IFB__25-025_-_VIG-TOPL_Translton,_Typsttn,_Proof_Services.pdf

Invitation For Bid (IFB)

Notice to Prospective Bidders

IFB #25-025

Translation, Typesetting, and Proofreading Services for the June 2, 2026, Primary

Election and November 3, 2026, General Election, Voter Information Guide(s)

January 22, 2026

Prospective Bidders are invited to review and respond to this Invitation for Bid (IFB), entitled #25-025 - Translation, Typesetting, and Proofreading services for June 2, 2026, Primary Election and November 3, 2026, General Election for the production of the

California Voter Information Guide(s) (VIG) and the Ballot Labels and Ballot Titles and

Summaries. In submitting your bid, you must comply with these instructions.

This solicitation requires all bidders meet the minimum Disabled Veterans Business

Enterprise (DVBE) 3% participation goal for this solicitation. However, this solicitation excludes the DVBE incentive and adjustments will not be applied to bids with more than

3% DVBE participation.

All agreements entered into with the State of California will include by reference

General Terms and Conditions (GTC 02/2025) and Contractor Certification Clauses

(CCC 04/2017) that may be viewed and downloaded at the following Internet site:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-

Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=GTC%2004/2017.

In the opinion of the Secretary of State (SOS), this IFB is complete and without need of explanation. However, inquiries regarding this IFB should be referred to:

Saulo Giron, Contract Analyst

Contract Services Unit

Secretary of State contractservices@sos.ca.gov

Please note that no verbal information given will be binding upon the State unless such information is issued in writing as an official addendum.

Contract Services | Management Services Division | 1500 11th Street, Suite 460

Sacramento, CA 95814 | Tel 916.653.5974 | www.sos.ca.gov https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=GTC%2004/2017 https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language?search=GTC%2004/2017 mailto:contractservices@sos.ca.gov

Table of Contents

Section Page

A) Purpose and Description of Services

B) . Agreement Term

C) Bidder Mandatory Qualifications, Certifications/Resumes and References

D) Time Schedule Information and Bid Package Requirements

1) Key Action Dates

2) Submission of Bid

3) Bid Opening, Evaluation, and Selection

4) Award and Protest

5) Disposition of Bids

6) Agreement Execution and Performance

E) Preference Programs

1) Small Business Preference

2) TACPA Preference

F) Required Attachments

1) Required Attachment Checklist

2) Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet

3) Cost Sheet

4) Quality Assurance Process

5) List of Available Languages

6) Code of Ethics, Professional Conduct and Confidentiality Statement

7) Errors and Omissions Insurance Certificate

8) Bidder References

9) California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program Requirement

10) California Civil Rights Laws Certification (DGS OLS 04)

11) Darfur Contracting Act (if applicable)

12) DGS Approved Small Business Certification (if applicable)

13) Payee Data Record (STD 204) ..................................................................................... **

14) Contractor's Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) (page 1) ................................... **

G) Sample Standard Agreement (STD 213)

1) Exhibit A – Scope of Work

2) Exhibit A-1 – Deadlines and Timelines

3) Exhibit A-2 – Samples………………………………………………………………………...59

4) Exhibit B – Budget Detail and Payment Provisions

5) Exhibit B-1 – Cost Sheet

6) Exhibit C – General Terms and Conditions

7) Exhibit D – Special Terms and Conditions

8) Exhibit E – Additional Provisions

** These documents are not required to be returned with the bid package and are required upon award of the contract. See Attachment 1 – Required Attachment

Check List.

A) Purpose and Description of Services

The California Secretary of State (SOS) requires translation, typesetting, and proofreading services for the production of the California Voter Information Guide

(VIG) and the Ballot Labels and Ballot Titles and Summaries as outlined below for the June 2, 2026, Primary Election and the November 3, 2026, General Election.

The nine (9) standard languages required for services performed under this

Agreement are: (1) Spanish, (2) Chinese (Traditional), (3) Hindi, (4) Japanese, (5)

Khmer, (6) Korean, (7) Tagalog, (8) Thai, and (9) Vietnamese; however, additional languages may be required.

The items to be translated are:

• For the November 3, 2026, General Election ONLY: Ballot Labels to be provided to county elections officials and printed in the Voter Information

Guide

• For the November 3, 2026, General Election ONLY: Ballot Titles and

Summaries for the Voter Information Guide

• Voter Information Guide (print-ready and web-ready versions)

• Text of Proposed Laws (TOPL) if required (print-ready and web-ready versions)

• Top Two Candidates Open Primary Act precinct notice

• Weblinks for the Voter Information Guide and Text of Proposed Laws

• Introduction, transition, closing scripts, and CD labels for audio production

• Cover letters for audio and large print mailings

• Text for SOS (VIG) website

• Opt-out email

SOS will provide the Contractor with samples upon request. Ballot Label and Ballot

Title and Summary samples will be provided in Exhibit A-2.

A high standard of service and translation is expected and must be provided by the Contractor throughout the term of this contract. Any work not specifically mentioned, but which is needed to make the services described herein complete within the intent of this Agreement, shall be performed without additional cost to the SOS. The SOS is the owner of all work documents in all phases of completion, and the Contractor has no right of retention of the documents.

