Exhibit_2_-_Sample_Agreement.pdf

2. The term of this Agreement is:

IFB 24-3026 Page 1 of 22 CDSS/To Be Determined

EXHIBIT A

(Standard Agreement)

SCOPE OF WORK

A. Background and Purpose

Contractor shall provide the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) with the necessary linguistic expertise, desktop publishing skills, materials, Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and digital accessibility compliance, supplies, and equipment needed to support CDSS with translation, translation proofreading services, and produce the final deliverables as described herein. Translation and translation proofreading services shall be provided for CDSS documents, as well as other written materials produced by the California Health and Human Services Agency (CalHHS) and by the twelve (12) departments and five (5) offices that CalHHS oversees.

These services are necessary for CDSS and other CalHHS departments and offices to remain in compliance with state and federal civil rights obligations, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and associated federal guidance, Executive Order 13166, the Dymally Alatorre Bilingual Services Act, and California Government Code 11135, which requires the timely provision of language access services to individuals with limited English proficiency.

B. Contractor Responsibilities

1. Translation and translation proofreading services shall be provided for the following languages:

• Arabic

• Armenian

(Eastern)

• Cambodian

• Chinese

(Simplified)

• Chinese

(Traditional)

• English

• Farsi/Dari

• Hindi

• Hmong

• Japanese

• Korean

• Lao

• Mien

• Pashto

• Portuguese

• Punjabi

• Russian

• Spanish

• Tagalog

• Thai

• Ukrainian

• Vietnamese

CDSS may request these services in other languages as needed. In these instances, Contractor shall supply an estimate (in accordance with Section B, item 10, Cost Estimates and Project Word Counts) that shall not exceed the rates as stated in Exhibit B – Attachment 1, Rate Sheet.

IFB 24-3026 Page 2 of 22

2. CDSS may request special projects, including but not limited to:

a . The creation and grading of language assessment exercises based on a grading rubric provided to the Contractor by CDSS;

b . The voice recording of translated scripts;

c . The translation and creation of closed captions, including timestamps; and

d. The transcription and translation of audio/video files in digital format.

3. Operational Capacity

a. Office location: Contractor shall have their headquarters office located in the state of California.

b. Business license: Contractor shall have and maintain a business license issued by the state of California, for the duration of this Agreement.

c. Staffing levels: Contractor shall have sufficient staff and equipment to effectively track and manage up to approximately 500 active translation and proofreading projects at any given time, without causing delays to project turnaround times and final deadlines as specified in Section B, item 15, Performance/Turnaround.

d. Software: Contractor shall maintain current software applications that allow project files to be opened, edited, and reviewed. At a minimum, Contractor shall maintain up-to-date versions of Adobe Acrobat, Adobe InDesign, Adobe Experience Manager, Adobe Photoshop, and the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Publisher). Applications shall be upgraded as needed to ensure the files provided to CDSS are current and usable by CDSS staff and/or its printers.

e. Equipment: All equipment used by Contractor is the property of the Contractor, who shall be fully responsible for all maintenance and services required, to ensure that there are no delays or disruptions to the services.

f. Delivery of completed projects: Contractor shall deliver all completed projects to CDSS through an XTRF Language Business Platform. The XTRF platform shall also be used for submitting materials for translation, approving cost estimates, receiving translated files, generating reports, processing invoices, etc. Contractor shall be fully responsible for all maintenance of, and any additional costs associated with, the XTRF Language Business Platform.

Contractor shall ensure that there are no delays or disruptions to the services due to platform downtime.

IFB 24-3026 Page 3 of 22

(1) An alternate system may be used to carry out the tasks listed in item (f), upon prior written approval from CDSS.

(2) If CDSS needs a project to be delivered on a flash drive or requires physical copies, Contractor shall deliver them to CDSS at 744 P Street, M.S. 9-7-042, Attn: TBD, Sacramento, CA 95814 at no additional cost.

g. Availability of Project Representatives: Contractor’s Project Representatives shall be available Monday through Friday during regular business hours (8 a.m. to 5 p.m. PT). In the case of urgent requests, Contractor shall assign a Project Representative who shall be reachable and available after regular business hours. Project Representatives shall designate a backup when they are out of the office. Contractor’s Project Representatives or their backup shall be responsible for notifying CDSS by email when their Project Representatives are out of the office.

4. Types of Documents

Contractor may be required to translate, proofread, and typeset a wide variety of document types, including but not limited to publications, pamphlets, brochures, forms, posters, phone scripts, web text, advertisements, news releases, letters, notices, and PowerPoint slides. Contractor shall provide translation and proofreading services for both print and digital projects.

5. Confidentiality

All communications between Contractor and CDSS Project Representative(s), as well as all documents received by, reviewed, and produced by Contractor, shall be treated as confidential unless disclosure is required by law.

6. Definitions of Translation and Proofreading Projects

a. New translation: A “new translation” is defined as the first-time translation request of any document(s) which has not been previously translated into the target language. A document assigned to Contractor as a new translation shall be translated in its entirety unless otherwise requested by CDSS Project Representatives.

b. Revision project: A “revision project” or “revision” is defined as a project that has been previously translated into the target language and whose original source text has been updated with at least one (1) or more textual changes.

