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HomeMy WebLinkAboutContract 47256 ary SECRETARV q/ CONTRACT P10, 5 73 (n PROFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT OFESSIONAL SERVICES AGREEMENT ("Agreement") is made and entered into and b xa the CITY OF FORT WORTH (the "City"), a home rule municipal corporation ern portions of Tarrant, Denton and Wise Counties, Texas, acting by and through Valerie 'as ington, its duly authorized Assistant City Manager, and AllWorld Language Contractors, Inc. ("Contractor" and "ALC"), a Maryland Corporation, and acting by and through Carlos A. Scandifo, its duly authorized President& CEO, each individually referred to as a"party" and collectively referred to as the"parties." CONTRACT DOCUMENTS; The Contract documents shall include the following; 1, This Agreement for Professional Services 2. Exhibit A—Statement of Work, Contractor's Proposal in response to RFP 15-0233 3. Exhibit B—Pricing Schedule 4. Exhibit C—Network Access Agreement 5. Exhibit D—Signature Verification Form All Exhibits attached hereto are incorporated herein and made a part of this Agreement for all purposes, In the event of any conflict between the documents,the terms and conditions of this Professional Services Agreement shall control. 1. SCOPE OF SERVICES. Contractor hereby agrees to provide translation services and editing of publications from English to specified foreign languages, and from a specified foreign language into English, for participating City Departments. Attached hereto and incorporated for all purposes incident to this Agreement is Exhibit "A," Statement of Work,more specifically describing the services to be provided hereunder. 2. TERM. This Agreement shall begin on November 4, 2015 ("Effective Date") and shall expire on November 3, 2016 ("Expiration Date"), unless terminated in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement. This agreement may be renewed up to four(4) additional one-year renewals at the City's sole option. The City shall provide Contractor with written notice of its intent to renew at least thirty(30) days prior to the end of each term. 3. COMPENSATION. The City shall pay Contractor in accordance with the hourly rate of Contractor personnel who perform services under this Agreement in accordance with the provisions of this Agreement and the Pricing Schedule attached as Exhibit "B," which is incorporated for all purposes herein; however, total payment made under this Agreement by the City for all services shall not exceed Three Hundred and Twenty Thousand Dollars ($320,000). Contractor shall not perform any additional services for the City not specified by this Agreement unless the City requests and approves in writing the additional costs for such services. The City shall not be liable for any additional expenses of Proposer not specified by this Agreement unless the City first approves such expenses in writing. Professional Services Agreement AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. 4. TERMINATION. 4.1. Written Notice. The City or Contractor may terminate this Agreement at any time and for any reason by providing the other party with 30 days' written notice of termination. 4.2 Non-appropriation of Funds. In the event no funds or insufficient funds are appropriated by the City in any fiscal period for any payments due hereunder, City will notify Contractor of such occurrence and this Agreement shall terminate on the last day of the fiscal period for which appropriations were received without penalty or expense to the City of any kind whatsoever, except as to the portions of the payments herein agreed upon for which funds have been appropriated. 4.3 Breach. Subject to Section 27 herein, either party may terminate this Agreement for breach of duty, obligation or warranty upon exhaustion of all remedies set forth in Section 27. 4.4 Duties and Obligations of the Parties. In the event that this Agreement is terminated prior to the Expiration Date, the City shall pay Contractor for services actually rendered up to the effective date of termination and Contractor shall continue to provide the City with services requested by the City and in accordance with this Agreement up to the effective date of termination. Upon termination of this Agreement for any reason, Contractor shall provide the City with copies of all completed or partially completed documents prepared under this Agreement. In the event Contractor has received access to City information or data as a requirement to perform services hereunder, Contractor shall return all City provided data to the City in a machine readable format or other format deemed acceptable to the City.. 5. DISCLOSURE OF CONFLICTS AND CONFIDENTIAL INFORMATION. 5.1 Disclosure of Conflicts. Contractor hereby warrants to the City that Contractor has made full disclosure in writing of any existing or potential conflicts of interest related to Contractor's services under this Agreement. In the event that any conflicts of interest arise after the Effective Date of this Agreement, Contractor hereby agrees immediately to make full disclosure to the City in writing. 5.2 Confidential Information. Contractor, for itself and its officers, agents and employees, agrees that it shall treat all information provided to it by the City as confidential and shall not disclose any such information to a third party without the prior written approval of the City. 5.3 Unauthorized Access. Contractor shall store and maintain City Information in a secure manner and shall not allow unauthorized users to access, modify, delete or otherwise corrupt City Information in any way. Contractor shall notify the City immediately if the security or integrity of any City information has been compromised or is believed to have been compromised, in which event, Contractor shall; in good faith, use all commercially reasonable efforts to cooperate with the City in identifying what information has been accessed by unauthorized means and shall fully cooperate with the City to protect such information from further unauthorized disclosure. Professional Services Agreement AilWorld Language Consultants, Inc. 6. RIGHT TO AUDIT. Contractor agrees that the City shall, until the expiration of three (3) years after final payment under this contract, or the final conclusion of any audit commenced during the said three years, have access to alld the right to examine at reasonable times any directly pertinent books, documents, papers and records of the Contractor involving transactions relating to this Contract at no additional cost to the City. Contractor agrees that the City shall have access during normal working hours to all necessary Contractor facilities and shall be provided adequate and appropriate work space in order to conduct audits in compliance with the provisions of this section. The City shall give Contractor reasonable advance notice of intended audits. Contractor further agrees to include in all its subcontractor agreements hereunder a provision to the effect that the subcontractor agrees that the City shall, until expiration of three (3) years after final payment of the subcontract, or the final conclusion of any audit commenced during the said three years have access to and the right to examine at reasonable times any directly pertinent books, documents, papers and records of such subcontractor involving transactions related to the subcontract,and further that City shall have access during normal working hours to all subcontractor facilities and shall be provided adequate and appropriate work space in order to conduct audits in compliance with the provisions of this paragraph. City shall give subcontractor reasonable notice of intended audits. 7. INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR. It is expressly understood and agreed that Contractor shall operate as an independent Contractor as to all rights and privileges and work performed under this agreement, and not as agent,representative or employee of the City. Subject to and in accordance with the conditions and provisions of this Agreement,Contractor shall have the exclusive right to control the details of its operations and activities and be solely responsible for the acts and omissions of its officers, agents, servants, employees, Contractors and subcontractor. Contractor acknowledges that the doctrine of respondeat superior shall not apply as between the City, its officers, agents, servants and employees, and Contractor, its officers, agents, employees, servants, Contractors and subcontractor. Contractor further agrees that nothing herein shall be construed as the creation of a partnership or joint enterprise between City and Contractor. It is further understood that the City shall in no way be considered a Co-employer or a Joint employer of Contractor or any officers, agents, servants, employees or subcontractor of Contractor. Neither Contractor, nor any officers, agents, servants, employees or subcontractor of Contractor shall be entitled to any employment benefits from the City. Contractor shall be responsible and liable for any and all payment and reporting of taxes on behalf of itself, and any of its officers, agents, servants, employees or subcontractor. 8. LIABILITY AND INDEMNIFICATION. A. LLABILITY- CONTRACTOR SHALL BE LIABLE AND RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY AND ALL PROPERTY LOSS, PROPERTY DAMAGE ANDIOR PERSONAL INJURY, INCLUDING DEATH, TO ANY AND ALL PERSONS, OF ANY KIND OR CHARACTER, WHETHER REAL OR ASSERTED, TO THE EXTENT CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENT ACT(S) OR OMISSION(S), MALFEASANCE OR INTENTIONAL MISCONDUCT OF CONTRACTOR,ITS OFFICERS,AGENTS,SERVANTS OR EMPLOYEES. Professional Services Agreement AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. B. GENERAL INDEMNIFICATION- CONTRACTOR HEREBY COVENANTS AND AGREES TO INDEMNIFY, HOLD HARMLESS AND DEFEND THE CITY, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS, SERVANTS AND EMPLOYEES, FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS OR LAWSUITS OF ANY KIND OR CHARACTER, WHETHER REAL OR ASSERTED, FOR EITHER PROPERTY DAMAGE OR LOSS (INCLUDING ALLEGED DAMAGE OR LOSS TO CONTRACTOR'S BUSINESS AND ANY RESULTING LOST PROFITS) ANDIOR PERSONAL INJURY, INCLUDING DEATH, TO ANY AND ALL PERSONS, ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH THIS AGREEMENT, TO THE EXTENT CAUSED BY THE NEGLIGENT ACTS OR OMISSIONS OR MALFEASANCE OF CONTRACTOR, ITS OFFICERS, AGENTS, SERVANTS OR EMPLOYEES. C. INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY INDEMNIFICATION — Seller agrees to defend, settle, or pay, at its own cost and expense, any claim or action against the City for infringement of any patent, copyright, trade mark, trade secret, or similar property right arising from City's use of the software and/or documentation in accordance with this Agreement, it being understood that this agreement to defend, settle or pay shall not apply if the City modifies or misuses the software and/or documentation. So long as Seller bears the cost and expense of payment for claims or actions against the City pursuant to this section,Seller shall have the right to conduct the defense of any such claim or action and all negotiations for its settlement or compromise and to settle or compromise any such claim; however, City shall have the right to fully participate in any and all such settlement, negotiations, or lawsuit as necessary to protect the City's interest, and City agrees to cooperate with Seller in doing so. In the event City, for whatever reason, assumes the responsibility for payment of costs and expenses for any claim or action brought against the City for infringement arising under this Agreement, the City shall have the sole right to conduct the defense of any such claim or action and all negotiations for its settlement or compromise and to settle or compromise any such claim; however, Seller shall fully participate and cooperate with the City in defense of such claim or action. City agrees to give Seller timely written notice of any such claim or action, with copies of all papers City may receive relating thereto. Notwithstanding the foregoing, the City's assumption of payment of costs or expenses shall not eliminate Seller's duty to indemnify the City under this Agreement. If the software and/or documentation or any part thereof is held to infringe and the use thereof is enjoined or restrained or, if as a result of a settlement or compromise, such use is materially adversely restricted, Seller shall, at its own expense and as City's sole remedy, either: (a) procure for City the right to continue to use the software and/or documentation; or (b) modify the software and/or documentation to make it non-infringing, provided that such modification does not materially adversely affect City's authorized use of the software and/or documentation; or (c) replace the software and/or documentation with equally suitable, compatible, and functionally equivalent non-infringing software and/or documentation at no additional charge to City; or (d) if none of the foregoing alternatives is reasonably available to Seller, terminate this agreement, and refund all amounts paid to Seller by the City,subsequent to which termination City may seek any and all remedies available to City under law. Professional Services Agreement Al[World Language Consultants, Inc. 9. ASSIGNMENT AND SUBCONTRACTING. Contractor shall not assign or subcontract any of its duties, obligations or rights under this Agreement without the prior written consent of the City. If the City grants consent to an assignment, the assignee shall execute a written agreement with the City and the Contractor under which the assignee agrees to be bound by the duties and obligations of Contractor under this Agreement. The Contractor and Assignee shall be jointly liable for all obligations of the Contractor under this Agreement prior to the effective date of the assignment. If the City grants consent to a subcontract, the subcontractor shall execute a written agreement with the Contractor referencing this Agreement under which the subcontractor shall agree to be bound by the duties and obligations of the Contractor under this Agreement as such duties and obligations may apply. The Contractor shall provide the City with a fully executed copy of any such subcontract. 10. INSURANCE. Contractor shall provide the City with certificate(s) of insurance documenting policies of the following minimum coverage limits that are to be in effect prior to commencement of any work pursuant to this Agreement: 10.1 Coverage and Limits (a) Commercial General Liability $1,000,000 Each Occurrence $1,000,000 Aggregate (b) Automobile Liability $1,000,000 Each occurrence on a combined single limit basis Coverage shall be on any vehicle used by the Contractor, its employees, agents, representatives in the course of the providing services under this Agreement. "Any vehicle" shall be any vehicle owned,hired and non-owned. (c) Worker's Compensation Statutory limits Employer's liability $100,000 Each accident/occurrence $100,000 Disease-per each employee $500,000 Disease-policy limit This coverage may be written as follows: Workers' Compensation and Employers' Liability coverage with limits consistent with statutory benefits outlined in the Texas workers' Compensation Act(Art. 8308— 1.01 et seq. Tex. Rev. Civ. Stat.) and minimum policy limits for Employers' Liability of $100,000 each accident/occurrence,$500,000 bodily injury disease policy limit and $100,000 per disease per employee Professional Services Agreement AIIWorid Language Consultants, Inc. (d) Professional Liability(Errors &Omissions) $1,000,000 Each Claim Limit $1,000,000 Aggregate Limit Professional Liability coverage may be provided through an endorsement to the Commercial General Liability(CGL)policy,or a separate policy specific to Professional E&O.Either is acceptable if coverage meets all other requirements. Coverage shall be claims-made, and maintained for the duration of the contractual agreement and for two (2)years following completion of services provided. An annual certificate of insurance shall be submitted to the City to evidence coverage. 10.2 General Requirements (a) The commercial general liability and automobile liability policies shall name the City as an additional insured thereon, as its interests may appear.The term City shall include its employees, officers, officials, agents, and volunteers in respect to the contracted services. (b) The workers' compensation policy shall include a Waiver of Subrogation (Right of Recovery)in favor of the City of Fort Worth. (c) A minimum of Thirty (30) days' notice of cancellation or reduction in limits of coverage shall be provided to the City.Ten (10) days' notice shall be acceptable in the event of non-payment of premium.Notice shall be sent to the Risk Manager, City of Fort Worth, 1000 Throckmorton, Fort Worth, Texas 76102, with copies to the City Attorney at the same address. (d) The insurers for all policies must be licensed and/or approved to do business in the State of Texas.All insurers must have a minimum rating of A- VII in the current A.M. Best Key Rating Guide, or have reasonably equivalent financial strength and solvency to the satisfaction of Risk Management.If the rating is below that required,written approval of Risk Management is required. (e) Any failure on the part of the City to request required insurance documentation shall not constitute a waiver of the insurance requirement. (f) Certificates of Insurance evidencing that the Contractor has obtained all required insurance shall be delivered to the City prior to Contractor proceeding with any work pursuant to this Agreement. 11. COMPLIANCE WITH LAWS, ORDINANCES,RULES AND REGULATIONS. Contractor agrees that in the performance of its obligations hereunder, it will comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws, ordinances, rules and regulations and that any work it produces in connection with this agreement will also comply with all applicable federal, state and Iocal laws, ordinances, rules and regulations. If the City notifies Contractor of any violation of such laws, ordinances,rules or regulations, Contractor shall immediately desist from and correct the violation. Professional Services Agreement AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. 12. NON-DISCRIMINATION COVENANT. Contractor, for itself, its personal representatives, assigns, subcontractors and successors in interest, as part of the consideration herein, agrees that in the performance of Contractor's duties and obligations hereunder, it shall not discriminate in the treatment or employment of any individual or group of individuals on any basis prohibited by law. If any claim arises from an alleged violation of this non- discrimination covenant by Contractor, its personal representatives, assigns, subcontractors or successors in interest, Contractor agrees to assume such liability and to indemnify and defend the City and hold the City harmless from such claim. 