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Administrative Office of the
Pennsylvania Courts
Request for Proposal
for
Court Language Interpreting Services
First Judicial District of Pennsylvania
June 12, 2007
Table of Contents
I. General Information for Vendors .................................................................................... Page 3
A. Purpose............................................................................................................. Page 3
B. Issuing Office ................................................................................................... Page 3
C. Scope................................................................................................................ Page 3
D. Problem Statement ........................................................................................... Page 3
E. Negotiation of Contract.................................................................................... Page 4
F. Rejection of Proposals...................................................................................... Page 4
G. Incurring Costs................................................................................................. Page 4
H. Amendment to the RFP.................................................................................... Page 4
I. Response Date.................................................................................................. Page 4
J. Proposals .......................................................................................................... Page 4
K. Nondiscrimination............................................................................................ Page 4
L. Hold Harmless.................................................................................................. Page 5
M. Insurance .......................................................................................................... Page 6
N. Economy of Preparation................................................................................... Page 6
O. Oral Presentation.............................................................................................. Page 6
P. Prime Vendor Responsibilities......................................................................... Page 6
Q. Use of Proposal Contracts................................................................................ Page 6
R. News Releases.................................................................................................. Page 6
II. Information Required from Vendors..................................................................... Page 7
A. Statement of the Problem ................................................................................. Page 7
B. Work Plan ........................................................................................................ Page 7
C. Prior Experience............................................................................................... Page 7
D. Personnel.......................................................................................................... Page 7
E. Financial Stability ............................................................................................ Page 7
F. Cost and Price .................................................................................................. Page 7
III. Criteria for Selection ............................................................................................... Page 8
A. Committee Evaluation...................................................................................... Page 8
B. Criteria ............................................................................................................. Page 8
1. Understanding the Problem and Needs .................................................. Page 8
2. Vendor Qualifications ............................................................................ Page 8
3. Personnel Qualifications......................................................................... Page 8
4. Soundness of Approach.......................................................................... Page 8
5. Cost......................................................................................................... Page 8
IV. Requirements............................................................................................................ Page 9
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I. General Information for Vendors
A. Purpose
This Request For Proposal (RFP) provides interested Vendors with sufficient information to enable
them to prepare and submit proposals for consideration by the Administrative Office of Pennsylvania
Courts (AOPC) to satisfy a need for Court Language Interpreting Services for the First Judicial
District of Pennsylvania (FJD). Selected Vendors will be awarded a one-year contract with an option
to renew for one additional year.
B. Issuing Office
This RFP is issued by the AOPC. The issuing office is the sole point of contact for the RFP.
C. Scope
This RFP contains instructions governing the proposals to be submitted and the material to be
included therein; a description of the service to be provided; requirements that must be met to be
eligible for consideration; general evaluation criteria; and other requirements to be met by each
proposal.
D. Problem Statement
The FJD requires language interpreting services in languages other than Spanish. Vendor must
provide experienced interpreters who are proficient in Simultaneous and Consecutive Techniques and
possess an understanding of legal terminology. Interpreters must also be knowledgeable of the
American System of Jurisprudence and courtroom proceedings protocol.
The two most significant functions of the court interpreter occur in the courtroom where
interpretation is provided for the non-English speaking witness offering testimony or for the
defendant at the counsel table. In the former role, the court interpreter is sworn to interpret for a
witness who is incapable of understanding the English language or is incapable of expressing himself
in the English language so as to be understood directly by counsel, court and jury. However, by the
very nature of this role, the court interpreter is further obligated to aid in discharging the affairs of the
Court in an unbiased and expeditious manner.
The other primary need for an interpreter in the courtroom arises when a non-English speaking
defendant must be apprised of the nature of the proceedings and to communicate with counsel.
Consistent with constitutional rights, the interpreter appointed for a non-English speaking defendant
is required to faithfully interpret verbatim all English testimony to the defendant and all
communication between attorney and client without disrupting the proceedings in Court. Concurrent
with these duties, the interpreter should assist in expediting Court proceedings. As such, the FJD has
a clear interest to see that the non-English speaking defendant is provided with an interpreter at all
stages of the proceedings, and further, that such interpreter executes his professional responsibilities
properly.
