SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING SERVICES

Location:	North Carolina
Posted:	Apr 9, 2026
Due:	Apr 22, 2026
Agency:	State Government of North Carolina
Type of Government:	State & Local
Category:	R - Professional, Administrative and Management Support Services
Solicitation No:	251-27-102
Publication URL:	To access bid details, please log in.

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Memorandum from Purchasing Department

Letter of Instruction for RFP #251-27-102

To: Prospective Parties

Thank you for your interest in the Wake County Public School System. Please review the

following instructions prior to submitting your proposal.

• Prior to submitting and executing the proposal, please make sure you read and

understand the terms and conditions referenced. All proposals are subject to the

terms and conditions outlined herein. All responses will be controlled by such terms

and conditions and the submission of other terms and conditions, price lists, catalogs,

and/or other documents as part of an offeror’s response will be waived and have no

effect either on this Request For Proposals or on any contract that may be awarded

resulting from this solicitation. The attachment of any other terms and conditions by

the Offeror may be grounds for rejection of that proposal. Offeror specifically agrees

to the conditions set forth in the above paragraph by signature to the proposal.

• Please read carefully the section titled CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED

COMMUNICATIONS DURING THE RFP PROCESS. All questions should be directed to

bids-pgooding@wcpss.net.

• Offerors are cautioned that this is a request for offers, not a request to contract, and

WCPSS reserves the unqualified right to reject any and all offers when such rejection

is deemed to be in the best interest of WCPSS.

• In submitting a proposal, the Offeror agrees not to use the results there from as part

of any news release or commercial advertising.

• Submit one (1) signed, original response via electronic Vendor Portal (eVP) by the specified

time and date of opening. Vendor shall bear all risk for late electronic submission due to

unintended or unanticipated delay, including but not limited to internet issues, network

issues, or local power outages. Inability by WCPSS to open the Vendor’s files may result in

the offer(s) being rejected as non-responsive.

• Questions or issues related to using the eVP Ariba Sourcing Tool can be directed to the North

Carolina eProcurement Help Desk at 888-211-7440, Option 2. Help Desk representatives are

available Monday through Friday from 7:30 AM EST to 5:00 PM EST.

• Offerors are cautioned that responses will be deemed nonresponsive if they do not include

all required information and submittals as requested.

• WCPSS publicly advertises proposal solicitations on the following sites: NC eVP,

https://evp.nc.gov/, WCPSS Purchasing http://www.wcpss.net/domain/101, and NC

Historically Underutilized Businesses https://ncadmin.nc.gov/businesses/historically-

underutilized-businesses-hub/submit-bid-opportunities-hub. Please review these sites for

updates and amendments during the proposal time frame.

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Request for Proposal #251-27-102

1551 Rock Quarry Rd – Bldg. F

Raleigh, NC 27610

Refer ALL Inquiries to: Petra Gooding

Telephone No: 919-588-3456

E-Mail: bids-pgooding@wcpss.net

SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING SERVICES

Contract Type: Agency Specific Term Contract

DUE DATE: April 22, 2026 @ 1:00 pm

Using Agency Name: WAKE COUNTY PUBLIC SCHOOL SYSTEM

NOTICE TO VENDORS

Electronic proposals, subject to the conditions made a part hereof, will be received until 1:00 p.m. on the day of opening

and then opened, for furnishing and delivering the commodity as described herein. Refer to proposal submittal below

for information regarding delivery. Proposals submitted via email or non-sealed in response to this Request for Proposal

will not be accepted. Proposals are subject to rejection unless submitted on this form.

EXECUTION

In compliance with this Request for Proposal, and subject to all the conditions herein, the undersigned offers and agrees

to furnish and deliver any or all items upon which prices are proposed, at the prices set opposite each item within the

time specified herein. By executing this proposal, I certify that this proposal is submitted competitively and without

collusion.

Failure to execute/sign this page prior to submittal shall render bid invalid. Late proposals are not acceptable.

VENDOR:

FEDERAL ID OR SOCIAL SECURITY NO.

STREET ADDRESS:

P.O. BOX:

ZIP:

CITY & STATE & ZIP:

PRINCIPAL PLACE OF BUSINESS ADDRESS IF DIFFERENT FROM ABOVE

TELEPHONE NUMBER:

TOLL FREE TEL. NO

(800)

TYPE OR PRINT NAME & TITLE OF PERSON SIGNING:

FAX NUMBER:

AUTHORIZED SIGNATURE:

DATE:

E-MAIL:

Offer valid for 60 days from date of proposal opening unless otherwise stated here: ____ days

PROPOSAL SUBMITTAL

Submit one (1) signed, original executed proposal response via eVP (emails not accepted).

