Court Reporter Services

GS-036 REV 03/07/18 Page 1 of 22 REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS SUPERIOR COURT OF CALIFORNIA COUNTY OF SANTA CLARA REGARDING: Court Reporter Services RFP 102822C PROPOSALS DUE: NOV. 15, 2022 NO LATER THAN 3:00 P.M. PACIFIC TIME RFP Title: COURT REPORTER SERVICES RFP Number: 102822C GS-036 REV 02/26/18 Page 2 of 22 1.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION The Santa Clara County Superior Court (“Court”) is seeking qualified court reporting agencies to perform court reporting services as needed. Court’s primary function is to administer justice in a fair and impartial manner. To carry out that function, Court is authorized by Government Code section 69941, other statutory authority, and Court policy to, in its discretion, select individuals who possess the specialized skills and expertise necessary to serve as court reporters providing court reporter services. In instances where an official court reporter is not available due to staffing shortages and/or conflicting workloads, Court desires to contract with

competent, skilled, qualified individuals or agencies to provide reporting services in an effective, efficient, and economical manner. 2.0 DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES Court is seeking qualified court reporter agencies to provide certified shorthand reporters to deliver reporting services to Court as independent contractors and not as agents or employees of Court. Such reporting services may be required in felony criminal, Lanterman-Petris-Short (LPS) Act, civil and family contempt matters, and family court matters where an official court reporter is mandated, such as requests to withdraw consent to an adoption, child testimony in chambers, and petitions to free a minor from parental care and control. The reporting services will not be required for non-jury trial testimony (direct and cross examination of witnesses during trial which may require read back testimony). Court is comprised of six (6) court locations and court reporter services could be performed at any of the following: 1. Hall of Justice, 190 W. Hedding Street, San Jose, CA 95110 2. Family Justice Center Courthouse, 201 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113 3. Downtown Superior Court, 191 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113 4. Old Courthouse, 161 N. First Street, San Jose, CA 95113 5. Palo Alto Courthouse, 270 Grant Ave., Palo Alto, CA 94306 6. South County Morgan Hill Courthouse, 301 Diana Ave., Morgan Hill, CA 95037 Court business hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00am – 5:00pm, excluding court holidays. Court holidays consist of the following: • New Year’s Day (observed) • Labor Day • Lincoln’s Birthday (observed) • Native American Day • Martin Luther King, Jr. Birthday • Veterans Day • Presidents’ Day • Thanksgiving Day • Cesar Chavez Day • Day After Thanksgiving • Memorial Day • Christmas Day (observed) • Independence Day All contracted reporting services must be provided with the standard of care, skill, and diligence normally provided by official court reporters pursuant to the governing rules and regulations of the industry. Such reporters will be subject to the jurisdiction of Court to the same extent as an official court reporter. Reporters will not be supervised by Court personnel. RFP Title: COURT REPORTER SERVICES RFP Number: 102822C GS-036 REV 02/26/18 Page 3 of 22 The contracted agency’s reporters must comply with statutes and rules applicable to official reporters pro tempore, including the duty to timely prepare transcripts, including those for appeals, in the proper form. The contracted agency must provide official and verbatim transcripts of court proceedings, and perform related duties, including, but not limited to: a. Attending court sessions as assigned, recording verbatim notes of court proceedings in machine shorthand for all case types; providing real-time transcription or reading back record of proceedings. b. Producing and certifying formal, written transcripts in accordance with prescribed formats and deadlines; archiving court transcripts in compliance with Court policy; organizing and ensuring security of official records. c. Processing transcript requests; estimating cost of transcripts; duplicating tapes of official records for requesting parties. d. Researching medical, legal, and technical terminology as well as case citations and related information; developing and modifying custom software dictionaries. e. Maintaining daily logs of court proceedings and appearances. f. Setting up and maintaining court reporting, transcription, and archival equipment. g. Compliance with Court’s requirements regarding uploading electronic notes. The contracted agency is responsible for ensuring the following: a. The contracted agency will provide only certified shorthand reporters who possess a valid, current California Certified Shorthand Reporter License and who are in good standing with the Court Reporters Board of California, pursuant to Government Code section 69942. c. The contracted agency will provide all supplies and equipment needed to perform the task. Technical support will not be available. Reporters must be able to work independently (Court personnel will not be supervising the reporter’s work). d. The contracted agency’s reporters are comfortable working with sensitive and potentially embarrassing subject matters. e. The contracted agency is able to provide the contracted service in a timely, accurate, and efficient manner, including rush and expedited submission of transcripts when required by law or court order. f. The contracted agency is able to prepare an invoice for each job identifying the date of service and any other documentation as may be required by Court. g. The contracted agency is able to provide their own transportation, parking, clerical, telephone, and reproduction services. h. All contracted reporting services are provided with the standard of care, skill, and diligence normally provided by official court reporters pursuant to the governing rules and regulations of the industry. It is highly desirable that the contracted agency have prior experience with public agencies. https://www.scscourt.org/documents/CourtReporterStenoNoteUploadRequirement.pdf