REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS:

Transcription

1 CITY AND COUNTY OF SAN FRANCISCO OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: DOCUMENT TRANSLATION AND WEBSITE LOCALIZATION SERVICES I N F O R M A T I O N P A C K E T # Date Issued: Proposals Due: April 8, 2016 May 9, 2016

2 REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: D OCUMENT TRANSLATION AND WEBSITE LOCALIZATION S ERVICES TABLE OF CONTENTS I. Glossary of Key Terms p 1 II. Overview p 1 III. Notice of Availability of Request for Qualifications p 3 IV. Schedule p 4 V. Request for Qualifications Background and Information p 5 A. Statement of Need and Intent B. Scope of Work C. Minimum Qualifications VI. Evaluation Criteria P 8 VII. Terms and Conditions Governing this RFQ P 9 VIII. Proposal Submission Requirements P 11 IX. Contracting from the Pre-Qualified Pool p 11 X. Protest Procedures p 13 XI. Attachments p 13

3 I. GLOSSARY OF KEY TERMS Key Terms Used in this RFQ: Respondent refers to any entity submitting a proposal to this Request for Proposals ( RFQ ). Prequalified firm refers to the Respondent(s) awarded pre-qualification status under this RFQ. City refers to the City and County of San Francisco. The Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs ( OCEIA ), a division of the City Administrator s Office/General Services Agency ( CAO/GSA ), is the authorized City department responsible for overseeing all language access programs and grants. The Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) implements local legislation concerning the City s governmental contracting process. LEP refers to Limited-English Proficient individuals: those for whom English is not a primary language and who have difficulty speaking, understanding, reading, or writing English. Language Access Ordinance (LAO) refers Section 91 of the San Francisco Administrative Code, which aims to ensure equal and meaningful access to City programs and services for LEP individuals. This ordinance covers all City departments that provide direct services or information to the public. Translation refers to reading text in one language and rendering it into another language in writing. Website localization refers to adapting an existing website into a different language and cultural context, and often includes adjustments to design and layout as well as content. II. OVERVIEW This overview is intended to assist Respondents with understanding the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process and the focus of language service needs for the City and County of San Francisco. Respondents should read this section carefully to determine whether their organization and proposed services align with the priorities and needs as outlined in this document. These priorities and needs, as well as the Respondent s demonstrated expertise to achieve outcomes, will be the basis upon which placement on the pre-qualification list ( pre-qualified pool ) will be awarded. Background San Francisco is a diverse metropolitan center in which over 112 different languages are spoken; nearly half of all residents speak a language other than English at home; and 22 percent (176,629 individuals) are Limited English Proficient (LEP). All public-serving City departments are mandated to meet the minimum requirements of the San Francisco Language Access Ordinance, part of the City s Administrative Code. Specific provisions apply to the languages spoken by at least 10,000 LEP City residents (currently Chinese, Spanish, and Filipino), as well as other languages spoken by five percent or more of the clients served by a covered Department facility. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 1

4 The City seeks to develop a pool of pre-qualified firms to provide an array of document translation and website localization services. Translation projects may include forms, applications, and public notices; complex legal and legislative documents; correspondence; and client outreach materials. These services must be available in at least the City s certified languages (those spoken by at least 10,000 LEP City residents): Cantonese (Chinese), Mandarin (Chinese), Spanish, and Filipino. Applicants may apply to perform Document Translation services only, or they may indicate that they would also like to be considered for Website Localization services. Consistent with Section 21.4(c) of the San Francisco Administrative Code, it is the intent of the Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) to create a pre-qualified pool of consultant firms from which it or City departments may choose prospective contractors on an as-needed basis for translation and/or localization services as outlined in this RFQ. Selected Respondents may remain eligible for consideration and contract negotiation on an as-needed basis through June 30, Pre-qualified firms are not guaranteed contracts. In no way does being placed in the pre-qualified pool guarantee a contract. OCEIA retains the right to terminate the pool at any time. A pre-bidders conference will be held on April 19, 2016, at 10:00 a.m., at 50 Van Ness, San Francisco, CA All questions submitted by 5:00 p.m. on April 26, 2016 will be posted on OCEIA s website by 5:00 p.m. on April 29, OCEIA will not respond to questions submitted after this deadline. To ensure that all Respondents have access to the same information, OCEIA staff is not permitted to answer RFQ content questions via telephone or in person. All proposals must be submitted electronically in MSWORD or PDF format to civic.engagement@sfgov.org and received by OCEIA no later than 5:00 p.m. PDT on May 9, An response will be sent within 24 hours to confirm receipt of completed proposals submitted on time. Respondents to this program bear the sole responsibility for ensuring that all submitted proposals, including attachments and application forms, are complete, accurate and received on time. Incomplete proposals or proposals sent after 5:00 p.m. on the due date or thereafter will not be accepted no exceptions. Costs incurred by Respondents related to this RFQ are entirely their responsibility and will not be reimbursed by the City. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 2

