5-P26-01 Special TC and SOW.pdf

RFP P26-01

Interpretation & Translation Services

To: All Proposers

The Forsyth County School System’s Purchasing Department would like you to supply us with a Proposal for Interpretation & Translation Services. Pricing shall remain firm as per the terms of the contract. The Forsyth County School System is tax-exempt.

The RFP Closing is: # P26-01 March 26, 2026 3:00 PM

(RFP #) (DATE) (TIME)

All responses and documents shall be submitted through the FCS Euna/Bonfire Purchasing Portal.

Respectfully, Brad Richardson Director of Procurement Services

PURCHASING DEPARTMENT

2150 Keith Bridge Rd Cumming, GA 30040

Phone: 770-781-6603 / Fax: 770-888-0222 www.forsyth.k12.ga.us

FORSYTH COUNTY SCHOOL SYSTEM

Purchasing Department

SPECIAL TERMS AND CONDITIONS

1.0 BASIC RFP AND CONTRACT GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS

1.1 Evaluation - Award will be made based upon the evaluation criteria published in this RFP. It is also known that FCSS may use knowledge of prior experience and/or information from any corresponding meeting with specific vendors, pre-proposal, or during the evaluation, as it relates to the published evaluation criteria, to include delivery timelines.

1.2 Award Period – Commencement of contract will be on or around July 1, 2026, and run for twelve months. This contract allows for mutually agreeable annual renewals up to four additional years. FCSS may entertain price escalation requests, but must be supported by market data and submitted to FCSS for review 8 weeks prior to the contract expiration date. FCSS may choose to accept, deny, or negotiate a request for escalation based on the best interest of the district.

1.3 Contractor Identification System - FCSS requires the employees assigned to any FCSS contract to register through our Safety-Check Contractor Identification System. Any representative of your organization, before beginning work on FCSS property, must be registered. The registration process requires the submission of an approved photo identification (Govt. issued), which will be run through the Sexual Offender Database. Any contractor refusing to comply with this requirement or failing to pass the check will not be allowed on FCSS property. Contractors will be issued a badge, which they are required to wear at all times while on FCSS property. Anyone found without a badge will be asked to leave the property immediately. Replacement badges will be $10.00 (std badge) and $50.00 (access badge) if lost or stolen.

1.4 O.C.G.A 13-10-91 - Contractor must comply with all relevant codes pertaining to O.C.G.A 13-

10-91, including the submission of Contractor Affidavit as included in this solicitation.

1.5 Clarification - FCSS may seek written clarification at any point during the evaluation process.

Vendor is responsible for providing information to the best of their ability within the format and time parameters provided by the evaluation committee. FCSS may request a vendor presentation/demonstration for further details on your offering. The information provided will become part of the final evaluation.

1.6 Best and Final Offer (BAFO) - FCSS may request a best and final offer from the finalist if applicable.

1.7 Terms and Conditions - FCSS expects the terms and conditions of this RFP, and all FCSS-related documents, to be the prevailing contract terms. If you request separate contract documentation to be incorporated into this contract, please provide it with your initial submission.

However, please know that any document that materially alters the terms and conditions of this agreement or places undue burden on FCS may be deemed non-responsive and removed from consideration. Agreement to FCSS terms and conditions may be a primary factor in award selection; thus, any contract language that you request MUST be provided with the initial response, as it will not be possible to supplement contract language later.

1.8 Insurance- Proof of insurance must be submitted with the proposal response and available at any point during the life of the contract. All insurance requirements shall comply with FCSS General Terms and Conditions and applicable provisions of Georgia law.

Workers’ Compensation Insurance - Contractor shall maintain Statutory Workers’ Compensation Insurance in accordance with the requirements of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.), including Employer’s Liability coverage as required by law.

Additional Insurance - Contractor shall obtain and maintain, at its own expense, all insurance coverage required by the solicitation and contract documents, with limits and terms as specified therein, to protect FCSS against claims for bodily injury, property damage, or other losses arising out of or related to the Contractor’s performance of the contract.

Proof of Coverage - Contractor shall furnish FCSS with a Certificate of Insurance evidencing required coverage prior to the start of work. Certificates should be submitted electronically during the submission of the solicitation. Failure to maintain required insurance shall constitute a material breach of contract.

Commercial General Liability Insurance:

Contractor shall maintain Commercial General Liability Insurance with limits of at least $1,000,000. Coverage must include products and completed operations with reporting of claims on an occurrence basis.

Limits of Liability (Primary Policy):

• $1,000,000 each occurrence

Forsyth County School District must be named as an additional insured on all applicable policies.

Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance:

Contractor shall maintain Commercial Automobile Liability Insurance covering owned, non-owned, and hired vehicles.

Limits of Liability:

• $1,000,000 Combined Single Limit per accident for bodily injury and property damage.

Umbrella / Excess Liability Insurance:

Contractor shall maintain Umbrella or Excess Liability Insurance in excess of the Commercial General Liability and Commercial Automobile Liability policies described above, with limits of not less than:

• $2,000,000 per occurrence

• $2,000,000 aggregate

The Umbrella/Excess Liability policy shall be follow-form and provide coverage for both General Liability and Automobile Liability.

Acceptability of Insurance Companies - All insurance shall be written by insurance companies licensed to do business in the State of Georgia and having an A.M. Best rating of A- or better.

Scope of Work & Requirements

2.0 PURPOSE AND OBJECTIVE

Forsyth County Schools (FCS) is seeking proposals for firms to provide experienced Interpretation & Translation Services (Including on site interpretation services, over-the-phone interpretation services, video remote interpretation services, and document translation services) on an as-needed basis for languages needed to communicate with families whose language is not primarily English when Forsyth County Schools cannot provide these services. To be considered, your firm must demonstrate the ability to supply individual providers in accordance with all specifications, terms and conditions of this agreement, and any applicable codes or statutes, and industry best practices.

It is the intent of FCSS to establish a qualified pool of contractors who provide these services. This pool will consist of companies that meet the minimum mandatory requirements and best demonstrate the ability to supply experienced and effective individuals on an as-needed basis. The selection process will consider relevant experiences, depth of resources, references, past/current work with FCSS, and will be based on firm fixed pricing.

FCSS will be the sole determinant regarding the number of companies selected for the pool, as that has not been determined, but will be dependent upon the results of this RFP. Inclusion into the pool does not guarantee work but creates an opportunity to present candidates for evaluation and consideration. FCS Student Services Department will make final decisions in this regard. FCSS reserves the right to continue relationships with existing providers as long as they are either under contract currently and/or agree to this agreement. In rare and/or special cases, FCSS reserves the right to contract directly with individuals should extenuating circumstances (prior relationship, special medical, or other) be deemed in the best interest of the student or related stakeholders.

3.0 CONTRACT GUIDELINES AND REQUIREMENTS – Section 3.0 requires a written response from the vendor for each section below 3.1.1-3.7.5. While some responses may be as simple as “Vendor can comply”, others will require a detailed response. Vendors are required to tab and label their response to this section and upload to the FCS Euna portal as a mandatory required document.

3.1. Minimum Requirements - Responding firms must meet the following minimum requirements.

3.1.1. Interpretation services must be available between the hours 7:30am until 8:30pm, Monday through Friday.

3.1.2. Firm(s) providing in-person interpretation services must have an office physically located in the state of Georgia.

3.1.3. Background Checks- Vendor must have a current protocol for background checks on all Interpreters/Translators assigned to FCS under this contract. In addition, FCSS reserves the right to complete its own internal background check, including fingerprinting, before the employment date.

Please discuss background check methodology for your organization (tab and label with response)

3.1.4. Interpreters/Translators must have passed a written and oral exam in the language(s) interpreting/translating.

3.1.5. Interpreters/Translators must keep student/parent information and records confidential at all times as required under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) laws, Federal and State law, as well as FCSS policy.

3.1.6. Interpreters/Translators shall adhere to all FCSS policies, procedures, and Code of Conduct.

3.1.7. The firm must submit a list of current languages offered with its response.

3.2. General Requirements & Capabilities

3.2.1. The firm should assign interpreters who are accustomed to working in general education and special education settings.

3.2.2. Firm shall maintain an adequate number of available interpreters in the most often accessed languages with the ability to respond to district requests within 48 hours.

3.2.3. Firm shall address any and all performance concerns with the district in a timely manner, including ceasing to assign any interpreter whose performance has been found to be subpar.

3.2.4. Firm shall provide complete transition and training services at no additional cost.

3.2.5. Firm shall have an established telephone redundancy system to ensure uninterrupted service in case of system or power failure when interpreting remotely.

3.2.6. Firm shall identify and/or modify equipment required to deliver multilingual interpretation service efficiently and effectively at no additional charge.

3.2.7. Billing will be directed to the FCS Student Services department.

3.2.8. Firm shall comply with all Federal and State wiretapping and recording statutes, including Georgia

Code 16-11-66, by not directly or indirectly monitoring, taping, intercepting, or recording conversations without explicit consent.