Contractor shall be responsible for performing two (2) tasks for each revision project:

IFB 24-3026 Page 4 of 22

(1) Updating those sections of the previous translation that correspond to the altered sections of the updated source text. (When requesting service, CDSS shall provide a source file with track changes or other markup identifying the altered sections).

(2) Reviewing the remainder of the target text for translation accuracy and making corrections, as necessary.

c. Proofreading project: A “proofreading project” is defined as a project that has previously been translated into the target language and shall be reviewed by Contractor for the following elements:

(1) The target text accurately conveys the meaning of the source text.

(2) Grammar, spelling, capitalization, and punctuation are correct according to the rules and conventions of the target language and other standards required by CDSS, as applicable.

(3) The register of the target text is appropriate and matches the register of the source text.

(4) The formatting of the translated document corresponds to that of the source document (except when the text direction of the translation [e.g., left-to-right or right-to-left] has been changed to match the conventions of the target language).

(5) Hyperlinks work and direct the user to the correct webpage, file, etc.

(6) If any of the documents in the project contain additional accessibility features (including but not limited to alternate text, captions, and tooltips), proofreading services shall include the review of all accessibility features that have been translated into the target language.

7. Translator and DTP Staff Qualifications

a. Translator Qualifications: Contractor shall use only qualified translators who reside and conduct services within the United States. Contractor shall ensure translators have met all requirements described herein. Failure to do so may result in the termination of this Agreement. Contractor shall be held responsible for the quality, accuracy, and accessibility of all services provided.

(1) Translators shall have five (5) years of cumulative professional translation experience in the requested language pair.

(2) Contractor shall maintain copies of language certifications from the American Translators Association (ATA) or have proof of certification from a government agency or other professional service organization for all translators.

IFB 24-3026 Page 5 of 22

(3) If neither the ATA nor other organizational certification is available, the Contractor may certify the translator’s qualifications on company letterhead. The certification shall include the following for each translator and language pair:

(a) The translator possesses at least five (5) years of cumulative professional translation experience

(b) Information that specifies how the translator’s language fluency and qualifications were verified/tested

(4) All translators who provide services through this Agreement shall have sufficient proficiency in, and familiarity with, the source language and target language as they are used in California, so as to produce translations that are easily understood by speakers of these language varieties.

(5) Contractor shall maintain documentation of the qualifications of all translators who provide services under this Agreement and submit that documentation to CDSS upon request.

b. DTP Qualifications: Contractor shall use only qualified desktop publishing (DTP) staff for DTP services provided under this Agreement and shall ensure that these individuals have met all requirements described in this Section.

Contractor shall maintain a current resume of all individuals who will be providing the DTP services. Resumes shall be kept on file and submitted to CDSS upon request.

All DTP staff shall have a minimum of five (5) years of experience in all of the following:

(1) Creating Adobe InDesign files and Adobe Experience Manager files in the languages established in Section B.1.

(2) Tagging documents in Adobe InDesign, Adobe Experience Manager, and Acrobat, assigning correct header structure, creating links, articles, thumbnails and bookmarks, applying and creating tooltips in all the target languages, adding and deleting master pages, and using proofing tools.

(3) Formatting/reformatting documents, including changing fonts, graphics, layout of paragraphs and paragraph styles in InDesign documents.

(4) Journey-level understanding in printing processes, including but not limited to layout, bleeds, folding, cropping, text flow, trapping, RGB and CMYK color models, and saving files to different file formats for internet applications and printing, to both desktop color printers and large commercial printers.

IFB 24-3026 Page 6 of 22

(5) Exporting files into PDF format using Adobe InDesign, Adobe Experience Manager, and Adobe Acrobat Pro, and ensuring that all PDFs are ADA compliant.

(6) Creating/manipulating PDF files, including the creation of bookmarks and thumbnails.

(7) Knowledge in using a screen reader (e.g., NVDA) to ensure all PDF documents read correctly in the document tag tree.

c. If Contractor subcontracts any work under this Agreement, including subcontracting with another translation service company or desktop publisher, Contractor shall be held responsible for ensuring that only qualified translators and desktop publishers are used for services provided as stated in items B.7.a. and B.7.b. Contractor retains complete responsibility for fulfilling the requirements of this Agreement.

8. Ownership of Communications and Records

All communications and records originated or prepared by Contractor, including but not limited to PDF files, graphics, logos, glossaries, reports, videos, brochures, charts, and inventions and produced and delivered under the auspices of this Agreement shall become the exclusive property of CDSS departments and offices including CDSS, may be copyrighted by CDSS departments and offices, and shall be released to CDSS departments and offices.

9. Languages

a. Original documents shall be submitted for translation in any of the languages listed in Section B.1. Translation may be requested from English into any of the other languages listed within Section B.1, or from any of the languages listed within Section B.1 into English.

b. When CDSS requests translation services into or from a language other than one of the languages listed in Section B.1, the cost per word shall not exceed the rates as stated in Exhibit B – Attachment 1, Rate Sheet, and shall be negotiated by the CDSS Project Representatives and Contractor.

