languages as well as American Sign Language. The services of certified American Sign Language Interpreting Services are required for deaf and hard of hearing Veterans/patients, their family members and caregivers at VA Puget Sound Health Care System. 3. Scope of Work (Requirements and Delivery): Contractor will provide trained and competent language interpretation and translation services in all available languages to include, but not limited to, Spanish, Vietnamese, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Tagalog, Laotian, Samoan and Taiwanese upon request, which may include short notice, 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, for Veterans/patients, their family members and caregivers who have limited English proficiency. Please see document titled Schedule of Languages for additional list of languages requested. This contract will allow any VA Puget Sound Health Care System clinical or administrative staff members to request services directly from the contractor. The contractor must be able to track the name of any VA Puget Sound employee utilizing any of the services requested under this contract and provide this information as specified in the Delivery Schedule clause below. As part of this contract the following services shall be available throughout the VA Puget Sound Health Care System: On-site oral foreign language interpreter services utilizing an hourly rate. Telephonic foreign language interpreter services utilizing a flat per minute rate. Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services (spoken languages) utilizing a flat per minute rate. On-site American Sign Language interpreting services utilizing an hourly rate. Video Remote Interpreting (VRI) services for American Signed Language utilizing a flat per minute rate. Translation services of written, electronic and multimedia material for all available written languages utilizing a per word rate. 4. Monitoring and Compliance: All interpreters and translators are expected to have a working knowledge of medical terminology in both English and their second language and must retain the meaning of original speech or text into the target language. Similarly, oral interpreters must abide by the National Standards of Practice and Code of Ethics for Health Care Interpreters; American Sign Language interpreters must abide by the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf Ethical Code of Conduct; and all interpreters and translators must conduct themselves in a professional manner when interacting with patients, medical staff and adhere to the following: On-site interpreters, including ASL interpreters, are expected to be in professional attire suitable to the healthcare environment. They should refrain from wearing clothing which distracts from the orderly conduct of business with patients and staff. Examples include: shorts, see-thorough fabrics, sweatpants, scrubs, denim, tank and spaghetti strap tops, low-cut necklines and wrinkled or tattered clothing. Due to patients with chemical sensitivities, VA Puget Sound asks that Contractors avoid using scented lotion, perfume or cologne. All shoes must be clean, safe for the medical setting to include closed-toe shoes. On site interpreters are expected to arrive on site no less than 10 minutes prior to the appointment and check in with person indicated at the time the request was made. This time will not be considered reimbursable time and is reflective of industry standard. Late arrivals will result in no payment. To ensure a healthy environment for our patients, all on-site interpreters are required to have annual TB screenings and Influenza vaccinations. To protect our patient s health, any interpreter showing signs of illness may be asked to leave. Telephonic and VRI interpreters must work from a quiet, non-distracting and secure work environment. Interpreters should be aware of their surroundings and be cognizant of HIPAA regulations when working from outside an office environment. Contractor must ensure that all interpreters and translators are trained and competent in accordance with Joint Commission and VHA requirements. Interpreters and translators will comply with patient privacy, confidentiality, and HIPAA requirements. Veterans, their families and/or caregivers along with VA Puget Sound staff may provide assessment of their satisfaction regarding services provided. 5. Other Pertinent Information: Contractor must specify that aside from the fees and expenses proposed no other costs will accrue to VA Puget Sound Health Care System for the proposed services. 6. Place of Performance: Interpreting and translation services shall be available throughout VA Puget Sound Health Care System catchment area: VA Puget Sound Seattle Division, 1660 S. Columbian Way, Seattle, WA 98108 VA Puget Sound American Lake Division, 9600 Veterans Drive, Tacoma, WA 98498 Valor CBOC Bellevue, 13033 Bel-Red Road Suite 210, Bellevue, WA 98005 Silverdale VA Clinic, 9177 Ridgetop Boulevard NW, Silverdale, WA 98383-8519 Valor CBOC Federal Way, 34617 11th Place South, Suite 301, Federal, WA 98003-8706 Valor CBOC Lake City, 12360 Lake City Way NE, Suite 200, Seattle, WA 98125-5447 Mount Vernon VA Clinic, 307 South 13th Street, Suite 200, Mount Vernon, WA 98274-4100 North Olympic Peninsula VA Clinic, 114 Georgiana Street, Port Angeles, WA 98362-4212 Valor CBOC South Sound, Lewis County Mall, 151 NE Hampe Way, Suite B2-6, Chehalis, WA 98532-2403 **NOTE Puget Sound will be dissolving its relationship with the valor clinics in the future and will be replace with VA micro-clinics; the number of clinics and locations are to be determined. 