13. NOTICES. Notices required pursuant to the provisions of this Agreement shall be conclusively determined to have been delivered when (1) hand-delivered to the other party, its agents, employees, servants or representatives, (2) delivered by facsimile with electronic confirmation of the transmission, or (3) received by the other party by United States Mail, registered, return receipt requested, addressed as follows: To the CITY: To CONTRACTOR: City of Fort Worth AllWorld Language Consultants, Inc. Attn: Valerie Washington,Assistant City Manager Carlos A. Scandiffro,President&CEO 1000 Throckmorton Street 172 Rollins Avenue Fort Worth TX 76102-6311 Rockville,MD 20852 Facsimile: (817)392-8654 Facsimile: (301) 881-6877 14. SOLICITATION OF EMPLOYEES. Neither the City nor Contractor shall, during the term of this agreement and additionally for a period of one year after its termination, solicit for employment or employ, whether as employee or independent Contractor, any person who is or has been employed by the other during the term of this agreement, without the prior written consent of the person's employer. Notwithstanding the foregoing, this provision shall not apply to an employee of either party who responds to a general solicitation of advertisement of employment by either party. 15. GOVERNMENTAL POWERS. It is understood and agreed that by execution of this Agreement, the City does not waive or surrender any of its governmental powers or immunities. 16. NO WAIVER. The failure of the City or Contractor to insist upon the performance of any term or provision of this Agreement or to exercise any right granted herein shall not constitute a waiver of the City's or ' Contractor s respective right to insist upon appropriate performance or to assert any such right on any future occasion. Professional Services Agreement AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. 17, GOVERNING LAW/VENUE. This Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Texas, If any action, whether real or asserted, at law or in equity, is brought pursuant to this Agreement, venue for such action shall lie in state courts located in Tarrant County, Texas or the United States District Court for the Northern District of Texas,Fort Worth Division. 18. SEVERABILITY. If any provision of this Agreement is held to be invalid, illegal or unenforceable, the validity, legality and enforceability of the remaining provisions shall not in any way be affected or impaired. 19. FORCE MAJEURE. The City and Contractor shall exercise their best efforts to meet their respective duties and obligations as set forth in this Agreement, but shall not be held liable for any delay or omission in ,performance due to force majeure or other causes beyond their reasonable control, including, but not limited to, compliance with any government law, ordinance or regulation, acts of God, acts of the public enemy, fires, strikes, lockouts, natural disasters, wars, riots, material or labor restrictions by any governmental authority,transportation problems and/or any other similar causes. 20. HEADINGS NOT CONTROLLING. Headings and titles used in this Agreement are for reference purposes only, shall not be deemed a part of this Agreement, and are not intended to define or limit the scope of any provision of this Agreement. 21. REVIEW OF COUNSEL. The parties acknowledge that each party and its counsel have reviewed and revised this Agreement and that the normal rules of construction to the effect that any ambiguities are to be resolved against the drafting party shall not be employed in the interpretation of this Agreement or exhibits hereto. 22. AMENDMENTS/MODIFICATIONS/EXTENSIONS. No amendment of this Agreement shall be binding upon a party hereto unless such amendment is set forth in a written instrument,which is executed by an authorized representative of each party. 23. ENTIRETY OF AGREEMENT. This Agreement, including the schedule of exhibits attached hereto and any documents incorporated herein by reference, contains the entire understanding and agreement between the City and Contractor, their assigns and successors in interest, as to the matters contained herein. Any prior or contemporaneous oral or written agreement is hereby declared null and void to the extent in conflict with any provision of this Agreement, Professional Services Agreement AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. 24. COUNTERPARTS. This Agreement may be executed in one or more counterparts and each counterpart shall, for all purposes, be deemed an original, but all such counterparts shall together constitute one and the same instrument. 25. WARRANTY OF SERVICES. Contractor warrants that its services will be of a professional quality and conform to generally prevailing industry standards. City must give written notice of any breach of this warranty within thirty (30) days from the date that the services are completed. In such event, at Contractor's option, Contractor shall either (a) use commercially reasonable efforts to re-perform the services in a manner that conforms with the warranty, or(b)refund the fees paid by the City to Contractor for the nonconforming services. 26. IMMIGRATION NATIONALITY ACT. The City of Fort Worth actively supports the Immigration & Nationality Act (INA) which includes provisions addressing employment eligibility, employment verification, and nondiscrimination. Contractor shall verify the identity and employment eligibility of all employees who perform work under this Agreement. Contractor shall complete the Employment Eligibility Verification Form (I-9), maintain photocopies of all supporting employment eligibility and identity documentation for all employees, and upon request, provide City with copies of all I-9 forms and supporting eligibility documentation for each employee who performs work under this Agreement. Contractor shall establish appropriate procedures and controls so that no services will be performed by any employee who is not legally eligible to perform such services. Contractor shall provide City with a certification letter that it has complied with the verification requirements required by this Agreement. Contractor shall indemnify City from any penalties or liabilities due to violations of this provision. City shall have the right to immediately terminate this Agreement for violations of this provision by Contractor. 27. INFORMAL.DISPUTE RESOLUTION. Except in the event of termination pursuant to Section 4.2, if either City or Contractor has a claim, dispute, or other matter in question for breach of duty, obligations, services rendered or any warranty that arises under this Agreement,the parties shall first attempt to resolve the matter through this dispute resolution process. The disputing parry shall notify the other patty in writing as soon as practicable after discovering the claim, dispute, or breach. The notice shall state the nature of the dispute and list the party's specific reasons for such dispute. Within ten (10) business days of receipt of the notice, both patties shall commence the resolution process and make a good faith effort, either through email, mail, phone conference, in person meetings,or other reasonable means to resolve any claim,dispute,breach or other matter in question that may arise out of, or in connection with this Agreement. If the parties fail to resolve the dispute within sixty(60) days of the date of.receipt of the notice of the dispute,then the parties may submit the matter to non-binding mediation in Tarrant County, Texas, upon written consent of authorized representatives of both parties in accordance with the Industry Arbitration Rules of the American Arbitration Association or other applicable rules governing mediation then in effect.The mediator shall be agreed to by the parties. Each party shall be liable for its own expenses, including attorney's fees; however, the parties shall share equally in the costs of the mediation. If the parties cannot resolve the dispute through mediation,then either party shall have the right to exercise any and all remedies available under law regarding the dispute. Notwithstanding the fact that the parties may be attempting to resolve a dispute in accordance with this informal dispute resolution process,the parties agree to continue without delay all of their respective duties and obligations under this Agreement not affected by the dispute. Either party may, before or during the exercise of the informal Professional Services Agreement AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. dispute resolution process set forth herein, apply to a court having jurisdiction for a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction where such relief is necessary to protect its interests. 28. SIGNATURE AUTHORITY. The person signing this agreement hereby warrants that he/she has the legal authority to execute this agreement on behalf of the respective party, and that such binding authority has been granted by proper order, resolution, ordinance or other authorization of the entity. This Agreement and any amendment hereto,may be executed by any authorized representative of Contractor whose name,title and signature is affixed on the Verification of Signature Authority Form, which is attached hereto as Exhibit "D" and incorporate herein by reference. Each party is fully entitled to rely on these warranties and representations in entering into this Agreement or any amendment hereto. 29. OWNERSHIP OF WORK PRODUCT. City shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all reports, work papers, procedures, guides, and documentation, created, published, displayed, and/or produced in conjunction with the services provided under this Agreement, collectively, "Work Product'Further, City shall be the sole and exclusive owner of all copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret and other proprietary rights in and to the Work Product. Ownership of the Work Product shall inure to the benefit of the City from the date of conception, creation or fixation of the Work Product in a tangible medium of expression (whichever occurs first). Each copyrightable aspect of the Work Product shall be considered a "work-made-for-hire" within the meaning of the Copyright Act of 1976, as amended. If and to the extent such Work Product, or any part thereof, is not considered a "work-made-for-hire" within the meaning of the Copyright Act of 1976, as amended, Contractor hereby expressly assigns to City all exclusive right, title and interest in and to the Work Product, and all copies thereof, and in and to the copyright, patent, trademark, trade secret, and all other proprietary rights therein, that the City may have or obtain, without further consideration, free from any claim, lien for balance due, or rights of retention thereto on the part of the City, [SIGNATURE PAGE FOLLOWS] Professional Services Agreement AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. City of Fort Worth, Texas Mayor and Council Communication COUNCIL ACTION: Approved on 11/3/2015 DATE: Tuesday,November 03,2015 REFERENCE NO.: **P-11803 LOG NAME: 131`15-0233 TRANSLATION SERVICES DG SUBJECT: Authorize Contract with AllWorld Language Consultants, Inc., in a Combined Amount Up to$320,000.00 for the First Year to Provide Translation Services and Editing of Publications in Specified Languages for City Departments (ALL COUNCIL DISTRICTS) RECOMMENDATION: It is recommended that the City Council authorize a contract with AllWorld Language Consultants, Inc.,in a combined amount up to$320,000.00 for the first year to provide translation services and editing of publications in specified languages for City departments. DISCUSSION: The City of Fort Worth (City) will use the contract to provide live translation services and editing of publications from English to specified foreign languages and from a specified foreign language into English. Languages to be translated include Spanish,French, German,Italian,Japanese, Russian, Indonesian, Hungarian, Vietnamese and other languages for the various City departments.Translation and editing materials provided by the City under the contract include brochures, flyers, signs, applications, advertisements, newsletters and permits. RFP ADVERTISEMENT—A Request for Proposals (RFP) was advertised in the Fort Worth Star—Telegram on Wednesdays between May 27, 2015 and June 25, 2015. The evaluation factors included education, experience and certification,reputation of bidder, turnaround time and cost. Seventy—Seven vendors were solicited from the purchasing vendor database system; twelve responses were received. The proposals received were reviewed by an evaluation committee consisting of staff from the Municipal Courts Department. The proposal from AllWorld Language Consultants, Inc., was found to present the best value to the City. PRICE ANALYSIS —The price per hour offered by AllWorld Language Consultants, Inc., is 51.90 percent lower compared to the price for the contract awarded in September 2011 (RFQ No. 11-0329). Staff reviewed the prices and determined the prices to be fair and reasonable. ADMINISTRATIVE CHANGE ORDER—An administrative change order or increase may be made by the City Manager in the amount up to $50,000.00 and does not require specific City Council approval as long as sufficient funds have been appropriated. CONTRACT TERMS —Upon City Council's approval, the contract will begin November 4, 2015 and expire on November 3, 2016. RENEWAL OPTIONS —The contract may be renewed for up to four successive one—year terms in accordance with the terms of the contract. This action does not require specific City Council approval provided that the City Council has appropriated sufficient funds to satisfy the City's obligations during the renewal term. M/WBE OFFICE—A waiver of the goal for the MBE/SBE subcontracting requirements was requested by the Purchasing Division and approved by the M/WBE office in accordance with the BDE Ordinance because the purchase of goods or services is from sources where subcontracting or supplier opportunities are negligible. FISCAL INFORMATION: The approval of this action provides purchasing authority up to$320,000.00, as specified. The Financial Management Services Director certifies that funds are available in the current operating budgets, as appropriated, of the participating Departments and that prior to an expenditure being made, the participating Departments have the responsibility to validate the availability of funds. BQN\\ FUND CENTERS: TO Fund/Account/Centers FROM Fund/Account/Centers CERTIFICATIONS: Submitted for City Manager's Office by: Susan Alanis (8180) Originating Doartment Head: Aaron Bovos (8517) Additional Information Contact: Jack Dale (8357) Darian Gavin (2057) ATTACHMENTS 1. EPLS.pdf 2. Requisition.pdf 3.Waiver 15-0233 Revised.pdf AC RP, CERTIFICATE OF LIABILITY INSURANCE �o/zzlDo�5) THIS CERTIFICATE IS ISSUED AS A MATTER OF INFORMATION ONLY AND CONFERS NO RIGHTS UPON THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER.THIS CERTIFICATE DOES NOT AFFIRMATIVELY OR NEGATIVELY AMEND,EXTEND OR ALTER THE COVERAGE AFFORDED BY THE POLICIES BELOW. THIS CERTIFICATE OF INSURANCE DOES NOT CONSTITUTE A CONTRACT BETWEEN THE ISSUING INSURER($),AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OR PRODUCER,AND THE CERTIFICATE HOLDER. IMPORTANT: If the certificate holder is an ADDITIONAL INSURED,the policy(ies)must be endorsed. If SUBROGATION 1S WAIVED,subject to the terms and conditions of the policy,certain policies may require an endorsement. A statement on this certificate does not confer rights to the certificate holder in lieu of such endorsement(s). CONTACT PRODUCER NAME. Henry Latimer & Son Inc PHONE 301 229 1500 1 FAx Y tAtc_No ext) _-- tArC ay 301,320 2458 4701 San amore Rd. Suite S-250 E•ADDRESS; _. 9 AoaRss:. Bethesda, MD 20816 INSURER($)AFFORDING COVERAGE NAIL 0 --------- ... -- INSURERA: Travelers Indemnity Co A++ <25658 INSURED AT1WOrld 1 anguage ConsulantS, Inc. INSURERS. 172 Rollins Avenue INSURER C: Suites 3 & 3A INSURER D —._...,. _. . ------- ---- - -----Rockville, MD 20852 INSURER E: ENSURER F: COVERAGES CERTIFICATE NUMBER: City Of Forth Worth REVISION NUMBER: THIS IS TO CERTIFY THAT THE POLICIES OF INSURANCE LISTED BELOW HAVE BEEN ISSUED TO THE INSURED NAMED ABOVE FOR THE POLICY PERIOD INDICATED, NOTWITHSTANDING ANY REQUIREMENT,TERM OR CONDITION OF ANY CONTRACT OR OTHER DOCUMENT WITH RESPECT TO WHICH THIS CERTIFICATE MAY BE ISSUED OR MAY PERTAIN,THE INSURANCE AFFORDED BY THE POLICIES DESCRIBED HEREIN IS SUBJECT TO ALL.THE TERMS, EXCLUSIONS AND CONDITIONS OF SUCH POLICIES.LIMITS SHOWN MAY HAVE BEEN REDUCED BY PAID CLAIMS: —.. -ADWSUBR - )LTR TYPE OF INSURANCE LTR ; INSR'WVD= POLICY NUMBER (MM/DDIYYYY) MMtDDIYYYY); LIMITS GENERAL LIABILITY 660481X SO SG 01/05/2015 01/05/2016# EACH OCCURRENCE $�_ 1,000,000 DAMAGE-TO*RIENTEO X COMFdERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY ! E, PREMISES(Ea occurrence) 300,000 $ _ CLAIMS-MADE X ; OCCUR hgEO EXP(Any one person) $ 10,000 PERSONAL&ADV INJURY A X i ! __ 1,000,000 GENERAL AGGREGATE 2,000,000 GEN`L AGGREGATE LIMIT APPLIES PER PRODUCTS COMPIOP AGG i$ 2,000,(}0 _$ - —_.- X POLICY j fl LOC , AUTOMOBILE LIABILITY 6604$1X5056;01/05/2015 01/05/2016' (Ea accidents Llfi)7 ;-$. _-- 1,000,000 BODILY INJURY(Per person) i$ ANY AUTO A ALL OWNED SCHEDULED X BODILY INJURY(Per accident) S AUTOS AUTOS _ X HIRED AUTOS X NON-OWNED PR6PER7Y 6ATviTtGF _ AUTOS {Per aecidenf ---- _ .;$ - f UMBRELLA LIAR !OGCUR EACH OCCURRENCE $ EXCESS UAB CLAIMS AiADE l s AGGREGATE $ DELI `+RETENTION S i n, $ WORKERS COMPENSATION UB840D073�01 105/2 01 5;01/06/2016 i X U E TORYIA1V- ! AND EMPLOYERS'LIABILITY YIN I ANY PROPRIETORlPARTNERiEXECUTIV E L,EACH ACCIDENT 3 1,000,000 A OFFICER(MEMBFR EXCLUDED? I N I A X --- (Mandatory In NH) ; Y E.L_DISEASE EA EMPLOYEE$ 1,000,000 i If yas,describe under ------' ----- ---.._.