COOK COUNTY GOVERNMENT

Office of the Chief Procurement Officer

Request for Proposal (RFP) No. 2513-11032 for

Translation and Interpretation Services

Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Meeting:

Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026 Time: 10:00 a.m. Local Time – Chicago Web Link: https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/297293202362846?p=cb3s7HfLDE3eVa5kZi Meeting ID: 297 293 202 362 846 Passcode: zu9rF2cE Questions:

Questions must be submitted in Bonfire no later than: Friday, May 22, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Local Time – Chicago

Proposal Due Date:

Proposals are due in Bonfire no later than: 10:00 a.m. Local Time – Chicago on Wednesday, June 17, 2026.

Proposal and Questions Must be Uploaded on the Contract Opportunity in Bonfire via:

https://cookcountyil.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities

LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE CONSIDERED

Buyer Contact Information:

Buyer: Luis Cabrera E-Mail: luis.cabrera@cookcountyil.gov

Toni Preckwinkle Raffi Sarrafian Cook County Board President Chief Procurement Officer https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/297293202362846?p=cb3s7HfLDE3eVa5kZi https://cookcountyil.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities mailto:luis.cabrera@cookcountyil.gov

RFP No. 2513-11032

1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview

1.2 Purpose

1.3 Business Goals and Objectives

1.4 Cook County Background

2 Scope………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6

2.1 Scope of Service…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….6

3 SCHEDULE

4 INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

4.1 Instructions

4.2 Availability of Documents

4.3 Pre-Proposal Conference

4.4 Special Access to the Pre-Proposal Conference

4.5 Clarifications

4.6 Submitting the Proposal Package

4.7 Uniformity

4.8 Proposal Material

4.9 Addenda

4.10 Proposer’s Responsibility for Services Proposed

4.11 Errors and Omissions in the RFP

4.12 RFP Interpretation

4.13 Confidentiality and Response Cost and Ownership

4.14 Use of Subcontractors

4.15 MBE/WBE Participation Goals

4.16 Proposer’s Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

4.17 Cook County RFP Format

4.18 Pricing

4.19 Period of Firm Proposal

4.20 Awards

4.21 Cook County Rights

4.22 Alteration/Modification of RFP Content

4.23 Recycling

5 EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

5.1 Responsiveness Review

5.2 Acceptance of Proposals

5.3 Evaluation Process

5.3.1 Proposer Presentations

5.3.2 Right to Inspect

5.3.3 Best and Final Offer

5.4 Selection Process

6 EVALUATION CRITERIA

6.1 Responsiveness of Proposal

6.2 Technical Proposal

6.3 Price Proposal

6.4 Oral Presentations

6.5 Best and Final Offer

7 SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL

7.1 Instructions for Submissions

7.1.1 Electronic Submission

7.1.2 Time for Submission

7.1.3 Format

7.1.4 Complete Proposals

7.1.5 Packaging and Labeling

7.1.6 Timely Delivery if Proposals

7.1.7 Late Proposals

7.1.8 Schedule of Revisions to RFP Schedule

7.2 Submission Requirements

7.2.1 Cover Letter

7.2.2 Executive Summary

7.2.3 Qualifications of the Proposer

7.2.4 Proposed Plan of Action, Implementation and Solution

7.2.5 Key Personnel

7.2.6 Subcontracting or Teaming

7.2.7 MBE/WBE Participation

7.2.8 Financial Status

7.2.9 Legal Actions

7.2.10 Conflict of Interest

7.2.11 Economic Disclosure Statement

7.2.12 Cook County Professional Services Agreement (PSA)

7.2.13 Identification of Subcontractor/Supplier/Subconsultant Form

7.2.14 Addendum Acknowledgement Form

7.2.15 Price Proposal

7.2.16 Other

EXHIBIT I Price Proposal Form

EXHIBIT II Instructions for Submitting electronic Bid/Proposal/Qualification

EXHIBIT III Economic Disclosure Forms

EXHIBIT IV Cook County Professional Services Agreement

EXHIBIT V Addendum Acknowledgement Form

EXHIBIT VI MBE/WBE Utilization Plan forms

EXHIBIT VII Identification of Subcontractor/Supplier/Subconsultant Form

EXHIBIT VIII Code of Ethics - American Translators Association (ATA), EXHIBIT IX Electronic Payables Form

EXHIBIT X Cook County Travel Policy

1 1 INTRODUCTION

1.1 Overview

Cook County Government (“the County”) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide comprehensive language access services, including on-site, telephonic, and Video Remote Interpreting (VRI), as well as written translation services, in support of all Offices Under the President and the Secretary to the Board of Commissioners (together, the “Using Agency”). The selected vendor will ensure timely, accurate, and culturally appropriate language services for Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals and other constituents, in compliance with applicable federal, state, and County requirements, including ADA, Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, and National CLAS Standards.