10. Cost Estimates and Project Word Counts

a. Prior to Contractor beginning any work on a project, including any special projects, CDSS shall transmit the project (source files) to the Contractor for a cost estimate consistent with section D.1. When CDSS submits a request for a cost estimate to the Contractor, CDSS shall provide all necessary source files, as well as any special instructions or specific requests for the project.

IFB 24-3026 Page 7 of 22

Contractor shall provide a written estimate for each project within two (2) business days of receiving the request. Cost estimates submitted by email on company stationery to the CDSS Project Representative are acceptable.

The cost estimate shall be calculated by multiplying the total word count of the assignment by the corresponding rate established in Exhibit B – Attachment 1, Rate sheet.

The cost estimate for transcription projects (audio or video) shall be calculated by multiplying the total runtime of the project by the corresponding per-minute transcription rate specified in Exhibit B – Attachment 1, Rate Sheet.

At a minimum, cost estimates shall include:

(1) An estimated date of completion

(2) The project form or case name

(3) The Agreement number

(4) The word count(s) used to calculate the cost estimate

(a) Transcription projects shall instead use the runtime

(5) The type of words counted (i.e., source vs. target)

(a) Not applicable in the case of transcription projects

(6) The rate (as specified in Exhibit B – Attachment 1, Rate Sheet) used to calculate the cost estimate

(7) The estimated cost of the project, in dollars and itemized by language pair (if applicable)

b. Cost estimate word counts: The total word count of a project shall be calculated based on the type of project requested:

(1) New translations: Word count shall reflect the number of words to be translated in the source text, regardless of the language of the source text.

In the case of files with fillable form fields, estimates shall include the word count of tooltips. For files containing multiple header templates, the cost estimate shall only include the word count on the first template.

(2) Revision projects: The total word count shall be based on the sum of two

(2) separate word counts:

(a) The word count of the sections to be updated in the source text (to be paid at the Translation rate identified in Exhibit B – Attachment 1, Rate Sheet, regardless of the language of the source text).

IFB 24-3026 Page 8 of 22

(b) The word count of the remaining words in the source text to be reviewed for translation accuracy (to be paid at the revision rate identified in Exhibit B – Attachment 1, Rate Sheet, regardless of the language of the source text).

(3) Proofreading projects: Word count shall reflect the number of words of the source text, regardless of the language of the source text. If the document includes fillable form fields, estimates shall include the word count of tooltips.

(4) In such cases where it is not feasible to gather an accurate word count of the source text, Contractor may, upon receiving prior written approval from CDSS, base the word count of a project on the number of translated words in the target text, and payment shall be based on the final translated source file word count.

c. Minimum amounts: If the cost estimate is less than the minimum amount specified below for each project type, the estimate for each requested language shall reflect the minimum amount.

• New translations: $100 minimum per language

• Revision projects: $100 minimum per language

• Proofreading projects: $50 minimum per language

d. Cost estimate approval: Once CDSS provides written approval of the cost estimate, Contractor shall perform the services requested within the timeframe identified in Section B, item 15, Performance/Turnaround.

Contractor shall receive written approval from the CDSS Project Representative to begin the translation/typesetting of any project.

11. Translation Projects: Consistency, Glossaries, and Style Guides

a. All translation projects shall be clear and concise and have maximum ease of comprehension and minimal ambiguity. Vocabulary and syntax used shall be standard and relevant to the majority of California residents who speak, read, and write the target language. Contemporary colloquialisms or regionalisms are not acceptable unless specifically requested by CDSS.

Translations shall accurately reflect the meaning contained in the original documents to be translated. For multi-page or large projects, CDSS requires the same translator be used to ensure consistency. Contractor shall request prior written approval if multiple translators shall be used on a given project.

IFB 24-3026 Page 9 of 22

b. CDSS shall provide the Contractor with its most current glossaries for the following languages/writing systems: Armenian, Chinese (Traditional), Farsi/Dari, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese. These glossaries reflect the approved translations for numerous terms. To preserve standards and maintain consistency from project to project, Contractor shall use all terms established in those glossaries in its translations and proofreading projects.

Additionally, Contractor is encouraged to share the following link, which houses all of CDSS’s translated forms and publications, with its translators for their reference: http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Translated-Forms-and-Publications.

CDSS may provide updated glossaries for the abovementioned languages at any time. Additionally, CDSS may provide glossaries for additional languages at any time. Contractor shall adhere to the terminology established in these updated and new glossaries for all subsequent projects.

On occasion, CDSS may ask the Contractor to use an alternate glossary for a specific project. In these cases, CDSS shall provide the alternate glossary at the time of requesting a cost estimate from the Contractor. Contractor shall adhere to the terminology established in the alternate glossary for the specified project and language pair.

c. CDSS shall provide Contractor with language-specific style guides as they become available. To preserve standards and maintain consistency from project to project, Contractor shall follow all requirements established in those style guides in its translations and proofreading projects.

