Closed Captioning Services

Background
The Texas A&M University System (A&M System) is seeking proposals for qualified vendors to provide closed captioning products and services to enhance teaching and learning processes for faculty and students. The goal is to establish a master services agreement with one or more vendors to meet the captioning needs of its member universities and agencies.

The A&M System, one of the largest higher education systems in the nation, aims to ensure that the solutions provided are robust, sustainable, and economically viable.

Work Details
The vendor will provide full-scale, real-time verbatim captioning of live streamed content and pre-recorded media. Services include:
1. **Captioning of Live Events**:
- Remote captioning for live events streamed via platforms like Webex, Zoom, or Teams.
- Support line for troubleshooting during live events.
- Captioners must achieve an average rate of 225-250 words per minute with 99% accuracy.
- Captions must match spoken words accurately and convey background sounds appropriately.
- Captions should not block important content on the screen and must be legible.

2. **Captioning of Pre-Recorded Content**:
- 48-72 hour turnaround time for captioning pre-recorded media.
- Use of speech recognition software may be employed.
- Captions must also be 99% accurate and include discipline-specific terminology when possible.

3. **Integration**:
- Simple integration with external services such as YouTube, Kaltura, Panopto, MediaSite, etc.

4. **Editing Capabilities**:
- Members can log in to edit captions freely.

5. **Usage Tracking Reports**:
- Reports tracking work orders, hours of service, events captioned, etc.

Period of Performance
The initial term of the agreement is expected to be three (3) years with an option to renew for an additional two (2) years upon mutual agreement.

Place of Performance
Services will be performed primarily at the Texas A&M University System locations across Texas.

Bidder Requirements
Respondents must submit a HUB Subcontracting Plan (HSP) form detailing efforts to incorporate Historically Underutilized Businesses (HUBs) into their proposal. The HUB participation goal for this RFP is 15%. Respondents are also required to comply with accessibility standards as outlined by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).