1.2 Purpose

The purpose of this RFP is to identify a qualified proposer capable of delivering high-quality interpretation and translation services on a Countywide basis, with the operational capacity, certified personnel, quality control processes, reporting mechanisms, and ISO-compliant translation standards necessary to meet the County’s language access obligations. The County intends to establish a three (3) year agreement with two (2) one-year renewal options with the successful Proposer to ensure continuity of services, regulatory compliance, and consistent support for departments requiring 24/7 language access across multiple service delivery platforms.

1.3 Business Goals and Objectives

The County expects to partner with the vendor to meet the following goals and objectives:

A. Effectively translate all publicly released written materials to Spanish B. Translate released written materials to other languages when appropriate to do so (threshold of population is met according to County standards) C. Provide consistent and reliable interpretation into spoken languages over the phone, or other telecommunication devices D. Provide consistent and reliable interpretation into spoken languages at in-person events and when otherwise applicable E. Provide consistent and reliable interpretation into American Sign Language over video telecommunication F. Provide consistent and reliable interpretation into American Sign Language at in-person events and when otherwise applicable

1.4 Cook County Background

Cook County Government is a home rule county pursuant to Article VII, Section 6 of the Illinois State Constitution and is governed by a 17-member Board of Commissioners that is elected from single-member districts. The Commissioners and County Board President are elected to four-year terms by the citizens of the County. Cook County represents one of the major metropolitan areas in the state and nation, and contains 134 municipalities, (including the City of Chicago), 29 townships, 221 special districts, and 164 school districts. Cook County is home to 5.28 million residents making it the second most populous County in the United States.

The County’s fiscal year begins on December 1 and ends on November 30. As mandated by state law, the County has principal responsibility for the protection of persons and property, the operation of public health services, the administration of the property tax levy, assessment, collection, and distribution process, and the maintenance of County highways. The obligation to protect persons and property, commonly called public safety, is fulfilled by the provision of County judicial and law enforcement services. The Circuit Court of Cook County which is one of the largest unified court systems in the United States, and the County Jail which is one of the largest single site jail facilities on the country, are solely the responsibility of Cook County Government. Also, Cook County Government administers the second largest property taxation system in the United States, with 1.8 million parcels of real estate.

The obligation to provide public health services is fulfilled by the operation of a comprehensive network of medical facilities for the citizens of the County, and provision of services regardless of their ability to pay. Cook County Health (CCH) consists of the Bureau Health Services, John, H.

Stroger, Jr. Hospital of Cook County, Provident Hospital of Cook County, Department of Public Health, Correctional Health Services at Cermak, Correctional Health Services at the Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, Ruth Rothstein CORE Center and County Care Health Plan (a managed care program for county residents). The Cook County Board of Commissioners established the Cook County Health Board (CCH Board) in 2008 to provide independent oversight of health care operations. The CCH Board is accountable to the Cook County Board of Commissioners. CCH is included in the reporting entity of Cook County, Illinois as an enterprise fund. As an enterprise fund, CCH’s financial statements are prepared using proprietary fund accounting that focuses on the determination of changes in net assets. Financial position, and cash flows in a manner similar to private sector businesses. Financial statements are prepared on an accrual basis of accounting.

2 SCOPE

2.1 Scope of Service

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES (Interpretation):

Proposer will provide qualified, trained, and certified interpreters to facilitate effective communication between Cook County employees and staff from all Offices Under the President and the Secretary to the Board of Commissioners and Limited English Proficient (LEP) individuals (those who do not speak English as their primary language and have a limited ability to read, write, speak, or understand it) by converting spoken language statements between English and another language. All communication and governance between the selected Proposer and the County will be conducted through the Office of the President.

Interpreters, regardless of their level or certification, must receive training that meets industry standards in:

• Interpreting Skills;

• Consecutive Interpreting;

• Protocols (managing the session);

• Industry standard code of ethics for interpreters;

• Cultural Awareness (recognition and understanding of the differences and similarities between cultures) and dialect;

• Legislation and Regulations [Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, Title VI of Civil Rights Act, and National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards]

Confidentiality with sensitive information. Contractor shall treat all translated/interpreted information as confidential and shall not share or disseminate such information to anyone outside of the Using Agency unless authorized by the Using Agency in writing.

Interpreters, regardless of their level or certification, must be able to fluently and clearly interpret in both English and the requested language. Interpreters must comply with the professional code of ethics or conduct as required for their level of training and/or certification established for the industry and any applicable standards for language interpretation including National Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services (CLAS) Standards, International Medical Interpreters Association Code of Ethics (IMIA) and IMIA Medical Interpreting Standards of Practice. Interpreters must provide an exact interpretation of the response (i.e. not to assume or infer facts or dates not actually provided by the client). Interpreters must remain impartial when providing interpreting services. The selected Proposer and interpreters must not have personal stake in the outcome that would be contrary to the interests of the client, or that would benefit the client representative.

Proposer will provide a point of contact that is available for coordination with the County and user departments for issues such as scheduling, issue escalation, and day-to-day operations.