__..._. DESGRIPTION OF OPERATIONS below _ E.L.DISEASE-POLICY LIMIT ;S 1,000 000 Professional Liability 55600651710€01105/2015=01105120161 $2000000 � f t A DESCRIPTION OF OPERATIONS 1 LOCATIONS/VEHICLES (Attach ACORD 101,Additional Remarks Schedule,0 more space Is required) dditional Insureds: City Of Forth Worth,its officers, employees and agents. Liability insurance is primary and applies separately to each insured, except with respect to limits of liability. Waiver of subrogation applies. ndorsements attached. CERTIFICATE HOLDER CANCELLATION SHOULD ANY OF THE ABOVE DESCRIBED POLICIES BE CANCELLED BEFORE THE EXPIRATION DATE THEREOF,NOTICE WILL BE DELIVERED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE POLICY PROVISIONS, City Of Forth Worth AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE' Risk Manager s 1000 Throckmorton . Fort Worth TX 76702 lRichard Latimer @)1886-2010 ACORD CORPORATION. All rights reserved. ACORD 25(2010/05) The ACORD name and logo are registered marks of ACORD COMMERCIAL GENERAL LIABILITY CG 20 10(Ed. 7104) OF-9665 POLICY NUMBER: 6604SIX5056 All World Language Consultants, Inc. THIS ENDORSEMENT CHANGES THE POLICY. PLEASE READ IT CAREFULLY. ADDITIONAL INSURED - OWNERS, LESSEES OR CONTRACTORS - SCHEDULED PERSON OR ORGANIZATION This endorsement modifies insurance provided under the following: CONIMERCIAL GENERAL.LIABILITY COVERAGE PART SCHEDULE Narne of Additional Insured Person(s)Or Organ ization(s): Location(s)of Covered Operations. Blanket-all as required by contract City Of Forth Worth Information required to complete this Schedule. if not shown above, will be shown in the Declarations. A. Section 11 - Who Is An Insured is amended to include This insurance does not apply to "bodily injury" or as an additional insured the person(s) or organization(s) "property damage" occurring after: shown in the Schedule,but only with respect to liability for I. All work, including materials, parts or equipment "bodily injury", "property damage" or "personal and furnished in connection with such work, on the project advertising injury" caused, in whole or in part,by: (other than service, maintenance or repairs) to be 1. Your acts or omissions., or performed by or on behalf of the additional insured(s) 1 The acts or omissions of those acting on your behalf; at the location of the covered operations has been completed: or in the performance of your ongoing operations for the 2 -K` out of which the injury or That portion of"your woi additional insureds)at the location(s)designated above. damage arises has b'een put to its intended use by any R. With respect to the insurance afforded to these person or organization other than another contractor or additional insureds, the following additional exclusions C z:1 subcontractor engaged in performing operations for a apply: principal as a part of the same project. Copyri®r it ISO Properties, Inc.,2004 WORKERS COMPENSATION AND EMPLOYERS LIABILITY WC 00 03 B (Ed. 1/86)OF-8641. POLICY No. UB840D0739 WAIVER OF OUR RIGHT TO RECOVER FROM OTHERS ENDORSEMENT We have the right to recover our payments from anyone liable for an injury covered by this policy. We will not enforce our tight I . j against the person or organization named in the Schedule. (This agreement applies only to the extent that you perform Nvork under a written contract that requires you to obtain this agreement from us.) This agreement shall not operate directly or indirectly to benefit any one not named in the Schedule, City Of Fort Worth Notes: Use this endorsement to waive the company's right of subrogation against named third parties who may be responsible for an injury. - ' l� The sentence in ( ) is optional with the company. It limits the endorsement m apply only nospooificjobooy the insured, and only m the extent that the insured is required iv obtain this nmivor. 21 The following entry Must bmadded to the endorsement when used in Buxmii "The premium ohorAo for the endorsement is included." l The endorsement does not apply to policies in Missouri where the Gcatinns. A,uord|u tu section 287.|j0kDof the Missouri statutes,o contractual provision purporting Vo waive is against public policy and void where one part);to the contract is all employer in the construction group of code class ificat ions. 4. In most states, |no|odiuw Florida,any associated premium charge mov\be filed and approved prior W oyc. l No charge or fee is applicable for Using this endorsement io the state o[Tennessee. Refer»o Tennessee State Statute Special Rule 3-A'22of the Basic Manual. Copyright 1906 National Council on Compensation Insurance. \ IN UTE,SS WHEREOF, the parties hereto have executed this Agreement in multiples th '" �day of 2015, ACCEPTED AND AGREED: CITY OF FORT WORTH: AIIWorld Language Consultants,Inc. By: � By Va erie Washington, A. Scandiffi Assistant City Manager President& CEO Date: i,,' Date: 07 2412OIr APPROVAL RECOMMENDED: ATTEST: By: By Director, Municipal Court®® �� Title: s �� ATTE R. rr By ., � 6 ry 4ay City Se cr tat If lv.0 t. APPROVED AS TO FORM AND LEGALITY: 11"r— Victoria Honey, Assistant City Attorney I CONTRACT AUTHORIZATION: Date Approved; V ._...._ Professional Services Agreement (L"3 TY � AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. �,m WORTf 117 EX=IT A STATEMENT OF WORK RFP No. 15-0233 Interpreter Licensing Requirements ALC has tested, evaluated and prepared a large team of interpreters and translators for this requirement. In addition to ALTA tests, the majority of them also possess DLPT tests with scores of 4 and above. The latter is the Defense Language Proficiency Test which most former military and law enforcement linguists must take prior to being qualified to a specific post or mission. As ALC utilizes a large number of cleared linguists for classified work at home and overseas, our recruiters have gathered a strong roster of tested and cleared candidates. These candidates, .backed by strong DLPT tests, were subsequently re-tested through ALTA as an added measure in reinforcing our commitment to our customers. ALC also retains interpreters with Court Certification, These interpreters are also re-tested (as explained in the Implementation and Management Plan detailed further into this proposal) through internal procedures as well as ALTA, Implementation and Management Plan . .ALC's capabilities rest heavily on the ability of its staff to produce and manage requirements. Aside from the fact that the company has an impeccable record of performance, ALC relies on its proven quality control and production teams which are capable of recruiting,testing, clearing, and preparing teams of linguists and technical specialists, in a timely and cost-effective fashion. The company's multi-tier production processes and electronic glossaries of technical terms and phrases enhance accuracy and reliability to the point of virtually guaranteeing the work as flawless and appropriate for the task at hand, ALC established a comprehensive management structure for performance of this contract designed to enhance recruitment and retention of qualified linguists.ALC's PM is supported by a comprehensive administrative structure which include functions critical to performance such as finance (payables and receivables); human resources; security; travel and most importantly: recruiting, . Approach to Implementing Services The key to the success of this endeavor rests on ALC's ability to provide the right linguists,with the right skills, and the right time, In.order to achieve this goal, ALC adheres to established procedures and steps. First and foremost, ALC will utilize the Collaborative Management System (CMS), which is a Web-based management tool designed to support both large and small-scale linguists operations, to track our linguists through every phase of the placement process,Perhaps the most significant aspect of this CMS is the fact that it was developed for the purposes of tracking and monitoring linguistic functions, Unlike other companies engaged in IT Solutions and later became involved ( in languages and linguistics when the opportunity'arose, ALC has been providing these services June 25,2015 15 RFP No.15-0233 since its incorporation, Thus, all the systems and processes have always been geared towards languages, rather than adapted from other processes. Our methodology reflects the strength of our core discipline. The Collaborative Management System (CMS) is a cloud-based database driven application developed to improve visibility into project costs and performance, and to optimize resource productivity and increase on-time completion, The web application provides the capability to track contracts' task orders, cases and budgets along with employees' timesheets and expenses. It also provides high performance reporting capabilities with dashboard analytics for payroll billing project budgets and cost outcome. It also includes the capability to manage the hiring process of the employees and their employment status.Below is an overview of the application features: • Track,house and report all Linguist Qualifications. • Provides deep insights about the project progress with visual dashboards. Helps identify the most critical tasks and budgets that are overdue, and also identifies if the task is.in- progress,pending or completed. It provides insights into how quickly to adjust the project plan in a matter of a few minutes to meet the project completion: • Provides time tracking for any employee type with highly configurable and intuitive timesheets. • Leverages flexible approval workflows that adapt to the contract processes to ensure accuracy and compliance. Keeps overtime costs in check with configurable calculation rules that increase accuracy and improve compliance with overtime laws. • Provides employees expense tracking by project and compares against projected expense amounts to allow expense reports to be submitted quickly and easily with a simple and clean interface. Provides real-time visibility into reimbursable and project expenses with configurable and easy-to-use reports • Provides real-time insights with pre-delivered payroll billing reports that can be customized with filters and groupings to get the exact data you need. The web based cloud application will be accessed over the Internet and all the users will login in a secured environment with an SSL authentication. June 25,2015 16 RFP No. 15-0233 AL C. Employees Hiring Add New Employee r•.r•1.t.�. : 4R:1 .1.1,•..I,.r. Srkfl llr„ . , - _ .' ... W],1�)O•rH•lurgeltrtl lYrY�J�r lr:r -. .. CMS is a comprehensive system that covers all aspects of the contract: from task order to invoice, The CMS will be customized to suit The City as well as provide direct connectivity to all our subcontractors and partners. ��7 `r.,]�� ulev• rcrcu.. rw,) rvp..n usn• nux n]mu• r.;ai . _ .. ._,. Expense prJ•< Add n•w dprn•. c.•r .'z:r:u . wrn parr ;�i rl r. fw�wir GN IrM M' rw, • HNLO]YaN r•,{(a1tW RJw i:.)rt,r Interpretation ALC trains and tests interpreters to perform beyond ordinary and widely recognized parameters. ALC designed and tested techniques that allow interpreters to maximize capabilities without compromising skills. ALC is prepared to support this endeavor through its nationwide network of qualified interpreters. ALC furnishes several types of interpretation support: Simultaneous, Consecutive, June 25,2015 . 17 1�J RFP No, 15-0233 Sight, Escort and ASL. Each type varies according to the level of technical difficulty, the subject matter and the circumstances. ALC selects its interpreters by vetting them according to each discipline; taking into consideration that each encompasses more than just a linguist (such as equipment, technicians, conference coordinators, or video teleconferencing.) Thus, the selection process is critical to the success and impact of the service provided. Above all, understanding and in-depth training in a specific subject matter can vastly improve capabilities and maintain skills. For the purposes of this requirement, ALC has carefully selected a core team of 750 interpreters in as many as-.265 languages and dialects. These linguists will be specifically briefed and trained on the requirement, the Code of Professional Ethics, and cross-cultural awareness in matters to The City's needs. These linguists are part of the overall The City Database. Because of the need to support attached to this requirement in all 50 states and the US Commonwealth and territories, ALC has selected translators and interpreters (both on-site as well as telephonic) from its Master Linguist Database and segregated them according to each type of interpretation, including interpreter/technicians capable of setting up and operating interpretation equipment for conferences and video teleconferencing. Likewise, ALC prepared a peripheral database that segregates interpreters according to the region where the live, All of these linguists make up ALC Master Database, which at present includes more than 9,000 qualified linguists worldwide. The database is fully integrated into our collaborative management system(CMS) explained below. ALC's recruitment efforts have already yielded a significant number of local linguists who tested and ready to perform this contract. These linguists have discussed the mission with ALC and have committed themselves to fully support the performance of this contract, by being.willing and able to re-test and be reprocessed through ALC. ALC testing and evaluation program provides for an efficient and effective transition and is crucial to our Transition Plan. ALC distributed and implemented the ethics code (NAJIT's members are bound by the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibilities promulgated by the Association to advance the highest quality language services in assisting all parties in the administration of justice) to all of its candidates and anticipates having these documents ready for delivery at time of award. Court Certified Interpreters Certification for interpreters and translators vary slightly in the sense that it involves compliance with requirements of the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Program, as set forth by the Court Interpreters Act of 1978 (and its subsequent amendments of 1988). As such, there may be some differences amongst the states. Nevertheless, for the purposes of this contract; ALC has gone to greats length.in order to recruit and secure Court-Certified interpreters that will be accepted in most US Courts. In recruiting Court-Certified interpreters, ALC makes full use of the Master List of Certified �. Court Interpreters of Designated Languages and Registered Interpreters of Non-designated June 25,2015 18 RFP No, 15-0233 . Al� Languages, which contains the names of certified court and. registered interpreters of non- designated languages in good standing with the Judicial Council, The first requirement of professional court interpreters is to possess-educated, native-like mastery of both English and a second language. Mastery of languages at the level required for court interpreting requires reading, speaking and interpreting the languages regularly in a wide variety of language contexts and usually years of formal education. Mastery of both English and Spanish includes the ability to speak the languages in a way that does not interfere with understanding by native speakers of either language. Thus, accented speech may be noticeable but must not pose problems for the listener. ALC conducts a two-part examination of language proficiency and interpretation performance. The first part is the Written Examination (a multiple-choice test of language proficiency in English and Spanish; which could easily be modified to suit all other languages). The Written Examination emphasizes accuracy rather than speed. However, there is-a 2-1/2 hour time limit for completing the test, excluding the time required for instructions and other procedural requirements. The second part of the examination is an oral performance test that simulates the work interpreters performs in court. This part of the examination takes about 60 minutes, excluding instructions and other procedural requirements. The passing score has been set at 80% for both the Written and Oral Examinations, ALC utilizes the expertise of certified interpreters with extensive experience in similar work to serve as examiners. This procedure was modeled after the certification enacted by the Federal Court Interpreter Certification Examination Board. All interpreters testing is administered and conducted by ALTA, one of our corporate partners and first-tier subcontractor in this effort. ALTA has been accepted and recognized by the US Government as one of the few leading testing companies in the country. One that has extensive experience adhering to and emulating accepted US Government testing and evaluating procedures (such as the Interagency Language Roundtable), The following. chart depicts the qualified interpreters that are available to perform on this contract. These are just the numbers who have been placed in the vetting pipeline since the publication of this solicitation, ALC estimates that at. the time of award, these numbers will increase exponentially and our nationwide coverage will multiply, particularly through the inclusion of incumbents. Available Interpreters - #of a .Dingdage Interpreters Language Interpreters ?Language :` nt rpre e . Afgani 19 Assyrian 5 Bulgarian 19 Afrikaans 15 Azeri 6 Burkina Faso 4 Akan 4 Bahnar 4 Burmese 5 Albanian 16 Basque 4 Cambodian 44 Amharic 25 Belorussian 45 Cantonese- 59 Arabic 49 Bengali 11 Cape Verdian 1 Armenian 9 Bosnian 21 Catalan 4 June 25,2015 19 ( RFP No, 15.0233 1 #of #of #of Language Interpreters Language Interpreters Language Interpreters Chaldean 2 Hawaiian 7 Marwillese 9 Cherokee 4 Hebrew 21 Mien 29 Chin 9 Hia 5 Moldavian. 19 Chlu Chow 6 Hindi 49 Mongolian 14 Chuukese 4 Hmong 27 Mortlockese 2 Creole 47 Hunanese 2 Navajo 5 Croatian 44 Hungarian 21 Nepali 3 Czech 9 Ibo 4 Norwegian 19 Dakota 2 Icelandic 3 Oromo 12 Danish 47 llocano 15 Pampangan 4 Dari 11 Indonesian 19 Papiamento 4 Diula 4 Italian 26 Pao-An 2 Dutch 45 Itanbobal 4 Pashto 15 Estonian 25 Jakartanese 4 Persian 15 Ewe 4 Japanese 29 Pidgin English 8 Farsi 29 Jarai 4 Polish 25 Fijian 5 Jola 2 Portuguese 41 Finnish 16 Kanjobal 5 Pulaar 4 Flemish 5 Kashmir! 