/ Byron L. Diamond
Director
Acting Director

Pete Ricketts, Governor

ADDENDUM ONE, QUESTIONS and ANSWERS

Date: November 18, 2016

To: All Bidders

From: Nancy Storant, Buyer

AS Materiel Purchasing

RE: Addendum for Request for Proposal Number 5462 Z1

to be opened December 6, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. Central Time

Materiel Division Bo Botelho, Materiel Administrator
Administrative Services 1526 K Street, Suite 130 Lincoln, Nebraska 68508 Phone: 402-471-6500 Fax: 402-471-2089
/ Byron L. Diamond
Director
Acting Director

Pete Ricketts, Governor

Questions and Answers

Following are the questions submitted and answers provided for the above mentioned Request for Proposal. The questions and answers are to be considered as part of the Request for Proposal. It is the Bidder’s responsibility to check the State Purchasing Bureau website for all addenda or amendments.

Page 5

/ Byron L. Diamond
Director
Acting Director

Pete Ricketts, Governor

Page 5

Question Number / RFP
Section
Reference / RFP
Page Number / Question / State Response
1. / Whether companies from Outside USA can apply for this? (like,from India or Canada) / As long as the bidder has to ability to connect with the encoders and audio dial-ins and is well versed in English, the origin of the bidder is not a factor. The bidder cannot use a PBX system nor a digital or IP phone system for connecting to the State’s encoders. Awarded Contractor must be able to be contacted 24 hours a day to deal with any changes, last minute captioning needs, and captioning concerns and problems.
2. / Whether we need to come over there for meetings? / No, the bidder would not need to attend meetings at this location.
3. / Can we perform the tasks (related to RFP) outside USA? (like, from India or Canada) / Please see answer to Question #1
4. / Can we submit the proposals via email? / Proposals will not be accepted via e-mail. The State only accepts an original signed RFP that has been received by the Opening date and time noted in the Schedule of Events.
5. / How long has the current incumbent supplier(s) been providing live captioning to the State of Nebraska? / Approximately 10 years.
6. / How many suppliers currently provide the real time accessibility service? / Currently there is only one contractor for Real-Time Captioning services for the State.
7. / Will this award be sole sourced or will there be multiple vendors? / The State’s intent is to award the contract to one contractor.
8. / For programming that requires clean-up for re-broadcast what program video reference material is provided?
How is it made available?
What is required turnaround time for cleaned up files? / Currently an MP4 or quick time file is generated.
It is made available through an FTP site.
Turnaround time has varied from as little as 6 hours up to 24 hours.
9. / What type of caption file format is the expected deliverable (.scc, .cap, .tt, other) for re-broadcast programs? / Re-broadcast of cleaned up captions is done in the same manner as if the program was being real-time captioned and thus, no standard format (.SCC, .CAP, etc.) is required. Files are not needed for the re-broadcast of the cleaned up captions.
10. / Will the State provide program preparation materials to enable the caption writers to properly prepare for the coverage and if yes how far in advance will this materials available? / A list of Senator’s names, Districts as well as other personnel that interact with the Legislature, will be prepared and forwarded to the awarded contractor. The Legislature maintains a website with a daily calendar of events and bills that are anticipated to be debated. The list of names and Districts can be sent approximately 1 to 2 weeks prior to the start of the Legislature. The agenda is done daily and is controlled by the Clerk of the Legislature. Start time for the next day is announced when the Legislature adjourns for the day. The State will send the information to the contractor as soon as it is available.
11. / Does programming from the State Legislature and NET overlap and will require simultaneous services? Is so, how many hours fall into this category? / There are times that this may happen. The number of hours will vary each year and cannot be estimated.
12. / Would you provide the name of closed caption encoder manufacturer along with the model number of the unit?
Is the encoder IP enabled to receive captions?
How many encoders does the State of Nebraska currently have, is there an encoder for the State Legislature and NET? / The encoder that is currently being used is an Evertz HD 9084.
No, the encoder has not be enabled to support IP captions.
Currently, there are two (2) encoders used but more may be added at a future date. Awarded bidder must have the ability to accommodate additional encoders.