The major languages requiring interpretation are: Korean, Vietnamese, Cambodian, Cantonese,
Russian and Polish. It is estimated that in excess of 1,200 cases a year require interpreting services.
FJD locations include, but are not limited to, the following: Philadelphia City Hall, Broad and
Market Streets; Criminal Justice Center at 1301 Filbert Street; Family Court at 1801 Vine Street;
Municipal Court and Domestic Relations Branch of Family Court at 34 S. 11th Street; the Arbitration
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Center at 1880 JFK Boulevard, 5th Floor; and Traffic Court at 800 Spring Garden Street.
E. Negotiation of Contract
Negotiations may be undertaken with Vendors whose proposals as to price and other factors show them
to be qualified, responsible, and capable of performing the work. All contracts shall be subject to
standard governmental clauses as prescribed by the AOPC.
The AOPC reserves the right to assign the contract to any person, office or entity as it deems
appropriate or as ordered by the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania.
F. Rejection of Proposals
The AOPC reserves the right to reject any and/or all proposals received as a result of this request, or to
negotiate separately with competing Vendors.
G. Incurring Costs
The AOPC is not liable for any costs incurred by Vendors prior to issuance of a contract.
H. Amendment to the RFP
If it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, an amendment will be issued to all Vendors who
received the basic RFP.
I. Response Date
To be considered, proposals must arrive in a sealed envelope at the issuing office before 3:00 p.m.,
Monday, July 2, 2007. Vendors mailing proposals should allow sufficient mail delivery time to ensure
timely receipt of their proposals. Timely delivery shall be judged by date of actual receipt. All
questions should be directed, in writing, to Marc Flood, Esquire, Director, Procurement Unit, First
Judicial District of Pennsylvania, via facsimile at (215)683-7942 or electronically at
marc.flood@courts.phila.gov no later than 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, November 10, 2004.
J. Proposals
To be considered, Vendors must submit a complete response to this RFP using the format provided in
Section II. Each proposal must be submitted in five (5) copies to the issuing office. No other
distribution of the proposal will be made by the Vendor. Proposal must be signed by an official
authorized to bind the Vendor to its provisions. For this RFP, the proposal must remain valid for at
least 60 days. Moreover, the contents of the proposal of the selected bidder will become contractual
obligations if a contract is entered into.
K. Nondiscrimination
During the term of this procurement, Vendors agree to the following:
1. Vendor shall not discriminate nor permit discrimination against any employee, applicant for
employment, independent contractor, or any other person because of race, color, religious
creed, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, sexual preference, or disability in the performance of
this contract. Vendor shall comply with all federal and state laws prohibiting discrimination.
2. Furthermore, pursuant to federal regulations promulgated under the authority of the Americans
with Disabilities Act, 28 C.F.R. and 35.101 et seq., the Vendor understands and agrees that no
individual with a disability shall, on the basis of such disability, be excluded from participation
in any contract or from activities provided for under this procurement. As a condition of
accepting and executing a contract, the Vendor agrees to comply with the "General
Prohibitions Against Discrimination," 28 C.F.R. and 35.130, and all other regulations
promulgated under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which are applicable to the
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benefits, services, programs, and activities provided by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
through contracts with outside contractors.
3. Vendor shall take steps to insure that applicants are employed and that employees or agents are
treated during employment without regard to their race, color, religious creed, ancestry,
national origin, age, sex, sexual preference, or disability in the performance of this
procurement. Such nondiscrimination shall include, but is not limited to, employment,
upgrading, demotion or transfer, recruitment or recruitment advertising, layoff or termination,
rates of pay or other forms of compensation, and selection for training.
4. Vendor shall, in advertisements or requests for employment placed by it or on its behalf, state
that all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race,
color, religious creed, ancestry, national origin, age, sex, sexual preference, or disability.
5. Vendor shall include the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause in every subcontract
pertaining to the performance of a contract so that such provisions will be binding upon each
subcontractor. In the event of a violation of subcontractors, Vendor shall promptly notify Marc
Flood, Esquire, Director, Procurement, First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, in writing.