6 Punjabi 29 French 61 Kikuyu 6 Quiche 4 FhenchCanadian 47 Kirghiz 7 Romanian 42 Fen 3 Korean 47 Russian 197 Frisian 4 Krlo 3 Samoan 7 Fukanese 5 Kurdish 11 Sango 4 Fulani 2 Lakota 4 Senegalese 4 Fuzhou 4 Laotian 44 Serbian 26 Ga. 4 Latvian 7 Shanghaese 5 Gaddang 3 Lingala 7 Sindhi 2 Gaelic 5 Lithuanian 16 Sinhalese .4 Georgian 19 Macedonian 5 Slovak 11 German 46 Malagasy 4 Slovenian 15 Glagolitic 2 Malay 7 Somali 47 Greek 16 Malinke 5 Sorani 2 Greenlandian 5 Maltese 5 Spanish 499 Gujarat( 5 Mam 2 Sudanese 9 Hakka 1 Mandarin 67 Swahili 19 . Haitian Creole 19 Mandingka 5 Swedish 19 Hassanlya 6 Marathi 5 Szechuan 4 June 25,2015 20 r RFP No. 15-0233 1 #'of Language Interpreters Tadzhik_' 9 Tagalog 45 Taiwanese 9 Tamil 4 - Tatar 7 Telugu 4 Thai 29 Tibetan 9 Tigre 4 Tigrinya 9 Toishanese 6 Tongan 7 Turkish 19 Turkmen 7 Twi 4 Uighur 5 Ukrainian 59 Urdu 21 Uzbecic 9 Vietnamese 97 Visayan 4 Welsh 5 Wolof 5 Yiddish 7 Yoruba 3 Zulu 5 June 25,2015 21 RFP No, 15-0233 Document Translation In order to produce the most efficient and reliable translations, ALC's production team will employ the Conveyor Belt System. This proven method of expediting work while continuously moving forward helps reduce back log and enhances productivity while meeting the most demanding deadlines. ALC is certain that it will prove invaluable to The City's mission, given the sensitivity and time-constraints of the requirement. The conveyor belt system has proven to be a key quality assurance step - one that ALC currently uses and believes should be the industry standard. The procedure is relatively simple. As the first task order comes in, the senior editors immediately prepare (or add, in the case of subsequent task orders) the Glossary of Technical Terms and Phrases. This is submitted to the customer for approval. As the first segment (broken down into equitable batches) of the material is produced by the translators, editors pick up simultaneously and begin the forward motion towards an expeditious and final translation. The key components of this process lie in the effective utilization of the gradual quality control build up. As the work progresses, editors continue to polish the translation, which is enhanced through the use of The City glossary. The.procedure yields the highest quality as well as a Glossary in multiple languages that ultimately remains the property of The City. This cycle serves to paramount purposes: a) meeting the most stringent deadlines, and b) identifying errors and omissions well before the work is labeled as final. TASK ORDER TRANSLATION TRANSLATION TRANSLATION OF TRANSLATION OF TRANSLATION OF FINAL TASK ORDER 1 OF FIRST BATCH SECOND BATCH THIRD BATCH FOUNYH BATCH TRANSLATION EDITING 01 FIRST EDITING OF EDITING OF EDITI NO DP BATCH SECOND BATCH THIRD BAYCH FOURTH BATCH 0. CA 09/20/2015 69/21/20Is] 09/2?J201 S 09123/2015 09/24/2018 09/25/2015 09/26/2015 - I I 1 1 PADOBEE■ AWUEYMEN" REPORTS 1 pEVIEW I PM o " p[VIEW AND AND FINAL TO 1 REVIEW OI.CUEC).N CORRECYIDNE REVIEW 1 CUSTOMER THE CITY OF I FORTH WORTH GLOSSARY OF TECHNICAL TERMS AND PHRASES ' The Glossary of Technical Terms and Phrases encompasses terminology emanating from. translations,transcriptions, and other forms of linguistic support being furnished to The City and associated with this contract and it is regularly updated and distributed amongst the different offices and linguistic cells. This reference material then becomes a valuable tool as June.25,2015 22 r RFP No.I5-0233 I\L 1 cl ?�91'1 the linguists are deployed throughout the country in support of the nationwide requirement and serves to increase productivity and accuracy. CMS Master Linguist Database ALC understands the vital importance of having an interpreter in place ready to perform. Along these lines,ALC's roster of linguists is stored in a Master Linguists Database, which is a sub-database of our Contract Management System (CMS). This sub-database contains more than 9,000 active linguists globally and allows us immediate access to numerous teams of specialists in highly technical subjects through specific queries that can be tailored to the Statement of Work. This segment of our CMS database is constantly being updated and enhanced by each of our member companies nationwide, in addition to the ordinary recruiting and vetting procedures carried out by our staff at headquarters. CENTRAL REGIONAL RECRUITERS NORTHWEST REOKMAL RECRUITERS NORTHEAST REGIONAL RECRUITERS 2 BOUR1WEST REGIONAL RECRUITERS SOUTHEAST REOIONALRECRUITERS FORT WORTHS ALC CMS' Master Linguist Database is constantly updated by our recruiters and it contains all the necessary information to track, monitor, and supervise the core unit as well as any backup units that may be required to support this requirement. The advantage of this master linguist database is that it can be tailored to each customer. As such, ALC has already created regional databases to support all the languages depicted in the solicitation, with June 25,2015 23 RFP No. 15-0233 particular emphasis on'those languages that appear to have been the cause of cancellations and, as a result, liquidated damages. The City Peripheral Database contains the Interpreter Qualifications Matrix which has already been populated with sufficient numbers of incumbent/new linguists so as to make the transition seamless. This effort towards continuity is the result of ALC's experience with similar contracts, in particular those that require the mobilization of large groups of linguists under unusual circumstances. Incumbents will be segregated from the rest of the linguists as a means to turn them into members of the tiger team that will be responsible for effectuating a quick,transition and afford continuity to this mission. ALC's recruiters will evaluate their capabilities and skills prior to incorporating them into The City database, as a means to ensure that their incumbency is justified for the sake of the mission as a whole. In order to further simplify all procedures, ALC has established a dedicated City of Fort Worth Inbox (FTWORTH@pjcinc.com) as well as a large-volume drop-box through which all material related to this requirement will be routed. City representatives will be given proper login and passwords so as to gain proper access and functionality. As it is the case with all electronic exchanges, ALC will protect the contents of this Inbox through Helix3 Enterprise as well as encryption of all material, as explained below. IT Security ( ALC's IT Solutions Division will provide the-necessary level of protection for all work performed under this contract; Along these lines, ALC's H3 assists first responders and network defense analysts in rapid and accurate assessment of suspicious workstation or network activity, This solution provides network administrators and security personnel with mechanisms to'effectively counter threats posed by insiders to the security and integrity of the corporate networks and the data contained therein, H3E® is the culmination of several years of development on the highly successful Helix3 Incident Response and Forensics CD, currently widely used by law enforcement worldwide. Identification of insider activity requires forensically sound and robust data harvesting techniques. System events and activity offer vital clues to detect insider activities such as permission elevation, covert data tunnels, and data exfiltration. The H3E® Agent is designed to monitor, collect and analyze these fragments of evidence and alert network defenders. This comprehensive data.collection capability allows administrators or analysts to rapidly determine the nature of suspect activity..These remote forensic capabilities include, but are not limited to the collection and retrieval of user information, network information and associated processes, screen captures and remote forensic disk and RAM imaging. June 25,2015 24 RFP No. 15-0233 ALC intends to apply this level of security to all of the work performed at its premises on behalf of The City. This measure is designed to protect the integrity of the information and reassure The City and that all the work will be handled with the strictest of confidence and security. In fact,the work performed for The City will be handled through our secured area of the facility_so as to perform due diligence and logging as if the work to be performed was classified. American Sign Language Currently, ALC has all the resources necessary to support any ASL requirement, including those involving: • American Sign Language(ASL) • Manually Coded English(MCE) • Pidgin Signed English(PSE) • Secure Video Remote Interpreting(VRI) • Computer Aided Real-time Translation(CART) • Voice-to-Sign and Sign-to-Voice • Close-Vision • Oral Transliteration • Tactile Signing • Cued Speech ASL Interpretation requires vast knowledge of the English language and the ability to-speak clearly, be audibly heard, and portray the feelings and emotion of the speaker. Interpretation is an essential process of transferring meaning between languages simultaneously or consecutively; in the presence of people and involving correspondence that needs to be relayed immediately. Therefore, ALC's ASL interpreters are seasoned professionals who have extensive experience in achieving message equivalency while maintaining their role as a communication facilitator by being as transparent as possible throughout the interaction. ASL services will be provided during the core hours of 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Although not specifically required in the PWS, ALC can also provide services on an as needed basis beyond core working hours to include weekend interaction or holidays. In the event that a meeting or interaction goes beyond normal business hours, or services are requested for a weekend or recognized federal holiday, ALC's Project Manager will coordinate with and seek approval from the appointed designee. ASL interpreters will arrive to all assignments 20 minutes prior to the start time so that they can park, clear security and contact their escort. 1. June 25,2015. 25 RFP No. 15-0233 A—C ( ALC understands that we must continuously employ a pool of highly qualified and certified interpreters that maintain an active certification with RID and are members in good standing with the organization. ALC's interpreters have extensive background experience in the sign language profession, and have had concentrated experience in the federal sector interpreting highly technical meetings and negotiations. ALC's sign language interpreters are skilled in managing visual-aural modality differences in interactions, for example; visual=gestural verse auditory-oral communications. Deaf and Hard of Hearing clients gain information through their eyes which requires sustained visual attention and consciously directed eye gaze, therefore it is essential for interpreters to convert auditory conversation cues into visual cues, and vice versa. ALC interpreters have developed their visual concentration and are alert to visual cues of the client's subtle non- verbal responses; to this end it is imperative for the interpreter to build a rapport and connection with the client While maintaining strict professionalism. Our interpreters apply the practice of building a professional yet close relationship with the client to better serve their particular needs, styles,and affinities. Staffing Requests Under 24 Hours'Notice ALC understands that the actual number of interpreters and service times are contingent on The City's requests. Uninterrupted task performance is essential and is ALC's goal. As such, ALC has recruited a large pool of sign language interpreters available to fill assignments on less than 24 hours' notice, Thus, ALC will make every effort to staff assignments requested with less than 24 hours' notice. A5L Risk Management ALC's past and present experience on ASL contracts has revealed several real life situations that may be encountered throughout the life of a contract. ALC is prepared with measures for each situation to aggressively address these issues at the beginning and throughout the life of the contract. Below are the potential risks and ALC's corrective actions for risk mitigation of this Purchase Order. Risk Corrective Action Interpreter does • The interpreter is contacted for an explanation of missed assignment not show up for • An email is sent to the interpreter documenting the missed assignment an assignment • ALC contacts the client POC to explain the reason for the missed assignment and is not charged for services An email is sent to the client POC to document-the missed assignment • If the interpreter did not show due to unforeseen circumstances beyond their control, the incident will be documented in the interpreter's record • If the interpreter did not show due to preventable circumstances,the incident will be documented and disciplinary action will be issued. June 25,2015 26' RFP No. 15-0233 A-- Risk Corrective Action Interpreter is If ALC is notified by the client that the interpreter has not arrived to the assignment on late for an time,the interpreter is contacted for an explanation and an estimated time of arrival. assignment If tardiness was due to extenuating circumstances,the client POC will be notified as soon as ALC is aware of the situation via phone with a follow up email for documentation purposes.Copies of emails will be kept in the contract file • If the Interpreter notifies the ASL PM/PA of their tardiness,the PM/PA will immediately contact the appointed client POC via telephone with a follow up e-mail to document the incident.If the ETA is known,the PM/PA will relay that to the appointed client POC so all parties are aware of a potential delayed start • If tardiness is within the Interpreter's control,solutions will be discussed between the Interpreter and ALC,and ALC will inform the Client as to the corrective action that has been taken.A copy of these a-mails and notes from these conversations will be kept in the contract file Interpreter is • ALC contacts the interpreter to discuss their attire and the reason the client deemed it not dressed inappropriate for the job appropriately a The interpreter is reminded of the Code of Professional Conduct and given a written warning of this incident • If the interpreter's attire continues to be an issue,the interpreter will be dismissed from performing any future services Interpreter • ALC immediately contacts the interpreter to discuss the situation specific to the violates the incident. Code of 0 ALC contacts the client POC to discuss the incident from the client's perspective and Professional shares the interpreter's explanation. Conduct • Resolutions are discussed and agreed upon with the client as to best handle the situation and prevent it from occurring again. • ALC informs the interpreter of the resolution agreed upon by ALC and the client.Any disciplinary action is applied accordingly. • Documentation of all discussions and Lessons Learned are filed in the ALC contract folder and submitted to the client for their records. Interpreter • ALC immediately notifies the client that the interpreter has cancelled for the cancels the assignment. morning of the • ALC contacts other qualified interpreters to fill the assignment(if enough time is assignment allowed). • Once a new interpreter is found,ALC contacts the client and provides pertinent information of the replacement interpreter. • The cancellation and change of interpreter is documented and filed in the ALC contract folder. • If cancellations continue to bean issue with an individual interpreter,they will be dismissed from performing any future services. ALC anticipates that there may be other concerns in the course of performance of the contract. In order to minimize the impact of these potential problems,ALC has established a management structure geared towards identifying and solving these problems in a proactive manner. Our corporate philosophy is one of analysis and problem solving as an on-going process. This continuous re-evaluation and improvement processes will serve as the foundation for the success of our performance. l June 25,2015 27 RPP No. 15-0233 Al- -C.11, identification and Correction of Deficiencies ALC has an established identification, troubleshooting and problem resolution system that has proven successful in all the contracts that the company has performed on behalf of the United States Government. This system is known as Risk Management and Assessment Plan(RMAP) and it has been developed in an effort to guarantee quality and reliability prior to, during and after the initial startup. The basic principle behind this RMAP is a cross- check list that requires the participation of the three major management groups who will be responsible for rating the overall qualifications and potential of a linguist (see previous section),measured against the applicability of his services to the ones required in the SOW. The object of the RMAP is to furnish the client with a continuous procedure capable of identifying deficiencies and/or errors and troubleshooting them during performance. In essence, it represents a new layer in the supervisory capabilities of the entire team and rests heavily on the On-Site Project.Manager and the Shift Supervisors. These two positions will be pivotal in the individuals assigned to perform these duties will work directly with the translators and interpreters. The RMAP is an intricate part of the overall quality assurance system that ALC intends to apply to the performance of this contract. The RMAP (which will be furnished in its entirety to the COR upon award of the contract) covers the following areas: Linguistic Qualifications Reason Pre-Qualification Form review Preliminary Screening Telephone/Personal Interview Clarity of Expression/Personality ILR Language Ability Test Linguistic Ability (idiomatic Administrative Support Test knowledge) ALC Testing Administrative Ability (software/hardware) Official Testing Administrative Qualifications Reason Corporate Briefing Internal Rules and Procedures Contract Briefing Government Rules and Procedures Administrative Briefing Benefits, Chain of Command Cross-cultural Briefing Target Audience Recognition/Understanding Security Qualifications Reason FSO Interview Preliminary Screening FSO Security Briefing Understanding National Security FSO Validation TIISPOM Compliance June 25,2015 28 RFP No. 15-0233 t Attitude Reason Personality Work Under Stressful Conditions Communication Skills Relay Information Clearly and Team Work concisely Multi-National Working Environment Able to Work as a Team Player Working Conditions Feelings Towards Other Cultures/Nationalities Deadline Awareness Potential applicants and existing employees are subject to this procedure, and the rating fluctuates from four (4) (excellent) to one (1) (unacceptable). Only those individuals who rate between two (2) (Good) and three (3) (Very Good) will be considered for potential remedial action such as reinforcement training and/or briefing (prepared and offered with the approval of the COR and the PM), albeit they will be subject to a strict deadline during which marked improvement must be demonstrated in order to remain as a member of the team. Inspection Documents ALC maintains a comprehensive database of all inspections and evaluations, both internal and external. This database has been developed using the Federal Government as the basis for its relational values. Accordingly, queries can be run on hundreds of key words that will prompt the necessary information, depending on the case and circumstances. ALC's database can be easily imported into more than ten commonly used programs for archiving, review, and printing. ALC's relational database (one of many that the company uses and applies to the performance of its Federal contracts), encompasses the following main relational tables: Beyond the main tables that the database uses for its relational values, the body of the database contains detailed information that ranges from all communications between each of the subjects in the tables (e-mails; memoranda of record; letters; recognitions; sanctions; legal correspondence) to recorded time (used for telephone calls; production; action; and timekeeping). ALC proposes (subject to approval by the customer)to routinely submit