THIS IS NOT A SOLICITATION ANNOUNCEMENT. THIS IS A REQUEST FOR INFORMATION Only. This Request for Information (RFI) is intended for information and planning purposes only at this time; and shall not be construed as a solicitation or as an obligation on the part of the Department of Veterans Affairs. This Request for Information is intended for Socio-economic groups: Service Disable Veteran Owned Small Business, Veterans Owned Small Business, Women Owned Small Business, Small Business and Large Business. Because this is a Request for Information announcement, no evaluation letters and/or results will be issued to the respondents. No solicitation exists. Therefore, do not request a copy of the solicitation. The Department of Veterans Affairs Service Area Office East/Network Contracting Office 8, San Juan, Puerto Rico Services Team, is conducting market research to identify potential sources with the intention to award Service Contract. SCOPE: The VA Caribbean Healthcare System (VACHS) has a requirement for transcription, translation, interpretation (Spanish/English) as well as Sign language for hearing impaired (Spanish/English), and Court Reporter Services. The Contractor shall furnish the necessary personnel, materials, and services, and otherwise perform all duties necessary for and incidental to the verbatim reporting, translation and transcription of proceedings conducted by or pursuant to orders of the Office of Resolution Management, Regional Counsel, Office of the Director, Human Resources Labor Relations, EEO hearings, Administrative Investigative Board (AIB), Compliance and Business Integrity Office (CBIO) and/or the Privacy/FOIA Officer, and/or any appointed designee by the VACHS Center Director. All reporting shall be by Computer Aided Transcription machine (CAT) or latest and greatest technology. The Contractor shall utilize a backup system. In case in which the contracting company is responsible of recording, if a testimony must be retaken as a result of mechanical breakdown of the equipment, CAT, transcribing, or stenographic tools, or as a result of negligence by the Contractor or any subcontractor, the Contractor shall provide the services necessary to retake the testimony at no additional charge to the VA Caribbean Healthcare System or to any party to the litigation. In addition, the Contractor shall bear all transportation and subsistence costs, to be computed in accordance with travel regulations incurred by VA Caribbean Healthcare System, the parties and their witnesses and attorneys in attending or testifying at such retaking of testimony. The Contractor agrees that the assigned Reporter shall perform all work in a business-like manner and according to the best standards of the reporting profession; the Contractor at all times, shall arrive promptly at the time, date, and place designated, as many competent Reporters and Stenographers and maintain such staff and equipment at such times as may be necessary for the prompt recording of proceedings and the furnishing of satisfactory translations and/or transcripts which shall conform to the requirements of this contract. To the maximum extent practical, when requested by the Office of Resolution Management, Regional Counsel, the Administrative Judge, and/or the designee to work with the Administrative Investigative Board (AIB), etc., the Contractor shall assign the same Reporter to a proceeding lasting more than one (1) day or, in the case of a lengthy proceeding, the same group or Reporters. The Contractor agrees that the assigned Reporter shall: (1) present himself or herself to the presiding official at least thirty(30) minutes prior to the time and at the place of designated hearings, or in no case later than the time required to set up all required equipment and be able to begin verbatim reporting at the designated time; or, if the case of a telephonic investigation shall make telephone contact to the presiding official at least thirty (30) minutes prior to the start time; (2) at all times be governed by the instructions of the presiding official in matters affecting the composition of the record, adjournment to other times or places, the hours of hearing, and matters of like character; (3) report everything, spoken while a hearing is in session unless the presiding official directs an off-the-record discussion; (4) not omit from the record any part of a proceeding for which notes have been taken as required, unless the presiding official so directs; (5) mark and number letter exhibits and arrange them in numerical or alphabetical order if directed to do so by the presiding official.. Responses to this notice should include company name, address, point of contact, phone number, fax number and point of contact e-mail, DUNS Number, Cage Code, size of business pursuant to North American Industrial Classification System (NAICS). NAICS Code is 541930- Translation and Interpretation Services. This procurement will be conducted in accordance with Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 13. Telephone responses will not be accepted. Responses must be received in writing no later than 1:00pm Puerto Rico EST on September 22, 2021. This notice will help the VA in determining available potential sources only. Do not contact VA Medical Center staff in regard to this requirement, as they are not authorized to discuss this matter related to this procurement action, all questions will be addressed during the solicitation stage by the Contract Specialist. All firms responding to this Request for Information are advised that their response is not a request for proposal therefore will not be considered for a contract award.

Bid Protests Not Available