CDSS may also provide updated versions of language-specific style guides at any time. Additionally, CDSS may provide style guides for additional languages at any time. Contractor shall adhere to the requirements established in these updated and new style guides for all subsequent projects.

On occasion, CDSS may ask Contractor to use an alternate style guide for a specific project. In these cases, CDSS shall provide the alternate style guide at the time of requesting a cost estimate from the Contractor. Contractor shall adhere to the requirements established in the alternate style guide for the specified project and language pair.

d. To ensure that translators fully understand the concepts used in the source texts translated and proofread, CDSS and the Contractor shall allow and provide for communication between translators and program experts for clarification of specific program-related terms and concepts, as needed, via email.

http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Translated-Forms-and-Publications http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Translated-Forms-and-Publications http://www.cdss.ca.gov/inforesources/Translated-Forms-and-Publications

IFB 24-3026 Page 10 of 22

e. Corrupt files: Should a source file become corrupt and need to be re-keyed after it is received by the Contractor, the Contractor shall provide such service at no additional cost.

12. Typesetting

This section shall apply only to translation projects (new translations and revisions).

a. Contractor shall typeset and format documents to mirror corresponding original documents. This includes, but is not limited to, features like margins, the placement of graphics, font size, leading, kerning, and page numbering.

Contractor shall use the same font size as that of the source file, unless otherwise specified. Although the translated text may be longer than the original text, Contractor shall mirror the original document. This may result in reformatting the translated text to ensure the document layouts match. The page flow shall not be altered, as additional pages may need to be added after translation. Additionally, all translated forms and documents shall be completed in the standard letter format (size 8.5 x 11 inches) unless otherwise specified.

b. To preserve standards and maintain visual consistency, Contractor is required to adhere to the following typesetting guidelines unless CDSS indicates otherwise. If CDSS requires the Contractor to adhere to alternate typesetting guidelines, CDSS shall provide those written instructions when requesting a cost estimate from the Contractor.

(1) Headers and footers shall be in English.

(2) A footer shall appear on every page (even if the original form did not have one).

(3) Footers shall contain the name of the language in parentheses between the name of the form and the revision date [e.g., MSC 123 (Spanish) (1/07)], if applicable. The following are the language names:

• Arabic

• Armenian

(Eastern)

• Chinese

(Simplified)

• Cambodian

• Chinese

(Traditional)

• English

• Farsi/Dari

• Hindi

• Hmong

• Japanese

• Korean

• Lao

• Mien

• Pashto

• Portuguese

• Punjabi

• Russian

• Spanish

• Tagalog

• Thai

• Ukrainian

IFB 24-3026 Page 11 of 22

• Vietnamese

(4) Page numbers shall be located on every page and shall be in English, including the word “Page”.

(5) Bullets, indentations, and paragraphs shall be the same as they appear in the original document.

(6) Areas that are bolded in the original document shall be bolded in the translated document.

(7) CDSS and other governmental proper nouns that cannot be translated shall be explained in the translated document. The original English name of the program shall appear in parentheses immediately after the explanation.

(8) CDSS and other governmental proper nouns that can be translated shall be translated and be followed by the original English name in parentheses.

c. When a PDF from an original source document has areas that are fillable, Contractor shall ensure the translated PDF document contains the same fillable areas and has translated tooltips (if applicable).

d. When requested by CDSS, Contractor shall merge pages (previously translated into the target language) to translated documents. The cost estimate and invoice shall reflect the addition of the merged pages at no additional cost.

e. The final deliverables shall adhere to all accessibility standards as defined in Section B, item 14.e, Accessibility.

f. The CDSS Project Representative reserves the right to reject electronic files received from Contractor that are, in the judgment of the CDSS Project Representative, to be of poor quality (including but not limited to reasons of typesetting/layout errors, low resolution, etc.). If this occurs, Contractor shall correct and resubmit those files within 24 hours of being notified by the CDSS Project Representative. No additional payments shall be made to the Contractor in the case of Contractor error or omission. Contractor’s repeated delivery of poor-quality electronic files with typesetting/layout errors may be considered proof of the Contractor’s inability to provide the required services and may constitute possible cause for termination of the Agreement.

13. Proofs and Quality Assurance

a. Contractor shall adhere to all established guidelines and shall be held responsible for the accuracy, quality, and timely submission of all projects delivered under this Agreement.