an electronic report prepared from the above-referenced database, queried in accordance to the needs of the client. This submission may be done in the form of a summary for the sake of minimizing time-consumption, unless corrective action is taken as the result of an inspection that yielded a deficiency identified internally, or discovered in the course of performance. In the latter case,ALC will automatically submit a comprehensive report for the record in an effort to maintain the.integrity of the contract through properly documented events. June 25,2015 29 RFP No. 15-0233 Quality Control Quality control in the service industry is mostly related to sound management practices and enforcement of internal guidelines, rules, and regulations built around each requirement or contract that the company performs. ALC places strong emphasis and responsibility on the enforcement of a comprehensive plan aimed at offering The City the best quality control possible, throughout the duration of the contract. ALC's Quality Control Program encompasses three major teams whose sole responsibility is to design and enforce internal control and inspection systems capable of delivering the utmost in quality and reliability. Quality Assurance Personnel ALC anticipates that the function of the evaluators and managers must continue throughout the performance of this contract. It is imperative to establish a set of processes and procedures that will endure long after this period of performance has concluded, and well into anew contract. ALC will spearhead the QC effort through its Program Manager, Regional Managers and Evaluators,as the persons responsible for satisfying the customer's quality requirements. As such, ALC will establish internal procedures aimed at maintaining the appropriate level of ( quality assurance within the team first, and then disseminate them to the entire workforce. The person ultimately responsible for overall quality assurance (including internal procedures) will be the Program Manager, who will respond directly to the Board and the President for all matters related to internal procedures, in particular those aimed at improving or maintaining quality. Regional Program Managers, however, will inherit delegation of authority for immediate resolution of situations while performing the contract. As such, these individuals will be responsible for ensuring review of all translations, interpretation and telephonic interpretation services,using the procedures highlighted in this plan. In order to carry out this task, the Program Manager will establish guidelines to be applied to each function related to the performance of the contract. These guidelines will primarily address responsibilities and compliance that must be adhered to by everyone involved in the production of a task order, while at the same time incorporating quality assurance procedures and practices aimed at allowing management to exercise faster and stricter control over these functions. ALC's goal is to provide the best possible service in the industry. Over the past two decades, ALC has developed the experience and expertise in managing contracts of this magnitude and employees managers and supervisors that believe in exceeding the client's expectations. As such, ALC has invested a great deal of time and effort in choosing qualified management to not only supervise the linguists, but also serve as a role model. June 25,2015 30 RFP No.15-0233 Al�r Linguist Evaluation Plan ALC's interpreters are subject to strict guidelines in order to qualify for this,assignment. In fact, our experience and expertise with interpretation and translation stems om nearly two decades of service. All of which have required careful preparation, testing, evaluation, and vetting before deployment into sensitive areas of responsibility. ALC has implemented a strict process to follow-up on linguistic customer feedback. The interpreter performance form is logged in our regional and subsequently CMS database. An electronic copy of the comment is immediately forwarded to each region and/or department having a role in the specific concern. This process gives us the ability to provide a timely and satisfactory resolution for our customers and provide input into our associate training programs. The process allows timely intervention with the workforce when a customer concern is raised. Regional PMs receive a copy of the concern from the Regional Customer Service Department which documents it. The Regional Manager, in turn, contacts the interpreter to gather more details about the incident and shares the customer concern with the interpreter. The Manager works in conjunction with the interpreter to identify improvement areas, based on the feedback from the customer.If the customer requires a callback,the Manager will do so to advise the customer of the resolution. Feedback from The City, therefore, becomes part of the individualized developmental plan of the interpreter and is thereafter reviewed to assess progress levels. Our staff has the ability to review the historic trends of our customers' concerns and recommendations which also provides us with an opportunity to stay in touch with our customers' most recent experiences and allows us to address them in a timely manner. In addition, our leadership team monitors the results on a daily basis. We use customer feedback to make improvements to the service, .develop training, and adjust key measurements to insure "first class" service delivery. For the purpose of this particular requirement, ALC has developed an Evaluation Plan that focuses on two .pivotal components: language proficiency and interpreting skills. Language Proficiency Degree of control over language use in the following linguistic areas: 9 phonology(pronunciation and intonation) syntax(grammatical structures and accuracy) U lexicon(vocabulary control,accuracy,and usage) 9 semantics (meaning) June 25,2015 31 RFP No. 15-0233 pragmatics (appropriateness of language use and sociolinguistic skills). Interpreting Skills Skills to render information from English into the foreign language and from the foreign language into English while maintaining originally-intended meaning, nuance, and register. Such skills include maintaining the style and register of the original language, keeping pace with the speaker, and preserving meaning. Interpreting skills must be demonstrated in the ordinary contexts: t Consecutive Interpreting: This mode is typically performed during testimony from the witness stand. The interpreter is silent until the witness, judge, or other party stops speaking, at which time the interpreter's rendition of the complete utterance is given. This component is designed as a role-play exercise. Typically roles for a judge, attorney, and witness are included. All of the roles are tape- recorded. Passages are played aloud from a scripted tape recording that simulates a court proceeding. Passages are up to 40 words in length. Candidates may take notes but are cautioned that note taking should not interfere with their ability to interpret promptly. Notes must be turned in to the evaluator before leaving the examination room. Applicants must render an interpretation immediately after the passage is played: Sight Translation: The candidate orally translates one document written in English into the foreign language, and one document written in the foreign language into English. The candidate reviews each document for one minute before rendering his or her oral translation. V Simultaneous Interpreting: This mode is usually performed at the defense table for the defendant where the interpreter must render interpretations of all utterances. The interpreter lags slightly behind the speaker,interpreting the utterances simultaneously. 9 During the evaluation, the candidate listens to a recording in English using a headset The recording begins with introductory instructions, which the applicant has the option to simultaneously interpret as a warm-up for the actual exercise. A brief pause follows the instructions, June 25,2015 32 RFP No, 15-0233 then the examination material is presented in English for interpretation into the foreign language. The material is representative of presentations likely to be given during a court proceeding. The material is recorded at a rate of 120-140 words per minute, The exercise is approximately 3% minutes in length. The context given above translates into a comprehensive examination as four components: �U Consecutive Interpreting e English to Foreign Language Sight Translation OU Foreign Language to English Sight Translation Q, English to Foreign Language Simultaneous Interpreting Pass/Fall O e to rm in a do n Test performance ratings are comprehensive evaluations of language proficiency and interpreting skills. This type of evaluation is a structured method of rating that takes into account the candidates' entire test performance. Raters evaluate candidates' performance on each test component (consecutive, sight and simultaneous) and the candidates' overall language proficiency and interpreting skills as a whole. ALC has proven that in order to become a certified interpreter, a candidate must pass both the language proficiency and interpreting skills dimensions of the oral examination,. A.LC's evaluators use a five-point scale to classify candidates' test performance, Candidates for this requirement must score 4 or above in all language proficiency component ratings. The following is an example of a passing performance for the language proficiency component, COMPONENT ORAL EXAM OR English Language Proficiency 4 Consecutive Foreign Language Proficiency 4 English to Foreign Language Foreign Language Proficiency 4 Sight Translation Foreign Language to English Foreign Language Proficiency, 4 Sight Translation English to Foreign Language Foreign Language Proficiency 4 j June 25,2015 33 RFP No, 15-0233 l ORAL EXAM rl PERFORMANCE DIMENSION RATING Simultaneous Interpreting skills ratings are given for each test component. As such, passing candidates must either: Score 4 or above in all interpreting skill components,or Score 4 or above in three of the four interpreting skills components AND Score 3+1 in any one remaining component except the Consecutive, which must remain at 4 or above. Components where ONE 3+rating is permitted for passing are: Q English to Foreign Language Sight Translation 9 Foreign Language to English Sight Translation ..9 English to Foreign Language Simultaneous Interpreting The following chart shows four (4) examples of passing performance for the Interpreting Skills component: COMPONENT ORAL EXAM PERFORMANCE , DIMENSION A B C 1 Interpreting 4 4 4 4 Consecutive Skills English to Foreign Language Interpreting 4 3+ 4 4 Sight Translation Skills Foreign Language to English Interpreting 4 4 3+ 4 Sight Translation Skills English to Foreign Language Foreign 4 4 4 3+ Simultaneous Language Proficiency 1 The 3+rating indicates that the candidate's performance is predominantly at the 4 level but not sustained all the time.The candidate demonstrates limited periods of performance at the level. June 25,2015 34 RFP No. 15-0233 The following chart shows four (4) examples of failing performance for the Interpreting Skills component: COMPONENT ORAL EXAM Consecutive Interpreting 4 4 3 3 Skills English to Foreign Language Interpreting 4 4 4 2 Sight Translation Skills Foreign Language to English Interpreting 4 3+ 3 3 Sight Translation Skills English to Foreign Language Foreign 3 3+ 3+ 2 Simultaneous Language Proficiency Objective Measures of Performance Evaluators rate the test sample both holistically and objectively. Objective rating is based primarily on the number of key words and units of meaning that the candidate is able to render correctly. The key words and units of meaning are selected by the test developers to measure the breadth and depth of the. Evaluators use two scales to identify and classify candidates'test performance. One scale is used for Language Proficiency and one scale is used for Interpreting Skills. The following pages contain language proficiency and interpreting skills rating scales that evaluators use to rate candidates' test performance. Both rating scales contain detailed descriptions of performance associated with each rating scale point. The scales. define test performance starting with Level 5, which is the highest score a candidate may achieve on this examination. The next description is Level 4, which is the level at which a candidate meets the minimum standards of competence (also known as the passing standard or grade.) Levels 3, 2 and 1 are failing levels of performance, and therefore, not explained in this submission. June 25,2015 35 / RFP No, 15-0233 .A. ORAL EXAM l COMPONENT / ► OF MEANING Consecutive 50 English Language Sight 25 Foreign Language Sight 25 Simultaneous 50 Language Proficiency Rating Performance Description Level 5 Candidate's proficiency consistently exceeds minimum standards of competence as defined in Language Proficiency Rating Level 4 (refer to description of Level 4 on next page for definition of minimum standards of competence); L Performs well in language situations that may change unexpectedly or are unfamiliar Q. Discourse is cohesive and coherent ( ;,} Grasps and clearly conveys meaning; is generally able to differentiate shades of meaning between words and processes complete content of message Q Demonstrates broad vocabulary and ability to convey abstract concepts Demonstrates extensive knowledge of specialized vocabulary (e,g., legal, medical,business,administrative) s Uses words appropriately (distinguishes among words of similar meaning and selects the most appropriate term for the context). Distinguishes between denotative and connotative meanings 6 Recognizes and appropriately uses a broad range of idioms, proverbs, collocations,and sayings Q. Demonstrates full grammatical control (absence of patterns of error). Q Demonstrates sociolinguistic competence and full control of register 9 Demonstrates knowledge of cultural nuance and references Q Rate of delivery (fluency) is adequate (reasonable intervals between utterances) 9 Accent does not interfere with the listener's comprehension o Speaks clearly (enunciation, pronunciation, stress, intonation, and tone) and conveys meaning and nuance correctly .Tuna 25,20]5 36 RFP No. 15-0233 Performance Description Level 4 Candidate's proficiency meets minimum standards of competence: Language proficiency is sufficient for situations that may change unexpectedly or are unfamiliar Discourse is cohesive and-coherent Grasps and clearly conveys meaning; is generally able to differentiate shades of meaning between words and processes complete content of message Q Demonstrates broad vocabulary and ability to convey abstract concepts cv Demonstrates requisite level of specialized vocabulary (e.g., legal, medical, business, administrative) needed to competently perform the duties of an interpreter Q Generally uses words appropriately (distinguishes among words of similar meaning and selects the most appropriate term for the context). Distinguishes between denotative-and connotative meanings Q Demonstrates familiarity with idioms,proverbs, collocations,and sayings 9 Demonstrates full structural control (absence of patterns of error). Occasional errors in complex and/or low-frequency structures do not interfere with meaning Q Exhibits infrequent grammatical errors that do not interfere with meaning Q Generally uses language in a socio-linguistically appropriate manner (i.e., tailors the language to the situation at hand; reflects the speech patterns of a wide variety of sociocultural backgrounds);varies register appropriately Q Demonstrates knowledge of cultural nuance and references s Rate of delivery (fluency) is adequate (reasonable intervals between utterances) Q Accent does not interfere with the listener's comprehension Q Demonstrates general ability to speak clearly (enunciation, pronunciation, stress, intonation, and tone) and to convey meaning and nuance appropriately Interpreting Skills Rating Performance Description Level 5 Candidate demonstrates the ability to perform requisite mode of interpretation/ translation. Candidate's interpreting skills consistently exceed minimum standards of competence as defined in Interpreting Skills Rating Level 4 (refer to description of Level 4 on next page for definition of minimum standards of competence). Performance consistently has the following characteristics: June 25;2015 37 RFP No. 15-0233 A�_ Demonstrates equivalent language proficiency (English and Foreign Language) Demonstrates bicultural sophistication <; Fully comprehends source language Employs effective strategies to ensure high quality rendition Retains and renders information accurately Preserves paralinguistic elements (e.g,, filler utterances such as angu" and "um"and hedging in source) ;; Fully conveys nuance,tone,and style of the speaker iU Preserves the speech patterns of the speaker (e.g., stopping in mid- . sentence,sudden changes in tense,etc.) and renders them faithfully 2 Conveys register accurately Q Speaks at an appropriate speed 9 Makes effortless transitions between languages 9 Speaks audibly and enunciates it Appropriately compensates for lack of exact equivalent 0 Constantly monitors performance and makes corrections when necessary; however, need for corrections is very infrequent 9 Anticipates speech patterns and/or word placement to ensure that the target language syntax is rendered correctly 9 Stays apace of speaker/allows lag time Performance Description Level 4 Candidate demonstrates the ability to perform requisite mode of interpretation, Candidate's interpreting-skills meet minimum standards of competence. Performance generally has the following characteristics: 9 Dominant language structure does not interfere with rendition 9 Demonstrates bicultural awareness 9 Fully comprehends source language 9 Employs compensation strategies for minor lapses of competence E Retains and renders information accurately Q Preserves paralinguistic elements (e.g.,filler utterances) 9 Preserves the speech patterns of the speaker (e.g., stopping in mid- sentence,sudden changes in tense, etc.) and renders them faithfully CO` Conveys the nuance,tone,and style of the speaker i~ Conveys register accurately 9 Speaks at an appropriate speed 9 Makes smooth transitions between languages 9 Speaks audibly and distinctly(i.e.,enunciates) Q- Appropriately compensates for lack of an exact equivalent June 25,2015 38 RFP No. 15-0233 Al Maintains an awareness of one's performance and makes corrections when necessary li Anticipates speech patterns and/or word placement to ensure that the target language syntax is rendered correctly Stays apace of speaker/allows lag time Interpreters Master File ALC will maintain a comprehensive Interpreter Master File for all the resources utilized in the performance of this requirement on behalf of The City. The Interpreter Master Files will be updated throughout the life of the contract, ensuring that the information stored within it will be the most up to date in nature. The Digital Master files will be maintained on our secure server, and will contain the following information for each Interpreter: 6 The City security screening documentation G BilingualBility qualification and score 9 Resume 0 Court,Federal, State or JITCE certification (if applicable). 