All services and corrections must be made according to the specific time frames set forth in Exhibit A-1, Timelines and Deadlines. Submissions beyond the specific timeframe will result in financial offset. The contractor will need to adhere to the strict Timeline and Deadlines outlined in Exhibit A-1 in order to make the Ballot

Labels and Ballot Titles and Summaries available at Public Display. Timelines can be found in Exhibit A-1, Timelines and Deadlines.

Please see Exhibit A – Scope of Work (SOW) and the Required Attachments for complete details and information.

B) Agreement Term

The period of performance for this Agreement will be as identified on the

Standard Agreement (STD 213 (Rev. 04/2020)), Section 2, “Start Date” and

"Through End Date”. The anticipated contract term is March 1, 2026 through

December 31, 2026.

C) Bidder Mandatory Qualifications, Certifications/Resumes, and References

a. By signing this Agreement, Contractor confirms that the services provided under this Agreement shall be in accordance with these mandatory qualifications:

1) Translators and proofreaders must be able to translate and proofread

English to the following languages without errors: Spanish, Chinese

(Traditional), Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and

Vietnamese.

2) Translators and proofreaders must have a minimum of five (5) years of experience performing written translation services as stated in the

Statement of Work, including contracting with state, local, or federal government entities, and two (2) of the five (5) years must have been acquired in the last five (5) years.

3) Each translator and proofer must have one of the following current certifications:

o A certified and registered interpreter on the California Judicial Council

Master List, o An interpreter categorized as “certified” or “professionally qualified” by the Administrative Office of the United States Courts, o From an institution accredited by a regional or national accrediting agency recognized by the United States Secretary of Education, o From an institution accredited by the Western Association of Schools and

Colleges, o A current voting member in good standing of the American Translators

Association, or o A current member in good standing of the American Association of

Language Specialists.

o The Vietnamese translators and proofers may be certified through the

Society of Translators and Interpreters of British Columbia. Certifications should clearly state which language pair and direction the translator, and the proofreader, are certified in (e.g., English>Tagalog).

4) If the above-named certifications are not available for a particular language, the bidder must provide proof that the translator meets the following minimum qualifications:

I. They are a native speaker of the target language, II. They are educated in both the source and target languages, and

III. They have at least five (5) years professional experience translating deliverables for state, local, or federal government as a Contractor or a sub-Contractor in the target language.

5) At any time, the SOS may request proof of compliance with these requirements. Contractor shall provide proof of compliance within 24 hours of a request by the SOS.

b. Bidder(s) must complete Attachment 8 – Bidder References, providing a list of two (2) customers for whom similar services have been performed within the last five (5) years, similar in scope and complexity to the services to be performed in this contract. If Bidder has performed these services for the SOS within the last five (5) years, the SOS must be listed as one (1) of the references provided in Attachment 8. Reference information shall include company/organization name, contact representative name, email address, telephone number, and a description of the job(s) performed. The description of the services performed must be detailed and comprehensive enough to permit the State to assess the similarity of the services outlined in the SOW.

The SOS reserves the right to contact references prior to contract award.

Receipt of negative responses may cause the response to be deemed non-responsive.

D) Time Schedule Information and Bid Package Requirements

1) Key Action Dates

Event Date/Time

IFB available to prospective bidders January 22, 2026

Final Date for Bid Submission February 4, 2026, 4:00 p.m.

Bid Opening February 9, 2026, 10:00 a.m.

1500 11th St, Sacramento CA, 95814 (SOS Rotunda)

Anticipated Notice of Intent to Award February 13, 2026

Anticipated Notice of Award February 20, 2026

2) Submission of Bid

a) Each bidder may submit only one (1) bid. All bids must be submitted under sealed cover and sent/delivered to Secretary of State by the Final Date for

Bid Submission shown above in the IFB, Section D.1 – Key Action Dates. The sealed cover must be plainly marked with the IFB number and title, must show the bidder’s name and address, and must be marked with "Do Not

Open", as shown in the following example:

Translation, Typesetting, and Proofreading services for the June 2, 2026, Primary

Election and November 3, 2026, General Election

Do Not Open

Note: Bids not submitted under sealed cover may be rejected.

b) All bids must include the documents identified in Attachment 1 - Required

Attachment Checklist. Bids not including the proper “required attachments" shall be deemed non-responsive. A non-responsive bid is one that does not meet the basic bid requirements.

c) All documents requiring a signature must bear the original signature of a person authorized to bind the bidding firm. Note: For the attachments required to be submitted with the Bidder’s response that require signature(s), the use of Electronic Signatures (eSignature) is permitted.

eSignatures will be accepted and are legally binding and equivalent to handwritten signatures.

d) Delivery of Bids

1. Mail or deliver bids to the following address:

Attn: Contract Services

1500 11th Street, 4th Floor, Room 460

Sacramento, CA 95814

2. Hand delivered bids shall be delivered to:

Secretary of State Loading Dock

Located near 1025 P Street at mid-block between 10th and 11th.

