Procurement of Transcription Service

Item Description:

The World Food Programme (WFP) is the world’s largest humanitarian agency fighting hunger worldwide, delivering food assistance in emergencies and working with communities to improve nutrition and build resilience. Each year, WFP assists some 86.7 million people in around 83 countries.

WFP’s Office of the Inspector General (OIG) reports to the Executive Director and is responsible for internal audit and investigations services to WFP, providing objective assurance on the effectiveness of risk management and the effectiveness and adequacy of internal controls.

OIG also responds to allegations of misconduct by conducting and reporting on investigations through OIG Investigations (OIGI). OIGI is responsible for conducting investigations into allegations of misconduct, such as mismanagement, fraud, corruption, retaliation on whistleblowers, workplace harassment, sexual harassment, abuse of authority, violation or willful disregard of WFP regulations, rules, and administrative instructions, that involve WFP staff, contractors and other applicable persons. OIGI conducts investigations in accordance with the Charter of the Office of the Inspector General, the Uniform Guidelines for Investigations and the OIGI Investigation Guidelines.

In the course of its investigative work OIGI requests transcription services of audio recordings to support ongoing OIGI investigations. Under the supervision of the Director of Investigations OIGI, the Contractor will be responsible for OIGI transcription services into English language.

Scope of work and responsibilities: 

1. The service provider will undertake the following responsibilities:

• Complete transcriptions that are authorized by OIGI Deputy Director, Head of Investigations, and OIGI Investigations Manager;
• Complete verbatim transcripts from audio recordings;
• Transcribe audio recordings;
• Provide high standards of transcription service:
• Numbering each sentence or line in each transcript;
• Numbering each page in the transcript;
• Provide an index of key words for each transcript;
• Provide a word document transcript;
• Provide a condensed PDF version of the transcript; and
• Submit each transcript to the designated OIGI Investigations Specialist.

Expected Outputs:

1. A set of verbatim transcribed documents in PDF and Word formats from the audio recordings. The word documents should be presented in the following format requirements:

• Annotate each line of each transcript with a line number;
• Annotate each event on the recording to accurately reflect the conversation, e.g., if applause occurs, the transcript reflects the applause in a clear and concise manner, e.g., [Applause];
• Each page should be US Letter or A4; and
• The font size will be 10 points Open Sans.

Contractual arrangements:

• WFP shall enter a long-term agreement (LTA) with the selected service provider;
• The service provider will be engaged on an ‘as needed’ basis through issuance of procurement purchase for each time service is requested;
• The timeline for deliverables (including deadlines) will be agreed upon (in writing) with the designated Investigations Officer;
• The requested transcription services will be homebased. No travel is envisaged; and
• The duration of the LTA will be three (3) years, with the possibility of extension, for a maximum of two (2) additional years.

Conditions of Payment:

Corresponding payments shall be made following certification by WFP that the transcription services requested have been satisfactorily performed and deliverables have been achieved by or before the due date.

Duration:

• OIGI requires the task to be completed within 30 working days; and
• OIGI requires urgent tasks to be completed within 5 working days.

Minimum Experience and Qualification requirements:

• The Contractor is required to have at least three (3) years of experience in providing transcriptions services;
• The Contractor should have a proven track record of providing excellent quality transcriptions to international organizations and international organization investigation units;
• The Contractor should have a proven track record of providing transcripts of audio recordings of interviews of Subject and Witness testimony related to complex administrative investigations;
• The Contractor should have a staff with at least three (3) years of experience transcribing complex administrative investigations; and
• The Contractor should have proven track record of providing services to clients in confidential and reliable manner.

The purpose of this EOI 

1. The purpose of this request for EOI is to identify suppliers with verified technical capacity to provide the transcription services as described in this EoI. Eligible suppliers will be invited to participate in the bidding process for the proposed tender.
2. Eligibility to participate in the proposed tender will be determined based on several pre-qualification criteria, listed under Annex 2, Supplier Competencies / Capacities.
3. After the deadline for submission of responses has passed, WFP will evaluate responses received and will notify eligible participants of the outcome of the evaluation.

How to prepare and submit your Expression of Interest

1. In order to participate in the pre-qualification exercise, service providers are required to provide the following:

• Statement of interest in being considered to provide the transcription services, including:
• a summary of demonstrated experience in providing excellent quality transcriptions to international organizations and international organization investigation units;
• a summary of demonstrated experience in providing transcripts of audio recordings of interviews of Subject and Witness testimony related to complex administrative investigations; and background information on the service provider.
• CVs of staff working for/ on behalf of the service provider.
• The signatory

All supporting documentation listed above shall be prepared in accordance with the instructions provided and sent by email to HQ.tenders@wfp.org. The deadline for response to this request for EOI:

Tuesday 11 February, 16:00 hrs CET

1. WFP will not consider incomplete or unsigned submissions. All responses and supporting documentation received will be treated as strictly confidential and will not be made available to the public.
2. This request for EOI does not constitute a solicitation. WFP reserves the right to change or cancel this procurement process or any of its requirements at any time during the process; any such action will be communicated to all participants.

Should you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact us at HQ.tenders@wfp.org.

HQ20NF014 – EoI_Procurement of transcription service.pdf