5 III. NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS NOTICE OF AVAILABILITY OF REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS: DOCUMENT TRANSLATION AND WEBSITE LOCALIZATION SERVICES R F Q# Date Issued: April 8, 2016 Proposals Due: May 9, 2016 by 5:00 p.m. PDT The Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) is pleased to announce the availability of a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) under the following program: Document Translation and Website Localization Services. The RFQ will be available electronically on OCEIA s website at on Friday, April 8, Alternative formats for persons with disabilities will be available upon request by calling (415) or ing civic.engagement@sfgov.org. All proposals must be submitted electronically and received by 5:00 p.m. PDT on Monday, May 9, D O C U M E N T T R A N S L A T I O N A N D W E B S I T E L O C A L I Z A T I O N P R I O R I T I E S The City seeks to develop a list of qualified contractors to provide an array of document translation and website localization services. Translation projects may include forms, applications, and public notices; complex legal and legislative documents; correspondence; and client outreach materials. These services must be available in at least the City s certified languages (those spoken by at least 10,000 LEP City residents): Cantonese (Chinese), Mandarin (Chinese), Spanish, and Filipino. Applicants may apply to perform Document Translation services only, or they may indicate that they would also like to be considered for Website Localization services. It is the intent of OCEIA to create a pre-qualified pool of consultant firms from which it or city departments may choose prospective contractors on an as-needed basis for document translation and website localization services as outlined in this RFQ. Selected Respondents may remain eligible for consideration and contract negotiation on an as-needed basis through June 30, 2018, pending an annual quality service and customer satisfaction survey of departments conducted by OCEIA. In no way does being placed in the pre-qualified pool guarantee a contract. H O W T O C O N T A C T O C E I A If you have any questions regarding the RFQ, please send an to civic.engagement@sfgov.org with the subject line: Translation and Localization RFQ # , or call OCEIA at and your call will be directed to the appropriate staff person. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 3

6 IV. SCHEDULE R E Q U E S T F O R Q U A L I F I C A T I O N S F O R D O C U M E N T T R A N S L A T I O N A N D W E B S I T E L O C A L I Z A T I O N S E R V I C E S RFQ# Contact: Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA) SCHEDULE* civic.engagement@sfgov.org, Telephone: CITY-RESPONDENT COMMUNICATIONS Notice of Availability Request for Qualifications (RFQ) April 8, :00 p.m. PDT RFQ Available Online April 8, :00 p.m. PDT Bidders Pre-conference April 19, :00 a.m. PDT Submittal of RFQ Questions April 26, :00 p.m. PDT Answers to RFQ Questions Posted Online April 29, :00 p.m. PDT Proposal Due Date May 9, :00 p.m. PDT Proposal Review Period May 10-31, 2016 The Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs (OCEIA), under Executive Director Adrienne Pon, is the authorized Department overseeing this program. Respondents are directed not to contact officials of the city or any other employees outside of OCEIA regarding this program. Unauthorized contact may be cause for rejection of proposals at the city s sole and absolute discretion. Pre-qualified Pool Announced June 1, 2016 *All information and dates are subject to change at the discretion of OCEIA. Please check the OCEIA website for the latest schedule. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 4