Ring bell upon arriving

Hours: 9 a.m. – 4 p.m., except for State Holidays

e) Bids must be submitted for the performance of all the services described herein. Any deviation from the work specifications will not be considered and will cause a bid to be rejected.

f) A bid may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains any alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. The State may reject any or all bids and may waive an immaterial deviation in a bid. The State's waiver of an immaterial deviation shall in no way modify the IFB document or excuse the bidder from full compliance with all requirements if awarded the agreement.

g) Costs incurred for developing bids and in anticipation of award of the agreement are entirely the responsibility of the bidder and shall not be charged to the State of California.

h) Loss Leader:

It is unlawful for any person engaged in business within this state to sell or use any article or product as a “loss leader” as defined in Section 17030 of the

Business and Professions Code (PCC 10344(e)).

i) An individual who is authorized to bind the bidder contractually shall sign the Attachment 2 - Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet. The signature should indicate the title or position that the individual holds in the firm. An unsigned bid may be rejected.

j) A bidder may modify a bid after its submission by withdrawing its original bid and resubmitting a new bid prior to the bid submission deadline. Bidder modifications offered in any other manner, oral or written, will not be considered.

k) A bidder may withdraw its bid by submitting a written withdrawal request to the State, signed by the bidder or an authorized agent. A bidder may thereafter submit a new bid prior to the bid submission deadline. Bids may not be withdrawn without cause subsequent to bid submission deadline.

l) The awarding agency may modify the IFB prior to the date fixed for submission of bids by the issuance of an addendum to all parties who received a bid package.

m) The awarding agency reserves the right to reject all bids and/or to cancel this IFB if it is in the best interest of the State to do so. The agency is not required to award an agreement.

n) Before submitting a response to this solicitation, bidders should review, correct all errors, and confirm compliance with the IFB requirements.

o) Where applicable, bidder should carefully examine work sites and specifications. Bidder shall investigate conditions, character, and quality of surface or subsurface materials or obstacles that might be encountered. No additions or increases to the agreement amount will be made due to a lack of careful examination of work sites and specifications.

p) The State does not accept alternate contract language from a prospective contractor. A bid with such language will be considered a counter proposal and will be rejected. The State’s General Terms and Conditions (GTC) are not negotiable.

q) No oral understanding or agreement shall be binding on either party.

r) Qualifications to Do Business in California

All corporations, limited liability companies (LLC) and limited partnerships

(LP) are required to be registered with the California Secretary of State

(SOS) in order to do business* in the state of California. Before contract award can be made, the Contractor must be currently registered and in

“Active” status with the California SOS, as required by law, to do business in

California; this applies to domestic entities (organized or commercially domiciled in the state of California) and foreign entities (organized or commercially domiciled outside of California).

During the response evaluation process, the State will verify if the Bidder is currently registered and in good standing (i.e., “Active” status) with the

California SOS, as applicable, in order to ensure that all obligations due to the State are fulfilled. Therefore, a certificate of status is not required to be submitted with the bidder’s response.

* “Doing business” is defined in the California Revenue and Taxation Code §

23101 as “actively engaging in any transaction for the purpose of financial or pecuniary gain or profit”. Although there are some statutory exceptions to taxation, rarely will a contractor performing within the state not be subject to the applicable franchise tax.

s) Executive Order N-6-22 – Russia Sanctions

On March 4, 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom issued Executive Order N-6-22

(the EO) regarding Economic Sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals. “Economic Sanctions” refers to sanctions imposed by the

U.S. government in response to Russia’s actions in Ukraine, as well as any sanctions imposed under state law. By submitting a bid or proposal, Contractor represents that it is not a target of Economic Sanctions. Should the State determine Contractor is a target of Economic Sanctions or is conducting prohibited transactions with sanctioned individuals or entities, that shall be grounds for rejection of the Contractor’s bid/proposal any time prior to contract execution, or, if determined after contract execution, shall be grounds for termination by the State.

By signing Attachment 2 - Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet the Bidder certifies that they agree to the above.

t) Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI)

The State of California seeks to realize the potential benefits of GenAI, through the development and deployment of GenAI, while balancing the risks of these technologies.

Bidder/Offeror must notify the State in writing if it: (1) intends to provide

GenAI as a deliverable to the State; or (2), intends to utilize GenAI, including

GenAI from third parties, to complete all or a portion of any deliverable that materially impacts: (i) functionality of a State system, (ii) risk to the State, or

(iii) Contract performance. For avoidance of doubt, the term "materially impacts" shall have the meaning set forth in State Administrative Manual

(SAM) 4986.2.

Failure to report GenAI to the State may result in disqualification. The State reserves its right to seek any and all relief it may be entitled to as a result of such non-disclosure.

Upon notification by a Bidder/Offeror of GenAI as required, the state reserves the right to incorporate GenAI Special Provisions into the final contract or reject bids/offers that present an unacceptable level of risk to the state.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/Resources/SAM/TOC/4900/4986-2

Government Code 11549.64 defines “Generative Artificial Intelligence

(GenAI)” as an artificial intelligence system that can generate derived synthetic content, including text, images, video, and audio that emulates the structure and characteristics of the system’s training data.

u) Priority Hiring Considerations for Contracts with a Value in Excess of $200,000:

Every contract for services in excess of $200,000 shall contain a provision requiring the contractor to give priority consideration in filling vacancies in positions funded by the contract to qualified recipients of aid under Welfare and Institutions Code § 11200 (PCC § 10353).