7. Period of Performance: This agreement will be a Base +4 Option Year Agreement effective July 1, 2020 June 31, 2020 with each Option Year ending June 30 of that Calendar Year. 8. Delivery Schedule: The Contractor shall provide an electronic or hardcopy of every invoice to PUGHASInterpretationServices@va.gov, or a representative assigned by the Facility, at the addresses indicated below following completion of each service request. Contractor must not include patients identifying information in their electronic communications. Interpretation Contract Services Health Administration Service Line VA Puget Sound Health Care System 1660 S. Columbian Way, MS: S-136-HAS Seattle, WA 98108 Phone: (206) 277-6417 FAX: (206) 764-2483 All invoices will be submitted within 3 business days of the provision of service and must include at a minimum the following information: 1. Date of encounter 2. Start/End time of encounter 3. Language service provided 4. Location (Division, clinic/ward name, home) 5. Service Type (i.e. on-site, VRI, telephone, translation) 6. Name and contact information of VA Puget Sound employee submitting the request. All disputes shall be responded to by Contractor within 3 business days of a request. In addition to the provision of invoices, Contractor must provide monthly summary of time/minute/word usage by service type to PUGHASInterpretationServices@va.gov, or a representative assigned by the Facility, at the address listed above upon request. Reports will be sorted by service type (i.e. on-site, VRI, telephonic, translation). 9. Security Requirements: Contracting Department will ensure that a Business Associate Agreement is included and completed as part of this contract. The Certification and Accreditation requirements do not apply; Security Accreditation Package is not required. 7. Period of Performance: This agreement will be a Base +4 Option Year Agreement effective June 1, 2020 May 31, 2012 with each Option Year ending May 31 of that Calendar Year. BASE 07/01/2020 through 06/30/2021 OPTION PERIOD 1 07/01/2021 through 06/30/2022 OPTION PERIOD 2 07/01/2022 through 06/30/2023 OPTION PERIOD 3 07/01/2023 through 06/30/2024 OPTION PERIOD 4 07/01/2024 through 06/30/2025 8. Delivery Schedule: All invoices will be submitted within 15 business days of the provision of service and must include at a minimum the following information: 1. Date of encounter 2. Start/End time of encounter 3. Language service provided 4. Location 5. Service Type (i.e. on-site, VRI, telephone, translation) 6. Name of employee submitting the request. All disputes shall be responded to by Contractor within 3 business days of a request. In addition to the provision of invoices. 9. Security Requirements: Contracting Department will ensure that a Business Associate Agreement is included and completed as part of this contract. The Certification and Accreditation requirements do not apply; Security Accreditation Package is not required. 10. FAR Clauses & Provisions The full text of FAR provisions or clauses may be accessed electronically at http://acquisition.gov/comp/far/index.html. The following solicitation provisions apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.212-1, Instructions to Offerors Commercial Items (Oct 2018) FAR 52.212-2 Evaluation-Commercial Items (Oct 2014) The Government will award a contract resulting from this solicitation to the responsible offeror whose offer conforming to the solicitation will be most advantageous to the Government, price and other factors considered. The following factors shall be used to evaluate offers: (1) Price; and (2) Technical Acceptability (3) Past Performance. Technical and past performance, when combined, are equal to price. Options. The Government will evaluate offers for award purposes by adding the total price for all options to the total price for the basic requirement. The Government may determine that an offer is unacceptable if the option prices are significantly unbalanced. Evaluation of options shall not obligate the Government to exercise the option(s). (c) A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, mailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the offer, shall result in a binding contract without further action by either party. Before the offer's specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. ADDENDUM TO 52.212-2: BASIS OF AWARD TRANSLATION SERVICES for the DEPARTMENT OF VETERANS AFFAIRS, ROSEBURG VA MEDICAL CENTER, ROSEBURG, OR Quotes Are Due: No Later Than 24 April 2020 at 1:00 PM Mountain Time. PREPARATION OF OFFERS FOR EVALUATION Contract Type: This Contract will be firm fixed price. The Government intends to select one offeror to award a Contract for this solicitation. Please note the following changes, clarifications, or additions to the terms in various provisions and clauses included in this solicitation. Responsive and Responsible: This is a best value negotiated acquisition based on Lowest Priced, Technically Acceptable (LPTA) evaluation factors. A single offeror will be selected who is deemed responsive and responsible in accordance with the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) 9.104-1, whose offer conforms to the Request for Quote (RFQ) requirements and who has acceptable or neutral past performance. Options: This requirement includes option years, e.g., Contract Line Item 1001, 2001, 3001, and 4001, which may or may not be exercised by the Government. If exercised, the contractor will perform all services in accordance with their proposal plan and price. The Government makes no guarantee that any or all of the option items will be exercised after completion of the initial phase of this requirement, represented by CLIN 0001 through 0003. Firm Fixed-Price Contract: A written notice of award or acceptance of an offer, emailed or otherwise furnished to the successful offeror within the time for acceptance specified in the solicitation, shall result in a contract without further action by either party. Before the offer s specified expiration time, the Government may accept an offer (or part of an offer), whether or not there are negotiations after its receipt, unless a written notice of withdrawal is received before award. SAM Registration: Offeror must be registered in the System for Award Management (SAM). No contract will be entered into with an unregistered contractor. Internet access allows you to register by completing an electronic on-line registration application at the following website: https://www.sam.gov. On-line Representations and Certifications (ORCA) may also be filled out at this website. Quote Preparation Instructions: Specific Instructions: All offers shall be legible and prepared in the following general format to be properly evaluated. A cover sheet with the company s name, address and telephone number, RFQ number, title of the RFQ and the original date of submittal. Format Part I - Price: Insert quoted pricing in the table located on pages 1 & 2. Part II - Technical Acceptability: Technical Acceptability will be determined by evaluation of the following technical subfactors: Subfactor 1 Company shall have a minimum of 3-years of experience in translation services. Subfactor 2 Offeror shall provide evidence of available Languages. Subfactor 3 Offeror shall provide evidence to have experience in technical phraseology in areas such as medical. Part III - Past Performance: Offeror shall submit the name of the company, telephone number and point of contact for a minimum of three (3) recent and relevant contracts that show past performance information on the same type of contract as is proposed here. If the offeror has no past performance information on this type of contract, the offeror shall specifically state that it has no such past performance. The Government reserves the right to obtain past performance information from other sources. The past performance information shall include the following: Name of contracting activity(ies); Contract number(s); Contract type(s); Total contract value(s); Brief statement of contract work performed with contract performance period(s); Name, telephone and fax numbers, and email addresses of the subject contract(s) Contracting Officer(s), Contracting Officer s Representatives(s), and Program Manager(s). (End of Provision) FAR 52.212-3, Offerors Representations and Certifications Commercial Items (Dec 2019), applies to this acquisition and the following clauses and instructions are added as addenda: Offerors must complete annual representations and certifications electronically via the System for Award Management (SAM) website located at https://www.sam.gov/portal in accordance with FAR 52.212-3, Offerors Representations and Certifications Commercial Items. If paragraph (j) of the provision is applicable, a written submission is required. The following contract clauses apply to this acquisition: FAR 52.212-4, Contract Terms and Conditions Commercial Items (Oct 2018), applies to this acquisition and the following clauses and instructions are added as addenda: CLAUSES 52.204-13 System for Award Management Maintenance (Oct 2018) 52.204-18 Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Jul 2016) 52-217-8 Option to Extend Services (Nov 1999) 52.217-9 Option to Extend the Term of the Contract (Mar 2000) 52.232-40 Providing Accelerated Payments to Small Business Subcontractors (Dec 2013) 852.203-70 Commercial Advertising (May 2008) VAAR 852.219-10 VA Notice of Total Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business Set-Aside (Jul 2019) VAAR 852.219-74 Limitations to Subcontracting-Monitoring and Compliance (Jul 2018) VAAR 852.232-72 Electronic Submission of Payment Requests (Nov 2018) VAAR 852.273-74 Award without Exchanges (Jan 2003) PROVISIONS 52.204-7 System for Award Management (Oct 2018) 52.204-16 Commercial and Government Entity Code Maintenance (Jul 2016) FAR 52.212-5, Contract Terms and Conditions Required to Implement Statutes or Executive Orders (Oct 2019). 11. PROPOSAL DUE DATE: Proposal must be emailed to craig.wagstaff@va.gov and received no later than 1:00 p.m. Mountain Time on 24 April 2020. NO LATE QUOTATIONS WILL BE ACCEPTED.