IFB 24-3026 Page 12 of 22

b. Prior to submitting final deliverables, Contractor shall provide a “proof” for each translation project to CDSS for approval. Contractor shall send the proof electronically by email to the CDSS Project Representative. The proof shall be a composite PDF file (unless otherwise indicated by CDSS) compatible with the latest version of Adobe Acrobat. All graphics, colors, page flow, translated tooltips, and design elements (as applicable) shall be included in the first proof.

c. Contractor shall ensure that all proofs are free of errors, including but not limited to errors in the following categories:

(1) Grammar

(2) Syntax

(3) Spelling

(4) Vocabulary

(5) Punctuation

(6) Typographical errors

(7) Capitalization

(8) Consistency/parallelism

(9) Unnecessary use of transliteration (if applicable)

(10) Register

(11) Formatting

(12) Text enhancements

d. Contractor shall be responsible for ensuring that all translations are carefully reviewed by the translator, as well as by a second individual who is also a qualified translator (as specified in Section B.7), before submitting the proof to CDSS. When submitting the proof to CDSS, Contractor shall also submit evidence demonstrating that the document was reviewed by a qualified second individual. Acceptable evidence can include, but is not limited to, manual markup, a track changes Word file, a filled-in review template, etc.

e. CDSS shall conduct an internal review and/or request proofreading of any project in any language pair by an outside source and, if needed, submit corrections to the Contractor via a proofreading template and/or a commented PDF (or other working file, as applicable). There shall be no additional compensation to the Contractor in the case of Contractor error or omission. CDSS edits shall be returned to and reviewed by the same linguist who originally translated the project. Contractor shall return corrected

IFB 24-3026 Page 13 of 22 documents to CDSS and certify that all corrections were made by the original translator or other qualified staff. For each correction that Contractor does not apply, Contractor shall provide a written justification in English to explain why the correction was not made.

f. All proofs for CDSS translation projects shall be sent to the CDSS Project Representative within five (5) business days (Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. PT) of approval of the estimate. In the case of a multi-page project (five [5] or more pages per language), the CDSS Project Representative shall negotiate a proof delivery timeframe with the Contractor.

g. If a second proof be required, Contractor shall submit the corrected proof within two (2) business days from the date corrections are requested. Should the Contractor develop a pattern of requiring more than two (2) proofs per project, CDSS may consider this a cause for termination of the Agreement.

14. Final Deliverables

Contractor shall ensure that all translation and proofreading services are provided by qualified translators residing in the United States and shall maintain an affidavit as proof upon completion of any translation.

Proofreading projects: Contractor shall submit final deliverables to CDSS within the timeframe established upon the approval of the project’s cost estimate.

a. As final deliverables for proofreading projects, Contractor shall submit two

(2) items:

(1) A CDSS edits template that documents all of the Contractor’s edits and other recommendations. Contractor may use a different edits template, with the advance written approval of CDSS, and the proposed template shall (1) clearly identify the location (including the page number) where the error is located; (2) explain in English why the given word, phrase, or section is wrong; and (3) indicate at least one correct way to write the given word, phrase, or section.

(2) A marked-up version of the target text showing all of the Contractor’s edits and other recommendations with comments, track changes, or another method approved in advance by CDSS.

A proofreading project is considered complete once the CDSS Project Representative receives the Contractor’s final deliverables and notifies Contractor in writing that the project is complete.

IFB 24-3026 Page 14 of 22

Translation projects: Contractor shall submit final deliverables within three (3) business days after the CDSS Project Representative approves the proof. The final deliverables shall be free of all errors in content, layout, and accessibility. If the final deliverables contain errors due to actions of the Contractor, it may be considered a failure to meet the deadlines as outlined in Section B, item 15, Performance/Turnaround.

b. Unless otherwise indicated by CDSS, all final deliverables shall consist of the following:

(1) Final translated source files (InDesign, Adobe Experience Manager, PDF, Microsoft Office Suite, etc.) shall be typeset to match original version and shall:

(a) Be created on a PC platform;

(b) Have pages in sequential order and not in booklet form;

(c) Include all graphics/translated graphics and fonts; and

(d) Be delivered electronically (XTRF or email)

c. Final translated documents in PDF shall:

(1) Have embedded fonts;

(2) Be fillable (per source file);

(3) Have all the tooltips translated into the target language;

(4) Meet the accessibility standards as outlined in the Section B, item 14.e., Accessibility;

(5) Have pages in sequential order and not in booklet form;

(6) Have all blank pages deleted; and

(7) Be delivered electronically (XTRF or email)

d. For translation projects that require both the delivery of a final PDF file and its corresponding translated source files, all accessibility features outlined in Section B, item 14.e, Accessibility, shall be present in both the PDF document and the source file as applicable.

CDSS shall not consider a translation project completed until both the final PDF file (when applicable) and its translated source file comply with all accessibility requirements outlined in Section B, item 14.e, Accessibility.

CDSS reserves the right to reject any translation project and resubmit it to the Contractor for revision if CDSS determines that it does not meet the requirements in Section B, item 14.e, Accessibility.

IFB 24-3026 Page 15 of 22

e. Accessibility

The following standards for accessibility shall apply on all digital content, including but not limited to documents, publications, and forms:

Digital content — As required by California Government Code 7405 and section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act; all digital content (e.g., documents, publications, and forms) shall meet Level A and AA success criteria and conformance requirements of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.1 https://www.w3.org/TR/2018/REC-WCAG21- 20180605/. This includes, but is not limited to, the following requirements:

• Documents shall retain the same heading structure.

• Lists and headings shall be created using built-in styles.

• Alternate text applied to non-text items shall be translated.