Additionally, proposer will provide some form of regular reporting, which will include a summary of all translation/interpretation requests, languages served, and turnaround times.

Proposer will provide their Service Level Agreements (SLA) for answer time, connection quality, abandonment rates, uptime, and escalation procedures in the event of issues.

SERVICE DELIVERY (Interpretation):

These services can be delivered onsite, via telephone or through video meeting software such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams through a dedicated number provided by the proposer. Services shall be available for interpretation to Spanish, Polish, Arabic, Mandarin (Simplified and Traditional), Tagalog, and American Sign Language twenty-four (24) hours a day; seven (7) days a week; 365 days a year, including holidays. Proposers may provide with their proposal the entire list of languages that they are able to translate/interpret for consideration. For other languages, services shall be available during extended business hours. For onsite jobs, interpreters are expected to arrive 15 minutes ahead of time and will be paid for the time that they are present at the appointment.

(a) MILEAGE/TRAVEL REIMBURSEMENT: For in-person interpretation, travel will be reimbursed at the IRS mileage rate. Travel time is not included. Parking/tolls reimbursed if applicable but must be determined in advance.

(b) CANCELLATION. Proposer will provide their standard operating procedures in the event of an assignment cancellation, by either Proposer or County, including timeframes and any associated fees.

DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES (Translation):

Proposer will convert written and/or digital content between languages with attention to accuracy, tone, style, and attention to regional language and cultural sensitivities, including:

Translation of written text; Modifying graphics and design to properly display translated text;

Changing content to suit preferences; Converting to local currencies and units of measurement;

Using proper formatting for elements like dates, addresses, and phone numbers; Addressing local regulations and legal requirements.

“Code of Professional Conduct and Business Practices” developed by the American Translators Association (ATA) will serve as standards for professional competence and practice for the County’s translation services. The County requires the Proposer to be International Organization for Standardization (ISO) certified to ensure that translation services meet a stringent set of translation criteria. To ensure client confidentiality, all translators providing services for the County must adhere to federal, state and County rules, standards and regulations and any other guidelines required by the servicing agencies. Proposer shall employ a multi-step translation process including at least translation, proofreading, and copy-editing. Proposer will support the County’s translation needs, including but not limited to:

• Brochures/manuals/forms/claims;

• Constituent letters, emails, etc., to/from English;

• Vital documents/contracts;

• Technical publications;

• Marketing materials;

• Websites or online applications;

• Voiceovers, subtitling, IVR recordings;

• Multimedia;

• Training materials/eLearning.

SERVICE DELIVERY (Translation) Proposer will provide all deliverables as agreed upon at the beginning of the project. Delivery will be provided digitally. Translation fees, which include Translation and copy-editing, are based on the English word count.

Timeline for delivery of finished translation will be dependent on the number of English words in the request, including repeated text, and headers or footers. Proposer will provide an option for rushed delivery that comes with rush charge fees for expedited delivery dates.

Proposer will adhere to the following standard turn-around commitment for simple MS Word document translation, based on the size of the source document(s) being translated:

• Less than 1,000 words…………………………………………………...… 1 – 3 business days

• 1,001 to 2,500 words………………………………………………………… 4 – 6 business days

• 2,501 to 7,500 words………………………………………………………… 6 – 8 business days

• Greater than 7,501 words……………………………….…………………….8 + business days

Complex formatting, engineering, document recreation, screen capture placement, UI review, or other special requirements may extend the timelines above. Estimated timelines will be communicated upon project quote for all special project assignments. For all project quotes, the selected Proposer shall indicate when the translation request will be completed, delivered, and the estimated cost involved. Quotes are required to include the per word rate, layout, desktop publishing, proofreading and any other associated charges.

3 SCHEDULE

The County anticipates the following Schedule:

RFP Posted to Bonfire Tuesday, May 5, 2026

Pre-Proposal Conference Wednesday, May 13, 2026

Proposer Inquiry Deadline Friday, May 22, 2026

Response to Inquiries Tuesday, June 2, 2026

Proposal Due Date Wednesday, June 17, 2026

4 INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS

4.1 Instructions

This RFP provides potential proposers with sufficient information to enable them to prepare and submit proposals. This RFP also contains the instructions governing the submittal of a proposal and the materials to be included therein, including the County requirements, which must be met to be eligible for consideration. All proposals must be complete to the information requested in this RFP in order to be considered responsive and eligible for award. Proposers providing insufficient details will be deemed non-responsive. The County is not obligated, either to purchase the full services or the products proposed by the proposer, nor to enter into an agreement with any one proposer.

4.2 Availability of Documents

The County will publish its competitive RFP, and other procurement notices, as well as award information at:

Current Contract Opportunities - Cook County (cookcountyil.gov)

Bonfire Vendor Portal - Open Opportunities

Procurement - Awarded Contracts & Amendments | Cook County Open Data (cookcountyil.gov)

Interested proposers should note that, unless otherwise stated in the Bid or RFP documents, there is no charge to obtain a copy of the RFP documents and respond to documents posted for competitive solicitations. Proposers intending to respond to any posted solicitation are encouraged to visit the web site above to ensure that they have received a complete and current set of documents. Some procurement notices may provide a downloadable version of the pertinent documents and any amendments to them, that will be available to proposers after they have completed a simple registration process.

