Language Services
Total Page:16
File Type:pdf, Size:1020Kb
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) LANGUAGE SERVICES Services for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing PERFORMANCE WORK STATEMENT March 01, 2021 ICE Language Services PWS Table of Content 1.0 INTRODUCTION .............................................................................................................. 2 2.0 SCOPE ................................................................................................................................. 2 2.1 General Requirements ..................................................................................................... 3 2.2 Language Services Required ......................................................................................... 4 2.2.1 Sign Language Interpretation .................................................................................. 5 2.2.2 Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) ...................................................................... 5 3.0 CONTRACTOR PERSONNEL ........................................................................................ 6 3.1 Program Manager ............................................................................................................ 4.0 LANGUAGE SPECIALIST PERSONNEL QUALIFICATIONS .................................. 7 4.1 Sign Language Interpretation .......................................................................................... 7 4.2 Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) .............................................................................. 8 4.3 Knowledge and Familiarity with Specialized Terminology, ICE Acronyms, and ICE Functions ....................................................................................................................... 8 5.0 QUALITY CONTROL ......................................................................................................... 8 6.0 PERIOD OF PERFORMANCE .......................................................................................... 9 7.0 PLACE OF PERFORMANCE ......................................................................................... 9 8.0 TRAVEL ........................................................................................................................... 10 9.0 SECURITY REQUIREMENTS ..................................................................................... 10 10.0 CONFIDENTIALITY AND PRIVACY CONSIDERATIONS ..................................... 29 11.0 EMPLOYMENT ELIGIBILITY VERIFICATION (E-Verify) .................................... 31 12.0 CONTRACT TYPE ......................................................................................................... 32 13.0 REPORTING REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................. 32 13.1 Monthly Progress Report .......................................................................................... 19 13.2 Quality Control Report ................................................................................................ 19 14.0 GOVERMENT ACCEPTANCE PERIOD ...................................................................... 33 15.0 ORGANIZATIONAL CONFLICT OF INTEREST ...................................................... 33 16.0 DATA RIGHTS ................................................................................................................... 33 17.0 POST AWARD KICK-OFF MEETING .......................................................................... 34 18.0 DELIVERABLES ............................................................................................................. 34 19.0 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS ..................................................................................... 34 Appendix A Summary of Minimum Personnel Qualifications & Proficiency Levels .......... 38 ICE Language Services PWS 1.0 INTRODUCTION Operating in over 200 detention facilities nationwide and with an average daily population (ADP) of 50,165 in in fiscal year (FY) 2019, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), Enforcement and Removal (ERO) oversees civil immigration detention of one of the most diverse and fluid detained populations in the world. Managing detention operations to efficiently and effectively provide for the safety, security, and care of persons in ICE custody, ICE requires ready access to a full array of language services delivered in a myriad of contexts. Language services are needed for a broad range of interactions and activities, including critical interactions in which an individual’s health, safety, or liberty are at stake or where the integrity or success of an ICE program or any part thereof depends on accurate, timely, and complete language services. The elimination of language and other communication barriers improves the performance, quality, and efficiency of operations throughout ICE and promotes compliance with federal civil rights requirements. 2.0 SCOPE The Contractor shall perform all services provided in support of this Performance Work Statement (PWS). ICE requires these services to be delivered in diverse contexts, locations, and settings by personnel possessing varied security clearances, skills, and knowledge as set forth herein. The Contractor shall furnish all personnel, supervision, equipment, materials, transportation, and other items necessary to perform the services described in this PWS, except as specified as Government furnished. Page 2 ICE Language Services PWS 2.1 General Requirements a. The Contractor shall meet all requirements by providing linguists who meet the personnel qualifications set forth in Section 4 of the PWS and Appendix A as supplemented by specialized qualifications set forth in contract. b. ICE requires language services for anticipated and/or routine interactions as well as language services that support surges and emergency situations. Therefore, the Contractor shall have the capacity to rapidly deploy linguists and increase their staffing level in an expedited manner to meet time-sensitive homeland security language needs. For both routine and unexpected situations, the Contractor must be able to provide support 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days per year (inclusive of weekends and holidays) for all categories of language services described herein. This includes rapid deployment of linguists to undetermined places of performance which may include Government, Non- Government, and Contractor sites (including teleworking sites) within 24-hour notice. c. The Contractor shall be capable of providing linguists and other personnel with varying degrees of security clearances as specified in Appendix A. d. The Contractor must have rigorous quality control processes for all language services as discussed in Section 5 of the PWS. Quality control reports as defined in section 13.2 of the PWS shall be provided, at a minimum, on a monthly basis for timely corrective action. e. The Contractor shall provide a staffing and recruitment plan detailing how linguists will be recruited, trained, and retained locally and nationally to ensure ICE’ needs (e.g. “steady state” and “surge” requirements) are met in a timely manner, with a special emphasis on on-site services for remote locations. The Contractor shall demonstrate in this plan how they will ensure all linguists, who will perform works under this contract, meet the minimum personnel qualification requirements as outlined in this PWS. The Contractor shall also include a contingency plan for replacing or substituting linguists when the ones originally assigned to the contract are not able to perform or meet the contract requirements. See Section 18.0, Table 1, contract Deliverable Schedule. f. Language service may be required at any location within the United States and its territories. g. Travel costs shall not be charged unless specifically authorized by the COR. In the event travel is approved, costs must be in compliance with Joint Travel Regulations. No contractor profit/fee or mark-ups (such as material handling fee) may be billed to the Government. h. The Contractor shall have the capability of telecommunication technology (i.e., landline Page 3 ICE Language Services PWS and cell phone, email, fax (machine or electronic) and basic internet function) to provide services. i. The Contractor shall be able to receive, confirm and process the a request for services 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, and 365 days per year (inclusive of weekends and holidays). • Cumulative contract-to-date activity, year-to-date activity, month-to-date activity, and daily activity. • Detailed itemization of each contact (a contact is defined as successful communication using any form of language services within the scope of the PWS). • Contact data shall include the following: o Time and date of contact o Number of seconds to reach an interpreter o Location call is placed indicating facility where call originated from o Language that was interpreted/translated o Contractor’s call control number (for call identification) o Duration of each contact in seconds/minutes • Detail of all calls received at the Contractor’s switch (phone-system) and their subsequent status, such as dropped call, deflected call, hang- up, or reached interpreter. j. The Contractor shall acknowledge receipt of ASL service request to the Contracting Officer Representative (COR) or designee via email within two (2) hours of receipt. 2.2 Language Services Required The contractor shall provide the following scope of services. • Sign language interpretation