06824P0006-Language Access/Interpretation and Translation Services RFP

10/18/2024 3:00:00 PM (Your Local Time)

ACS Language Access/Interpretation and Translation Services Request for Proposals (RFP)
The Immigrant Services and Language Affairs (ISLA) division of The NYC Administration for Children’s Services (ACS) is seeking three vendors to provide sign language services, foreign language interpretation services, and translation services. This RFP will assist ACS’ compliance with Local Law 73 (2003), Local Law 30 (2017), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) Title II, and Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which require ACS and its network of providers to provide interpretation and translation services for all limited-English proficient and deaf/hard of hearing families to enable equal access to ACS services, as well as ensure best practice for casework with limited-English proficient and deaf/hard of hearing families. The term of each of the contracts will be July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028.

Competition Pools

• Competition Pool 1 - Sign Language Services
  • Services are needed for American Sign Language (ASL), Certified Deaf Interpretation (CDI), Foreign Sign Language, and Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART) Services.
• Competition Pool 2 - Foreign Language Interpretation Services
  • Services are needed for In-person, On-site, On-demand Video Remote Interpretation (VRI), language certification exams for ACS staff, consultations, and interpretation of ACS media and videos
• Competition Pool 3 - Translation Services
  • Services needed are translation of written documents, transcription, voiceover, captioning, and proxy capability for website translation.

Vendors are permitted, but not required, to submit for each competition pool, but must complete a separate, complete proposal, with all required attachments, for each competition pool in PASSPort.

Anticipated Contract Terms

• July 1, 2025, to June 30, 2028, with options to renew for two (2) additional three (3) year terms.

Anticipated Funding and Payment Structure

• Anticipated total maximum available funding is $14,923,320.

• Proposers applying for Competition Pool 1 - Sign Language Services, may not propose an estimated total higher than $3,126,000 for the three-year contract term.
• Proposers applying for Competition Pool 2 - Foreign Language Interpretation Services, may not propose an estimated total higher than $10,597,320 for the three-year contract term.
• Proposers applying for Competition Pool 3 - Translation Services, may not propose an estimated total higher than $1,200,000 for the three-year contract term.

• Estimated number of contracts: Three (3), one contract for each competition pool.
• Vendors will be reimbursed using a rate structure based on hourly billing.

Minimum Qualifications

Proposers that do not meet all of the following requirements might be found non-responsive and will not move to evaluation:
1. The Proposer must have a least five (5) years of experience delivering the specific service for which they are applying.
2. The Proposer must have experience with at least two (2) organizations or agencies via large scale language services contracts and have experience providing:

• 4,000-6,000 requests per year if applying to Competition Pool 1 – Sign Language Services.

• 15,000-25,000 request per year if applying to Competition Pool 2 - Foreign Language Interpretation Services.
• 500-800 requests per year if applying to Competition Pool 3 - Translation Services.

Subcontracting Information

The Contract is subject to NYC Local Law 1 subcontracting goals.  The target M/WBE utilization for this contract is 28 % unspecified and 2% Black American .

Questions Regarding this RFP

Questions regarding this RFP must be transmitted in writing to the Agency Contact Person at the email address listed above. Questions received prior to the Pre-Proposal Conference will be answered at the conference. Substantive information/responses to questions addressed at the conference and those received subsequently will be released in an addendum to the RFP to all organizations that are prequalified to propose to this RFP through the PASSPort system, unless in the opinion of the Agency, the question is of proprietary nature.

ACS cannot guarantee a timely response to written questions regarding this RFP received less than one week prior to the proposal due date.

Use of PASSPort
To respond to this RFP, organizations must have an account in PASSPort. Proposals will ONLY be accepted through PASSPort. If you do not have a PASSPort account, please visit www.nyc.gov/passport to get started.

Please submit your proposals by both acknowledging the receipt of the RFx in the Acknowledgement tab and completing your response in the Manage Responses tab. Vendor resources can be found at www.nyc.gov/passport , under the Finding and Responding to RFx heading. If you need additional assistance with PASSPort, please contact the MOCS Service Desk at www.nyc.gov/mocshelp .