ERIE COUNTY MEDICAL CENTER CORPORATION

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

IN-PERSON AND WRITTEN

INTERPRETATIVE SERVICES

ISSUE DATE: January 5, 2026

RFP #202601

The deadline for submission of proposals is Friday, January 30, 2026, at 11:00 a.m. EST.

Submissions will only be accepted electronically through ECMCC’s Procurement Portal at https://ecmc.bonfirehub.com/.

In accordance with State Finance Law Sections 139-j and 139-k, the designated contact for this RFP is listed below. All questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing through ECMCC’s

Procurement Portal at https://ecmc.bonfirehub.com/ within the timeframes set forth in the RFP

Schedule located at Section 3 of this RFP.

LATE, EMAILED OR INCOMPLETE PROPOSALS MAY BE REJECTED

Designated contact: Chelsea Kiebzak RFP/IFB Coordinator

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE CALL:

Thursday, January 8, 2026, AT 10:00 A.M. EST

VIA MICROSOFT TEAMS Phone Conference +1 631-492-9049

Phone Conference ID: 993 883 787# https://ecmc.bonfirehub.com/

1. BACKGROUND

Erie County Medical Center Corporation (“ECMCC”), located in Buffalo, New York, is a public benefit corporation created by state law on July 22, 2003, having previously operated as a department of the County of Erie, New York.

ECMCC has an advanced academic medical center consisting of 573 inpatient beds, as well as a

Center for Oncology Care, a Regional Center of Excellence for Transplantation and Kidney Care, a Regional Center of Excellence for Behavioral Health, numerous on- and off-campus primary care and family health centers, more than thirty outpatient specialty care services, and the Terrace View

Long-Term Care Facility, consisting of 390 beds.

In addition, ECMCC is a verified Level 1 Adult Trauma Center by the American College of

Surgeons, designated a Level 1 Adult Trauma Center by the NYS Department of Health, and is a regional center for burn care, behavioral health services, transplantation, medical oncology and head & neck cancer care, and rehabilitation. Finally, ECMCC is also affiliated with the Great Lakes

Health System of Western New York and is a major teaching facility for the University at Buffalo.

2. RESERVATION OF RIGHTS. ECMCC reserves the rights to:

2.1 Reject any and all proposals submitted in response to this Request for Proposals (“RFP”);

2.2 Disqualify any respondent whose conduct or proposal fails to conform to the requirements of this RFP;

2.3 Withdraw or terminate this RFP at any time at its sole discretion;

2.4 Prior to submission of proposals to amend the RFP specifications to correct errors or oversights, or to supply additional information as it becomes available;

2.5 Change any of the scheduled dates;

2.6 Waive any requirements that are not material;

2.7 Waive any non-conformity with the requirements of this RFP;

2.8 Terminate this RFP process at any time;

2.9 Seek clarification from a respondent at any time throughout the RFP process for the purpose of resolving ambiguities or questioning information presented in proposals;

2.10 Award the contract in whole or in part and/or apportion the award among one or more respondents;

2.11 Negotiate final terms with the successful respondent(s);

2.12 Conduct contract negotiations with the next responsible bidder, should ECMCC be unsuccessful in negotiating with the selected bidder;

2.13 Prepare a list of finalists based on initial proposal evaluations, request that finalists present in-person or telecommunicated presentations to ECMCC, and allocate additional points based on these presentations;

2.14 Extend the term of any resulting contract for the items or services described herein for additional lengths of time at its discretion;

2.15 Add additional similar products or services to any resulting agreement as they become available and meet ECMCC’s needs and

2.16 In the event that the selected vendor is unable to fulfill ECMCC’s request for the products/services, ECMCC reserves the right to choose another vendor through any compliant procurement means available to ECMCC.

3. RFP SCHEDULE:

RFP Issued: Monday, January 5, 2026

Pre-Proposal Conference Call: Thursday, January 8, 2026

Deadline for Questions to be submitted via Bonfire: Monday, January 12, 2026

Responses issued via Bonfire: Thursday, January 22, 2026

Proposals Due: Friday, January 30, 2026

Contract Award: TBD

PRE-PROPOSAL CONFERENCE CALL:

A pre-proposal conference call is scheduled for Thursday, January 8, 2026, at 10:00 A.M. EST.