Any proposers receiving a copy of procurement documents from a bid referral service and/or other third party are solely responsible for ensuring that they have received all necessary https://www.cookcountyil.gov/service/current-contract-opportunities https://cookcountyil.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities https://datacatalog.cookcountyil.gov/Finance-Administration/Procurement-Awarded-Contracts-Amendments/qh8j-6k63/data https://datacatalog.cookcountyil.gov/Finance-Administration/Procurement-Awarded-Contracts-Amendments/qh8j-6k63/data procurement documentation, including amendments and schedules. The County is not responsible for ensuring that all or any procurement documentation is received by any proposer that is not appropriately registered with the County.

4.3 Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference

The county will hold a Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference on the date and time indicated below. Representatives of the County will be available to answer any questions regarding services requested or proposal procedures.

Click the Link Below for Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference Sign-In:

Prospective proposers attending the Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference will sign in using the link below. This sign-in link will only be open during the time allotted for the Pre-Proposal Conference. Final list of Pre-Proposal Conference attendees will be made available publicly.

https://forms.office.com/g/HTZy3rLr1C

Click the Link Below to Join the Live Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal conference:

Date: Wednesday, May 13, 2026, 10:00 a.m. (Local Time – Chicago)

Web Link:

Meeting ID: 297 293 202 362 846 , Passcode: zu9rF2cE

4.4 Special Access to the Non-Mandatory Pre-Proposal Conference If special accommodations are required for Proposer to participate in the Non-Mandatory Pre- Proposal conference, contact the contact person listed on the cover page of this RFP via email no later than three (3) days before the event.

4.5 Clarifications

All questions/inquiries regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing no later than May 22, 2026 at 12:00 p.m. Local Time – Chicago only via the link below:

4.6 Submitting the Proposal Package

The Proposal and the Pricing Proposal shall be submitted to the OCPO electronically as per the instruction in Exhibit II – Instructions for Submitting an electronic Bid/Proposal/Qualification. OCPO will not accept hardcopy proposals. The proposer remains responsible for ensuring that its Proposal is received at the time, date, and manner specified. The County assumes no responsibility for any Proposal not so received. Late Proposals will not be accepted.

4.7 Uniformity

To provide uniformity and to facilitate comparison of Proposals, all information submitted must clearly refer to the page number, section or other identifying references in this RFP. All information https://forms.office.com/g/HTZy3rLr1C submitted must be noted in the same sequence as its appearance in this RFP. The County reserves the right to waive minor variances or irregularities.

4.8 Proposal Material

The Proposal material submitted in response to the RFP becomes the property of the County upon receipt by the Office of the Chief Procurement Office and will be part of any contract document for the goods or services which are subject to this RFP.

4.9 Addenda

Should any proposer have questions concerning the conditions and specifications, or find discrepancies in or omissions in the specifications, or be in doubt as to their meaning, they should notify the Office of the Chief Procurement Officer no later than May 22, 2026 by 12:00 p.m. Local Time – Chicago to obtain clarification prior to submitting a Proposal. Such inquiries must reference the proposal due date and the County RFP number.

Any clarification addenda issued to the Proposer prior to the Proposal due date shall be made available to all proposers. Since all addenda become a part of the Proposal, the Addenda Acknowledgement Form (found in Exhibit V) must be signed by an authorized Proposer representative and returned with the Proposal on or before the Proposal opening date. Failure to sign and return any and all addenda acknowledgements may be grounds for rejection of the Proposal.

Interpretation that change the terms, conditions, or specifications/scope will be made in the form of an addendum to the solicitation by the County. If issued, the County will post the addenda on the County’s Bonfire Vendor Portal via:

4.10 Proposer’s Responsibility for Services Proposed

The Proposer must thoroughly examine and will be held to have thoroughly examined and read the entire RFP. Failure of Proposers to fully acquaint themselves with existing conditions or the amount of work involved will not be a basis for requesting extra compensation after the award of a Contract.

4.11 Errors and Omissions in the RFP

The Proposer is expected to comply with the intent of this RFP taken as a whole and shall not avail itself of any error or omission to the detriment of the services or the County. Should the Proposer suspect any error, omission, or discrepancy in the specifications or instructions, the Proposer shall immediately notify the County in writing, and the County will issue written corrections or clarifications. The Proposer is responsible for the contents of its Proposals and for satisfying the requirements set forth in the RFP. Proposer will not be allowed to benefit from errors in the RFP that could have been reasonably discovered by the Proposer in the process of putting its proposal together.

4.12 RFP Interpretation

Interpretation of the wording of this document shall be the responsibility of the County and that interpretation shall be final.