7 V. REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS BACKGROUND AND INFORMATION A. BACKGROUND AND STATEMENT OF NEED AND INTENT What is the City Seeking? The City, through OCEIA, seeks responses from firms with experience in providing culturally competent document translation and website localization services to assist the City in meeting the language access needs of residents and visitors. This RFQ is not necessarily directed at one specific project. To make its pre-qualification determination, the City will review qualifications, including prior project information, resumes of principals and other lead staff, sample translation products, and other information. How will the Pre-Qualified Pool Established under this RFQ Work? Based on responses to this RFQ, it is the City s intent to create a pre-qualified pool of firms from which the City will negotiate agreements for individual projects. Respondents that are pre-qualified will remain in the pool for consideration for contractor selection and negotiations through June 30, This pool may be used by the City, at its sole and absolute discretion. No pre-qualified firm is guaranteed a contract. Background of Document Translation and Localization Services - Language access for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals is mandated by federal, state and local law. For immigrant and newcomer communities, language access is a civil right and one of the key paths to full and meaningful participation in a democracy. The San Francisco Language Access Ordinance (LAO) mandates that City departments translate certain vital documents, which include but are not limited to: applications for programs, benefits, or services; written notices of rights to, eligibility for, award of, or denial of benefits or services; complaint forms; and materials explaining a Department s services or programs. In addition to translating written documents, many departments have begun the process of website localization in order to ensure that their online resources are accessible for LEP users. B. SCOPE OF WORK This scope of work is a general guide to the work the City expects to be performed, and is not a complete listing of all services that may be required or desired. The City is soliciting qualifications to create a prequalified pool of firms that may be selected for the services described below. Are Firms Expected to Propose for Both Document Translation and Localization Services? No. All Respondents should demonstrate that they meet the minimum qualifications to provide high-quality Document Translation services. An additional set of minimum qualifications applies for firms that also wish to be considered for Website Localization services. Each firm should focus its efforts on the service areas for which it has demonstrated expertise or particular specialty. Responding to areas where expertise has not been developed and cannot be clearly demonstrated per the minimum qualifications described in this RFQ is discouraged. With Whom will Pre-Qualified Firms Work? Selected pre-qualified firm(s) may work with OCEIA and any other City departments that need document translation or website localization services. Departments may include, but are not limited to, the following: OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 5

8 Adult Probation 3. Airport 4. Animal Care and Control 5. Assessor Recorder 6. Board of Appeals 7. Board of Supervisors 8. Building Inspection 9. Children, Youth, and Their Families 10. Child Support Services 11. City Administrator 12. Controller s Office 13. County Clerk 14. Elections 15. Emergency Management 16. Environment 17. Ethics Commission 18. Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco 19. Fire Department 20. Human Rights Commission 21. Human Services Agency 22. Juvenile Probation 23. Mayor s Office 24. Mayor s Office of Housing and Community Development 25. Mayor s Office on Disability 26. Medical Examiner s Office 27. MTA 28. Office of Economic and Workforce Development 29. Office of Labor Standards Enforcement 30. Planning Department 31. Police Department 32. Public Defender 33. Public Health 34. Public Library 35. Public Utilities Commission 36. Public Works 37. Real Estate Division 38. Recreation and Park Department 39. Rent Board 40. Sheriff s Office 41. Treasure Island Development Authority 42. Treasurer & Tax Collector 43. Zoo What Activities are Covered under Each Category? Document Translation activities may include: Translation of vital City documents, including forms, applications, notices of eligibility, and signs Translation of legal and legislative materials, including meeting agendas, minutes, notices, and permits Translation of correspondence Translation of outreach materials Review and proofreading of previously translated documents Website Localization activities may include: Adapting and converting City department websites to into a variety of languages and cultural contexts The above scope of work is a general guide to the work the City expects to be performed, and is not a complete listing of the work that may be required or desired. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 6

9 C. MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS Translation Services 1. Firm must demonstrate experience on at least three successfully completed document translation projects for entities comparable to the City and County of San Francisco within the past five years. 2. Firm must have capability for high-quality document translation in the City s three certified languages (those spoken by at least 10,000 Limited English Proficient residents): Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Spanish, and Filipino. 3. Firm must have technical expertise in public law, government affairs and administration, housing, social services, law enforcement, medical terminology, immigration and other areas in connection with the administration of public services. 4. Key translators for proposed projects must have been screened and tested for proficiency in both written English and the language(s) of service with affiliation/accreditation by with the American Translator s Association or another comparable entity. 5. Translators for proposed projects must reside in the United States. 6. All translators must have executed confidentiality and non-disclosure agreements. 7. Firm must use a consistent process for review and quality assurance for translations. 8. Firm must assign a single translator to complete each document to ensure continuity and consistency in terminology, syntax, and style. 9. Translators must be capable of translating the written word accurately and in the same spirit and style as it appears in the original text. Translators must ensure accuracy of nuances and subject-matter detail and retain fluency. Firm must also provide translated materials that meet the following requirements: a) accurate content b) correct spelling c) correct grammar d) correct language structure (while remaining faithful to English content) e) appropriate language for the target audience, taking into consideration: reading level, culturally appropriate terminology and content, clarity of message, regional dialect and idiomatic differences f) appropriate formatting to match the layout of the original document Localization Services Applicants for Localization Services must meet all of the above Minimum Qualifications for Translation Services, as well as the following additional qualifications: 1. Firm must demonstrate experience on at least three successfully completed website localization projects for entities comparable to the City and County of San Francisco within the past five years. 2. Firm must have technical expertise in encoding multilingual text and adapting website layout, content, and graphics for multilingual target audiences, including at least the City s three certified languages: Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Spanish, and Filipino. 3. Localization engineers must have advanced skills in using a range of localization and preparation tools with various types of source documents. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 7