3.3. In-Person Interpretation Specifications

3.3.1. In-person interpreters must report to their assigned duty station 15 minutes prior to the meeting.

3.3.2. Interpreters will communicate the message using the first person: “I plan to go” rather than “He plans to go”.

3.4. Over the Phone (On-Demand) Interpretation Specifications

3.4.1. Awarded firm(s) must agree to provide the opportunity to place test calls at no cost.

3.5. Video Remote Interpretation Specifications

3.5.1. Interpreters must be available for the appointment 10 minutes prior to the meeting.

3.5.2. Awarded firm(s) must agree to provide the opportunity to place a test video remote connection at no cost.

3.5.3. Awarded firm(s) must utilize Microsoft Teams.

3.6. Document Translation Services Specifications

3.6.1. A quality, error-free document must be provided.

3.6.2. Electronic copy of translated document to be supplied to FCSS representative.

3.7. Staffing

3.7.1. Contractor shall submit a statement pertaining to the labor/staff that will be utilized in the performance of this contract. This statement should include resumes of pertinent staff or verbiage expounding upon experience, qualifications, training, etc. Please detail which staff, if any, were involved in the references that you submit with this proposal

3.7.2. Describe your protocol for hiring qualified Interpreters including all the material steps in the process, including, but not limited to, the recruiting process, interview process, vetting and verification, training, and follow-up.

3.7.3. Provide information regarding the number of contracted Interpreters you 1) have placed in similar K-12 work, an estimate or average is acceptable, but should be verifiable.

3.7.4. Describe in detail your protocol for addressing customer questions and issues that may arise from Interpreter performance.

3.7.5. Describe your company's policies regarding confidentiality and maintenance of records/documents, as well as security of the vital information.

4.0 QUALIFICATIONS QUESTIONNAIRE & REFERENCES FORMS - This section stipulates the qualification elements of the RFP under evaluation that can be answered utilizing the Contractor Qualification Questionnaire & Reference Form posted as a separate document on the FCS Euna Portal.

4.1 Contractor Questionnaire- Vendors are required to download and complete the questionnaire. Be sure to answer all the questions prior to submitting.

4.2 Reference Form- Utilizing the reference document provided, please provide three (3) References where similar (size and scope) services were provided. FCS does not require but prefers references in the State of Georgia and student populations that exceed 10,000.

5.0 PRICING / BID FORM -The actual bid form for providing pricing under this RFP is posted as a separate document on the FCS Euna Portal.

5.1 Services should be one flat rate for Spanish and another flat rate for all other languages.

5.2 Services should include all associated fees, including travel.

5.3 Cost will start when the interpreter has arrived on-site, via telephone or video remote.

5.4 FCSS will not pay a cancellation fee if notice has been given to the firm at least 12 hours before the time of service or in the event of inclement weather closure or a natural disaster.

5.5 FCSS has attempted to anticipate and identify all services that may be needed under this contract throughout the length of the award period. In the event FCSS has failed to anticipate all service needs, responding firms are asked to provide a fee structure for additional, related services that may be needed during the award period. Firms are to provide an hourly rate in the space provided in the Bid form. If awarded, this fee would then apply to service needs that may be identified at a later date.

If there are different rates, please provide any/all rate information

6.0 PROPOSAL EVALUATION

6.1 Organization and Completeness of Proposal

Proposal must provide straightforward, concise proof of the offeror’s capabilities to satisfy RFP requirements. For ease of review, responses must be organized in the exact same order as the RFP or as stipulated in the RFP. Each section should be labeled, and any additional documents provided by the vendor must reference the appropriate section of the RFP. All requested information must be included, and all forms completed in their entirety. (All spaces must be completed on all requested documentation.) Any proposals that do not include all required information may be considered non-responsive and disqualified.

6.2 Evaluation Procedures – Review of Proposals

A committee will evaluate the proposal responses based on qualifications, relevant experience, responsiveness of proposers, and the estimated cost of the engagement. Cost will not be the sole determining factor in the award. Each proposal will be reviewed for completeness to ensure that all mandatory requirements are addressed satisfactorily. The committee will determine any areas requiring additional clarification/information and request this information from the responding vendor. The committee will evaluate the quality and completeness of each response as it addresses each requirement of the RFP. All non-cost-related areas of the response are evaluated during this phase.

The selection of the awarded vendor will be based on the review of several key elements in the proposals submitted.

The final score will be the sum of the non-cost elements as specified and the cost.

Cost Evaluation Formula:

(Lowest Price/R-where “R” represents the cost of proposal currently being ranked) x Points

=Score.