(1) PDFs

In addition to all accessibility requirements specified above, final PDF deliverables shall meet the following accessibility requirements:

Web File – PDF (Adobe Acrobat 8.0 or newer): Documents shall be converted to PDF from the final translated file (using screen optimized setting for Internet) and in compliance with California Government Code Section 11135, Section 508 of the U.S. Rehabilitation Act and success criteria and conformance requirements of the WCAG 2.1.

The PDF shall meet all Level A and AA success criteria and conformance requirements of the WCAG 2.1, including:

(a) The PDF form contains embedded fonts;

(b) All meaningful elements of the PDF have been correctly tagged and the PDF retains the same tag structure as the original document. If the tag structure in the original document is incorrect, the Contractor shall use an alternative structure that complies with the abovementioned digital accessibility requirements;

(c) All meaningful non-text items have translated alternate text;

(d) The PDF is not a scanned document (the PDF is not an image of a document);

(e) The PDF file has been created from InDesign, Adobe Experience

Manager, or Microsoft Office Suite using the “Export” function (not “Print”);

https://www.w3.org/TR/2018/REC-WCAG21-20180605/ https://www.w3.org/TR/2018/REC-WCAG21-20180605/

IFB 24-3026 Page 16 of 22

(f) Prior to “Exporting” the title of the form, which is found in the Document properties, has been added to the File info tab in the InDesign file;

(g) The PDF is set to “high resolution”;

(h) The PDF has the check box that reads “Enable text access for screen reader devices for the visually impaired” checked;

(i) In the PDF’s document properties, the “initial view” tab is set to

“document title” and target language is set in the “advanced” tab with the proper ISO (639) language codes;

(j) Tooltips on all form fields are translated;

(k) The PDF has the language and revision date in the “title” under the

“description” tab in the “document properties”;

(l) Text strings in a language other than the document language are placed in span tags, and the language in each span tag’s properties is correctly assigned;

(m) Text that appears in a table purely for formatting reasons (i.e., the table is not presenting data in an organized, grid-like fashion) has been removed from a table tag structure (when present) and is placed in the main line of the tag tree (e.g., in paragraph tags or as a list item series); and

(n) A screen reader has been used to verify proper tagging structure.

(2) Web content

CDSS shall submit text intended for web publication to the Contractor in a Microsoft Word document. Contractor shall deliver the final translation to CDSS in the same file format. Because the final translated text will be published in HTML and not as a Word document, Contractor may not be required to comply with all of the accessibility requirements outlined in Section B, item 14.e.

However, Contractor shall use the Comments feature in Microsoft Word to leave the following posting instructions to assist with compliance with digital accessibility requirements when posting the Contractor’s translation to the web:

(a) Contractor shall put a comment at the top of the Word document reminding readers that the page language (or language property of the div tag, as applicable) should be set to the target language.

IFB 24-3026 Page 17 of 22

(b) All headings shall be commented with the correct heading hierarchy (e.g., “H1” if the selected text should be a heading level 1). The Contractor can use the heading hierarchy present on the English version of the webpage or use their own hierarchy, so long as the final headings follow a correct, accessible structure.

(c) All images shall be commented with appropriate alternate text in the target language.

(d) Any words or phrases left in English shall be commented with instructions to place the text in a span with language properties set to the target language. For example, a page translated into Vietnamese shall have comments for every English word or phrase, and each comment shall say: “Place indicated text in a span and set the span language properties to English”.

15. Performance/Turnaround

Each project request by CDSS shall be independent of other projects and shall have distinct turnaround times as specified by the CDSS Project Representative and as described below:

a. From the time the CDSS Project Representative requests services, the Contractor shall submit a cost estimate within two (2) business days.

b. Upon approval of the cost estimate, the Contractor shall have five (5) business days to submit a proof (translation projects) or final deliverables (all other services) to the CDSS Project Representative.

(1) In the case of a multi-page project (five [5] or more pages per language), the CDSS Project Representative shall negotiate a delivery timeframe with the Contractor, tailored to the specific translation project.

c. When a second proof is required for a translation project, Contractor shall have two (2) days to submit the second proof to the CDSS Project Representative.

(1) In the rare case where more than two (2) proofs are required, the CDSS Project Representative and Contractor shall negotiate a timeframe.

d. From the time the CDSS Project Representative approves the proof for a translation project, Contractor shall have three (3) business days to provide all final deliverables listed in Section B, item 14, Final Deliverables.

IFB 24-3026 Page 18 of 22

16. Expedited Service

CDSS may require expedited services outside the normal turnaround time indicated in Section B, item 15, Performance/Turnaround. These services may require a 24-hour turnaround. In these “rush” instances, CDSS shall pay an additional fee of 25 percent (25%) of the normal cost for the services.

17. File Retention

Contractor shall retain all translated source files/documents and final deliverables for a minimum of three (3) years from the date of completion of the project.

18. Virtual Meetings

If a virtual meeting is necessary, Contractor shall make arrangements, at no additional cost to CDSS, to meet the CDSS Project Representatives virtually via Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or other virtual communication platform.