3) Bid Opening, Evaluation, and Selection

a) All bid packages properly received according to the IFB instructions on or before the bid due date will be publicly opened and read.

b) Bidders that would like to attend the in-person Bid Opening may do so per the date, time and location identified in Section D.1, Key Action Dates, Bid

Opening.

c) At the time of bid opening, each bid may be checked for the presence or absence of required information in conformance with the submission requirements of this IFB.

d) At the State’s option prior to award, bidders may be required to submit additional written clarifying information. Failure to submit the requested written information as specified may be grounds for bid rejection.

e) The State will evaluate each bid to determine its responsiveness to the published requirements. This is a pass/fail evaluation.

f) Bids that contain false or misleading statements, or which provide references, which do not support an attribute or condition claimed by the bidder, may be rejected.

4) Award and Protest

a) The award, if made, will be to the responsive and responsible Bidder that offers the lowest cost.

b) In the event of Tie Bids, a coin toss will be performed. In such event, the coin toss will be observed by witnesses and the affected bidders will be invited. In the event of a Tie Bids Between a Small Business and DVBE Small https://leginfo.legislature.ca.gov/faces/codes_displaySection.xhtml?lawCode=GOV&sectionNum=11549.64.&highlight=true&keyword=Generative%20Artificial%20Intelligence

Business, should a precise tie between the low responsible bid of a certified small business and the low responsible bid of a certified disabled veteran owned business that is also a small business occur, the contract must be awarded to the disabled veteran owned small business. (GC § 14838 (f); 2

CCR 1896.8(f)).

c) Whenever an agreement is awarded under a procedure which provides for competitive bidding, but the agreement is not to be awarded to the low bidder, the low bidder shall be notified five (5) working days prior to the award of the agreement.

d) Upon written request by any bidder, notice of the proposed award shall be posted in a public place in the office of the awarding agency at least five

(5) working days prior to awarding the agreement.

e) Any Bidder who submits a bid may file a protest if the Bidder believes it’s bid package is responsive to all IFB requirements and its bid is the lowest dollar bid. Protests are limited to the grounds described in Public Contract Code

(PCC) Section 10345.

f) If any bidder, prior to the award of agreement, files a written protest with the Department of General Services, Office of Legal Services, and the

Secretary of State on the grounds that the (protesting) bidder is the lowest responsive responsible bidder, the agreement shall not be awarded until either the protest has been withdrawn or the Department of General

Services has decided the matter.

g) Within five (5) days after filing the initial protest, the protesting bidder shall file with both the Department of General Services and the awarding agency a detailed written statement specifying the grounds for the protest if the original protest did not contain the complete grounds for the protest.

h) The written protest must be submitted to both of the following:

a. Department of General Services, Office of Legal Services

Attn: Bid Protest Coordinator

707 Third Street, 7th Floor, Suite 7-330

West Sacramento, CA 95605

Email: OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov

b. Secretary of State

Attn: Contract Services

1500 11th Street, 4th Floor, Room 460 mailto:OLSProtests@dgs.ca.gov

Sacramento, CA 95814

Email: ContractServices@sos.ca.gov

The statement must contain the law, rule, regulation, practice, IFB number, name of the State agency involved, the agency contract person and detail reason(s) the protestant believes the awarding agency has improperly applied in awarding the Agreement.

i) Protests may be submitted by regular mail, email, courier, or personal delivery. Protestants should include their email address if they have one and advise if they will accept service of documents pertaining to the protest via email.

j) Upon on resolution of the protest and award of the agreement, Contractor must complete and submit to the awarding agency the Payee Data

Record (STD 204), to determine if the Contractor is subject to state income tax withholding pursuant to California Revenue and Taxation Code Sections

18662 and 26131. This form can be found on the Internet at https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms. under the heading Office of State

Publishing (OSP) Standard (STD) forms. No payment shall be made unless a completed STD 204 has been returned to the awarding agency.

k) Upon resolution of the protest and award of the agreement, Contractor must sign and submit to the awarding agency, page one (1) of the

Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017), which can be found on the Internet at:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-

Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language.

5) Disposition of Bids

a) By submitting a bid, Bidder agrees to the terms and conditions stated in this

IFB, Exhibit A - SOW and the resulting Contract. Responses received after the

Response Due Date may not be assessed. Bids received in response to the

SOW will be valid for one hundred eighty (180) days after the Response Due

Date. Bidder agrees to have an available Resource(s) with the appropriate skills to complete the resulting Contract for all goods and services and provide all deliverables as described in the solicitation and SOW.

b) Submitting responses that include assumptions, added conditional statements or statements regarding changes to the SOW in this IFB may result in the offer being found non-responsive.

mailto:ContractServices@sos.ca.gov https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language

c) Submitting documents in the bid that are marked as “Confidential”, “Proprietary” or similarly labeled and/or appear to contain sensitive information, that at the State’s discretion, may be considered an information security issue; therefore, may be grounds for the bid being deemed non-responsive and the bid rejected. Bids rejected for this purpose will have all pages which contain such labels or information destroyed prior to Award of the contract pursuant to this IFB.

d) Upon review of the bids received and subsequent Contract Award, all documents submitted in response to this IFB shall become the property of the State of California and shall be regarded as public records under the

California Public Records Act (Government Code Section 7920.000 et seq.), thereby subject to review by the public.

e) The State, at its discretion, reserves the right not to make an award or reject all offers, in the best interest of the State.

6) Agreement Execution and Performance

a) Performance shall start not later than thirty (30) days, or on the express date set by the awarding agency and the Contractor, after all approvals have been obtained and the agreement is fully executed. Should the Contractor fail to commence work at the agreed upon time, the awarding agency, upon five (5) days written notice to the Contractor, reserves the right to terminate the agreement. In addition, the Contractor shall be liable to the

State for the difference between the Contractor’s bid price and the actual cost of performing work by the second lowest bidder or by another contractor.

b) All performance under the agreement shall be completed on or before the termination date of the agreement.

