Digital Accessibility Services

Hiring a Captioning Supplier

Type:
Guide
Category:
Video and Multimedia Accessibility
Audience:
Digital Accessibility Coordinators,
Faculty and Instructors,
Video Creators

Guidelines from Strategic Procurement and Digital Accessibility Services

Please note: If you need to hire an ASL interpreter, please refer to the ADA Coordinator's Office's resources on Sign Language Interpreting, Captioning, and Accessible Media.

 

When do I need to hire a Captioning & Transcription Supplier?

  • For audio and video files: Ohio State's Minimum Digital Accessibility Standards (MDAS) require captioning for pre-recorded audio and video files.
  • For live, online events: Captioning is required for all live, online events, unless an accommodation-based exception has been granted. (See Captioning FAQs for more information.) 
    For purposes of live captioning requirements, an "event" is:
    • Anything that is not a regular business meeting or class meeting;
    • Anything where invitations are being sent, registration is being taken, participants are being asked to attend from outside the university, or the general public is invited to attend.

 

Instructions for Hiring a Supplier

Ohio State created a pool of suppliers to provide captioning services at lower, more uniform rates than campus units were being charged when hiring captioning suppliers individually.

Suppliers awarded the Captioning RFP will be added to BuckeyeBuy in the early spring so that units can purchase their services directly through that application. Until that time, however, please follow the process below to hire one of the university's Captioning Suppliers:

1. Request a Purchase Order for "Captioning & Transcription Services" for the supplier you wish to hire to cover the cost of that supplier's services.
  • For units with frequent need for captioning services: Estimate the quantity of services needed for a given period (e.g. fiscal year) and create a Blanket Purchase Order for that quantity for the supplier(s) you intend to use. Charge each job you hire the supplier(s) for to the corresponding PO. This will eliminate the need for you to create a new PO every time you hire a captioning supplier.
  • For units with less frequent needs for captioning services: Create a Standard Purchase Order for each event on an as-needed basis, and provide that PO number to the captioning supplier when you order services.
  • Resource: Create a Requisition to Procure Goods and Services in Workday (from the Administrative Resource Center) -- Note: until the Captioning Suppliers are added to BuckeyeBuy, please follow the instructions for "Creating a Non-Catalog Requisition."
2. Call, email or use the supplier's online portal to order services and reference the PO number to be charged for the service(s) you're requesting.

See "Supplier Contact Information," below, for specific contact information for each supplier.

3. If you have questions about services or encounter issues with any of the Captioning Suppliers, please contact DAS at das@osu.edu and we will be happy to help you!

Direct contact information is provided for sales representatives for each supplier; however, please feel free to contact DAS if you have any questions or concerns.

 

Things to Remember

  • The RFP was not exclusive. While suppliers awarded the RFP will likely provide units with the best rates and service, units may hire suppliers outside of this pool. However, ALL suppliers -- whether from the RFP or not -- must meet the university's requisite quality, accuracy, and security standards.
  • S2 Data or Lower. Currently, all suppliers awarded the RFP are only being cleared by Security to work with S2 data and lower. We are working on approvals for S3 and S4 data, but if you need a captioning supplier for S3 or S4 data, please contact DAS at das@osu.edu.
  • Purchase Orders Highly Preferred. Purchase Orders are the preferred method of ordering services from the Captioning RFP supplier to ensure that services purchased from them can be most easily tracked back to each contract. Please reference the contract number when creating the PO.

 

Supplier Contact Information

If you have a disability and experience difficulty accessing any of the captioning and transcription suppliers' websites, please call the Accessibility Help Line at (614) 292-5000 or email us at das@osu.edu.

3Play Media (for Regular Captioning and Live Captioning)

Supplier ID#: SPL-0035369

Contract #: SPC-1000010989 21-TranscriptionCaptioning-3PLAY MEDIA INC

Contact:

General Information:

  • Awarded to provide: Regular Captioning & Transcription
  • Security approval for: S2 data and lower
  • Preferred Method for Ordering Services: Online portal (after a PO has been issued)
  • Pricing Information
  • For questions or issues related to security requirements, or if someone encounters an accessibility issue with 3Play's online portal, lease call the Accessibility Help Line at (614) 292-5000 or email DAS at das@osu.edu.
Automatic Sync Technologies, owned by Verbit (for Regular Captioning and Live Captioning)

Supplier ID#: SPL-0018365

Contract #: SPC-1000011211 - JOINT: 21-TranscriptionCaptioning-VERBIT INC

Contact:

General Information:

cielo24 (for Regular Captioning and Live Captioning)

Supplier ID#: SPL-0020684

Contract #: SPC-1000010986 JOINT: 21-TranscriptionCaptioning-CIELO24 INC

Contact: See below for specific contact information.

General Information:

  • Awarded to provide:
    • Regular Captioning & Transcription
    • Live Captioning
  • Security Approval for: S2 data and lower
  • Preferred Method for Ordering Services: Online Portal (after a PO has been issued)
  • Pricing Information
  • For questions or issues related to security requirements, or if someone encounters an accessibility issue with cielo24's online portal, please call the Accessibility Help Line at (614) 292-5000 or email DAS at das@osu.edu.
PRI Court Reporting (for Live Captioning)

Supplier ID#: SPL-0020473

Contract #: SPC-1000010987 JOINT: 21-TranscriptionCaptioning-PRI COURT REPORTING LLC

Contact: Angie Starbuck

Phone: (614) 460-5000; 800-229-0675

Email: angie@priohio.com; pri@priohio.com

General Information:

  • Awarded to provide:
    • Live Captioning
  • Security Approval for: S2 data and lower
  • Preferred Method for Ordering Services: Website (after a PO has been issued)
  • Pricing Information
  • For questions or issues related to security requirements, or if someone encounters an accessibility issue with PRI's website, please call the Accessibility Help Line at (614) 292-5000 or email DAS at das@osu.edu.
VZP Digital Media (for Live Captioning)

Supplier ID#: SPL-0036275

Contract #: SPC-1000010988 JOINT: 21-TranscriptionCaptioning-VZP DIGITAL LLC

Contact: John "JR" Rein

Phone: (303) 378-3794

Email: john.rein@vzpdigital.com

General Information:

  • Awarded to provide:
    • Live Captioning
  • Security Approval for: S2 data and lower
  • Preferred Method for Ordering Services: Email JR Rein (after a PO has been issued) -- Please include the details below with your event request. Once JR has received your event request, he will forward it to a member of VZP's Operations Team, who will then send a confirmation email to whomever at OSU placed the order for live captioning. The Operations representative may also contact the Ohio State point-of-contact regarding event-specific details or any questions he or she may have.
    • Event Date
    • Time of Event
    • Event Topic/Brief Description of Event
    • Event Delivery (i.e. Zoom, WebEx, Streamtext, etc.)
    • Presenter(s):
    • Event Prep Materials: Please attach agendas, PowerPoint slides, etc.
  • Pricing Information