19. Cancellation Policy

CDSS reserves the right to cancel a project request at any time.

a. Contractor shall not charge CDSS for cancellations if CDSS cancels a project within 24 hours after approving the project’s cost estimate.

a. For projects cancelled more than 24 hours after the approval of the cost estimate, Contractor may charge a prorated portion of the total estimated cost of the affected language pair of the project based on the percentage of source words already translated, rounded to the nearest 10 percentage points. Contractor shall submit the partially completed project to receive payment.

20. Late Fee Policy

CDSS reserves the right to deduct a percentage of the total cost of a project that is delayed (i.e., the proof or final deliverables are not submitted to CDSS by the designated due date) through no fault of CDSS:

a. Two (2) – three (3) business days overdue – 10% of the total cost of the affected language pair of the project

b. Four (4) business days or more – 25% of the total cost of the affected language pair of the project

IFB 24-3026 Page 19 of 22

21. Returned Projects Policy

CDSS may also deduct 25% of the total cost for any language pair of a translation project that has been returned to Contractor more than once for edits not made/edits missed. Specifically, this penalty may be applied when (1) CDSS identified the edits during the review of the Contractor’s first proof and (2) Contractor has not applied the corrections in both their second and third proofs.

This penalty may only be applied once per language pair per project.

22. Biweekly Status Reports

Every first (1st) and fifteenth (15th) day of the month, Contractor shall provide CDSS with a report outlining the status of all open projects.

a. If a status report is due on a holiday, Saturday, or Sunday, Contractor shall submit the report to CDSS on the following business day.

b. At a minimum, all biweekly status reports shall contain the following information for each project:

(1) The project number (CDSS shall provide this number to Contractor when requesting a cost estimate)

(2) The project name (CDSS shall provide this information to the Contractor when requesting a cost estimate)

(3) The target languages of the project

(4) The current status of the project

(a) The report shall reflect when different languages are in different phases of completion for a single project.

(b) Projects that have been completed since the submission of the previous biweekly report shall appear on the current report. The report shall show their status as “Complete” and shall indicate the date on which the project was completed per Section B, item 14, Final Deliverables.

(c) Completed projects that appear on one biweekly report shall be removed starting with the subsequent report.

(5) In the Contractor’s estimation, the date by which the proof (see Section B, item 13) shall be submitted to CDSS

IFB 24-3026 Page 20 of 22

(a) The Contractor may revise their delivery estimates from one biweekly report to the next.

(b) The report shall reflect when different languages for a single project have different estimated dates for submission.

(6) As applicable, any notes or comments about a project that the Contractor wishes to document in the status report

c. CDSS shall provide Contractor with a template to use for the status reports.

CDSS may amend the template at any time to add additional reporting requirements. Contractor shall implement the amended template within seven (7) business days of receiving it from CDSS. If the Contractor needs more time to implement the amended template, Contractor shall email the written request to CDSS within seven (7) business days of receiving the amended template from CDSS.

(1) Upon receiving prior written approval from CDSS, the Contractor may use their own template to generate the biweekly status reports.

(2) In all cases, biweekly status reports shall include, at a minimum, the information outlined in this Section B, item 22.b.

d. The biweekly status reports shall comply with all digital accessibility requirements outlined in Section B, item 14.e, Accessibility. CDSS shall return non-accessible reports to Contractor for correction.

e. The biweekly status reports shall not include any personal identifying information (PII). If Contractor is unsure what information constitutes PII, the Contractor shall ask CDSS for clarification prior to submitting any biweekly status report.

C. Rank Order Selection Process

1. A request by the CDSS Representative shall be sent to the Contractor for the requested services.

2. If the Contractor is unable to provide the services required by CDSS or the Contractor does not accept the request within two (2) business days, CDSS may then contact the next ranked Contractor to perform services.

3. CDSS reserves the right to suspend or terminate a Contractor's contract if the ranked Contractor has not timely responded to or denies service requests five

(5) or more times over the course of the contract.

IFB 24-3026 Page 21 of 22

D. CDSS Responsibilities

1. Source Files

a. New translations: CDSS shall supply the source files with the respective graphics and fonts used in the documents.

b. Revision projects: For updates to existing translated documents, CDSS shall supply the most recent version of the existing translated source file, which will most often be in an Adobe InDesign, PDF, or Microsoft Office Suite file format).

c. InDesign (.indd) and Adobe Experience Manager source files: CDSS may request additional changes to an InDesign or Adobe Experience Manager source file, including but not limited to the deletion of master pages, reformatting to fit the target text into the space provided, and re-linking of pictures or graphics. Contractor shall make the necessary edits to the translation file at no additional cost.

d. Proofreading projects: CDSS shall supply the source and target texts for review, as well as any edits template the Contractor shall use to document corrections.

2. Review and monitor Contractor’s fiscal expenditures to ensure compliance with this Agreement.

3. Conduct an orientation meeting with Contractor within ten (10) working days of the Agreement award to discuss issues, concerns, and progress.

4. Organize and facilitate meetings or phone conferences with Contractor representatives, when necessary.

5. Review, approve, and provide input, if deemed necessary by CDSS, for all tasks as defined in the Scope of Work activities.