E) Preference Programs

1) Small Business Preference:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-

Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB-DVBE

2) For bids in the amount of $100,000 and over, the following preference programs apply if your firm is qualified: Target Area Contract Preference Act

(TACPA).

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB-DVBE https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Resources/Page-Content/Procurement-Division-Resources-List-Folder/Notice-of-Rulemaking-Regulations-for-SB-DVBE

Bidders wishing to take advantage of this preference will need to review the following website and submit the appropriate response with the bid:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=TACPA&divisionid=.

F) Required Attachments

Refer to the following pages for additional Required Attachments that are a part of this IFB and agreement.

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=TACPA&divisionid=

Attachment 1

Required Attachment Check List

A complete bid or bid package will consist of the items identified below. Complete this checklist to confirm the items in your bid. Place a check mark or “X” next to each item that you are submitting to the State. For your bid to be responsive, all required attachments must be returned.

Attachment Attachment’s Name/Description

_____ Attachment 1 Required Attachment Check List

_____ Attachment 2 Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet

_____ Attachment 3 Cost Sheet

_____ Attachment 4 Quality Assurance Process

_____ Attachment 5 List of Available Languages

_____ Attachment 6 Code of Ethics, Professional Conduct and

Confidentiality Statement

_____ Attachment 7 Errors and Omissions Insurance Certificate

_____ Attachment 8 Bidder References

_____ Attachment 9 California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE)

Program Requirement - Forms and Instructions

1. DGS PD 843 – DVBE Declaration

2. GSPD-05-105 – Bidder Declaration

_____ Attachment 10 California Civil Rights Laws Certification (DGS OLS 04)

_____ Attachment 11 Darfur Contracting Act (if applicable)

_____ Attachment 12 DGS Approved Small Business Certification (if applicable)

_____ Attachment 13 Payee Data Record (STD 204). **

_____ Attachment 14 Contractor Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017). **

** These documents are not required to be returned with the bid package, but are required upon award of the contract:

• The Payee Data Record (STD 204) can be found at:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/PD/Forms.

• The Contractor’s Certification Clauses (CCC 04/2017) can be found at:

Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language https://www.dgs.ca.gov/OLS/Resources/Page-Content/Office-of-Legal-Services-Resources-List-Folder/Standard-Contract-Language

Attachment 2

Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet

This Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet must be signed and returned along with all the "required attachments" as an entire package with original signatures. The bid must be transmitted in a sealed envelope in accordance with IFB instructions.

Do not return the "Sample Standard Agreement" at the end of this IFB.

A. Our all-inclusive bid is submitted as detailed in Attachment 3, Cost Sheet.

B. All required attachments are included with this certification sheet.

C. The signature affixed hereon and dated certifies compliance with all the requirements of this bid document. The signature below authorizes the verification of this certification.

An unsigned Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet may be cause for rejection.

1. Company Name 2. Telephone Number 2a. Fax Number

3. Address

Indicate your organization type:

4. Sole Proprietorship 5. Partnership 6. Corporation

Indicate the applicable employee and/or corporation number:

7. Federal Employee ID

No.(FEIN)

8. California Corporation No.

9. Indicate applicable license and/or certification information:

10. Bidder’s Name (Print) 11. Title

12. Signature 13. Date

14. Email:

15. Are you certified with the Department of General Services, Office of Small Business and

Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise Services (OSDS) as:

a. California Small Business

Yes No

If yes, enter certification number:

b. Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise

Yes No

If yes, enter your service code below:

NOTE: A copy of your Certification is required to be included if either of the above items is checked “Yes”.

Date application was submitted to OSDS, if an application is pending:

Completion Instructions for Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet

Complete the numbered items on the Bid/Bidder Certification Sheet by following the instructions below.

Item

Numbers

Instructions

1, 2, 2a, 3 Must be completed. These items are self-explanatory.

Check if your firm is a sole proprietorship. A sole proprietorship is a form of business in which one person owns all the assets of the business in contrast to a partnership and corporation. The sole proprietor is solely liable for all the debts of the business.

Check if your firm is a partnership. A partnership is a voluntary agreement between two or more competent persons to place their money, effects, labor, and skill, or some or all of them in lawful commerce or business, with the understanding that there shall be a proportional sharing of the profits and losses between them. An association of two or more persons to carry on, as co-owners, a business for profit.

Check if your firm is a corporation. A corporation is an artificial person or legal entity created by or under the authority of the laws of a state or nation, composed, in some rare instances, of a single person and his successors, being the incumbents of a particular office, but ordinarily consisting of an association of numerous individuals.

7 Enter your federal employee tax identification number.

Enter your corporation number assigned by the California Secretary of State’s

Office. This information is used for checking if a corporation is in good standing and qualified to conduct business in California.

Complete, if applicable, by indicating the type of license and/or certification that your firm possesses and that is required for the type of services being procured.

10, 11, 12, 13, 14 Must be completed. These items are self-explanatory.

If certified as a California Small Business, place a check in the "Yes" box, and enter your certification number on the line. If certified as a Disabled Veterans

Business Enterprise, place a check in the "Yes" box and enter your service code on the line. If you are not certified to one or both, place a check in the "No" box. If your certification is pending, enter the date your application was submitted to OSDS.