This conference call can be accessed by (audio only) dialing +1 631-492-9049, Conference ID: 993

883 787# or Clicking this Link. The purpose of this call is to provide an overview of the RFP the

Workforce Utilization requirements and permit respondents an opportunity to ask general RFP policy and procedures questions. Any content-specific questions however must be submitted in writing by Monday, January 12, 2026, via ECMCC’s Procurement Portal at https://ecmc.bonfirehub.com/.

4. SCOPE OF SERVICES/SPECIFICATIONS:

Erie County Medical Center Corporation (“ECMCC”) is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide in-person interpretation services for non-English speakers, as well as for deaf and hearing-impaired individuals through American Sign Language (ASL), in addition to written translation services.

ECMCC plans to establish one primary and one secondary contract for each type of service requested. The primary contractor will be the main provider for each category, except in cases where they are unavailable, or a patient specifically requests an alternative. Consequently, if a vendor cannot meet ECMCC's service needs, there will be no penalties for sourcing services from another vendor.

Vendors may submit proposals for any combination of non-English in-person interpretation, in-person sign language services (ASL), or written translation services.

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The resulting agreement from this request for proposals (RFP) will span five years, with ECMCC retaining the right to terminate the contract without cause as outlined in Appendix A.

5. DELIVERABLES:

5.1 Per our ECMC Policy, "Competent interpreter services" are interpreter services performed by a person:

• Fluent in English and in the language, they are interpreting.

• Trained and proficient in the skill and ethics of interpreting.

• Knowledgeable about the specialized terms and concepts that need to be interpreted for purposes of receiving care or treatment.

• A "certified interpreter" is one whose interpretation or translation competence has been tested and approved by a professional association or governmental body.

• The successful respondents must be capable of providing exceptional interpretative services, along with the consulting and on-going support associated with implementation for the duration of the agreement.

5.2 The successful respondents are expected to provide a high level of customer service for the patients and employees of ECMCC.

5.3 All interpretative services must be provided in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations and laws, community standards of practice and ECMCC’s policies and procedures.

5.4 The selected respondent is required to assign a dedicated account manager who is well-acquainted with ECMCC’s account and readily available to address any inquiries or issues.

5.5 Response Time:

• ECMCC’s required response time for emergent situations is 10 minutes and 20 minutes for non-urgent inpatient or outpatient situations. Respondents must be capable of providing as-needed services 24/7, 365 days a year.

• Consistent failure to meet the 10-minute requirement however may be cause for termination of the agreement. Response time must be under thirty (30) minutes to ensure patients have access to interpretive services in emergency situations.

5.6 Written Translation Services:

• Services will be invoiced based on the word count, using the MS Word count feature, of the original document.

• If the document being translated is greater than 150 words, the vendor will bill at a per word rate per the pricing in its response.

• If the document being translated is less than 150 words, or if the revisions/updates are being requested to a previously translated document and the portion that is to be revised and/or updated is less than 150 words, the vendor will bill at a flat fee rate. Vendor is advised that there may be requests that require formatting only. For purposes of these categories, formatting involves manipulation of text that does not require translation. For requests of this nature, the minimum charge will be paid for each request.

5.7 Vendor Requirements:

• Vendor must have apparel with company logo, company identification an employee IDs.

• Employees may not use any illegal narcotic and/or mind alternating substance that may impair driving ability.

• Employees must comply with the NYS Public Health Law of not smoking on

ECMCC campus and/or leased properties.

• Vendor and its employees must comply with ECMCC’s immunization and background check requirements.

• Will be required to provide evidence of HIPAA training for their personnel.

• If selected the vendor will need to register with Symplr, ECMCC credentialing system. All services must be provided in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations and laws, community standards of practice and ECMCC’s policies and procedures. Each representative that is on-site is required to register with Symplr, ECMCC’s vendor credentialing company, and must comply with their requirements. The vendor is responsible for all costs associated with

Symplr’s services.

6. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS:

Proposals must not exceed 20 pages in length and must include the following components:

6.1 Company Background:

• Provide the following company details:

o Legal name.

o Physical address.

o City, state, and ZIP code.

o Telephone and fax numbers.

o Company website.

• Include a brief history of your organization, highlighting relevant experience and capabilities.

• Submit at least two professional references. These references may be contacted to verify or clarify information provided in the proposal.

6.2 Proposal Plan:

• Proposal must clearly state which service(s) you are submitting to (non-English in-person interpretation, in-person sign language services (ASL), written translation services or all).

• Company's strategy for achieving the specified deliverables, detailing both the implementation process and the reporting mechanisms for invoicing purposes that will be utilized. Each invoice must include the patient’s name and appointment details, including date, time, and location of service.

• The number of interpreters and other qualified personnel available to facilitate in-person interpretative services effectively.

• The qualifications of all interpreters, whether directly employed or subcontracted, must be clearly stated to ensure compliance with industry standards.

• The vendor should specify the interpretative assessment and testing criteria required for its interpreters to maintain a high level of service quality.

• A comprehensive list of languages available for in-person interpreter services should be included to demonstrate the range of offerings.

• The proposal must showcase the vendor's proven ability, capacity, and experience in providing in-person non-English interpretative services and/or ASL interpretative services and written translation specifically in Buffalo, NY.

6.3 Pricing:

• Fee schedule must clearly state which service(s) you are submitting to (non-

English in-person interpretation, in-person sign language services (ASL), written translation services or all).

• A detailed fee schedule is required and must be submitted in EXCEL format, which should encompass, but not limited to:

o Standard rates, o Premium rates, o Crisis rates, o Legal proceedings rates, o Cancellation fees, o Minimum charges or hours, o Written translation services and o Any other relevant charges associated with the services provided.

• Proposed fees for the requested services should be all-inclusive, covering any additional expenses such as travel and fuel costs.

• Prices charged to ECMCC are to be no higher than those offered to any other governmental or commercial consumer.

7. REQUIRED DOCUMENTS:

The following forms must be submitted with each proposal:

7.1 Equal Employment Opportunity Policy Statement (Exhibit A-1)

7.2 MWBE Utilization Plan (Exhibit A-2) when applicable (see Section 9 below)

7.3 SDVOB Utilization Plan (Exhibit A-3) when applicable (see Section 9 below)

7.4 Respondent Data Form (Exhibit B)

7.5 Non-Collusive Bidding Certification (Exhibit C)

7.6 Disclosure, Affirmation and Certification in accordance with State Finance Law §§ 139-j and 139-k (Exhibit D)

7.7 Quantitative Factor Credit Questionnaire (Exhibit E) (see Section 9.4 below)

7.8 Sexual Harassment Policy Statement (Exhibit F)

7.9 Vendor Fee Schedule (EXCEL Format)

7.10 Signed ECMCC Standard Clauses (Appendix A)

7.11 Vendor Proposal (Should include all information under Section 6 Proposal Requirements)

8. EVALUATION CRITERIA:

Fee Schedule 35 Points

Vendors experience 10 Points

Proposal plan 40 Points

Quality of proposal 10 Points

Quantitative factor questionnaire 5 Points

TOTAL 100 points

ECMCC may prepare a list of finalists based on initial proposal evaluations and request that the finalists give a presentation of their services to ECMCC. Additional points may be allocated to the presentations. Final award will be based on the total combined score of the finalist’s initial proposal evaluation and their onsite presentation.

9. MWBE, SDVOB AND DIVERSITY PRACTICES REQUIREMENTS:

9.1 Equal Opportunity, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business, and Minority/Women-

Owned Business Enterprise Utilization. ECMCC is committed to promote equality of economic opportunity for minority group members and women, service-disabled veterans, and the facilitation of minority and women-owned business enterprise

(“MWBE”) and service-disabled veteran-owned business (“SDVOB”) participation. In accordance with Articles 15-A and Veterans’ Service Law Article 3 of the New York State Executive Law and the regulations set forth at 5 NYCRR

Parts 140-144 and 9 NYCRR Part 252, by submitting a proposal, the respondent agrees to be bound by the provisions and follow the instructions set forth in Exhibit A to this

RFP.

