Project Background
The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) is a public entity and an adjudicative tribunal that, as part of its mandate, holds oral hearings and other events where verbatim transcription and related services are required. These oral hearings may be virtual, in-person, or a combination of an in-person and virtual event (hybrid). In addition, these transcribed in-person events may be held at either the OEB hearing room or at an off-site location. The OEB currently has an agreement in place that provides real-time court reporting verbatim transcription for virtual, in-person and hybrid events. An electronic copy of the transcribed event is provided on a same-day delivery agreement. In addition, the current agreement accommodates both public and in-camera verbatim transcription with provisions for transcription in both official languages and the ability to produce a transcript with accessibility requirements.
Purpose and Objectives
The OEB is the economic regulator of the Province of Ontario's electricity and natural gas sectors. The OEB holds oral hearings and other adjudicative events concerning applications or policy setting to set electricity and natural gas rates, for the construction of natural gas pipelines or electricity transmission lines, for matters referred to it by the Minister of Energy, Northern Development and Mines or for any other matter appropriately brought to the OEB by application, or when the OEB determines that it will hear a matter on its own motion. The OEB requires full verbatim transcription of OEB proceedings, including the ability to provide service in both Official Languages, when required. Same-day delivery of an electronic version of the transcript to the OEB and registered parties is required. On the OEB premises are two hearing rooms and both can be operational at the same time with in-person events. Transcribed events may also be held in-person at an offsite location. In addition, the transcribed OEB proceedings may take place virtually through an online streaming service (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams) or in a hybrid format combining both virtual and in-person formats.
Scope of Work and Requirements
The vendor must be able to:
1. Transcribe all Proceedings accurately in the format specified by the OEB.
- In both Official Languages, if required;
- Translate, and provide transcripts in both Official Language, if required;
- Making provisions for alternative formats to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), if required (e.g., producing transcripts in contrasting colours for legibility and to make available in braille, large font, or audio format.)
NOTE: the requirements detailed in points a, b & c can fall outside of prescribed timelines for the regular transcript delivery.
2. Provide one electronic version of the transcript (the "Official Transcript") to the OEB in an agreed-upon format (currently MS Word) sent by email to registrar@oeb.ca and to registered and authorized parties who request a copy within two (2) hours of the close of each day's proceeding and also sent by email.
a. The OEB will require the following format, unless otherwise directed:
i. MS Word with formatting and pagination
ii. Date format is to be International Standard - yyyymmdd
iii. The OEB's file number is to be clearly shown along with appropriate volume number, for example: EB-9999-0000 2006019_Vol_01
iv. The electronic copy is to be fully indexed as per sample:
https://www.rds.oeb.ca/CMWebDrawer/Record/784784/File/document
3. Provide additional email copies: In addition to the above, other parties to the Proceeding may require electronic copies of the transcript (in the specified format) by email. These are required within two (2) hours of the conclusion of each day's proceeding.
Full details of the RFP document is available only through MERX at www.merx.com or 1-800-964-6379, MERX reference number 0000247413.
