R606--Sources Sought 36C77626Q0161 Court Reporting Services (VISNs 9,10,12,15,23)

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is a Request for Information (RFI) questionnaire designed to gather market intelligence from potential vendors regarding court reporting services. The information collected will help the government determine market capabilities and inform future procurement decisions.

• Company Information: Requires name, address, business size, DUNS number, and socioeconomic category.
• Contractor Capabilities: Asks for a capabilities statement, confirmation of ability to cover specific regions (RPO-Central Region / VISN 9,10,12,15,23), and suggestions for Contract Line Items (CLINs).
• PWS Feedback: Inquires about potential revisions, explanations, or corrections needed for the Performance Work Statement (PWS).
• Technical Capabilities: Asks about charges for electronic transcript transmission, ability to handle VA encrypted emails, and capability to provide transcripts on physical media (jump drives).

Vendors interested in providing court reporting services should complete this questionnaire to indicate their capabilities, regional coverage, and provide feedback on the PWS and CLIN structure. The RFI is due by April 16, 2026, and only email responses will be accepted. This RFI is for informational and planning purposes only and does not constitute a solicitation.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document is an Excel spreadsheet titled "Attachment 2 - Draft Schedule of items.xlsx". It details the CLINs (Contract Line Item Numbers) and associated quantities, units, and pricing for various services and potential reimbursements over a five-year period (Year 1/Base Year through Year 5/OY 4).

• CLINs: Covers services such as virtual and on-site court reporting (hourly rates), written transcriptions (per page with different return times), exhibit scanning, and postage.
• Reimbursements: Includes provisions for reimbursable costs such as hotel fees, car rental fees, per diem costs, and air fares, specifically for items not refundable after cancellation. Documentation is required for these reimbursements.
• Quantity and Unit: Specifies the estimated quantities and units of measure for each CLIN.
• Pricing: The 'Price' and 'Total' columns are present but show 0.0 for all line items, indicating this is a draft schedule or a template for pricing to be filled in by bidders.
• Years of Performance: The schedule is broken down by year, from Year 1/Base Year to Year 5/OY 4, suggesting a multi-year contract.
• Location Groups: Sub-items for on-site court reporting and reimbursements are categorized by Groups A through E, referencing "Attach A1" for a list of locations.

This document serves as a draft pricing schedule. Bidders should review the CLINs, quantities, and types of services/reimbursements to understand the potential scope of work and the structure for pricing their proposals. The zeroed-out prices indicate that bidders will need to provide their own pricing for these items as part of their submission, likely in accordance with specific instructions within the main solicitation document.

Request for Information (RFI)

This is a Request for Information (RFI) issued by the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to conduct market research for court reporting services. The VA is seeking to identify verified Service-Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) concerns capable of providing these services to government facilities in VISNs 9, 10, 12, 15, and 23. This RFI is for informational and planning purposes only and is not a solicitation for offers or a commitment to award a contract.

The requirement is for court reporting services for the VHA MIDCON region. Services may include, but are not limited to, support for Administrative Investigations, Disciplinary Appeals Boards, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) hearings, Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) hearings, Office of Resolution Management, Regional Counsel requirements, and other meetings or depositions requiring legal documentation.

• Personnel: Services must be performed by qualified, certified Registered Professional Reporters (RPR) by the National Court Reporters Association (NCRA).

• Assignment: Only one Court Reporter shall be assigned to each administrative process from beginning to end. Substitutes must have comparable qualifications.

• Location: Services will primarily be provided at VA Medical Centers or virtually via VA-approved platforms (TEAMS, WebEx). Services may occasionally be required at Community Based Outpatient Clinics (CBOCs) or other government-determined locations within a ten-mile radius of locations listed in Attachment 1.

• NAICS Code: 561492 (Court Reporting and Stenotype Services)

• Size Standard: $19 million

• Set-Aside: The VA is specifically looking for verified SDVOSB concerns.

• Deadline: April 16, 2026, 2:00 PM ET.

• Submission Method: Email responses to lenny.flagg@va.gov and Sharif.Ra-el@va.gov.

• Subject Line: "36C77626Q0161 - Court Reporting Services RFI Response"

• Format: Use the attached "Court Reporting Services RFI Questionnaire" (Attachment 4) and other provided attachments (1-4) for your response.

• Inquiries: Telephone inquiries will not be accepted. Questions received after the deadline will not be considered.

• Responses are for information only and will not be treated as proposals.

• The government will not pay for any information or preparation costs associated with this RFI.

• The type of solicitation to be issued and the manner of advertisement will depend on the responses received.

• Offerors must be verified as SDVOSB concerns in www.SAM.gov.

• Attachment A-1 - Locations

• Attachment 2 - Draft Schedule of Items

• Attachment 3 - Draft PWS

• Attachment 4 - Court Reporting – RFI Questionnaire

Statement of Work (SOW) / Performance Work Statement (PWS)

To provide court reporting and transcription services for the VHA MIDCON upon request, covering various administrative investigations, hearings, and other proceedings requiring legal documentation.

• Provide qualified personnel, equipment, and services for court reporting and transcription.

• Services include, but are not limited to, Administrative Investigations, Disciplinary Appeals Boards, Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) hearings, Merit Systems Protection Board (MSPB) hearings, Office of Resolution Management, Regional Counsel requirements, and previously recorded depositions/testimony.

• Services can be provided on-site or virtually (e.g., Microsoft TEAMS, Zoom for Government).

• Transcripts must be accurate, double-spaced, printed, bound, and indexed according to specified formats.

• Court reporters must be able to administer oaths and depositions transcribed by a notary.

• Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) for defective service is less than 3% of recordings, transcriptions, and photocopies returned for correction.

• Timely delivery of transcripts is required, with less than 5% of reports being late.

• Court reporters must be punctual, professional, and present for all proceedings.

• Specific formatting and content requirements for transcripts are detailed.

• Period of Performance: One-year base period with four one-year option periods.

• Services will be performed at VA Medical Centers, CBOCs, or other facilities within a ten-mile radius of specified locations, or virtually.

• Personnel must be Certified Registered Professional Reporters (RPR) by NCRA, with at least one year of experience.

• Contractors must provide Worker's Compensation and Professional Liability Insurance.

• Strict adherence to VA security regulations, including annual Cyber Security and Privacy Act training, is required.

• All work must be performed in the United States.

• Compliance with Department of Labor Wage Determinations and FAR 52.219-14 Limitations on Subcontracting is mandatory.

• Invoicing must be done through the VA's Tungsten Network.

Form / Attachment / Pricing Sheet

This document, "Attachment A-1 - Locations.xlsx", provides a detailed list of Veterans Affairs (VA) facilities and clinics across multiple VISNs (Veterans Integrated Service Networks). It serves to inform potential bidders about the geographical locations where services may be required or where the opportunity is relevant.

• Groupings: Facilities are organized by VISN (e.g., Group A for VISN 9, Group B for VISN 10, etc.).
• Facility Details: For each location, the document lists:
  • VISN Number
  • Station Number
  • Station Name (e.g., VAMC, VA Clinic, CBOC)
  • Full Address (Street, City, State, ZIP Code)

This attachment is crucial for bidders to understand the geographic scope of the opportunity. It helps in assessing logistical requirements, potential service areas, and the distribution of VA facilities that may be involved in the contract. Bidders should review this list to determine if their operational capabilities align with the locations specified.