6. The following CDSS employees are authorized to request services under this Agreement:

• TBD

7. All printing shall be sent to the California Department of General Services, Office of State Publishing (OSP). It is the responsibility of the CDSS Project Representative to obtain an exemption from OSP to competitively bid out any and all printing listed within this Agreement.

IFB 24-3026 Page 22 of 22

E. Project Representatives

The Project Representatives during the term of this Agreement shall be:

CDSS

TBD

Contractor

TDB

The Project Representative may be changed by providing written notice to the other party within five (5) business days of the change. Said change shall not require an amendment to this Agreement.

Agreement 24-3026 Page 1 of 3

EXHIBIT B

(Standard Agreement)

Revised 12/29/23

BUDGET DETAIL AND PAYMENT PROVISIONS

A. Invoicing and Payment

1. The maximum amount payable under this Agreement shall not exceed $TBD.

Shown below are the amounts that cannot be exceeded for each of the fiscal year(s):

2024/25 $TBD

2025/26 $TBD

2. For services satisfactorily rendered, and upon receipt and approval of the invoice(s), CDSS agrees to pay the Contractor for said services in accordance with the rates specified in Exhibit B – Attachment 1, Rate Sheet.

3. Funding for necessary travel expenses and per diem are included in this Agreement and will be reimbursed at rates established by the California Department of Human Resources (CalHR) for comparable classes. (See https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/travel-reimbursements.aspx).

Contractor will itemize travel expenses, including receipts, and submit to CDSS Program Contract Manager for approval. This approval, including itemization and receipts must be attached to the invoice submitted for payment. No travel outside of the State of California by Contractor shall be reimbursed unless there is prior written authorization from CDSS.

4. Invoices shall include the Agreement Number TBD and Reporting Structure TBD and shall be submitted not more frequently than monthly in arrears to:

California Department of Social Services

TBD

TBD

744 P Street, M.S. TBD Sacramento, CA 95814

Attn: TBD Email: TBD

Any invoices submitted without the above referenced information may be returned to the Contractor for further re-processing.

B. State Budget Contingency Clause

1. It is mutually agreed that if the Budget Act of the current year and/or any subsequent years covered under this Agreement does not appropriate sufficient funds for the program, this Agreement shall be of no further force and effect. In this event, CDSS shall have no liability to pay any funds whatsoever to https://www.calhr.ca.gov/employees/Pages/travel-reimbursements.aspx

Agreement 24-3026 Page 2 of 3

EXHIBIT B

(Standard Agreement)

Revised 12/29/23

Contractor or to furnish any other considerations under this Agreement and Contractor shall not be obligated to perform any provisions of this Agreement.

2. If funding for any fiscal year is reduced or deleted by the Budget Act for purposes of this program, CDSS shall have the option to either cancel this Agreement with no liability occurring to the State, or offer an agreement amendment to Contractor to reflect the reduced amount.

C. For Contract with Federal Funds

1. It is mutually understood between the parties that this Agreement may have been written before ascertaining the availability of Congressional appropriation of funds, for the mutual benefit of both parties, in order to avoid program and fiscal delays which would occur if the Agreement were executed after that determination was made.

2. This Agreement is valid and enforceable only if sufficient funds are made available to the State by the United States Government for the term of this Agreement for the purposes of this program. In addition, this Agreement is subject to any additional restrictions, limitations, or conditions enacted by the Congress or any statute enacted by the Congress which may affect the provisions, terms, or funding of this Agreement in any manner.

3. It is mutually agreed that if the Congress does not appropriate sufficient funds for the program, this Agreement shall be amended to reflect any reduction in funds.

4. CDSS has the option to invalidate the Agreement under the 30-day cancellation clause or to amend the Agreement to reflect any reduction of funds.

D. Prompt Payment Clause

Payment will be made in accordance with, and within the time specified in, Government Code Chapter 4.5, commencing with Section 927.

E. Review

CDSS reserves the right to review service levels and billing procedures as they impact charges against this Agreement.

F. Final Billing

Invoices for services must be received by CDSS within 90 days following each state fiscal year, or 90 days following the end of the contract term, whichever comes first.

The final invoice must include the statement “Final Billing.”

Agreement 24-3026 Page 3 of 3

EXHIBIT B

(Standard Agreement)

Revised 12/29/23

G. Nonresident Tax Withholdings

Payments to all nonresidents may be subject to withholding. Nonresident payees performing services in California or receiving rent, lease, or royalty payments from property (real or personal) located in California will have seven percent of their total payments withheld for state income taxes. However, no withholding is required if total payments to the payee are $1,500 or less for the calendar year.

IFB 24-3026 Exhibit B – Attachment 1 CDSS/To Be Determined Page 1 of 2

Rate Sheet

The State, at its discretion, during the term of the Agreement may add funds to complete the identified tasks at the originally agreed upon services rates. The State may, at its discretion, exercise the option to extend the term of the Agreement for a period not to exceed twelve

(12) months at the originally agreed upon service rates.

A. Please note that all the following apply to the service rates:

1. The total word count…