Translation Services -ABA عودة إلى الفرص

The American Bar Association-Rule of Law Initiative (ABA ROLI or ABA) will make every effort  to adhere to the following schedule (all deadlines are COB Tunis time): 

1.0 General Information 

1.1 Purpose. This request for proposal (RFP) provides to those interested in submitting  proposals (“Bidders”) sufficient information to enable them to prepare and submit  proposals for the ABA ROLI Tunisia’s consideration. 

1.2 Issuing Department. ABA ROLI Tunisia has issued this RFP. The sole point of  contact in the ABA for the RFP shall be Saoussen Moussi,  saoussen.moussi@americanbar.org, the issuing employee for this RFP. Please refer  all inquiries to the issuing employee, with a cc. to Michael Lechner,  michael.lechner@americanbar.org.  

1.3 Program Deliverables: Program deliverables in this contract will be: (a) provision  of translation services for the organization of events across Tunisia including  simultaneous and consecutive translation (b) written translation and (c) use of  translation equipment. 

1.4 Type of Contract. The contract must comply with the ABA Contract Policy and  will be reviewed by the ABA’s General Counsel’s Office. ABA entities do not have  separate legal standing to enter into oral or written contracts in their own names.  All contracts are entered into on behalf of the American Bar Association. The 

issuing department, in its sole discretion, may undertake negotiations with Bidders  whose proposal, in the judgement of the issuing department, show them to be  qualified, responsible and capable of performing the project or providing the goods.  Only staff members authorized by the ABA Executive Director and Chief  Operating Officer have authority to execute contractual agreements on behalf  of the ABA. 

1.5 Rejection of Proposals. The issuing employee reserves the right, in its sole and  complete discretion, to reject any proposal received as a result of this RFP. 1.6 Incurring of Costs. The ABA is not liable for any costs the Bidder incurs in  

preparation and submission of its proposal, in participating in the RFP process or  in anticipation of the award of the contract. 

1.7 Questions and Answers. If a Bidder has any questions regarding this RFP, the  Bidder must submit the questions by email to the issuing employee named in  Section 1.2 of the RFP. If the Bidder has questions, they must be submitted via  email no later than the date indicated on the Bid Timetable. The Bidder shall not  attempt to contact the issuing employee by any other means. All questions and all  answers will be provided to all Bidders by the deadline date indicated on the Bid  Timetable. 

1.8 Response Date. To be considered for selection, electronic submission must arrive  to the issuing employee on the date specified in the Bid Timetable. 

1.9 Proposals. To be considered, Bidders should submit a complete response to this  RFP, using the format provided in Section 2.0, providing an electronic copy in PDF  format to the issuing employee. The Bidder shall make no other distribution of its  proposal to any other Bidder or ABA employee or ABA consultant. An official  authorized to bind the Bidder to its provisions must sign the proposal in Appendix  A. For this RFP, the proposal must remain valid until a contract is fully executed.  If the issuing employee selects the Bidder’s proposal for award, the contents of the  selected Bidder’s proposal will become, except to the extent the contents are  changed through Best and Final Offers or negotiations, contractual obligations.  

1.10 Discussions for Clarification. Bidders may be required to make an oral or written  clarification to their proposals to the issuing employee to ensure thorough mutual  understanding and Bidder responsiveness to the solicitation requirements. The  issuing employee will initiate requests for clarification. 

1.11 Prime Contractor Responsibilities. The contract will require the selected Bidder  to assume responsibility for all services offered in its proposal whether it produces  them itself or by contractor. The issuing employee will consider the selected Bidder  to be the sole point of contact with regard to contractual matters. 

1.12 Proposal Contents. Bidders should not label proposal submissions as confidential  or proprietary. The issuing employee will hold all proposals in confidence and will  not reveal or discuss any proposal with competitors for the contract, unless  disclosure is required: 

1. Under the provisions of any State or United States statute or regulation; or b. By rule or order of any court of competent jurisdiction. 

All material submitted with the proposal becomes the property of the ABA and may  be returned only at the issuing employee’s option. The issuing employee, in its sole  discretion, may include any person other than competing Bidders on its proposal 

evaluation committee. The issuing employee has the right to use any or all ideas  presented in any proposal regardless of whether the proposal becomes part of a  contract. 

