Solicitation for Region 6 VHR Services   2

Background
This solicitation is for Verbatim Hearing Recorder (VHR) services required for SSA's Region 6. The Contractor shall provide qualified and trained personnel identified as VHRs to assist the ALJ with administrative aspects of conducting a hearing, including digitally recording the hearing. Hearings under this contract will be conducted by SSA’s OHO at HOs, PRSs, and COV Sites in Region 6, which encompasses New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.

Work Details
The Contractor shall provide qualified and trained personnel identified as Verbatim Hearing Recorders (VHRs) to assist the ALJ with administrative aspects of conducting a hearing, including digitally recording the hearing. The Contractor shall provide VHR services for hearings that start between 8:00 am and 6:00 pm in the hearing office’s local time, Monday through Friday excluding federal holidays. The VHR shall arrive at the office with sufficient lead time to open the hearing room, boot up Government-furnished hearing recording equipment, complete a test recording to ensure the recording equipment is functioning correctly, and initiate contact with the ALJ via Skype at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start of the first hearing.

The VHR shall access an itinerary of scheduled hearings report from within their @ssa.gov email account and utilize the information in this report to connect all participants to each hearing in the docket. The VHR shall begin recording the hearing upon instruction of the ALJ and maintain proper etiquette throughout the process. After each hearing, the VHR shall electronically complete a Hearing Recorder Worksheet for each hearing and turn in close-out documents at the end of the day of scheduled hearings.

Period of Performance
Period of Performance: Phase In Period from 09/30/2023 to 01/31/2024; Base Period from 02/01/2024 to 01/31/2025; Option Year 1 from 02/01/2025 to 01/31/2026; Option Year 2 from 02/01/2026 to 01/31/2027; Option to Extend Services from 02/01/2027 to 07/31/2027

Place of Performance
Hearings under this contract will be conducted by SSA’s OHO at HOs, PRSs, and COV Sites in Region 6, which encompasses New Mexico, Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.