Sign Language Interpretation Services

Notice Type: Sources Sought Synopsis: Sign Language Interpretation Services - United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) The purpose of this Request for Information (RFI) is to accomplish market research pursuant to Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 10 and Patent and Trademark Acquisition Guidelines (PTAG) Section 6.1.1 to determine potential vendors capable of performing the requirements described herein. This notice is issued solely for market research information and planning purposes and does not constitute a Request for Quotes (RFQ), a Request for Proposals (RFP), or a commitment on the part of the Government to conduct a solicitation in the future. The Government does not intend to award a contract on the basis of responses. Responders are advised that the Government will not pay for information submitted in response to this RFI, nor will it compensate responders for any costs incurred in the development/furnishing of a response. The Office of Equal Employment Opportunity and Diversity (OEEOD), an office within the USPTO is conducting market research in order to determine the capabilities of potential vendors to assist in the provision of sign language interpretation services in response to reasonable accommodation requests. OEEOD coordinates USPTO's requests for reasonable accommodations. USPTO currently has nine (9) Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing employees who require sign language interpreting services and one staff interpreter who assists these employees. It is projected that more Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing employees will be recruited in the future. USPTO, through OEEOD, is required to provide effective professional sign language interpreting services to employees with disabilities who may be Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing at meetings, training, special observances and during the daily interchange between Deaf/Hard-of-Hearing individuals and their supervisors, co-workers, the public, and USPTO employment applicants (29 U.S.C. - 791 et seq.). The USPTO headquarters are located in Alexandria, Virginia, with an auxiliary office in Shirlington, Virginia. USPTO also has satellite offices in Detroit, Michigan; Dallas, Texas; San Jose, California; and Denver, Colorado. The agency is seeking potential vendors with the availability to provide on-call and full-time interpreting services in these locations within one (1) business days' verbal or written notice. The USPTO currently does not have a need for interpreting services at any of the satellite offices but may require services at its satellite offices in the future. Interpreters must be familiar with the USPTO's unique vocabulary and culture. Instructions to RFI Respondents RFI responses should be no longer than ten (10) pages and shall include, at a minimum: - . Company Name, Address, DUNs Number, CAGE Code, Point of Contact, Phone Number, Email address; Business size and status if applicable (e.g. 8(a) Program, HUB Zone, Service Disabled Veteran-Owned, Women-Owned, etc.); - 2. Technical Capability statement which addresses the respondent's ability to successfully perform the requirements in this RFI. - 3. Past performance references for work performed that was of similar scope to the requirement in this RFI for either commercial or Federal government customers within the past three (3) years. No more than three past performance references should be included in the response. The past performance references should include a name, phone number, and e-mail address. - 4. GSA Schedule contract number, if applicable. Telephone calls requesting a solicitation will not be accepted or acknowledged. Responses to this RFI are strictly voluntary and their source shall be treated as confidential. Responses to the RFI may be used to develop government documentation. Unsolicited proposals in response to this RFI will not be considered. All costs associated with responding to this RFI will be solely at the interested respondent's expense. The objective of this RFI is to assess vendor capabilities and interest. Review of the responses to the RFI will focus on the offeror's capability to provide the specified service, experience/past performance for same or similar activity with commercial activities or government agencies, and responsiveness to the RFI. Interested vendors who possess the above capabilities should respond no later 1:00 PM, local time, Alexandria, Virginia 22314, on March 6, 2015. Responses received in response to this announcement that are marked "Proprietary" will be handled accordingly. Proprietary information submitted in response to this RFI will be protected from unauthorized disclosure as required by the FAR. The respondent shall identify where data is restricted by proprietary or other rights and mark it accordingly. Please send electronic responses only, to: Natapol Sirikhan, Office of Procurement, Natapol.Sirikhan@uspto.gov.