9.2 Utilization Plans. If Section 9.3 reflects that MWBE and/or SDVOB participation requirements apply to this RFP, Respondents are required to submit an MWBE and/or

SDVOB Utilization Plan (see Exhibit A-2 and Exhibit A-3) with their proposal in accordance with, 5 NYCRR 142.6(a) and 9 NYCRR 252.2(i).

9.3 Goals and Excluded Contracts. The MWBE and SDVOB goals for this RFP are as follows: 0 MBE,0 WBE,0 SDVOB. In the event that there are no utilization requirements applicable to this RFP, the RFP is for an expenditure that is excluded from ECMCC’s MWBE or SDVOB program and respondents are not required to submit an MWBE and/or SDVOB Utilization Plan. However, under all circumstances, respondents are encouraged to solicit MWBE and SDVOB utilization and to submit

MWBE and SDVOB Goal Plans, and ECMCC may consider respondent’s proposed

MWBE and SDVOB utilization in determining which proposal represents the best value to ECMCC.

9.4 Quantitative Factor Credit Questionnaire. When developing a Request for Proposals (RFP) awarding a procurement contract on the basis of Best Value, State Finance Law § 163(1)(j) allows a Contracting Officer to designate up to 5% of the total technical evaluation scale to be awarded to a Respondent who meets one of the following criteria (NOTE: Although a Respondent may meet more than one of the criteria, credit is to be awarded for only one category, not multiple categories). (1) New York State Certified Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) as defined in Executive Law § 310; or (2) a New

York State Certified Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Business (SDVOB) as defined in

Veterans' Services Law Article 3. The above-referenced 5% designation included in the

RFP technical evaluation is called a “Quantitative Factor.”

10. GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS TO RESPONDENTS:

10.1 By submitting a response, respondents agree to both the terms of this RFP as well as

ECMCC’s standard terms and conditions attached to this RFP as Appendix A.

ECMCC reserves the right to reject any proposal in which the respondent objects to or attempts to modify the language of either this RFP or Appendix A.

10.2 Insurance in the amounts designated in the attached Appendix B shall be procured by the successful respondent before commencing work and no later than fourteen (14) days after notice of award, which insurance shall be maintained without interruption for the duration of the Contract in the kinds and amounts specified by ECMCC. If the insurance is not provided in acceptable form within this period of time, then the Director of Procurement

Compliance may declare the vendor non-responsible and award the contract to the next lowest responsible vendor. Certificates of insurance shall be furnished by the successful respondent in conformity with the ECMCC standard insurance certificate.

10.3 All services must be provided in accordance with all applicable local, state and federal regulations and laws, community standards of practice and ECMCC’s policies and procedures. Each representative that is on-site is required to register with Symplr, ECMCC’s vendor credentialing company, and must comply with their requirements. The vendor is responsible for all costs associated with Symplr’s services.

10.4 Only current approved surgical products (i.e. implants, instruments and devices) from the

RFP submission are cleared for surgical use, not an entire price file. Surgical products that have never been used at ECMCC will need a formal request by the surgeon. A cost benefit inquiry will be presented to the value analysis team that convenes every month, and the members will review for approval.

10.5 Any change in wording or interlineations by a respondent of the RFP as published by

ECMCC shall be reason to reject the proposal of such respondent, or in the event that such change in the RFP is not discovered prior to entering into a contract, to void any contract entered into pursuant to such RFP.

10.6 For the purpose of determining which proposal represents best value, it shall be the obligation of all respondents to present information and documentation to ECMCC to establish that the successful respondent possesses sufficient capital resources, skill, judgment and experience to perform the work or deliver the material, as per the RFP scope of services and specifications. ECMCC is not obligated to accept the lowest proposal, but will perform its evaluation based on the total criteria defined within the RFP.

10.7 Failure to perform or meet delivery schedules as per the accepted proposal or resulting contract may result in legal action by ECMCC to recover damages.