10 4. Firm must use a consistent process for testing localized products for functionality as well as layout and user interface. VI. EVALUATION CRITERIA It is the City s intent to select Respondent(s) to be placed in a pre-qualified pool that will provide the best overall service package to the City. Pre-qualified firms selected for contract negotiations are not guaranteed a contract. This RFQ does not in any way limit the City s right to solicit contracts for similar or identical services if, in the City s sole and absolute discretion, it determines the proposals are inadequate to satisfy its needs. Evaluation Team City representatives and/or other technical experts will serve on the Evaluation Team and will be responsible for evaluating Respondents. Minimum Qualifications - Any proposal that does not demonstrate that the Respondent meets the minimum qualifications by the proposal deadline may be considered non-responsive and may not be evaluated or eligible for inclusion in the pre-qualified pool. Reference Checks - Reference checks may be used to determine the applicability of Respondent experience to the services the City is requesting and the quality of services and staffing provided to prior clients, including adherence to schedules/budgets and Respondent s problem-solving, project management, and communication abilities, as well as effectiveness of performance, deliverables and outcomes. Please see Attachment C, Release of Liability. Other Terms and Conditions - The selection of any pre-qualified firm for contract negotiations shall not imply acceptance by the City of all terms of the proposal, which may be subject to further negotiation and approvals before the City may be legally bound thereby. Proposal Evaluation and Selection Criteria 1. Initial Screening: OCEIA staff will review each proposal for initial determinations on responsiveness and responsibility. Proposals found to be responsive and submitted by responsible Respondents based on this initial screening shall proceed to the Proposal Evaluation Process, described below. Elements reviewed during the initial screening include, but are not limited to: proposal completeness, compliance with format requirements, verifiable references, and compliance with minimum qualification requirements. Proposals are not scored during the initial screening process. Initial screening is simply a "pass/fail" determination of whether or not a Proposal meets certain minimum requirement as established by this RFQ. 2. Pre-Qualification Criteria: Only Respondents that meet the minimum qualification requirements will be included in the pre-qualified pool relating to that service. OCEIA will evaluate the minimum qualifications for the services selected by Respondents. OCEIA intends to evaluate the proposals OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 8

11 in accordance with the criteria set forth below. A pass or fail scoring will be used to evaluate the written qualifications for each of the task categories selected by the Respondent. Response Packet Elements Scoring i. Minimum Qualifications Pass/Fail ii. Staff Experience Pass/Fail iii. Prior Projects Pass/Fail v. Responses to Supplemental Questions Pass/Fail vi. Sample Document Translations Pass/Fail 3. Selection Notification: All Respondents will be notified in writing of the results of the evaluation of their submitted proposal. Pre-qualified firms may remain eligible for consideration and contract negotiation on an as-needed basis through June 30, Pre-qualified firms are not guaranteed contracts. In no way does being placed in the pre-qualified list guarantee a contract. OCEIA retains the right to terminate the pool at any time. VII. TERMS AND CONDITIONS GOVERNING THIS RFQ General Rules - Respondent agrees that the Response Packet and all materials submitted in response to Translation and Localization RFQ# become the property of the City, and may be returned only at the option of the City and at the Respondent s expense. Respondent agrees that all costs incurred in developing this proposal are the Respondent s responsibility and at the Respondent s cost. Extendibility of Procurement Justification - This RFQ procurement process, and the submissions received as a result of it, may be used to justify contract or grant funding decisions for other similar services and/or other funding that becomes available through OCEIA or any other City department. Questions Regarding RFQ Questions must be submitted by to civic.engagement@sfgov.org, Subject: Translation and Localization RFQ # , by 5:00pm on April 26, All questions and answers addressed at the Pre-Bidder s Conference or submitted by the above deadline will be posted at OCEIA s website by 5:00 p.m. PDT on April 29, OCEIA will not respond to questions submitted after the above deadline. To ensure that all applicants have access to the same information, OCEIA staff members are not permitted to answer RFQ content questions via telephone or in person. Errors and Omissions in RFQ - Respondents are responsible for reviewing all portions of this RFQ, including appendices and attachments. Respondents are to promptly notify OCEIA, in writing, if the respondent OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 9