1.13 Best and Final Offers. The issuing employee reserves the right to conduct  discussions with Bidders for obtaining “best and final offers.” To obtain best and  final offers from Bidders, the issuing department may do one or more of the  following: enter into pre-selection negotiations; schedule oral presentations; and  request revised proposals. 

1.14 Term of Contract. The term of the contract will commence on the Effective Date  and will end as determined by the project timeline provided in the bid. The Effective  Date will be 16 August 2022 or the date of countersignature, whichever is later.  The selected Bidder shall not start the performance of any work prior to the  effective date of the contract and the ABA shall not be liable to pay the selected  Bidder for any service or work performed or expenses incurred before the effective  date of the contract. The contract is not considered approved until the terms have  been reviewed and approved by the Office of General Counsel. An “American Bar  Association Office of General Counsel” approval seal will appear on the contract  with the signature of the attorney approving the terms of the contract. 

1.15 Use of Electronic Versions of this RFP. This RFP is being made available by  electronic means. If a Bidder electronically accepts the RFP, the Bidder  acknowledges and accepts full responsibility to ensure that no changes are made to  the RFP. 

2.0 Proposal Requirements 

2.1 Statement of the Services. Briefly state your understanding of the services  required by the RFP. Include a high-level management summary of how your  company will effectively satisfy the services required, based on passed experience. 

2.2 Proposed Approach. Describe your approach in detail for accomplishing the work  as specified in Section 3.0 of this document. This document should be as detailed  and comprehensive as possible.  

2.3 Price Submittal. Bidders must not include any assumptions in their price  submittals. If the Bidder includes assumptions in its price submittal, the issuing  employee may reject the proposal. All prices must be included so that the total  spending required by the ABA is clearly defined. 

3.0 Criteria for Selection 

3.1 Mandatory Responsiveness Requirements. To be eligible for selection, a  proposal must: 

1. Be received according to the dates set in the Bid Timetable; 
2. Be properly signed by a representative of the Bidder who is eligible to  bind them in contract with the ABA; 
3. Be in accordance with all instructions as set forth herein.

3.2 Technically Nonconforming Proposals. The issuing employee reserves the right,  in its sole discretion, to waive technical or immaterial nonconformities in a Bidder’s  proposal. 

3.3 Criteria for Selection. The following criteria will be used, in no particular order,  in evaluating each proposal: 

1. Demonstrated capacity to deliver translation services throughout  Tunisia to accomplish project objectives in accordance with Section  

4.0 of this RFP. Please provide information on previous experience  

providing translation services; 

1. Existing organizational capacity to support ABA objectives, with  documentation protocols in compliance with US government and  

Tunisian regulations. Please provide information on policies,  

procedures, and protocols for compliance; 

1. Experience working carrying out similar work in Tunisia, preferably in  target locations, with international organizations and donors. Please  

provide information on experience with similar work for international  

organizations and donors; 

1. Demonstrated ability to securely and properly handle sensitive or personally identifiable information. Please provide explanation on  

maintenance of sensitive information. 

1. Overall value (evaluations of costs and fees). 

4.0 Specifications and Work Statement 

Background: This RFP concerns translation services for activities across Tunisia. ABA ROLI  seeks to recruit a company with demonstrated access to these locations to accomplish the following  objectives: 

(a) Support ABA ROLI activities in the provision of translation services including simultaneous and consecutive translation, written translation, and use of  translation equipment 

(b) Receive invoices with maintenance of documentation protocols in compliance  with US government and Tunisian regulations. 

5.0 Activities and Approach 

Program deliverables under this contract are described in section 4.0. Contractor  should describe the activities it will undertake to accomplish these deliverables. 

5.1 Organizational Capacity Statement: Contractor should describe its organizational capacity to carry out the work in this RFP, with focus on its  experience working in Tunisia since 2011; including in these areas; knowledge of conflict-sensitivity and working with international organizations. 

6.0 Budget:

Contractor must provide a line-item budget for all activities under this program.  The budget should include the following major cost-categories:  

(1) Simultaneous and written translation based on hourly and daily rate; (2) written  translation based on number of words per page; (3) translation equipment.

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