9 Signed Code of Professional Responsibility statement. L: Signed Guideline for Contract Interpreters statement 9 Interpreter evaluation report. Written evaluation of any hearings requested by the Government. U, Work authorization documentation The Interpreters Master File, along with the Interpreter Qualification Matrix will be made available to The City upon request and well within'the two-day window specified in the solicitation. In fact,because our systems are maintained almost in real-time and in electronic format, ALC is able to deliver these within a shorter period and in digital as well as printed formats. Telephonic Interpretation Quality Control ALC Quality Monitoring toolkit has been designed to help our managers, interpreters and supervisors. It integrates quality monitoring with hiring and training programs through the . use of industry-proven criteria for evaluating and scoring agents and interpreters. The Quality Monitoring Toolkit is the main guide for quality monitoring of our services. It provides us definitive guidelines and templates for both phone and multi-media contact monitoring. ALC uses Encore Digital Voice Logging/Recordiilg Systems which allow us to: Cd Order/Call Verification June 25,2015 39 RFP No. 15-0233 Security and Safety Customer Service V Coaching or Training Agents/Interpreters !;; Service Monitoring ALC believes it is the quality of the call that counts the most. Along these lines, we take . agent/interpreter evaluation, coaching and training to a new level. We merge workforce management, training, and payroll, with advanced agent/interpreter review and statistics. Agents/interpreters can easily track their own performance. ALC's voice server architecture provides a centralized resource for unlimited simultaneous applications, from multiple sources. With our recording capabilities we get total recordings for liability control, script based order verification, service observation and multi-channel live monitoring. QM Lifecycle 4 Daily personnel assessments The Program and Regional Managers perform daily assessments as a means to evaluate the workforce ability control, script based order verification, service observation and multi- channel live oil the successful path, or make any modifications that would improve the overall performance. In addition to the daily assessments, ALC Employees will receive a quarterly evaluation conducted by their supervisor to address any issues that may have come about during the quarter preceding the-review such as quality, quantity, attendance, communication or innovation. Each evaluation is rated on a scale between one (1) and five (5). A score of one (1) would indicate that the employee's performance consistently exceeded all requirements, whereas a score of five (5), and would be reflective of an employee whose performance consistently failed to meet requirements. Since our supervisors are expected to exceed the standard performance level, .their overall performance rating will be based on a scale t June 25,2015 40 RFP No, 15-0233 A-C between one (1) and forty (40) points; while the Non Supervisory rating will be based on a scale between one(1)and thirty-five(35). The evaluation will include a summary of overall performance and an action plan categorized by skill for those employees who received a performance rating of between one (1) and forty (40) points; In cases where it appears that an employee's score is less than satisfactory, ALC's supervisor and employee will complete-a Personal Development Plan together to create a timeline of goals and action items, Once an evaluation is.complete, the customer is given the opportunity to insert his or her own comments, These comments are not for distribution and will be labeled confidential and GSA-stored. The Project Manager and supervisors will assess each employee's performance bi-annually through completion of The City Performance Evaluation. This Performance Evaluation will include five performance factors, seven behavioral traits, and five supervisory factors that are important in the performance of the employee's job. Performance factors and behavioral traits will apply to all employees, while the supervisory factors are only utilized for employees with supervisory responsibilities. In the unlikely event than an employee receives a rating of Unacceptable (1), Needs Improvement (2), or Superior (5), comments will be required. The "overall performance" evaluation will reflect the employee's total performance, including the performance factors that are related to the employee's responsibilities and duties as set for the in the job description, behavioral traits and supervisory factors,if applicable ALC's Human Resource Department is dedicated towards focusing on employee satisfaction. It is ALC's belief that if an employee is content and satisfied within their working environments,then he/she is more likely to deliver an acceptable performance.The Human Resources Department facilitates improving employee satisfaction by providing prompt payment, a comfortable benefits and compensation package, maintaining an"open- door" communication policy, and continuously working to improve the company as a whole through employee feedback. ALC's overall goal is to provide the best possible service in the industry and this goal is achieved by providing qualified Project Managers and Supervisors, performing quarterly employee evaluations and bi-annual performance evaluations, and using the Human Resource Department as the voice and focal point for ensuring the maintenance of a healthy working environment. June 25,2015 41 RFP No.15-0233 Staffing Plan ALC thrives on recruiting the best linguists available in the market. These professionals are tested and prepared for the task by receiving appropriate briefings and specifications on The City's mission as a whole, and in particular, the requirements of the contract. ALC's recruitment procedures are amongst the strictest in the industry, given the company's performance of sensitive Federal contracts, both at home and overseas. Although recruitment procedures change from one contract to another, ALC maintains the same standards of security and selection that have characterized the company over the years and which have earned us the trust of the US Government worldwide, However, standards are rendered meaningless without proper procedures, and ALC has gone to great lengths in order to establish simple and effective means of providing the most qualified personnel available. ALC's interpreters and translators are certified and accredited individuals with a minimum of three (3) years of experience in the fields of languages and linguistics and at least one (1) year of experience in Interpretation. ALC strives to verify every reference given by the linguists,_particularly those who can attest to their ability to interpret highly technical or legal material. ALC's interpreters undergo a careful evaluation (which includes background, technical expertise, reliability, and availability) prior to being tested. ALC's editors and evaluators must have a minimum ( of ten (10) years of experience in the field of languages and linguistics, and have performed successfully as technical writers, editors, proofreaders, or testers. ALC currently has a considerable roster of cleared linguists (interpreters as well as translators) who are more than sufficient for the task at hand. However, should the need arise, ALC will prepare and vet linguists in an effective and secure manner, To date, our security office has processed more than 5,000 qualified candidates by adhering to strict principles for testing and verification. The City peripheral database contained within the CMS Master Database encompasses thousands of linguists,who would have been selected specifically for this requirement and who will be recruited and tested accordingly.ALC believes that a pre- qualification of these linguists is paramount to the performance of the contract, as a means to secure the appropriate back-up team(s). These linguists will constitute the core unit of the project. Cross-cultural Awareness It is imperative for our interpreters to possess deep cultural awareness of their target audience. This is not only beneficial to the mission of The City, but also reflects on the perception of public opinion. Intercultural awareness is as essential as the legal connotations June 25,2015 42 RFP No. 15-0233 of the hearing themselves. Essentially, it is a double-edge sword. ALC has designed internal programs that help our interpreters maximize their potential through cross-cultural awareness of their subjects, which in turn helps intercultural communications, and the case as a whole. The object of our specialized training is for our interpreters to deliver culturally sensitive communications at the hearings. Above all, the benefits of having a sound cross-cultural awareness program, embedded into the interpreter training and the evaluation process pivots on four significant components: 1) improved communications (interpreter and subject); 2) expedited processes and greater accuracy; 3) increased possibilities of a positive outcome; and 4) positive public opinion (including media) by virtue of eliminating ambiguities (including cultural)that could jeopardize or adversely affect the outcome of the hearing. Team ALC has studied the current situation-including the possible impact of cancellations upon the mission as a whole - and is committed to delivering a qualified and culturally aware team of interpreters and evaluators. A team capable of ameliorating the burden of The City while expediting processes and securing successful outcomes. Language Testing Team ALC's testing procedures encompass a two-tier process: internal and external testing. Internal testing is accomplished through our senior linguists (rated according to experience, specific skills, education, and past performance); and external testing is accomplished through ALTA,one of our partners. Internally, and regardless of the linguists' background and skills, ALC appoints a special team of testers to each contract in order to comply with the requirements specified in the solicitation. Team ALC's testers are qualified individuals with several decades of experience in the fields of languages and linguistics. Many of them have served as official testers for the United States Department o£ State and have contributed to the development and application of these procedures. To assess Team ALC's English and target language proficiency levels, our companies test their candidates for reading and writing skills using its own internal procedures as well as the following ILR standards: Designed to evaluate the ability of the individual for practical understanding and comprehension of a spoken language. Testers look for overall comprehension of content and T. of reaction when interpreting a language. Designed to evaluate the ability of the individual to recognize text(including all letters or elements of syllabary or character systems)with sufficient ease to be able to render accurate and June 25,2015 43 RFP No. 15-0233 l :fast interpretation of the text. Designed to evaluate the ability of the individual to function in a spoken language. Our testers look for the individual's ability to use the language fluently and accurately in any professional situation,with particular emphasis on cross-cultural expressions. The individual must use appropriate rhetorical speech devices,native cultural references, and complete understanding of the language. ..Designed to evaluate the ability of the individual to write the language precisely and accurately in a variety of prose styles pertinent to professional and cultural needs. Desired ILR Levels For the purposes of this requirement, ALC has tested all linguists to the levels in the ILR table. ALC will submit all testing results and certifications to the City of Chicago/US Communitites for evaluation and acceptance. ALC currently has a large roster of tested and cleared linguists with extensive experience in translation and interpretation. The vast majority of them possess current DLPT and ILR scores that will be submitted along with the linguist appointed to each task. Test scores, certifications and skills for each linguist will remain in the custody of the Program manager and will be made available to the customer immediately upon request through the Interpreter Qualifications Matrix. If the COR would elect to have copies of all testing and certifications, ALC will ensure that these are available on the team's secured web site as well as in hard copies to be delivered to a The City representative at the outset of the contract. ALTA Testing In order to furnish The City with the best available linguists for the task at hand, our team believes that beyond the ILR testing and ratings, linguists need to be tested for their ability to understand and perform on behalf of The City. Along these lines, ALC has entrusted ALTA with the development of additional testing material. ALTA will prepare writing tests and proctoring instructions so that' tests can be administered according to The City expectations. The test will contain a selection of questions that will require the candidate to perform various tasks related to The City. Once the tests are completed, they will be sent back to ALTA for scoring. The evaluator will be checking for how well the candidate comprehends the requests, expresses his or her ideas, and uses the mechanics of the language such as c June 25,2015 44 RFP No. 15-0233 Ar grammar, vocabulary, and spelling (or character selection). An overall score is assigned according to our protocol. Score reports are sent back to Team ALC for due process. Language Pre-Screening and Testing ALC has a staff of professionals who have ACTFL qualifications and who have written DLPT tests for Defense Language Institute. Our first-tier partner company, ALTA, specializes in pre-screening and testing and has developed the following procedure that will apply to all candidates. Testing Method • Components Pre-Screening Testing time: 30 minutes PART I—Social Test by a Tester Objectives:Predetermine the Conversation/Interview(10-15 candidate's language ability as a min) linguist required by the job. PART II-Briefing/ Test method: by phone or by Translation(15 min) direct interview with a trained tester Remote Access Test time: 90 minutes PART I—Discussion Debate Proficiency Objectives: The objective of the (10 min) Testing test is to.certify selected linguists' PART II-Role Play(5-10 language skills according to the min) ILR scale PART III-Briefing(15 min) All the written and recorded test PART IV -Interview/ materials are selected from Interpretation(8-10 min) authentic materials,such as PART V—Reading/ newspapers,magazines,web sites, Translation(30 min) and webcasts Training In an effort to remain on the cutting.edge of languages and linguistics, ALC conducts several types of training and refresher courses to all of its employees.It should be noted that all of the training specified in this submission is mandatory. Linguists are briefed as to the significance of the training provided, but are reminded that training at ALC must be completed prior to engaging their services on behalf of any of our customers. June 25,2015 45 RFP No, 15-0233 HIPAA Training ALC focuses its HIPAA training on privacy rules and compliance. The HIPAA Privacy Rule (45 CFR Part 160 and Part 164) establishes national standards to protect individual's medical records and other personal health information. The Privacy Rule applies to health plans, health care clearinghouses, and health care providers that conduct health care transactions electronically, The HIPAA Privacy Rule requires appropriate safeguards to protect the privacy of personal health information, and sets limits and conditions on the uses and disclosures that may be made of such information without patient authorization. The Privacy Rule also gives patients rights over their health information, including rights to examine and obtain a copy of their health records, and to request corrections. The HIPAA Security Rule addresses the privacy protection of electronic protected health information(PHI). Similar to the Privacy Rule,the Security Rule also deals with identifiable health information as defined by 18 HIPAA identifiers. The Security Rule defines standards, procedures and methods for protecting electronic PHI with attention to how PHI is stored, accessed,transmitted, and audited. The ALC HIPPA Security Training addresses three aspects of security: • Administrative Safeguards-Assignment of a HIPPA security compliance team, • Physical Safeguards -Protection of electronic systems,equipment and data. • Technical Safeguards-Authentication& encryption used to control data access. Our training is based on the YTS Department of Health and Human Services training modules and it is part of the compulsory training that all of our employees must take prior to engaging in the performance of any of our contracts. Court Interpretation Training and Readiness In order to provide The City with the most qualified candidates, ALC prepares its interpreters with a series of compulsory steps that must be satisfactorily completed before being deployed to an assignment. Code of Professional Responsibilities for Interpreters ALC signs the Code of Ethics and Professional Responsibilities, National Association of Judiciary Interpreters and Translators with every linguist providing interpretation on behalf June 25,2015 46 RFP No.15-0233 of the company. Published by NART,this Code encompasses a set of canons that pertain to the degree of trust that is placed in court interpreters and the magnitude of their responsibility. Training in Applied Linguistics ALC furnishes complementary courses to all its interpreters, with particular emphasis in applied linguistics as a means to verify and increase the depth and breadth of understanding of its interpreters. This training is an introduction to the range of approaches to research as practiced in applied linguistics. Topics to be covered focus on three main areas: research paradigms, or the philosophical assumptions concerning knowledge and inquiry and the ethical considerations in carrying out research; research strategies, or specific purposes and designs for research, such as experiments, quasi-experiments, ethnography, discourse