Attachment 3

Cost Sheet

Client: Secretary of State, Elections Division

Project Title: Translations, Typesetting, and Proofreading: June 2026 Primary

Election and November 2026 General Election Ballot Labels and

Titles and Summaries (BLTS), Voter Information Guide (VIG), Text of

Proposed Laws (TOPL), Precinct Notices, Audio, and Web

The undersigned Contractor, as Bidder, declares that they have carefully examined all documents contained or referenced within this Invitation for Bid (IFB) and are familiar with all proposal requirements, and agree, if the proposal is accepted, to complete the services as described in Section A, Purpose and Description of Services, in accordance with the Contract Documents, for the complete term of the

Agreement.

Bid amount to include and cover all costs including freight and all taxes for the furnishing of all necessary materials and equipment, and the performance of all the labor and the providing of all necessary machinery, tools, apparatus, and other means of service, in addition to the performance and completion of all the work in the manner set forth, described and shown in Exhibit A, Scope of Work. The State does not guarantee the total quantity of work outlined herein. The approximate number of words is set only for evaluation purposes to determine the lowest bidder.

The Contractor will be held to the “per word” rate for the entire term of this contract.

All cells containing a dollar sign ($) must be filled out by Bidder or be deemed non-responsive.

Part I: June 2026 Primary Election

(A) VOTER INFORMATION GUIDE AND PRECINCT NOTICES

LANGUAGE

PER ENGLISH

WORD

NUMBER OF

WORDS

(Approx 650 words per page)

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 104,000 = $

Chinese $ x 104,000 = $

Hindi $ x 104,000 = $

Japanese $ x 104,000 = $

Khmer $ x 104,000 = $

Korean $ x 104,000 = $

Tagalog $ x 104,000 = $

Thai $ x 104,000 = $

Vietnamese $ x 104,000 = $

Formatting fees per page of

VIG/NOTICE:

per page x up to 160 pages x 9 languages =

Formatting fees per page of BLTS:

per page x up to 80 pages x 9 languages =

TOTAL $

(B) TEXT OF PROPOSED LAWS

PER ENGLISH

WORD

NUMBER OF

WORDS

(Approx 650 words per page)

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 83,200 = $

Chinese $ x 83,200 = $

Hindi $ x 83,200 = $

Japanese $ x 83,200 = $

Khmer $ x 83,200 = $

Korean $ x 83,200 = $

Tagalog $ x 83,200 = $

Thai $ x 83,200 = $

Vietnamese $ x 83,200 = $ per page of TOPL:

per page x up to 128 pages x 9 languages =

(C) AUDIO: CD LABELS, INTRODUCTIONS, TRANSITIONS, ENDINGS, AND COVER

LETTERS

LANGUAGE

PER ENGLISH

WORD

APPROXIMATE

NUMBER OF

WORDS

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 8,000 = $

Chinese $ x 8,000 = $

Hindi $ x 8,000 = $

Japanese $ x 8,000 = $

Khmer $ x 8,000 = $

Korean $ x 8,000 = $

Tagalog $ x 8,000 = $

Thai $ x 8,000 = $

Vietnamese $ x 8,000 = $ per page:

per page x up to 30 pages x 9 languages =

(D) WEB: TRANSLATIONS, DESKTOP PUBLISHING, AND PROOFING

PER ENGLISH

WORD

APPROXIMATE

NUMBER OF

WORDS

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 8,000 = $

Chinese $ x 8,000 = $

Hindi $ x 8,000 = $

Japanese $ x 8,000 = $

Khmer $ x 8,000 = $

Korean $ x 8,000 = $

Tagalog $ x 8,000 = $

Part I: Total (A+B+C+D) $

Unanticipated Tasks: Part I x .30 $

June 2026 Primary Election Estimated Total: $

Part II: November 2026 General Election

(A) BALLOT LABELS AND BALLOT TITLE AND SUMMARIES FOR VOTER

INFORMATION GUIDE (ALL VERSIONS)

LANGUAGE

PER ENGLISH

WORD

NUMBER OF

WORDS

(Approx 750 words per page)

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 104,000 = $

Chinese $ x 104,000 = $

Hindi $ x 104,000 = $

Japanese $ x 104,000 = $

Khmer $ x 104,000 = $

Korean $ x 104,000 = $

Tagalog $ x 104,000 = $

VIG/NOTICE:

per page x up to 160 pages x 9 languages =

Formatting fees per page of BLTS:

per page x up to 80 pages x 9 languages =

(B) VOTER INFORMATION GUIDE, PRECINCT NOTICE, AND BLTS

PER ENGLISH

WORD

NUMBER OF

WORDS

(Approx 650 words per page)

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 104,000 = $

Chinese $ X 104,000 = $

Hindi $ x 104,000 = $

Japanese $ x 104,000 = $

Khmer $ x 104,000 = $

Korean $ x 104,000 = $

Tagalog $ x 104,000 = $

VIG/NOTICE:

per page x up to 160 pages x 9 languages =

Formatting fees per page of BLTS:

per page x up to 80 pages x 9 languages =

(C) TEXT OF PROPOSED LAWS

PER ENGLISH

WORD

NUMBER OF

WORDS

(Approx 650 words per page)