4.13 Confidentiality and Response Cost and Ownership

From the date of issuance of the RFP until contract award, the Proposer must not make available or discuss its Proposal, or any part thereof, with any employee or agent of the County. The Proposer is hereby advised that any part of its Proposal or any other material marked as confidential, proprietary, or trade secret, can only be protected to the extent permitted by Illinois Statutes.

4.14 Use of Subcontractors

The Proposer’s response must include a description of which portion(s) of the work will be subcontracted out, the names and addresses of potential Subcontractors and the expected amount of money each will receive under the Contract. The County reserves the right to accept or reject any subcontractor if in the County’s sole opinion it is in the best interest of the County.

4.15 MBE/WBE Participation Goals

Consistent with Cook County, Illinois Code of Ordinances (Article IV, Section 34-267 through 272), the County has established a goal that MBE/WBE firms retained as subcontractors receive a minimum of 0% (zero) percent of the overall estimated expenditures for this procurement. In an effort to continue to promote and expand the participation of certified MBE/WBE firms, the proposer shall make good faith efforts to utilize MBE/WBE certified firms as subcontractors. In its response, a proposer shall state the name(s) of the MBE and WBE subcontractor(s) and the level of participation proposed for each MBE and WBE to be awarded a subcontract and submit the MBW/WBE Utilization Plan Forms (included in this RFP in Exhibit VI).

4.16 Proposer’s Disclosure and Conflict of Interest

The Proposer must complete and return the enclosed "Economic Disclosure Statement & Forms" along with their proposal. In the event that further clarification is required on any of the information provided, the County reserves the right to make any necessary inquiry with a proposer for such purpose. Such inquiry, if made, may include a deadline by which time any necessary clarifying information must be submitted.

4.17 Cook County RFP Format

All proposers will use this solicitation format for submitting their proposal. Variations or exceptions from the specifications and general conditions should be submitted in writing. Such variations or exceptions may be considered in evaluating the offers received. Any exception taken must be noted and included in the proposal. Failure to comply with this requirement may cause a proposer’s proposal to be considered "nonresponsive."

4.18 Pricing

All price and cost information requested in this solicitation should be provided by the proposer.

While price is a factor in the evaluation of responses received, the relevant importance of price may vary based on the nature of the purchase and the related significance of other criteria as may be expressed elsewhere in this solicitation. In evaluating price, the County may give consideration to all cost of ownership factors relevant to determine the total final cost to the County, including but not limited to: administrative cost of issuing multiple awards. The County will be the sole determinant of the relevant and appropriate cost factors to be used in evaluating any Base or Alternate offers and/or Options.

4.19 Period of Firm Proposal

Prices for the proposed service must be kept firm for at least one hundred and twenty (120) days after the time specified for submitting Proposals. Firm Proposals for periods of less than this number of days may be considered non-responsive. The Proposer may specify a longer period of firm price than indicated here. If no period is indicated by the Proposer in the Proposal, the price will be firm until written notice to the contrary is received from the Proposer.

4.20 Awards

The County may, at its discretion evaluate all responsive Proposals. The County reserves the right to make the award on an all or partial basis or split the award to multiple Proposers based on the lowest responsible proposers meeting the specifications, terms and conditions. If a split award impacts the outcome of the project it must be so stated in the proposal.

4.21 Cook County Rights

The County reserves the right to reject any and all offers, to waive any informality in the offers and, unless otherwise specified by the Proposer, to accept any item in the offer. The County also reserves the right to accept or reject all or part of your Proposal, in any combination that is economically advantageous to the County.

4.22 Alteration/Modification of RFP Content

The Proposer certifies that no alterations or modifications have been made to the content of this Bid/RFP or other procurement documents (either text or graphics). Any alternates or exceptions (whether to products, services, terms, conditions, or other procurement document subject matter) are apparent and clearly noted in the offered proposal. Proposer understands that failure to comply with this requirement may result in the proposal being disqualified and, if determined to be a deliberate attempt to misrepresent the proposal, may be considered as basis to suspend or debar the proposer from future County procurement opportunities.

4.23 Recycling

Packaging which is readily recyclable, made with recyclable materials, and designed to minimize potential adverse effects on the environment when disposed of by incineration or in a landfill is desired to the extent possible. Product(s) offered which contain recycled materials may be acceptable provided they meet all pertinent specifications and performance criteria outlined in this RFP. If the product(s) offered are manufactured utilizing recycled materials, identify the percentage composition and nature of the recycled content within.

5 EVALUATION AND SELECTION PROCESS

5.1 Responsiveness Review

County personnel will review all proposals to ascertain that they are responsive to all RFP requirements.

5.2 Acceptance of Proposals

Chief Procurement Officer reserves the right to reject any or all Proposals or any part thereof, to waive informalities, and to accept the Proposal deemed most favorable to the County.

5.3 Evaluation Process

An evaluation committee comprised of the County personnel will evaluate all responsive proposals in accordance with the evaluation criteria detailed below.