13. / Does the State Legislature and NET provide a single or multiple dial-in line(s) for the reception of the program audio? / There is a single dial-in line for audio for each of the phone hybrids and one for each of the encoders.
14. / Does the audio coupling device require a manual operator reset or is it automatic upon the disconnection? / The devise will normally disconnect automatically. There could be times when the device may need to be manually reset.
15. / What is or are the devices in place that provide the telco coupling? / The devices are Circuit Works HC3.
16. / Section II, E -- WRITTEN QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS / 2 & 3 / Will you provide questions / answers (anonymously) from all potential bidders in the addendum to be posted on the Internet at http://das.nebraska.gov/materiel/purchasing.html on or before the date shown in the Schedule of Events? / All questions received will be included in the Addendum posted and the originator of the question is not identified. The Addendum will be posted on or before the date as noted on the Schedule of Events. The bidder should check the web site at http://das.nebraska.gov/materiel/purchase_bureau/vendor/services-rfp.html for any updates.
17. / Section IV, B -- PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE OF WORK; SCOPE OF WORK / 29 / In terms of scheduling the daily start time of the legislature, will there always be a hard-scheduled start time provided (e.g. 9am CT or 10am CT), or will the vendor need to have realtime captioners in place and ready to start at 9am CT each day, and then the legislature will start whenever they're convened and ready to begin? / The Legislature publishes an agenda daily with the anticipated start time. However, during the day, events may necessitate a new time that would be announced on the floor of the Legislature by the Speaker of the Legislature. Start times for the following day are announced at the adjournment of the day.
18. / Section IV, B -- PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE OF WORK; SCOPE OF WORK / 29 / When the Legislature adjourns for lunch at 12pm CT, is it always for a set time, and are realtime captioners "off the clock" at that time as well (meaning nobody needs to be hard scheduled), or do the realtime captioners need to remain in place in case anything happens during the lunch recess? / The Legislature normally recesses for lunch around the noon hour. It may recess for lunch earlier than noon CT or it may be later than noon CT. There are times when the Legislature works through the lunch hour. Those situations are normally announced at least one (1) day ahead of time. After recessing for lunch, the normal returning time is 1:30pm CT or as determined by the Speaker of the Legislature. During the recess time period, the realtime captioner will be “off the clock”. The Legislature does “Stand at Ease” occasionally and at those times, the realtime captioner will need to be “on the clock”.
19. / Section IV, B -- PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE OF WORK; SCOPE OF WORK / 29 / For the 45 hours of live NET programming that will need to be cleaned up via Offline captioning, what CC style will you require for these versions -- Roll-up, Pop-on centered or Pop-on multipositional -- and what CC file format will you need back as the deliverable -- .SCC, .CAP or other?
What is the typical turnaround time needed for these Offlince cleaned up versions?
How often do you anticipate needing 24-hour turanround for these Offline cleaned up versions? / Pop-on centered on a line to be determined is what we currently request. Most programs have lower thirds for names or phone numbers, and we establish a bottom line for the captioning and request that the captions be played back at that line height. Cleaned up captions have to be played back as if they were in real time and so no specific format is required.
Turnaround can be as short as 6 hours and up to 24 hours.
An estimated 16 hours will need to have a quick turnaround and an estimated 30 hours will have a 24 hour turnaround.
20. / Section IV, C -- PROJECT DESCRIPTION AND SCOPE OF WORK; TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS / 29 / What format do you require for the unedited (raw) transcripts to be delivered within 24 hours to either the Legislature or NET -- Word?
What format do you require for the edited transcripts (transcripts that are corrected for spellings, grammar, and content) -- Word?
What turnaround time is needed for these edited versions? / Word is the preferred format although a text file would also be acceptable for either the raw or edited transcripts.
Turnaround is normally within 24 hours.

This addendum will become part of the Request for Proposal and should be acknowledged with the Request for Proposal.

Page 5