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 83,200 = $

Chinese $ x 83,200 = $

Hindi $ x 83,200 = $

Japanese $ x 83,200 = $

Khmer $ x 83,200 = $

Korean $ x 83,200 = $

Tagalog $ x 83,200 = $

Thai $ x 83,200 = $

Vietnamese $ x 83,200 = $ per page of TOPL:

per page x up to 128 pages x 9 languages =

(D) AUDIO: CD LABELS, INTRODUCTIONS, TRANSITIONS, ENDINGS, AND COVER

LETTERS

LANGUAGE

PER ENGLISH

WORD

APPROXIMATE

NUMBER OF

WORDS

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 8,000 = $

Chinese $ x 8,000 = $

Hindi $ x 8,000 = $

Japanese $ x 8,000 = $

Khmer $ x 8,000 = $

Korean $ x 8,000 = $

Tagalog $ x 8,000 = $ per page:

per page x up to 30 pages x 9 languages =

Estimated Total Cost:

(June 2026 Estimated Total + November 2026 Estimate

Total)

The estimated total cost indicated above will be used solely for computing the cost as a fair and equitable formula to determine the lowest cost and is not binding on the contracting agency. However, the actual cost per word and/or page quoted above by the bidder shall be binding for the term of the Contract.

(E) WEB: TRANSLATIONS, DESKTOP PUBLISHING, AND PROOFING

PER ENGLISH

WORD

APPROXIMATE

NUMBER OF

WORDS

EXTENSION

Spanish $ x 8,000 = $

Chinese $ x 8,000 = $

Hindi $ x 8,000 = $

Japanese $ x 8,000 = $

Khmer $ x 8,000 = $

Korean $ x 8,000 = $

Tagalog $ x 8,000 = $

Part II: Total (A+B+C+D+E)

Unanticipated Tasks: Part II x .30

November 2026 General Election Estimated Total: $

Attachment 4

Quality Assurance Process

Attach a Quality Assurance Process flow chart, or diagram AND detailed written description that demonstrates performance and quality control to ensure all translations performed under this agreement shall be in accordance with Exhibit A –

Scope of Work, i.e. proofing of the final SOS documents, materials, and other various forms of media, and meet all deliverable acceptance criteria of Exhibit A – Section F.

Attachment 5

List of Available Languages

Attach a complete list of all languages available for translations by the

Bidder firm. At a minimum, bidder firm must be able to translate the following languages: Chinese (Traditional), Hindi, Hmong, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Vietnamese, and other minority languages as requested as identified in Exhibit A – Scope of Work.

Attachment 6

Code of Ethics, Professional Conduct, and Confidentiality Statement

This Code of Ethics, Professional Conduct and Confidentiality Statement must be signed/dated and returned along with all the "required attachments" as an entire package.

All interpreters and translators utilized to perform services under this Agreement must sign and agree to uphold the following standards, prior to commencement of any service(s) to be performed:

Ethics:

1. Cultural Sensitivity & Courtesy – Interpreters and translators shall be culturally competent, sensitive and respectful of the individual(s) they serve.

2. Impartiality – Interpreters and translators shall maintain impartiality and shall not counsel, advise or project their own personal biases or beliefs. Interpreters and translators shall avoid distorting the messages in favor of one party or the other.

3. Non-discrimination – Interpreters and translators shall always be neutral, impartial and unbiased. Interpreters and translators shall not discriminate on the basis of gender, disability, race, color, national origin, age, socio-economic or educational status or religious, political or sexual orientation.

4. Conflict of Interest – Interpreters and translators shall disclose any real or perceived conflict of interest which would affect their objectivity in the delivery of services. Providing interpretation or translation services for family members or friends may violate the individual’s right to confidentiality or constitute a conflict of interest.

5. Withdrawal – Interpreters and translators, who are unable to ethically perform in a given situation, shall refuse or withdraw from the assignment without threat or retaliation.

Professional Conduct:

1. Professional Integrity – Interpreters and translators shall demonstrate professionalism and personal integrity, including:

a. If the interpreter or translator believes he or she may have interpreted/translated inaccurately or incompletely, he or she will make this known and, if possible, provide a corrected interpretation/translation.

b. If the interpreter or translator believes he or she is so impacted by the content to be interpreted/translated, that he or she becomes unable to interpret/translate accurately and completely, he or she shall inform the parties of their intent to withdraw without threat or retaliation.

2. Accuracy – Interpreters and translators shall render the message faithfully, conveying the content, spirit and cultural context of the original message. This means the interpreter or translator shall interpret everything the speaker or document says without changing the meaning, conveying what is said and how it is said, without additions, omissions or alterations, but with due consideration of the cultural context of both the sender and the receiver of the message.

3. Role Boundaries – Interpreters and translators shall maintain the boundaries of their professional role, refraining from personal involvement. This does not mean that an interpreter cannot be friendly or develop a rapport with the person speaking, but does not represent personal involvement in their interpretation.

4. Self-Evaluation – Interpreters and translators shall accurately and completely represent their certifications, education, training and experience.

5. Personal Demeanor – Interpreters and translators shall be punctual, prepared and dressed in an appropriate manner and not distracting from the situation.

6. Inability to Perform – Interpreters and translators shall assess, at all times, their ability to interpret/translate. Should interpreters or translators have any reservations about their competency to perform in any given situation, they must immediately notify the parties and offer to withdraw without threat or retaliation.