This evaluation process may result in a short-list of proposals. The evaluation committee, at its option, may request that all or short-listed proposers make a presentation, other customer testimonials, submit clarifications, schedule a site visit of their premises (as appropriate), provide a best and final offer, provide additional references, respond to questions, or consider alternative approaches.

5.3.1 Proposer Presentations

The County reserves the right to, but is not obligated to, request and require that each Proposer provide a formal presentation of its Proposal at a date and time to be determined.

If required by the County, it is anticipated that such presentation will not exceed four (4) hours. No Proposer will be entitled to present during, or otherwise receive any information regarding, any presentation of any other Proposer.

5.3.2 Right to Inspect

The County reserves the right to inspect and investigate thoroughly the establishment, facilities, equipment, business reputation, and other qualification of the Proposer and any proposed subcontractors and to reject any Proposal regardless of price if it shall be administratively determined that in the County’s sole discretion the Proposer is deficient in any of the essentials necessary to assure acceptable standards of performance. The County reserves the right to continue this inspection procedure throughout the life of the Contract that may arise from this RFP.

5.3.3 Best and Final Offer

The County reserves the right to request a Best and Final Offer from finalist Proposer(s), if it deems such an approach necessary. In general, the Best and Final Offer will consist of updated costs as well as answers to specific questions that were identified during the evaluation of Proposals.

If the County chooses to invoke this option, Proposals will be re-evaluated by incorporating the information requested in the Best and Final Offer document, including costs, and answers to specific questions presented in the document. The specific format for the Best and Final Offer would be determined during evaluation discussions. Turnaround time for responding to a Best and Final Offers document is usually brief (i.e., five (5) business days).

5.4 Selection Process

Upon review of all information provided by shortlisted proposers, the evaluation committee will make a recommendation for selection to the Chief Procurement Officer for concurrence and submission to the County elected officials. The County reserves the right to check references on any projects performed by the proposer whether provided by the proposer or known by the County. The selected proposal will be submitted for approval to the County Board. The County intends to select a proposal that best meets the needs of the County and provides the best overall value. Upon approval of the selected Proposer, a contract will be prepared by the County and presented to the Selected Proposer for signature.

6 EVALUATION CRITERIA

6.1 Responsiveness of Proposal

Proposer is compliant with all the requirements of the RFP.

6.2 Technical Proposal Proposals will be reviewed and selected based on the following technical criteria:

Technical Evaluation Criteria Points

1. Quality of the proposed Plan of Action, Project Approach, Project Management and Methodology, including implementation schedule, support in the post implementation phase, and understanding of the County’s needs, goals, and objectives. Proposer’s ability to provide translation and interpretation services across all required base languages, established telephone and video service level agreements (SLAs) and response times, and overall availability.

2. Qualifications and specialized experience for the Proposer to successfully perform the services for the County, as evidenced by the successful implementation of similar projects in at least three (3) large complex public sector organizations. Preferably city, county, state, or other government entities.

3. Qualifications and experience of the proposed key personnel as evidenced by relevant experience.

4. Financial Stability of the Proposer. 5

6.3 Price Proposal

Proposals will be reviewed and selected based on the following pricing criteria:

Pricing Evaluation Criteria Points

Proposed pricing is fair and reasonable to fulfill the requested Scope of Work. 10

6.4 Oral Presentations

Should oral presentations be requested, they will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

Oral Presentation Evaluation Criteria Points

Vendor addressed all topics, questions, and concerns of the evaluation committee.

6.5 Best and Final Offer

Should Best and Final Offers (BAFO) be requested, they will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

BAFO Evaluation Criteria Points

Degree to which the Best and Final Offer decreases the original Price Proposal for the proposed Scope of Work.

7 SUBMISSION OF PROPOSAL

7.1 Instructions for Submissions

7.1.1 Electronic Submission

Proposers are required to electronically submit their proposal to https://cookcountyil.bonfirehub.com/portal/?tab=openOpportunities no later than the time and date indicated in the RFP.

The proposer is responsible to ensure the electronic copy is complete.

7.1.2 Time for Submission

Proposals shall be submitted no later than the due date and time indicated in this RFP.

Late submittals may not be considered.

7.1.3 Format

Material should be organized following the order of the Submission Requirements.

7.1.4 Complete Proposals

Proposers are advised to carefully review all the requirements and submit all documents and information as indicated in this RFP. Incomplete proposals may lead to a proposal being deemed nonresponsive. Nonresponsive proposals will not be considered.

7.1.5 Packaging and Labeling

All electronically submitted files be clearly marked to identify the 1) RFP solicitation number

2) Name of the proposer 3) Contents of the file (i.e. Price Proposal, Technical Proposal, MBE/WBE Utilization Plan Forms).

7.1.6 Timely Delivery if Proposals

The Proposal, including the Technical Proposal and the Pricing Proposal must be submitted electronically to Cook County, Office of the Chief Procurement Officer as per the instructions in Appendix II-Instructions for Submitting an Electronic Bid/Proposal/Qualification. Include the RFP number on any correspondence related to the Proposal.