12 discovers any ambiguity, discrepancy, omission, or other error in the RFQ. Any such notification should be directed to: with Subject: Translation and Localization RFQ # promptly after discovery, but in no event later than 5:00 p.m. PDT on April 26, Objections to RFQ Terms - Should a respondent object on any ground to any provision or legal requirement set forth in this RFQ, the respondent must, not more than ten (10) calendar days after the RFQ is issued, provide written notice to civic.engagment@sfgov.org, with Subject: Translation and Localization RFQ # , setting forth with specificity the grounds for the objection. The failure of a respondent to object in the manner set forth in this paragraph shall constitute a complete and irrevocable waiver of any such objection. Sunshine Ordinance - In accordance with S.F. Administrative Code Section 67.24(e), contractors bids, responses to RFPs/RFQs and all other records of communications between the City and persons or firms seeking contracts shall be open to inspection immediately after a contract has been awarded. Nothing in this provision requires the disclosure of a private person s or organization s net worth or other proprietary financial data submitted for qualification for a contract or other benefits until and unless that person or organization is awarded the contract or benefit. Information provided which is covered by this paragraph will be made available to the public upon request. Addenda - OCEIA may modify the RFQ, prior to the submittal due date, by issuing Addenda, which will be posted on the website: The Respondent shall be responsible for ensuring that its submittal reflects any and all Addenda issued by OCEIA prior to the submittal due date regardless of when the submittal is submitted. Therefore, OCEIA recommends that the Respondent consult the website frequently, including shortly before the submittal due date, to determine if the Respondent has downloaded all Addenda. Reservations of Rights by the City - The issuance of this RFQ does not constitute an agreement by OCEIA that any contract will actually be entered into by OCEIA or any City agency. OCEIA expressly reserves the right at any time to: 1) waive or correct any defect or informality in any response, submittal, or submittal procedure; 2) reject any or all submittals; 3) reissue this RFQ; and 4) prior to submission deadline, modify all or any portion of the selection procedures, including deadlines for accepting responses, the specifications or requirements for any materials, equipment or services to be provided under this RFQ, or the requirements for contents or format of the submittals. No Waiver - No waiver by OCEIA of any provision of this RFQ shall be implied from any failure by OCEIA to recognize or take action on account of any failure by a Respondent to observe any provision of this RFQ. Release of Liability - OCEIA will utilize the references included in the Response Packet to verify Respondents' and their employees' and sub consultants' qualifications and ability to successfully perform the services requested under this RFQ. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 10

13 VIII. PROPOSAL SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS Submissions in response to this RFQ must be in the form of a Response Packet containing the application and all required supporting information and documents. Contents of Response Packet - Response Packet must contain: 1. Application (Attachment A) 2. Sample Translation Document (Attachment B) 3. Signed Release of Liability (Attachment C) 4. Resumes or Curriculum Vitae (CVs) of Principals and Key Staff Members 5. Responses to Supplemental Questions Respondents are directed not to alter, delete or otherwise change any section of the Application (Attachment A). Respondents are responsible for ensuring that all required questions have been addressed and that all supplemental materials have been submitted on or before the deadline. Complete, but concise responses, are recommended for ease of review by the Evaluation Team. OCEIA reserves the right to request additional information or documents after the due date if needed. Completed Response Packets should be scanned and prepared as either a single file in MSWORD or PDF (or in a ZIP file) and ed to civic.engagement@sfgov.org with the subject line: Translation and Localization RFQ# All proposals must be received by 5:00 p.m. PDT on Monday, May 9, 2016 to be considered. A confirmation will be sent via within 24 hours of receipt of the Response Packet by OCEIA. Early submission is highly encouraged. This receipt does not verify that the Packet accepted is correct, complete or meets the minimum qualifications. The proposal may not be altered in any way after submission. Late or Conditional Proposals - Any proposal received at the office designated in this RFQ after the exact time specified for receipt will not be considered. Any proposal may be rejected if it is conditional, incomplete, or deviates from specifications stated in this RFQ. Minor deviations may be waived at the discretion of the City. IX. CONTRACTING FROM THE PRE-QUALIFIED POOL OCEIA or any City Department may select firms from the Pre-qualified Pool in its sole and absolute discretion to enter into a contract. The City may invite the pre-qualified firms to participate in additional selection processes, or the City may choose specific pre-qualified firms directly for negotiations without additional selection processes. After the pre qualified pool has been established, OCEIA may issue a competitive RFP to the pre qualified pool to evaluate qualifications and expertise for a specific scope of service, which may include staffing, scheduling, deliverables, and cost considerations. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 11