7. Professional Development and Training – Interpreters and translators shall make a reasonable effort to acquire ongoing development of their skills and knowledge through professional training, continuing education, and interaction with colleagues and specialists in related fields.

8. Cultural Competency – Interpreters and translators shall develop awareness of their own and other cultures in order to promote cross-cultural understanding.

Interpreters and translators will strive to bridge the cultural differences between all participating parties, by seeking to minimize, and avoid potential misunderstandings based upon stereotyping and/or differing cultural practices, beliefs, or expectations. When clashing cultural beliefs or practices, a lack of linguistic equivalency, or the inability of parties to explain in their own words are encountered, the interpreter or translator may assist by sharing cultural information or helping develop an explanation that can be understood by all.

9. Cancellation or Withdrawal by State – If the State cancels or withdraws any portion of the assignment, the State may pay the interpreter and/or translator the portion of the fee established by the contract.

Confidentiality:

1. Interpreters and translators shall not divulge any information learned in the performance professional duties. This includes any documents or other written materials.

2. Confidentiality is to be maintained in all situations, except when legally mandated to disclose information in specific situations such as child abuse, elder abuse, a person is threatening harm to himself or herself or others, or where the interpreter or translator determines, to the best of their ability, that non-disclosure may result in harm.

3. Interpreters and translators shall not publicly discuss, report, or offer an opinion concerning matters in which they are or have been engaged, even when the information is not privileged by law to be confidential.

To be completed by Contractor:__________________________________________________

Compliance Statement – Violation(s) of the above standards may result in disqualification of an interpreter or translator being allowed to perform services under this Agreement and/or termination of the contract.

I, the undersigned, do hereby certify that all interpreters and/or translators (as applicable) to be utilized to perform services under this Agreement, have signed a

Code of Ethics, Professional Conduct and Confidentiality Statement that, at a minimum, contains the above information. Additionally, the undersigned agrees to maintain a copy of the above referenced signed Statement for every interpreter and/or translator performing services under this Agreement and agrees to provide copies of the signed Statements to the State Agency upon request.

Signed by:

(Signature) (Printed Name and Title)

(Date)

Attachment 7

Errors and Omissions Insurance Certificate

Contractor agrees to carry a minimum of $1,000,000 per occurrence for Errors &

Omissions coverage. A copy of the Contractor’s current Errors and Omissions insurance certificate must be submitted to the State within fifteen (15) business days of Agreement execution and approval by the Department of General Services

(DGS).

To be completed by Contractor:

_________________________________’s Errors and Omissions Insurance coverage is

(Contractor Name) underwritten by _______________________________. The coverage limits are ________

(Insurance Company Name)

☐ A current insurance certificate is attached.

☐ A current insurance certificate will be provided to SOS within the required timeframe stated above.

Attachment 8

Bidder References

Submission of this attachment is mandatory. Failure to complete and return this attachment with your bid will cause your bid to be rejected and deemed nonresponsive.

Bidder(s) must complete Attachment 8 – Bidder References, providing a list of two (2) customers for whom similar services have been performed within the last five (5) years, similar in scope and complexity to the services to be performed in this contract. If Bidder has performed these services for the SOS within the last five (5) years, the SOS must be listed as one (1) of the references provided in Attachment 8.

Reference information shall include company/organization name, contact representative name, email address, telephone number, and a description of the job(s) performed. The description of the services performed must be detailed and comprehensive enough to permit the State to assess the similarity of the services outlined in the SOW.

The SOS reserves the right to contact references prior to contract award. Receipt of negative responses may cause the response to be deemed non-responsive.

REFERENCE 1

Name of Firm

Street Address City State Zip Code

Contact Person Telephone Number:

Email:

Start and End Dates of Service Value or Cost of Service

Brief Description of Service Provided:

REFERENCE 2

Name of Firm

Street Address City State Zip Code

Contact Person Telephone Number:

Email:

Start and End Dates of Service Value or Cost of Service

Brief Description of Service Provided

Attachment 9

California Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) Program Requirement

The State has established goals for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprises (DVBE) participating in State contracts. The minimum DVBE participation percentage (goal) is 3% for this solicitation. Please review the DVBE program requirements and information at:

https://www.dgs.ca.gov/SearchResult?search=DVBEProgramRequirements&topicCat egoryFilters=&divisionid=&audienceCategoryFilters=&contenttype=PDF&sort=relevan ce&eventCategoryFilters=&resourceCategoryFilters=&serviceCategoryFilters=&active

Filters=Types%7C&page=1

The offeror must complete and return all the appropriate pages in order for the bid to be considered responsive. The following two (2) forms are required to be submitted as part of the response to this IFB. The forms can be found at the listed Internet website:

1. DGS PD 843 – DVBE Declaration:

2. DGS PD-05-105 – Bidder Declaration:

The Secretary of State’s Office has waived the application of the DVBE Incentive for this solicitation. Therefore, no additional incentive points will be applied during the evaluation process of this IFB; however, bidders must still meet the minimum DVBE participation percentage (goal) of 3% for this solicitation and are required to submit the following as part of their response to this IFB: DGS PD 843 (DVBE Declarations) and

GSPD-05-105 (Bidder Declaration) for the named DVBE(s).

At the State’s option prior to award, bidders may be required to submit additional written clarifying information.