7.1.7 Late Proposals

The proposer remains responsible for ensuring that its Proposal is received at the time, date, place, and office specified in this RFP. The County assumes no responsibility for any Proposal not so received, regardless of the cause of delay.

7.1.8 Schedule of Revisions to RFP Schedule

Should the Proposer consider that changes in the County’s RFP schedule are required; the Proposer shall submit a revised summary schedule with an explanation for the revision for the County’s review. The County will be under no obligation to accept revised schedules.

7.2 Submission Requirements

7.2.1 Cover Letter

The cover letter shall be signed by an authorized representative of the Proposer. The letter shall indicate the Proposer’s commitment to provide the services proposed at the price and schedule proposed.

7.2.2 Executive Summary

The executive summary should include a brief overview of the Services and the key personnel who will be responsible for the services to be provided. The Summary shall also identify the members of the team that comprise the Proposer. Indicate the organizational relationship of the team members and include an organization chart for the project.

7.2.3 Qualifications of the Proposer

Include a description of the organization’s track record, including history, number of employees, number of years in business, and a list of projects relevant to this RFP. Provide a list of references where relevant projects were implemented. Include the name of the contact person, name of the organization, project dollar value, address, telephone number and email address. Please provide at least three (3) references, preferably with municipal government projects. In addition, for each firm included in the proposal, provide at least three (3) references with relevancy to the project scope.

7.2.4 Proposed Plan of Action, Implementation and Solution

Provide a detailed proposed plan of action indicating how all requirements will be met and the methodology proposed recommendations and implementation plan to successfully meet the goals of the County. In addition, the proposed plan of action shall include key milestones, staff & schedule, and ability to deliver value with a solution evidenced by cost savings.

7.2.5 Key Personnel

The proposer must identify the key personnel that will be committed to the project. The Chief Procurement Officer reserves the right to reject any key personnel proposed if it is determined in the County’s best interest. Provide a chronological resume for each of the key personnel proposed. Each key personnel shall have three (3) references. In addition, provide the time commitment for each key personnel. Indicate the level of their commitment to other projects if any.

7.2.6 Subcontracting or Teaming

The proposer may be comprised of one (1) or more firms as to assure the overall success of the project. The firm shall identify each team member and specify their role. The Chief Procurement Officer reserves the right to accept or reject any of the team members if in the Chief Procurement Officer’s sole opinion replacement of the team member, based on skills and knowledge, is in the best interest of the County.

7.2.7 MBE/WBE Participation

For each MBE/WBE certified firm proposed, provide the name of the MBE/WBE firm(s), level of participation, the role that the subcontractor(s) will perform, the type of services that it will provide, and a brief background and resumes of proposed personnel proposed and submit the MBE/WBE Utilization Plan Forms (see Exhibit VI). The County may only award a contract to a responsible and responsive proposer. In the event that the proposer does not meet the MBE/WBE participation goal stated by the County for this procurement, the proposer must nonetheless demonstrate that it undertook good faith efforts to satisfy the participation goal. Evidence of such efforts may include, but shall not be limited to, documentation demonstrating that the proposer made attempts to identify, contact, and solicit viable MBE/WBE firms for the services required, that certain MBE/WBE firms did not respond or declined to submit proposals for the work, or any other documentation that helps demonstrate good faith efforts. Failure by the proposer to provide the required documentation or otherwise demonstrate good faith efforts will be taken into consideration by the County in its evaluation of the proposer’s responsibility and responsiveness.

7.2.8 Financial Status

Provide the audited financial statements for the last three fiscal years. Include the letter of opinion, balance sheet, schedules, and related auditor’s notes.

7.2.9 Legal Actions

Provide a list of any pending litigation in which the proposer may experience significant financial settlement and include a brief description of the reason for legal action.

7.2.10 Conflict of Interest

Provide information regarding any real or potential conflict of interest. Failure to address any potential conflict of interest upfront may be cause for rejection of the proposal.

7.2.11 Economic Disclosure Statement

Execute and submit the Economic Disclosure Statement (“EDS”). In the event any further clarification is required on any of the information provided, the County reserves the right to make any necessary communication with the Proposer for such purpose. Such communication, if made, may include a deadline by which time any necessary clarifying information must be submitted.

7.2.12 Cook County Professional Services Agreement (PSA)

The PSA is provided for information only. Execution of the PSA is not required at the time the proposal is submitted. In the event you disagree with the PSA provisions, submit any exceptions to the PSA and include the rationale for taking the exception. If you are proposing alternate language, please include the language for consideration.

7.2.13 Identification of Subcontractor/Supplier/Subconsultant Form Completion of Exhibit VII Identification of Subcontractor/Supplier/Sub consultant Form is a requirement for proposal submission.

7.2.14 Addendum Acknowledgement Form

The Addenda Acknowledgement Form (found in Exhibit V) must be signed by an authorized Proposer representative and returned with the Proposal on or before the Proposal due date.