Late bids, regardless of cause, will not be opened or considered, and will be automatically disqualified from further

consideration. Vendor shall bear the sole risk of late submission due to unintended or unanticipated delay. It is the Vendors’

sole responsibility to ensure its proposal has been received as described in this RFP by the specified time and date of opening.

Failure to submit a proposal in strict accordance with instructions provided shall constitute sufficient cause to reject a Vendor's

proposal(s). Solicitation responses are subject to Sealed Bidding requirements.

Vendors’ proposals for this procurement must be submitted through electronic Vendor Portal (eVP). For training on how to

use eVP to view solicitations, submit questions, develop responses, upload documents, and submit offers to the district,

Vendors should go to the following site: https://eprocurement.nc.gov/training/vendor-training.

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RFP SCHEDULE

The table below shows the intended schedule for this RFP. WCPSS will make every effort to adhere to this schedule.

Event

Issue RFP

Submit written questions to:

bids-pgooding@wcpss.net

(Reference RFP # in the subject line)

Provide Responses to Questions

Submit Proposals

Public Live Bid Opening

(attendance is not required)

Responsibility

WCPSS

Vendor

Date and Time

4-9-26

4-13-26 by 2:00 pm ET

WCPSS

Vendor

WCPSS/Vendor

4-15-26 by end-of-business

4-22-26 @ 1:00 PM ET

Microsoft Teams meeting

Join:

https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/298189

27017187?p=edSERxSMX0TOnExG8s

Meeting ID: 298 189 270 171 87

Passcode: ur7FG97d

PROPOSAL QUESTIONS

Upon review of the RFP documents, Vendors may have questions to clarify or interpret the RFP in order to

submit the best proposal possible. To accommodate the Proposal Questions process, Vendors shall submit any

such questions, in written form by the above due date. WCPSS will not respond to questions via telephone or

telephone message(s). Written questions must be emailed to bids-pgooding@wcpss.net by the date and time

specified above. Vendors should enter “RFP #251-27-99 Questions” as the subject for the email. Questions

submittals should include a reference to the applicable RFP section and be submitted in a format shown below:

Reference

RFP Section, Page Number

Vendor Question

Vendor question …?

Questions received prior to the submission deadline date, WCPSS’ response, and any additional terms deemed

necessary by WCPSS will be posted in the form of an addendum to the Interactive Purchasing System (IPS),

http://www.ips.state.nc.us and WCPSS Purchasing website http://www.wcpss.net/domain/101, and shall

become an Addendum to this RFP. No information, instruction or advice provided orally or informally by any

WCPSS personnel, whether made in response to a question or otherwise in connection with this RFP, shall be

considered authoritative or binding. Vendors shall rely only on written material contained in an Addendum

to this RFP.

PROPOSAL EVALUATION

All proposals will be evaluated by representatives of WCPSS. WCPSS may, at its sole discretion, ask for additional

information and/or elect to conduct interviews with finalists to clarify information provided in the proposals.

The services that are the subject of this RFQ/P are not required to be bid under North Carolina law, and none of the

statutory requirements regarding public bidding apply to this RFQ/P. This document, and not those statutes, will

govern the selection process.

WCPSS shall not be required to award the contract to the lowest proposed compensation; nor shall WCPSS have

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any obligation to explain its decision to recommend or not to recommend any particular vendor or to invite or

exclude any particular vendor from consideration at any stage of the process. Instead of recommending that

contracts be awarded to one or more vendors who presented proposals, WCPSS may, at its sole discretion, reject

the proposals and repeat the process, enter into direct contract negotiations with one or more vendors (possibly

including vendors who have not previously submitted proposals) or take any other action WCPSS deems advisable

under all the circumstances.

WCPSS is expected to make any final selection(s) based upon any factors or considerations WCPSS deems relevant.

Factors often considered include qualifications, relevant experience, fee, and ability to perform work in a timely

manner. WCPSS retains sole discretion to award the contract to the vendor(s) it believes will best serve the

interests of WCPSS and may consider any factors, documents, or information it deems relevant in making that

determination. WCPSS shall not have any obligation to explain its decision to select or not select any individual

vendors or to invite or exclude any individual vendors from consideration at any stage of the process. The decision

of WCPSS to accept or reject any proposals and to award contract(s) to any one or more vendor(s) shall be final and

not subject to further review.