and conversation analysis, action research and program evaluation; and data collection and analysis techniques, such as tests and surveys, statistical analysis, observation, interviews, introspection, think-aloud protocols, and qualitative data analysis. These topics are explored with the aim of preparing interpreters to design research projects of their own and critique research of current importance in the field of applied linguistics, as it pertains to interpretation. This subject will also cover the social dimension of language testing. Grounded in modern approaches to validity theory, ALC attempts to instill in its linguists traditional psychometric views, which focuses on fairness, but also more recent views, which incorporate social identity and societal consequences of test use. This .type of refresher training has proven invaluable in delivering the most qualified interpreters to our customers worldwide. The training includes written assignments of 2500 words (to test the level of clarity and understanding of the linguists), and a 3000 word research proposal (to test the linguists' research skills).Interpreters and translators who successfully complete this subject should: • develop their research skills; • develop their critical thinking and analytic skills; • be able to communicate ideas through writing. Telephone interpretation Training Team ALC has a two-week new hire orientation process for its telephone interpreters. All interpreters associated with this requirement must attend this training. During these two weeks, new hires undergo orientation training, job shadowing with senior interpreters, service observation and feedback, including a Question-and-Answer Session at the end of the second week. June 25,2015 47 RFP No. 15-0233 A—C Prior to orientation, all new hires receive training materials including an orientation handbook, glossaries of industry-specific terminology, and various documents to support interpretation. During the orientation training,the following will-be covered: • The basics of interpretation The role of an interpreter and the Interpreter Code of Ethics. Confidentiality is emphasized and each interpreter is required to sign a Non-Disclosure Agreement, which is witnessed and kept on file. • Methods and Procedures of call handling,Personnel Guide, and other administrative matters • Interpreting skills and customer service skills. • Review of industry standards.Interpreters listen to scenarios of typical interpretation calls in the following areas: State and Federal programs and offices,Medical(ER, Clinical),Public,Insurance, 911,Utilities, Court,Finance, etc.Participants are taught the different requirements and standards for each of these industries and discuss the challenges and terminology of these industries. New hires also job shadow senior interpreters and discuss their learning with the Orientation Trainer. Specifically terminology related to different federal and state offices and departments are discussed: and new hires also listen to different interpretation scenarios that have been simulated and pre-recorded. Every new hire is assigned to a Senior Language Specialist (SLS) who will then provide one-on-one training. The SLSs are senior interpreters with extensive education and experience in the interpretation field.Each SLS works with a group of 7-15 interpreters. The SLS will not only share his or her skills and experience with the new hire, but will also observe the new hire during a call and provide immediate feedback and coaching. Usually feedback is given to new hires within the same day of the observation,no later than the next business day, to help new hires build up skills and confidence, identify improvement areas, and offer guidance. During this period, new hires also have access to an SLS who is available to answer any questions on interpretation and work procedures. At the end of the second week, a Question and Answer Session is conducted to address any additional concerns. Resource Materials ALC will test, train, and deploy interpreters on behalf of The City with all the required resource materials, as indicated in the original solicitation. Given our rigorous training programs, ALC expects its interpreters to attend their hearings with all the necessary tools needed to facilitate their work. The following chart indicates the mandatory material that each interpreter will carry into the hearing: c June 25,2015 48 RFP No. 15-0233 BILINGUAL DICTIONARIES English language/foreign language Monolingual Legal Immigration NOTES REFERENCE Subject matter specific -Previous hearings Specific legal and immigration terminology Updates TRAINING • 'Practice notes Evaluator notes Senior trainer notes IMMIGRATION TERMINOLOGY Team ALC Glossary of Technical Terms and LIST Phrases The City Glossary CEWIVICATEOF Active and executed INTERPRETATION General Training ( ALC's experience with highly technical contracts and assignments, both overseas as well as stateside (and in particular those related to intelligence and counterintelligence) prompted the management team to reevaluate and redesign its training seminars. As such,this process now incorporates "security," "safety," and "excellence in interpretation" as part of the internal curriculum that represents ALC's training efforts towards excellence. Additional Training In addition to the training mentioned above, and in an effort to furnish The City the clear advantage in languages and linguistics,ALC conducts several types of training and refresher courses for all of its linguists. Our experience with highly technical contracts,both overseas as well as stateside (and in particular those related to intelligence, counterintelligence, interdiction and counter-terrorism) have prompted our team to reevaluate and redesign its training seminars as new needs and circumstances arise. At the present time, ALC provides internal training seminars to its*employees, associates,and joint ventures which include: TRAINING DESCRIPTI • Basic Languages& Sets forth the guidelines,rules, and regulations that are Linguistics Training applied by Team ALC to all translations,interpretations, June 25,2015 49 RFP No. 15-0233 TRAINING DESCRIPTION l and general language services, Remedial Language Addresses issues that could become potential problems Training while performing on a federal contract. Occasionally, this type of training if provided to in-house translators and interpreters for the purpose of reinforcing techniques and/or updating them on certain subject matters. Translation/ Conducted periodically in order to maintain a closer Interpretation relationship with the linguists as well as evaluate the Mini-Seminars latest rules and regulations enacted by Team ALC as they pertain to the linguists in the company's roster. Troubleshooting Offered to management and mid-management in order to Software/Hardware increase the company's troubleshooting capabilities Training related to the installation and use of the new software or hardware. Security Training Provided regularly to address issues contained in the National Industrial Security Program, as well as physical ( and corporate security. Counter-Intelligence Mini-seminars are geared towards creating an appropriate Mini-Seminars level of awareness about corporate counter-intelligence measures. Courses focus on risk assessment and mitigation, corporate contingency plans, emergency troubleshooting, industrial espionage, and safe employee practices. Cross- Provided by Professional Instructors in multiple- Culturalization languages to all employees and numerous subcontractors, Training focuses on behavior in a foreign environment, as well as on awareness of cultural differences and how to educate ourselves to better understand other nationalities. Linguistic Analysis Provided by the ALC School of Linguistic Analysis to a selective group of linguists and professionals,this type of training is designed to extract linguists who possess deep critical and analytical thinking skills and gradually prepare them to provide DOJ a value-added service, coupled to a greater sense of security and understanding of the tasks at hand. June 25,2015 50 RFP No. 15-0233 AL- I C11 Retention Continuity and retention of the linguists are a major factor in the success of the mission and the performance of the contract. TALC's experience over several years of performing similar contracts for local, State and Federal Government (both in the U.S. and overseas), particularly those involving sensitive issues such as national security and law enforcement, is that companies must assume the responsibility for continuity to the U.S.-Government and enhance employment appeal through benefits and other advantages that will yield a longer and stronger commitment. Perhaps the most significant aspect of ALC's retention plan is the concept of"team" itself, When these leading companies decided to join efforts, the primary concern was The City's mission and activities. Given the in-depth knowledge of the subject matter, ALC quickly realized that in order to preserve continuity and minimize transition, the for concern related to retention was undisturbed operations. TALC virtually guarantees this by gathering the leading companies in each region and bringing them together under one roof. The second and equally significant component pivots on maintaining a satisfied workforce to perform The City's requirements. TALC achieves this by capitalizing on the feedback received from the linguists over the past two decades of performance of law enforcement and immigration contracts. As such, TALC carries out considerable efforts in order to retain these qualified linguists by exercising flexibility, expediting reimbursements, and placing special emphasis on-perpetuating the existing relationship that these linguists have with companies they trust. . Third, ALC offers a very attractive package to its employees. In particular,this package has worked very well for all State and Federal Government contracts currently being performed, both stateside as well as overseas. • Immediate rotation to local offices: during down times, ALC-immediately shifts the load assigned to The City interpreters and translators to other assignments as a means to maintain core units gainfully employed while they wait.for task orders. At the present time,ALC's Regional Managers are prepared to substantiate down times for all the linguists proposed for this contract. This procedure will enhance coverage and guarantee retention of the employees that have been specifically trained to support this requirement. • Inter-company rotation: A major advantage of belonging to ALC is the relationship that exists amongst the member companies. Not only do they all possess in-depth understanding of The City's requirements, but the fact that all companies have also established open lines of communication -within a geographical management structure - allows our team to share opportunities during down times which serves to Tune 25,2015 51 RFP No, 15-0233 preserve the integrity of the mission. Along these lines, linguists can.be deployed to fulfill tasks throughout the country or, conversely, companies can exchange assignments that allow linguists to remain in their area of operation during down times, while earning a living and collecting benefits. The gist of this maneuver is to protect the integrity of The City core unit for the sake of continuity. The procedures depicted above serve to reinforce A.LC's retention plan, and they afford not only continuity to the mission. Beyond the above,ALC also offers all of its employees: • A competitive salary range: Based on location, length of commitment, living conditions, and responsibilities. • Extended Health Insurance:Full coverage,Hospital Room&Board,Physical Therapy, Wellness Benefits,Evacuation Benefits,Dental Coverage, Full reimbursement to the Government in emergencies (On-Base treatment for our overseas employees).These benefits are provided through Blue Cross-Blue Shield. • Life Insurance: Team ALC provides this coverage at no cost to the employee and as a means to offer yet another level of comfort and security to its employees performing contracts. • Retirement Plan: Funded entirely by the company(between S% and 10% of their compensation),this plan is in effect and available to all employees of Team ALC, both at home and abroad. Perhaps the most important aspect of linguist retention and availability pivots on the fair and timely compensation of the workforce. Along these lines, ALC has earned a strong reputation for processing time-sheets and reimbursement of expenses expeditiously and well before the ordinary 30-day window that is commonly recognized as the standard in our industry.Essentially,the workforce is the key to mission continuity and success. Management and Executive-Level Personnel Program Manager This project will be supervised and maintained by Ms. Kimberly Pillsbury. Effectively, she will be appointed—upon award of the contract—as The City Project Manager.Ms.Pillsbury is a seasoned manager with PMP certification. She has been employed at ALC for ten years and ever since she was hired, she has been in charge of large projects involving numerous linguists in multiple disciplines.As such,her responsibilities include: June 25,2015 52 RFP No. 15-0233 • Manage our contracts with the federal government both overseas and in the United States; • Effectuate site visits and communicate several times per week with clients and site leads to ensure satisfaction and fulfillment of all contract requirements and deliverables; • Supervise recruiters at headquarters and off-site linguists; Process monthly reports,timesheets and expenses such as per diem,hotel, and travel for invoicing; • Create work breakdown structure and assist with project planning for new contracts, create salary guidelines, write contracts and contract extensions; • Make travel arrangements for deployment and required pre-deployment processing; • Identify resources needed; • Screen,interview, and extend offers of employment; • Communicate regularly with contracted linguists to ensure retention during the pre- deployment process and during the life cycle of the contract; • Resolve contract issues as they arise; • Send and make sure in-processing and security forms are completed on schedule; • Assist with recruiting; • Ensure the appropriate information is given to our security officer to verify and maintain required security clearances; ( • Organize and maintain employee files; • Transcribe audio in Spanish and translate documents from Spanish into English as needed Ms. Pillsbury is a graduate from The City of Maryland with a BA in Spanish and Literature. She is a qualified linguist with an Interagency Language Roundtable score of 4+in Spanish. She currently possesses an active Top Secret clearance with the U.S. Government. The following pages contain Ms. Pillsbury resume and Certifications. Ms, Pillsbury is a full- time employee of ALC,Inc. Database Manager ALC has appointed Mr. Jad Boustany as Database Manager. Mr. Bustany Software Architect and Business Analyst with 15 years of experience in system engineering, software programming, and information technology in business and academia. Strong background in project analysis and business process engineering. Superior communicator, able to interact easily with business, academic and technical personnel in multi-cultural environments. Excellent object oriented design programming skills in C#, Java, and C++ with focus on client/server,multi-threaded,high performance and highly scalable applications. June 25,2015 53 RFP No. 15-0233 Alc Mr, Boustany architected, designed and developed a workforce management. platform employment resource planning combined with a Real Time Location Based Service (RTLBS) and new set of analytical insight about physical spaces and the people within them. He was the lead architect responsible for designing ALC's CMS database, along with peripheral databases and interfacing amongst TALC's partner companies. Mr. Boustany will be responsible for coordinating all IT Solutions on behalf of ALC, including organizing, structuring and managing all IT and database efforts for all five (5) regions.Mr, Boustany's resume is attached to this proposal. Recruitment Manager ALC has appointed Ms. Melanie Galtieri as The City Recruiting Manager. This is an extremely critical position as Ms. Galtieri will be responsible for the nationwide recruitment process, The process has to be properly designed and implemented. Ms. Galtieri sets recruitment measurement and distributes the job vacancies across HR Recruiters in each of the five (5) regions. She is also responsible for buildling a healthy relationship with The City so as to expedite recruiting, vetting and deployment. In her capacity, Ms. Galtieri designs, develops and maintains the recruitment process in the organization (including its description, recruitment measurement definitions, regular measurement reporting, taking proper actions to close gaps). She also designs the selection matrix for choosing the optimum recruitment channel and recruitment source; explores the market best practices in the recruitment and staffing and implement appropriate best practices throughout the organization, including all partner companies in every region. In addition to the above, Ms. Galtieri is responsible for the development of the recruitment team in Human Resources, which includes the development of successors and value added by the team members. She is also responsible for organizing and monitoring the recruitment database portion for new partnering candidates to enhance existing small business participation. Ms. Galtieri is a full-time employee of ALC,Inc. Human Resources Manager ALC has appointed Ms. Jessica Gibson as The City Human Resources Manager. As such, her responsibilities will include organizational departmental planning;performance manager and improvement; organizational development; employment and compliance to regulatory concerns; employee onboarding; employee development; employee training; policy development and documentation; employee relations; company-wide committee facilitation; and compensation and benefits administration. June 25,2015 54 .r- 7 RFP No. 15-0233 ( Ms, Gibson's responsibilities also include coordination with each member company within the five (5) regions identified in this proposal, This will include daily communication with each member company within each region as well as coordination with recruiting staff in order to maintain updated records at all times. Ms. Gibson is a seasoned human resources specialist who has performed these functions for over twelve years and has participated in transitions where several companies merged into a single source, or the management requirements were similar to The City's in the sense that it called for a centralize