RFPOEBCRTS04252025 - Real-time Court Reporting Transcription Services (Transcription Services)

Project Background
The Ontario Energy Board (OEB) is a public entity and an adjudicative tribunal that, as part of its mandate in regulating Ontario’s electricity and natural gas sectors, holds oral hearings and other events (collectively, “Proceedings”) where verbatim transcription and related services are required. These Proceedings pertain to, for example, applications or policy setting to set electricity and natural gas rates, construction of natural gas pipelines or electricity transmission lines, matters referred to it by the Minister of Energy and Electrification, or other matters appropriately brought to the OEB by application, or when the OEB determines that it will hear a matter on its own motion.

These Proceedings 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 a hearing room at the OEB’s offices at 2300 Yonge Street 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 transcription 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 that meets accessibility requirements.

Purpose and Objectives
The OEB requires a Vendor to provide full real-time court reporting and verbatim transcription of OEB Proceedings, including the ability to provide the transcription service in both Official Languages, when required. Same-day delivery of an electronic version of the transcript to the OEB and other persons that the OEB may direct (such as registered parties) is also required.
 
On the OEB premises are two hearing rooms and both can be operational at the same time with in-person, hybrid Proceedings. Proceedings for which transcription is required 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 successful Vendor must be able to:

1. Transcribe all Proceedings accurately in the format specified by the OEB. This shall include:

1. In both Official Languages, if required;
2. 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 making transcripts available in braille, large font, or audio format.)

2. Provide live translation and/or interpretation of all Proceedings in both Official Languages, if required.

1. MS Word with formatting and pagination
2. Date format is to be International Standard - yyyymmdd
3. The OEB's file number is to be clearly shown along with appropriate volume number, for example: EB-9999-0000 2006019_Vol_01
4. The electronic copy is to be fully indexed as per sample:

4. 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 the Proceeding in ongoing.