The Worksite Enrichment Programs Branch (WEPB), Division of Support Services (DSS), Office of Research Services (ORS) is the Project Office for the NIH-wide performance based contract for the provision of interpreting services with Sign Language Associates (SLA). Upon completion of the contract’s base and first option years, the Project Office released Executive Summaries which provided an overview of the contract’s activities related to the performance standards and usage of our web-based request system. As the contract’s Second Option Year ended May 31st, the WEPB is once again pleased to provide our most recent Executive Summary.
After the initial month of contract implementation, we were pleased to see the number of NIH consumers who used the web based system to place their request. However, as the months progressed, use of the contract went far beyond our initial projections. It is amazing that in our first month of the contract we received requests for 442.5 hours of service, and that by the last month of the base year, we received requests for 817.5 hours of service. These numbers clearly illustrate that our NIH consumers are using this contract with confidence, and that current data supports future increases in use of this essential service contract.
A tremendous high point for the WEPB last year was to have been nominated by several of our NIH Deaf and Hard of Hearing customers for an ORS Service Excellence Award. We were extremely honored and grateful to have been nominated directly by those who routinely utilize our services. Even more special for us was when one of our nominators came to the ceremony to personally congratulate the WEPB for our continued success with administering the interpreting services program.
An important part of performance based contract monitoring involves feedback from our consumers. All interpreting service request confirmations sent via email ask that requesters/consumers take a few minutes to complete our feedback form and send it back to the WEPB. The forms ask questions relevant to the contract’s stated performance standards, and includes space for additional comments. Each month we share the forms with SLA as they provide valuable in put which ensures that our consumers are receiving the best services. However, during the last contract year we provided services for 1,182 events, yet we received a total of 68 completed feedback forms. So, we are asking for everyone’s help in completing these forms. We are also offering an incentive: the Project Office will send a small "Thank You!" gift each time a completed form is returned. Hopefully, when we present next year’s data, the volume of completed forms will have dramatically increased!
This past year we were again pleased to have been invited to attend and/or participate in several NIH fairs, festivals and meetings. The WEPB and SLA also co-hosted our annual open house at the Natcher Conference Center on May 7th. This forum offered us a chance for open feedback sessions with consumers and to share the success of our web-based request system. However, more importantly we were able to meet face-to-face with our consumers, which is truly the most illuminating and gratifying part of our work.
Please find attached informational highlights related to this third year of our contract. We hope you find it useful and of interest. The WEPB looks forward to assisting in providing exceptional interpreting services to the NIH for the remainder of this contract. Should you have any questions, please feel free to contact Carole Harman, Quality Assurance Assistant, at 402-8180 (v), 435-1908 (tty), or via email at harmanc@ors.od.nih.gov.