6. In the event of Vendor's noncompliance with the nondiscrimination clause of this procurement
or with any such laws governing nondiscrimination, Vendor shall take all steps necessary to
come in compliance with this nondiscrimination clause. Further, in the event of Vendor's
noncompliance with the nondiscrimination clause of this procurement or with any such laws
governing nondiscrimination, the contract may be terminated or suspended, in whole or in part,
whereupon all obligations of the contract shall cease, save only the obligation to pay to Vendor
the sums due for goods and services already provided prior to the date of termination. In the
event of continued refusal by Vendor to comply with this nondiscrimination clause, Vendor
may be declared temporarily ineligible for further AOPC contracts and other sanctions may be
imposed and remedies invoked.
7. It shall be no defense to a finding of noncompliance with this nondiscrimination clause that
Vendor has delegated some of its employment practices.
8. Vendor shall furnish all necessary employment documents and records and permit access to its
books, records, and accounts by the contracting agency for purposes of investigation to
ascertain compliance with the provisions of this nondiscrimination clause.
9. Vendor's obligations under this clause are limited to the Vendor's facilities within Pennsylvania
or where the contract is for purchase of goods manufactured outside of Pennsylvania, the
facilities at which such goods are actually manufactured, produced, assembled, or delivered.
10. The Vendor shall be responsible for and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the
Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia, and the FJD, their officers, agents
and employees, from all losses, damages, expenses, claims, demands, suits, and actions
brought by any party against the Commonwealth, the City, and the FJD, their officers, agents
and employees, as a result of the Vendor's failure to comply with the provisions of this
nondiscrimination clause.
L. Hold Harmless
Vendor shall be responsible for and agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania, the City of Philadelphia, and the FJD, their agents, servants and employees from damage
to property or injuries (including but not limited to death) to any person(s) and any other losses,
damages, expenses, claims, demands, suits and actions by any other party against the Commonwealth,
the City, and/or the FJD, their agents, servants and employees in connection with work and/or services
performed by the Vendor, his/her agents, servants and employees under this procurement.
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M. Insurance
Throughout the term of an agreement, Vendor shall maintain with an insurance company acceptable to
the FJD such Workmen's Compensation Insurance as is required by applicable law and a
comprehensive general liability insurance policy in the amount of at least $1,000,000 per claimant and
$1,000,000 per incident. Such insurance policies shall name the FJD as an additional insured and
Vendor shall provide the FJD with appropriate certificates evidencing such coverage upon the
execution of an Agreement and at the beginning of any renewal term hereof. Such insurance policies
shall contain a provision whereby the FJD shall be notified of any failure by Vendor to pay any
premium thereon and of any intention by the insurer to cancel such insurance policies at least thirty (30)
days in advance. The FJD may, but is not obligated to, pay such delinquent premium or other amounts
necessary to maintain the insurance policies in full force and effect. If any such payment is made by the
FJD on behalf of the Vendor, the amount of such payment shall be deducted from the payment due the
Vendor hereunder.
N. Economy of Preparation
Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a straightforward, concise
description of the Vendor's ability to meet the requirements of the RFP.
O. Oral Presentation
Vendors who submit proposals may be required to make an oral presentation of their proposal. Such
presentations provide an opportunity for the Vendor to clarify his/her proposal to ensure thorough
mutual understanding. The issuing office will determine the necessity and scheduling of these
presentations.
P. Prime Vendor’s Responsibilities
The selected Vendor will be required to assume responsibility for all services offered in his/her
proposal whether or not s/he produces them. Further, the AOPC will consider the selected Vendor to be
the sole point of contact with regard to contractual matters.
Q. Use of Proposal Contracts
All materials submitted become the property of the FJD.
R. News Releases
News releases pertaining to this project will not be made without prior approval of the AOPC and then
only in coordination with the AOPC.
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II. Information Required from Vendors
Vendor proposals must be submitted in the format outlined below. To be considered, the proposal must
respond to all requirements in this RFP. Any other information thought to be relevant, but not applicable to
the enumerated categories, should be provided as an appendix to the proposal.
A. Statement of the Problem
State in succinct terms your understanding of the problem presented or the service required by this
RFP.
B. Work Plan
Describe in narrative form your plan for accomplishing the work required by this RFP.
C. Prior Experience
Experience shown should be work done by individuals who will be assigned to this project as well as
that of your company. Provide references including name, address, and telephone number of the
responsible official of the customer.