Failure to sign and return any and all addenda acknowledgements may be grounds for rejection of the Proposal.

7.2.15 Price Proposal

Proposer must complete Exhibit I Price Proposal Form and submit with electronic response.

7.2.16 ISO Certification (International Organization for Standardization)

Provide a copy of the ISO Certification.

7.2.17 Other

Submit any information the Proposer deems pertinent to demonstrate its qualifications to perform the services being requested such as memberships in any professional associations.

EXHIBIT I

Price Proposal Form

Proposers are required to submit the attached pricing proposal separate from the technical proposal.

In addition, include a breakdown of personnel rate card and the number and level of staffing for each task.

The pricing proposal must be submitted in electronic format.

If your company has specific, unique and/or innovative ideas to implement this system that are outside of the parameters defined on the pricing proposal, please provide your firm’s recommendations on a separate sheet.

EXHIBIT II

Instructions for Submitting an Electronic Bid/Proposal/Qualification

Responses to Cook County solicitations must be submitted in the Bonfire Vendor Portal via the link below.

Vendors who are not yet registered in Bonfire can use the following link to access articles and tutorials on how to register in Bonfire.

https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/article/vendor-registration

Articles with details on how to create and upload a submission are also available via:

https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/article/creating-and-uploading-a-submission

If you have questions or technical issues accessing Bonfire or submitting your Bid, Proposal, or Qualification Package please reach out to Bonfire at:

support.bonfire@eunasolutions.com

1 (800) 354-8010 Extension #2 https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/article/vendor-registration https://customer.eunasolutions.com/public/s/article/creating-and-uploading-a-submission

EXHIBIT III

Economic Disclosure Forms

EXHIBIT IV

Cook County Professional Services Agreement

EXHIBIT V

Addendum Acknowledgement Form

EXHIBIT VI

MBE/WBE Utilization Plan Forms

EXHIBIT VII

Identification of Subcontractor/Supplier/Subconsultant Form

EXHIBIT VIII

Code of Ethics-American Translators Association (ATA)

To access the Code of Ethics of the American Translators Association (ATA), please click on the following link:

https://www.atanet.org/about-us/code-of-ethics/

EXHIBIT IX

Electronic Payables Program

EXHIBIT X

Cook County Travel Policy

5.4 Selection Process

Pricing Sheet

Cook County Goverment-Office of the Chief Procurement Officer

RFP 2513-11032 Translation and Interpretation Services

PRICING PROPOSAL FORM

Proposers are required to provide input in blue cells of this worksheet only. No modifications to this Excel worksheet are to be made.

The County intends to award a one (3)-year contract with two, one (1)-year renewal option. If your company has detailed budgets, and or specific, unique, and/or innovative ideas to provide services that are outside of the parameters defined on the pricing proposal, please provide your firm’s recommendations on a separate sheet. Proposers shall provide additional information on a seperate sheet to fully detail and support the annual costs. Additional detail shall include different positions, at different rates, etc., which this summary spreadsheet does not capture. The additional detail will suport the annual price proposals.

Proposer Name:

Initial Three (3)-Year Term

Service Category Line Item Delivery Mode Language / Tier Unit of Measure Proposed Vendor Rate Notes / Assumptions

Interpretation Onsite Interpretation Onsite Spanish Hour

Interpretation Onsite Interpretation Onsite ASL Hour

Interpretation Onsite Interpretation Onsite Other Spoken Languages Hour

Interpretation Phone Interpretation Phone Spanish Minute

Interpretation Phone Interpretation Phone ASL Minute

Interpretation Phone Interpretation Phone Other Spoken Languages Minute

Interpretation Video Interpretation Video Spanish Minute

Interpretation Video Interpretation Video ASL Minute

Interpretation Video Interpretation Video Other Spoken Languages Minute

Interpretation After-hours surcharge All All %

Interpretation Weekend surcharge All All %

Interpretation Holiday surcharge All All %

Interpretation Minimum onsite interpretation charge Onsite All Per assignment

Interpretation Minimum remote interpretation charge Phone/Video All Per assignment

Interpretation Cancellation fee (< 1 business day notice) All All Per assignment

Interpretation Mileage reimbursement (at IRS rate) Onsite All Per mile

Translation Standard translation Digital English > Spanish Per word

Translation Standard translation Digital Spanish > English Per word

Translation Standard translation Digital Other languages Per word

Translation Rush translation surcharge Digital All %

Translation Layout / desktop publishing (DTP) Digital All Per hour

Translation Complex formatting / document recreation Digital All Per hour

Translation Website / CMS translation Digital All Per word

Translation Software / application translation Digital All Per word

Translation Training materials / eLearning translation Digital All Per word

Translation Subtitling / captions Digital All Per minute

Translation Voiceover / IVR scripts translation Digital All Per minute

Optional Project management All All Per hour

Optional Quality assurance review All All Per hour

Renewal Option Year 1

Service Category Line Item Delivery Mode Language / Tier Unit of Measure Proposed Vendor Rate…