10.8 The successful respondent shall comply with all laws, rules, regulations and ordinances of the Federal Government, the State of New York and any other political subdivision or regulatory body which may apply to its performance under this contract.

10.9 Any cash discount which is part of a proposal will be considered as a reduction in price in determining the award of the proposal.

10.10 ECMCC may, as the need arises, order changes in the work through additions, deletions or modifications without invalidating the contract. Additional work for which an existing compensation structure does not exist may also be requested by ECMCC on an as-needed basis. Accordingly, compensation for any such services shall be adjusted by negotiation and agreement between the contractor and ECMCC.

10.11 Any additional information which the respondent desires to add to the response shall be attached to and submitted with the formal response on a separate sheet of paper.

10.12 The proposal is firm and irrevocable for a period of 60 days from the date and time of the proposal opening. If a contract is not awarded within the 60 day period, a respondent to whom the contract has not been awarded may withdraw his proposal by serving written notice of his intention to do so upon the ECMCC Purchasing Department.

10.13 Prices charged to ECMCC are to be no higher than those offered to any other governmental or commercial consumer. If respondent’s organization has a New York State or a Federal

GSA contract for any of the items covered in this RFP or any similar items, respondent shall so indicate in its proposal and supply a copy of such contract within five (5) days of a request by ECMCC.

10.14 The unit prices shall remain firm, and any other pricing, quote or charges in the proposal for delivery of the equipment, material, work or services described in this RFP, shall also remain firm. Pricing must include all expenses and be final. No cost increase not covered in the proposal shall be charged for any reason whatsoever unless agreed upon by ECMCC, and pricing offered must remain in effect for the length of any resulting agreement.

10.15 In executing their proposal, the respondent affirms that all of the requirements of the specifications are understood and accepted by the respondent, and that the prices quoted include all required materials and services. The respondent affirms they have checked all of the proposal figures and understands that ECMCC will not be responsible for any errors or omissions on the part of the respondent in preparing the proposal. Mistakes or errors in the estimates, calculations or preparation of the proposal shall not be grounds for the withdrawal or correction of the proposal or any proposal security.

10.16 Restrictions on contact during the RFP process. Pursuant to State Finance Law Sections

139-j and 139-k, this RFP includes and imposes certain restrictions on communication between respondents and ECMCC during the procurement process. A respondent is restricted from making contacts from the date the RFP is issued through the final contract award by ECMCC (the "Restricted Period"). During the Restricted Period, respondents may only contact the designated contact regarding this RFP. The designated contact is identified on the cover page of this RFP. Respondents are responsible for complying with

State Finance Law Sections 139-j and 139-k. Directors, officer and employees of ECMCC are required to record certain information when contacted during the Restricted Period. A review of whether such contacts were permissible contacts will be considered in connection with any determination of responsibility of the respondent. Failure of any respondent to timely certify or to disclose accurate and complete information or the submission of any intentionally false or intentionally incomplete certification may result in the rejection of the contract award or if such contract has been executed, then the immediate termination of the contract. Violations may result in debarment of the respondent from proposing on or obtaining governmental procurement contracts in the State of New York.

10.17 Freedom of Information Law. During the evaluation process, the content of each RFP will be held in confidence and details of any RFP will not be revealed (except as may be required under the Freedom of Information Law or other State law). The Freedom of

Information Law provides for an exemption from disclosure for trade secrets or information the disclosure of which would cause injury to the competitive position of commercial enterprises. This exception would be effective both during and after the evaluation process. If the proposal contains any such trade secrets or other confidential or proprietary information, the respondent must submit a request to exempt such information from disclosure. Such request must be in writing, must state the reasons why the information should be exempt from disclosure and must be provided at the time of submission of the subject information. Requests for exemption of the entire contents of a proposal from disclosure have generally not been found to be meritorious and are discouraged. Respondents must limit any requests for exemption of information from disclosure to bona fide trade secrets or specific information, the disclosure of which would cause a substantial injury to the respondent’s competitive position. ECMCC assumes no responsibility for disclosure of unmarked data for any purpose. ECMCC will review such designations in making its determination whether disclosure is required, which determination shall be binding on the respondent.