administrative structure supported by a decentralized operational structure. As such, she is very familiar with the processes and procedures related to this contract. Ms. Gibson is a full-time employee of ALC,Inc. Security Manager ALC has appointed Ms. Shannon Johnson as the Security Officer for this contract. She is the senior member of ALC's security support term and is quite familiar with the processing of security documentation for law enforcement agencies, Ms. Johnson will be assisting Ms. Pillsbury with all matters related to the processing of linguists. Ms. Johnson is responsible for processing all electronic and paper documentation,including all peripheral material such as fingerprints and verification of citizenship and naturalization, In accordance with the Solicitation, Ms. Johnson will be the official e-Qip initiator and, therefore, the person responsible for communicating all progress and completed forms to the customer within a period not to exceed 14 calendar days from the date in which the e-Qip form has been initiated. As The City Security Officer, Ms. Johnson will guarantee that all applicants are indoctrinated and processed with due diligence. She will be the point of contact for all matters related to security and vetting of linguists assigned to this requirement, She will dedicate as much time as necessary to the fulfillment of these duties and will be available around the clock for emergency and other imponderables. Ms. Johnson will also be responsible for ensuring that the 24-hour Emergency Line is open and available. She will be assisted by a team of Security Officers at headquarters, as well as a dedicated Security Officer for each of the five (5) regions identified in this proposal. Although HQ will be the recipient of -all documentation related to candidates, this aspect of *the management process will require extreme coordination with each company submitting candidates for consideration.Ms. Johnson is a full-time employee of ALC,Inc. Finance Manager As the second most critical position for the performance of this contract,ALC has appointed Ms. Veronique Lemerle as the Finance Manager, As the current CFO of our company, Ms. June 25,2015 55 RFP No,1540233 t • Lemerle holds the highest position next to the President of the company. Her contributions to ALC over the past fifteen years have been invaluable. She is a specialist in finance and solely responsible for financial growth and development through innovative and accurate processes,particularly where it pertains to Government contracts. Ms. Lemerle has effectuated numerous transitions ranging from small contracts to large operations the size of the National Media Exploitation Center,where ALC transitioned from a 16-company operation into a single company. A few years into the performance of the contract, again Ms. Lemerle was responsible for orchestrating the seamless transition from the Defense Intelligence Agency's headquarters to ALC's facility. A major move that included the acquisition and set up of an entirely new facility encompassing the purchase, valuation and installation of a vast array of support equipment and personnel. Ms. Lemerle will oversee all matters related to payables, receivables, compensation, and payroll. She will be assisted by her staff through the duration of this contract, but she will also be responsible for establishing guidelines and procedures for each company in each region to follow in order to establish a seamless financial network tied to our CMS. Ms. Lemerle will be responsible for enforcing compliance related to deliverables. Ms. Lemerle is a full-time employee of ALC,Inc. Contracts Manager I The function of the Contracts Manager cannot be sufficiently emphasized as it is the person with the responsibility for coordinating requirements across all companies that are members of this team. In reviewing the past history of this mission, it became apparent to our management that one of the causes of cancellations and delays pivoted on the coordination and relationship between the prime and its subs. Clearly, lack of coordination and homologous management can effectively lead to confusion and disparity in compensation, processing, and service. ALC has appointed Ms. Tanya Dixon as our Contracts Manager. Ms. Dixon has in-depth knowledge of contracting and subcontracting of federal requirements having worked in this capacity for several years with in-depth involvement in Government contracts. She exceeds the required breadth and depth of understanding of the Federal Acquisition Regulations and other forms of federal compliance and has a solid understanding of human resources. Ms. Dixon's primary function will be to develop sound, homologous business practices across-the-board so as to establish a single line of operation and open communications.Her ultimate goal will be to guarantee that The City is not affected by a*eompany's inability to manage its subcontractors while effectuating a seamless and efficient standard operating procedure. Ms. Dixon understands that liquidated damages are not as much a penalty to deficient contractors as they represent a serious burden to the overall mission. As such,Ms. June 25,2015 56 RFP No.15-0233 Dixon will ensure that the•outcome of his-effort is the ultimate efficiency of The City's mission, where the only cancellations are those specifically requested by The City and not as result of ALC's inability to support The City adequately. Ms. Dixon is a full-time employee of ALC,Inc. Languages Offered At the time of submission of this proposal, Team ALC's nationwide roster of qualified linguists included the following languages. The table below shows the native language, the total numbers of linguists available, the number of those linguists who have been cleared to perform sensitive contracts on behalf of the Federal Government and the number who have been thoroughly tested. 1 Afrikaans 227 15 200 Akan .12 4 12 Albanian 29 4 29 Amharic 47 11 45 Arabic 4737 2878 1452 Armenian 38 3 38 Assyrian 15 2 15 t' Azerbaijani 22 6 20 Basque 15 2 15 Bangla(Bengali)- 26 10 20 Belorussian 16 4 16 Bengali 26 10 18 Bosnian 44 12 44 Bulgarian 28 5 28 Burmese 21 3 21 Cebuano 11 2 11 Chavacano (Philippine 182 74 55 Spanish Creole)2 Chineseno (Philippi .173 79 165 Chinese(Mandarin) 167 48 122 Creole3r 182 74 32 Croatian 108 65 25 Danish 43 11 35 Dari 165 27 165 Dutch 154 43 65 Eastern Armenian 22 9 22 Estonian 43 8 43 Farsi 154 28 154 June 25,2015 57 RFP No. 15-0233 W10[It 117#1 l ,III WNWARD Fijian 32 3 30 Filipino (Tagalo g)4 122 14 27 Finnish 64 11 64 Fioti(Kikongo)5 22 2 15 Flemish 48 4 48 French 1590 240 965 FrenchCongolese 14 2 9 (Lingala)6 Gaelic 5 0 5 Georgian 54 4 54 German 751 321 512 Greek 65 4 65 Gujarati 18 3 18 Hausa 22 4 18 Hawaiian(dialects) 11 0 11 Hebrew 136 57 67 Hindi 207 98 115 Hmong 5 0 4 Hindko 5 1 5 Hungarian 30 1 24 Icelandic 16 2 16 Indonesian 11 0 11 Italian 405 190 225 Japanese 256 145 145 Javanese 3 0 3 Kalmyk 3 0 2 Kazakh 14 2 14 Kikongo 14 1 8 Khmer(Cambodian) 33 3 29 Korean 211 101 115 Kurdish 248 119 145 Laotian 49 4 49 Latvian 33 3 33 Lingala 35 5 5 Lithuanian 22 1 22 Llocano 4 0 4 Macedonian 5 0 5 Malay 39 10 35 Malyalam 2 0 2 Maltese 5 0 5 Marwillese 4 0 4 June 25,2015 S8 RFP No, 15-0233 Al� i Marathi 3 0 3 Memon(Sindh or Sindhi)8 14 5 14 Mien 2 0 2 Moldavian 7 0 7 Mongolian 67 3 65 Navajo 11 0 6 Nepali 18 1 18 Nigerian(Hausa or 24 6 24 Yoruba)9 Norwegian 41 8 22 Oromo 3 0 3 Pashtu(Pashto) 698 400 555 Polish 86 37 45 Portuguese 384 143 143 Punjabi 168 81 90 Romanian 44 3 40 Russian 791 445 445 Samoan 33 2 33 Serbo-croatian(Serbian or 161 91 75 Bosnian)' ( Sindhi 16 2 6 Sinhalese(Tamil)" 17 2 9 Slovenian(Slovene)1z 27 6 12 Somali 60 28 35 Spanish 4979 1806 3100 Swahili 34 10 12 Swedish 29 5 29 Tadzhik Tagalog 96 41 48 Taiwanese Tamil 5 2 5 Telegu 2 0 0 Thai 113 29 40 Tibetan 28 3 28 Tigrinya 14 2 14 Turkish 202 101 122 Turkmen 23 1 23 Ukranian 74 14 74 Urdu13 458 253 229 Vietnamese 691 170 170 Welsh 26 0 26 June 25,2015 59 RFP No, 15-0233 —J 11 M N MIKE Western Armenian 15 2 11 Wolof . 7 0 7 Yiddish 79 22 70 Yoruba 21 3 21 lAlso known as Bengali. 2Also considered a Creole language and a common amongst Philippine Creole Spanish speakers. 3A stable language with universal similarities.This language is predominant in Haiti,but also spoken in Jamaica,Cuba,the Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico.In certain areas,such as Jamaica,this language is known as Patois. 4Filipino pertains to the people of the Philippines.Their language is Tagalog. 5A1so known as Kikongo.This is one of the popular languages of the Democratic Republic of Congo(Zaire). 9This is the s Kikongo,This is one of the popular languages of the Democratic Republic of Congo(Zaire).Jamaica,Cuba Wan known as Cambodian,this is the official language of Cambodia.Although a very prominent Austroasiatic language it has been affected by proximity and it has connotations of Thai,Lao,Vietnamese,and Chain. 9Nigeria has 521 living languages,two second languages without native speakers,and 9 extinct languages(which,though extinct,some folks still use).The vast majority of ethnic groups speak more than one language.In spite of all this,the official language of Nigeria is English.The most popular,Hausa,is a`lingua franca"throughout much of West Africa,particularly amongst the Muslim Population. Nigerians tend to switch between Hausa and Nigerian Pidgin English, IOAlso quoted as Yugoslavian languuge,this is actually a Slavic dialect and it encompasses dialects spoken in Serbia,Croatia, Montenegro,Bosnia and Herzegovina.Along with Slovene and Macedonian,it was one of the official languages of Yugoslavia until 1991. It contains dialects such as Kaykavian and Chakavian.With Yugoslavisslavia more than one language,In spite of all this(Croatian. Servian and Bosnian)became separate and independent standards.In the near future,we should expect the full development of a Montenegrin language,separate from Serbian. I lAlso known as Sinhalu is the language of the largest ethnic group of Sri Lanka.Approximately 19 million people speak Sinhala. 12ALC lists this language under a group entitled largest ethnic group of Sri Lanka.Approximately 19 million people speak Sinhala.it was one of the official languages of Yugoslavia until 199lic analysts have discovered that new dialects and combinations emerge and disappear frequently. l June 25,2015 60 EXHIBIT B PRICE SCHEDULE I, Price break-down for two(2)Full-Time(40-hours per week) Spanish Translators: Hourly rate $ 24.75 Fica/Medicare $ 1.89 FUTA $ 0.16 Disability $ 0.57 Health insurance $ 3.04 Pension Plan $ 2.48 G&A $ 5.59 OH $ 3.85 Profit $ 3.39 Total $ 45.71 II. Price break-down for an Emergency(less than 40-hours) Spanish Translator: Hourly rate $ $52.00 Professional Services Agreement AINVorld Language Consultants, Inc. EXHIBIT C NETWORK ACCESS AGREEMENT 1. The Network, The City owns and operates a computing environment and network (collectively the "Network"). Contractor wishes to access the City's network in order to provide computer software training. In order to provide the necessary support,Contractor needs access to the internet. 2. Grant of Limited Access. Contractor is hereby granted a limited right of access to the City's Network for the sole purpose of providing computer software training. Such access is granted subject to the terms and conditions forth in this Agreement and applicable provisions of the City's Administrative Regulation D-7 (Electronic Communications Resource Use Policy), of which such applicable provisions are hereby incorporated by reference and made a part of this Agreement for all purposes herein and are available upon request. 3. Network Credentials, The City will provide Contractor with Network Credentials consisting of user IDs and passwords unique to each individual requiring Network access on behalf of the Contractor. Access rights will automatically expire one (1)year from the date of this Agreement. If this access is being granted for purposes of completing services for the City pursuant to a separate contract,then this Agreement will expire at the completion of the contracted services, or upon termination of the contracted services, whichever occurs fast. This Agreement will be associated with the Services designated below. ❑ Services are being provided in accordance with City Secretary Contract No. ❑ Services are being provided in accordance with City of Fort Worth Purchase Order No. ® Services are being provided in accordance with the Agreement to which this Access Agreement is attached. ❑ No services are being provided pursuant to this Agreement. 4. Renewal. At the end of the first year and each year thereafter,this Agreement may be renewed annually if the following conditions are met: 4.1 Contracted services have not been completed. 4.2 Contracted services have not been terminated. 4.3 Within the thirty (30) days prior to the scheduled annual expiration of this Agreement, the Contractor has provided the City with a current list of its officers, agents, servants, employees or representatives requiring Network credentials. Notwithstanding the scheduled contract expiration or the status of completion of services, Contractor shall provide the City with a current list of officers, agents, servants, employees or representatives that require Network credentials on an annual basis. Failure to adhere to this requirement may result in denial of access to the Network and/or termination of this Agreement. 5. Network Restrictions. Contractor officers, agents, servants,employees or representatives may not share the City-assigned user IDs and passwords. Contractor acknowledges,agrees and hereby gives its authorization to the City to monitor Contractor's use of the City's Network in order to ensure Contractor's compliance with this Agreement. A breach by Contractor, its officers, agents, servants, employees or representatives, of this Agreement and any other written instructions or guidelines that the City provides to Contractor pursuant to this Agreement shall be grounds for the City immediately to deny Contractor access to the Network and Contractor's Data, terminate the Agreement, and pursue any other remedies that the City may have under this Agreement or at law or in equity. 5.1 Notice to Contractor Personnel—For purposes of this section, Contractor Personnel shall include all officers, agents, servants, employees, or representatives of Contractor. Contractor shall be responsible for specifically notifying all Contractor Personnel who will provide services to the City under this agreement of the following City requirements and restrictions regarding access to the City's Network: Professional Services Agreement AIIWorld Language Consultants,Inc. (a) Contractor shall be responsible for any City-owned equipment assigned to Contractor Personnel, and will immediately report the loss or theft of such equipment to the City (b) Contractor, and/or Contractor Personnel, shall be prohibited from connecting personally-owned computer equipment to the City's Network (c) Contractor Personnel shall protect City-issued passwords and shall not allow any third party to utilize their password and/or user ID to gain access to the City's Network (d) Contractor Personnel shall not engage in prohibited or inappropriate use of Electronic Communications Resources as described in the City's Administrative Regulation D7 (e) Any document created by Contractor Personnel in accordance with this Agreement is considered the property of the City and is subject to applicable state regulations regarding public information (f) Contractor Personnel shall not copy or duplicate electronic information for use on any non-City computer except as necessary to provide services pursuant to this Agreement (g) All network activity may be monitored for any reason deemed necessary by the City-= (h) A Network user ID may be deactivated when the responsibilities of the Contractor Personnel no longer require Network access 6. Termination. In addition to the other rights of termination set forth herein, the City may terminate this Agreement at any time and for any reason with or without notice, and without penalty to the City, Upon termination of this Agreement, Contractor agrees to remove entirely any client or communications software provided by the City from all computing equipment used and owned by the Contractor, its officers, agents, servants, employees and/or representatives to access the City's Network. 7. Information Security. Contractor agrees to make every reasonable effort in accordance with accepted security practices to protect the Network credentials and access methods provided by the City from unauthorized disclosure and use. Contractor agrees to notify the City immediately upon discovery of a breach or threat of breach which could compromise the integrity of the City's Network, including but not limited to,theft of Contractor-owned equipment that contains City-provided access software, termination or resignation of officers, agents, servants, employees or representatives with access to City-provided Network credentials, and unauthorized use or sharing of Network credentials. ACCEPTED AND AGREED: CITY O 'FORT WORTH: ALL D L NGUAGE ONSULTANTS,INC.: �mw T By By. r�•���tri� W�.� � arlos A. Sca iffio Assistant M ger Title: President & CEO Date: riv; Date: October 22 2015 ATTE S., *%0 ATTEST: C'ty ecr ti"' �' ° � � Name: Erin Douse "<'a Title: ProJect Mana9P.r APPRO ED TO FORM By, IZIZ 1� ' 'i✓ r � m Assistant City Attorney M&C: e' O a% ,_ 1 � Date Approved: Professional Services Agreement & f I r AIIWorld Language Consultants, Inc. „„,. EXHIBIT D VERIFICATION OF SIGNATURE AUTHORITY Full Legal Name of Company:AllWorld Language Consultants,Inc. Legal Address: 172 Rollins Ave.,Rockville,MD 20852 Services to be provided: Translation and editing of publications. Execution of this Signature Verification Form ("Form") hereby certifies that the following individuals and/or positions have the authority to legally bind the Company and to execute any agreement, amendment or change order on behalf of Company. Such binding authority has been granted by proper order, resolution, ordinance or other authorization of Company. The City is fully entitled to rely on the warranty and representation set forth in this Form in entering into any agreement or amendment with Company. Company will submit an updated Form within ten(10) business days if there are any changes to the signatory authority. The City is entitled to rely on any current executed Form until it receives a revised Form that has been properly executed by the Company. 1. Name: Carlos A. Scandiffio Posttiori:"" resident & C O Signature 2. Name: Veronique Lemerle Position:Chief Financial Officer Signature 3. Name: Position: Signature Name: Signature of President/CEO Other Title: Date: OCTOBE 22, 2015 Professional Services Agreement AllWorld Language Consultants, Inc.