14 The selection of any pre qualified firm for contract negotiation shall not imply acceptance by OCEIA or any City Department of all terms of the response, which may be subject to further negotiation and approvals before OCEIA or any City Department may be legally bound thereby. If OCEIA or a City Department is unable to negotiate a satisfactory agreement with a pre-qualified firm, the City may terminate negotiations with that firm and proceed to negotiate with other pre-qualified firms. This process may be repeated until a satisfactory contractual agreement has been reached. Final award of any contract(s) solicited under this RFQ may be subject to approval by the Civil Service Commission. City Vendor Eligibility Respondents are not required to be fully approved City vendors in order to apply to this RFQ; however, OCEIA and any City entity can only contract for services with fully compliant and approved City vendors. If a Respondent has not completed the required steps and OCEIA cannot confirm compliance within 6 months after the notification letter is sent, then the firm may be removed from the pre-qualified pool by OCEIA. In that instance, the firm may subsequently submit proof of confirmed vendor eligibility status to be reinstated to the pre-qualified pool. In no instance can OCEIA or any City department contract for services with an organization which has not completed all steps of the vendor eligibility process, as outlined at Local Business Enterprise Requirement (LBE) The purpose of San Francisco s Local Business Enterprise (LBE) Ordinance is to assist small businesses when competing for the award of City contracts. The applicability of LBE goals depends on the value of the contract. The applicability of the ordinance will be determined by the Contract Monitoring Division (CMD) at the time OCEIA or another City agency considers entering into a contract. See Local Business Enterprise 14B requirements using this link Respondents submitting proposals for this RFQ are not required to submit LBE documentation at this time. OCEIA strongly encourages firms that may qualify as LBEs to obtain certification. More information on LBE Certification and LBE participation in contracts can be found by visiting the CMD website at or calling Equal Benefits Chapter 12B Compliance The Equal Benefits Ordinance, also known as Chapter 12B of the San Francisco Administrative Code, prohibits the City of San Francisco from entering into contracts or property contracts with entities that discriminate against their employees in the provision of benefits between employees with domestic partners and employees with spouses, or discriminate against employees or others who are members of protected classes. Chapter 12B applies to all entities that directly enter into a contract with the City and County of San Francisco. For assistance with the documentation requirements, consult the Equal Benefits Documentation Guide (PDF, 1 pg). Respondents may also contact CMD at CMD.EqualBenefits@sfgov.org or call Insurance Requirements Insurance and indemnification requirements will be specified on a contract-by-contract basis. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 12

15 X. PROTEST PROCEDURES Protest of Non-Responsiveness Determination Within five (5) working days of the City's issuance of a notice of non-responsiveness, any Respondent that has submitted a proposal and believes that the City has incorrectly determined that its proposal is non- responsive may submit a written notice of protest by mail or (fax is not acceptable). Such notice of protest must be received by the City on or before the fifth (5th) working day following the City's issuance of the notice of non-responsiveness. The notice of protest must include a written statement specifying in detail each and every one of the grounds asserted for the protest. The protest must be signed by an individual authorized to represent the Respondent, and must cite the law, rule, local ordinance, procedure or RFQ provision on which the protest is based. In addition, the protestor must specify facts and evidence sufficient for the City to determine the validity of the protest. Delivery of Protests All protests must be received by the due date. If a protest is mailed, the protestor bears the risk of nondelivery within the deadlines specified herein. Protests should be transmitted by a means that will objectively establish the date the City received the protest. Protests or notice of protests made orally (e.g., by telephone) or by fax will not be considered. Protests must be delivered to: Sarah Hooker, Associate Director of Policy & Language Access Office of Civic Engagement & Immigrant Affairs 50 Van Ness, San Francisco, CA civic.engagement@sfgov.org XI. ATTACHMENTS 1. RFQ Attachment A: Application Form 2. RFQ Attachment B: Sample Translation Document 3. RFQ Attachment C: Release of Liability 4. RFQ Attachment D: Local Business Enterprise Forms (for informational purposes only; does not need to be returned) 5. RFQ Attachment E: City s Administrative Requirements (for informational purposes only; does not need to be returned) All above attachments may be found in the separate packet that follows this RFQ. OFFICE OF CIVIC ENGAGEMENT & IMMIGRANT AFFAIRS: Translation and Localization RFQ Page 13

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