Interpreter Services for EPA Deaf and Hard of Hearing Employees

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)

Notice of Intent to Sole Source: GS-10F-0372 / 68HERC22F0512

541930 - Translation and Interpretation Services. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has a requirement for the continuation of services under the current contract, GS-10F-0372, task order number 68HERC22F0512 as detailed below. The aforementioned task order is set to expire on 3/31/2025. The contract for follow-on services will not be awarded before the expiration date of 3/31/2025 on task order 68HERC22F0512. The services provided under this contract are statutorily mandated, critical in nature, and cannot lapse therefore, the EPA intends to negotiate on a sole source basis with the current vendor, Access Interpreting, Inc. located at 200 Lawyers Road NW #1993, Vienna VA 22180. The Government intends to execute a modification to the existing task order to extend services for six months while the follow-on requirement is being reprocured. It is the Government’s intent to maintain the current level of services throughout the extension period. This action is necessary to ensure these statutorily mandated interpreter services remain available to EPA employees who are deaf or hard of hearing, so they are equipped to perform their essential job functions, actively participate in training, meetings, and seminars, and fully engage as an EPA employee.

Access Interpreting, Inc. is best suited for continuing to provide the required services and support during the six-month extension due to their familiarity with the service requirements. Further, the current vendor is already equipped, integrated into the Agency’s IT infrastructure, and postured to comply with all applicable Agency policies and the federal statutes that mandate these services to be made available to the deaf and hard of hearing employees. The interpreting services currently provided by Access are critical to support the functional capabilities of EPA staff who use these services to perform their essential job functions seamlessly across different Agency platforms both virtually and in-person. Extending the task order with the current contractor will ensure no interruption in services while the follow-on task order is being reprocured. Disrupting these critical services will result in the Agency’s non-compliance with the statutory mandates prescribed in Sections 501 and 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C § 794 (d)) which requires EPA to afford disabled employees and members of the public the right to access Federal electronic and information technologies.

In accordance with FAR Part 5.207(c)(16)(ii), responsible sources may submit a capability statement, proposal, or quotation which shall be considered by the Agency. Such capabilities/qualifications will be evaluated solely for the purpose of determining whether to conduct this procurement on a competitive basis. A determination by the Government not to compete this proposed effort on a full and open competition basis, based upon any responses to this notice, is solely within the discretion of the Government. The intent of this notice is to state the Government’s intention to award this extension on a limited source basis; and, therefore, no solicitation is available. All interested parties who believe they can provide the required service should fully explain their capabilities and qualifications in writing.

All vendor responses will be considered. Responses to this notice should be submitted to the Contracting Officer, Martina White at gillis-massey.martina@epa.gov within 3 calendar days of the posting of this notice.

The notice, amendments, and other information related to this procurement as well as any subsequent procurement notifications will be posted on the Sam.Gov website at: www.sam.gov and the FedConnect website at: https://www.fedconnect.net/.

At this time, phone calls related to this procurement are not being accepted.