Vendors are subject to immediate disqualification at any stage of the selection process for any of the following:

• The submission of false or misleading information in the vendor’s proposal.

• Any efforts to dissuade or discourage other vendors from submitting proposals.

• Any efforts to influence, dictate, or change the terms of another vendor’s proposal.

• Any form of bid collusion or bid rigging.

METHOD OF AWARD

All qualified proposals will be evaluated, and awards will be made to the Vendor(s) meeting the RFP requirements

and achieving the highest and best final evaluation which is best for WCPSS. Vendors SHALL not be considered

who are not approved or authorized by The State of North Carolina to do business with The State of North

Carolina. WCPSS reserves the right to waive any minor informality or technicality in proposals received.

IMPORTANT: CONFIDENTIALITY AND PROHIBITED COMMUNICATIONS DURING EVALUATION

During the evaluation period—from the date proposals are opened through the date the contract is awarded—

each Vendor submitting a proposal (including its representatives, sub-contractors and/or suppliers) is prohibited

from having any communications with any person inside or outside of WCPSS regarding this solicitation. All

communication should be directed in written form to the WCPSS contact indicated on pages 1, 2, and 3.

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PROJECT OBJECTIVES

The Wake County Public School System’s (WCPSS) Special Education Department is seeking

proposals to establish one or more service contracts for the provision of sign language interpreting and cued

language transliteration services.

BACKGROUND

For background purposes, The Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) is currently the largest school district

in North Carolina and the 14th largest in the United States. There are currently 203 schools serving a student

population of approximately 161,000, with approximately 20,000 staff. Wake County covers 854 square miles.

Additional information about the school system can be accessed via the internet site (www.wcpss.net).

SCOPE OF WORK

• Educational Interpreters/transliterators will provide sign language interpreting and cued

language transliteration services throughout the educational environment during the school day

to individuals and/or small groups of students who are deaf or have hearing impairments.

• Site/location of services will be determined based on student need as determined by WCPSS.

• Upon request, interpreters are also needed to provide sign language interpreting services

for special events (i.e., graduation, extracurricular activities, evening programs,

parent conferences and/or Individual Education Program meetings, etc.) periodically throughout

the year.

• Contracts will begin July 1, 2026, and will be awarded for a one-year term. WCPSS reserves the

right to extend for two additional one-year terms at its discretion.

MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS

• Educational Interpreters must have a minimum of 3.3 on the Educational Interpreter Proficiency

Assessment (EIPA), and an AA degree in Educational Interpreting or related field from an

accredited program. 

• Cued Language Transliterators must have a minimum score of 2 on the Cued Speech

Transliterator Training, Evaluation and Certification Unit (TECUnit) and an AA degree in

Educational Interpreting or related field from an accredited program.

OTHER QUALIFICATIONS

• VENDOR shall be licensed (when applicable) and approved to do business in the State of North

Carolina.

• Vendor shall provide appropriate references. References must include contact

information. WCPSS shall not constitute one of the required references.

• Demonstrated experience in performing similar projects.

• Insurance requirements referenced within as well as any Federal, State and Local requirements

shall be required and maintained.

• Vendor will be disqualified for consideration if they are listed on either the State of North Carolina

debarred vendor registry, or the Federal Government debarred vendor registry.

(Federal Government)

https://www.sam.gov/SAM/pages/public/searchRecords/searchResults.jsf

(State of North Carolina)

https://ncadmin.nc.gov/documents/nc-debarred-vendors

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This is the opportunity summary page. It provides an overview of this opportunity and a preview of the attached documentation.

Solicitation Number:	251-27-102
Project Title:	SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING SERVICES
Description:	SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING SERVICES FOR THE DISTRICT
Opening Date:	4/22/2026 1:00 PM
Posted Date:	4/9/2026
Status:	Open
Department:	WAKE COUNTY BD OF EDUCATION


Solicitation Number * 251-27-102	Department WAKE COUNTY BD OF EDUCATION	Status Reason Open
Opening Date 2026-04-22T13:00:00.0000000	Posted Date * 2026-04-09T14:52:25.0000000Z	Primary Commodity Code Healthcare provider specialist services
Mandatory Conference/Site Visit — —	Special Instructions —	Solicitation Type * Select RFP IFB RFI
Owner Petra Gooding
Description SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING SERVICES FOR THE DISTRICT