D. Personnel
Include the names and qualifications of executive, managerial and interpreter personnel and the
language(s) of who will be engaged in the work. List any accreditations and/or certifications of
interpreter’s personnel. Only interpreters registered with the PA Interpreter Certification Program
will be allowed to continue to work within the state court system pending the completion of their
certification. Show where these personnel will be physically located during the time they will be
engaged in the work. Indicate the responsibilities each will have in this project and how long each
has been with your company.
Describe your process for screening and hiring of interpreters. Indicate whether or not you test
interpreters and, if so, identify your testing methods.
E. Financial Stability
Provide audited certification of the financial stability of the Vendor and proof that Vendor is
qualified to do business in Pennsylvania. Financial statement information will be kept confidential
unless otherwise provided by law.
F. Cost and Price
This information is required to support the reasonableness of your proposal.
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III. Criteria for Selection
A. Committee Evaluation
All proposals received from Vendors will be reviewed and evaluated by a committee of qualified
personnel selected by the AOPC. This committee may select multiple Vendors and will recommend
for selection the proposal(s) that most closely meet the requirements of the RFP and satisfies the
needs of the FJD.
B. Criteria
The following areas of consideration will be used in making the selection:
1. Understanding the Problem and Needs
This refers to the Vendor's understanding of the needs and/or problems that generated the RFP
and of the objectives in asking for the services or undertaking the study, as well as the nature
and scope of the work involved.
2. Vendor’s Qualifications
This refers to the ability of the Vendor to meet the terms of the RFP, especially the quality,
relevancy, and recency of projects completed by the Vendor. This also includes the Vendor's
financial ability to undertake a project of this size.
3. Personnel Qualifications
This refers to the competence of personnel who would be assigned to the job by the Vendor.
Qualifications of personnel will be measured by experience, with particular reference to
experience on similar contracts to those described in the RFP. Only interpreters registered with
the PA Interpreter Certification Program will be allowed to continue to work within the state
court system pending the completion of their certification.
4. Soundness of Approach
Emphasis here is on the ability of the Vendor to devise a workable plan and demonstrate its
viability to fulfill the requirements of the proposal.
5. Cost
This factor will be weighted heavily but will not necessarily be the deciding factor in the
selection process.
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IV. Requirements
To be considered for qualification, Vendors must demonstrate that they meet the following minimum
requirements:
Χ The Vendor must demonstrate a minimum of two (2) years of interpreting experience in a
courtroom, educational, business or diplomat setting.
Χ The Vendor must demonstrate that it has the financial capacity to sustain a contract of this
size for the period of the contract.
Χ The Vendor must demonstrate that it has the professional staff and expertise to successfully
fulfill the requirements of the contract.
Χ The Vendor must demonstrate that it has the professional, administrative, and financial
capacity to begin work under the contract upon the effective date of the contract.
Χ Subsequent to any awarded contract, the Selected Vendor’s personnel assigned to do the
interpreting must attend training sessions as required by the FJD prior to receiving court
assignments. Any personnel holding PA Interpreter Certification must present proof of such
certification but must still attend the training sessions provided by the FJD.
Χ Personnel assigned to do the interpreting must become thoroughly familiar with the First
Judicial District of Pennsylvania’s Court Interpreters Manual which will be provided during
the initial training session mentioned above.
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First Judicial District of Pennsylvania
Procurement Unit
368 City Hall
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107
(215) 683-7940
http://courts.phila.gov
Marc Flood, Esquire
Director
June 12, 2007
Dear Prospective Vendor:
You are invited to submit a proposal to provide Court Language Interpreting Services in accordance
with the enclosed Request for Proposal (RFP).
All questions should be directed, in writing, to Marc Flood, Esquire, Director, Procurement Unit,
First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, via facsimile at (215)683-7942 or electronically at
marc.flood@courts.phila.gov no later than 3:00 p.m., Monday, June 18, 2007.
All proposals must be submitted in five (5) copies to: Court Language Interpreting Services RFP,
First Judicial District of Pennsylvania, Procurement Unit, 368 City Hall, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19107.
Proposals must be received in a sealed envelope at the above address no later than 3:00 P.M., Monday,
July 2, 2007. Late proposals will not be considered regardless of the reason.
We expect that evaluation of the proposals and selection of Vendors will be completed within three
(3) weeks after receipt of proposals and all bidders will be notified.
Sincerely,
Marc Flood, Esquire
Director, Procurement
/mbs
Enclosure
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