ORANGE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

Request for Proposals (RFP) Number 26-01

INTERPRETATION AND TRANSLATION SERVICES

PROPOSAL DUE DATE

Friday, August 14, 2026 at 10:00:00 a.m. PST

SUBMIT PROPOSALS TO:

ORANGE COUNTY SUPERINTENDENT OF SCHOOLS

Purchasing Department

200 Kalmus Drive, Building A Costa Mesa, California 92867

PUBLIC NOTICE INVITING

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) NUMBER: 26-01

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that the Orange County Superintendent of Schools, County of Orange, California, (“Superintendent”) is seeking proposals from qualified firms to provide Interpretation and Translation Services.

The full scope of the work for this Project is set forth in the Request for Proposals (“RFP”).

Proposals must be received by mail in a sealed envelope or package no later than 10:00:00 A.M.PST on Friday, August 14, 2026, at the Orange County Superintendent of Schools, Purchasing Department, 200 Kalmus Drive, Building A, Costa Mesa, California 92626. No facsimiles or emailed proposals will be accepted. It is the firm’s sole responsibility to ensure its proposal is timely delivered and received at the location designated above. Any proposals received after the stated time and date will not be considered.

A complete copy of the Superintendent’s RFP documents and specifications are available on the Superintendent’s website at http://ocde.us/Administrative/Pages/Bids-and-RFP%27s.aspx.

Interested firms responding to this RFP are to include all costs for labor, materials, equipment, and all other expenses required to accomplish the services required. All proposals are to be submitted on the forms provided in the RFP document. The Superintendent reserves the right to reject any or all proposals and not necessarily accept the lowest bid price submitted, and to waive any irregularities or informalities not affected by law in any proposal. The right is also reserved by the Superintendent to select the firm which in his/her opinion will best serve the needs of the Superintendent.

Proposals submitted by qualified firms shall be at no cost or obligation to Superintendent. No firm may withdraw its’ proposal for a period of ninety (90) calendar days after the date set for the opening of the proposals. Each proposal must conform and be responsive to Superintendent’s RFP documents.

Please direct any technical or procedural inquiries or questions regarding the RFP documents and/or Project to the attention of Patricia McCaughey, Executive Director, Business Operations via email only at pmccaughey@ocde.us no later than 10:00:00 A.M. PST on August 7, 2026. Any requests made after that date and time will not be addressed. Any clarifications resulting from questions will be posted on the Superintendent’s website. General information regarding the Superintendent is available via www.ocde.us.

By: Patricia McCaughey Executive Director, Business Operations

Publication: Orange County Register Date Published: July 21, 2026 and July 28, 2026 http://ocde.us/Administrative/Pages/Bids-and-RFP%27s.aspx mailto:pmccaughey@ocde.us http://www.ocde.us/

INFORMATION FOR PROPOSERS

1. Introduction

The mission of the Orange County Superintendent of Schools is to ensure that all students are equipped with the competencies they need to thrive in the 21st century. The Orange County Superintendent of Schools (Superintendent) is a public education organization located in Southern California that offers support to 27 school Superintendents and more than 600 schools and 20,000 educators severing more than 500,000 students in Orange County. Superintendent is responsible for the interpretation and enforcement of state laws as directed by the Legislature, the State Board of Education, and the California Department of Education. In addition, Superintendent partners with families, businesses, and the community to promote student success and well-being in Orange County. With more than 1,200 permanent full and part-time employees and about 1,200 substitutes, Superintendent provides cost-effective, centralized services, including Alternative and Correctional Education, Outdoor Science, Career Technical Education Partnership, Special Education, Child Care Services, and Student Programs. The mission of the is to serve as a connecting agency among Orange County school Superintendents, community college Superintendents, local, state, and federal governmental agencies, and community organizations. The Superintendent responds to local school Superintendent and community requests for staff development, administrative, business, and educational and support services and partners with families, businesses, and the community to promote student success and well-being in Orange County.

2. Purpose

The Orange County Superintendent of School (Superintendent) is soliciting and issuing this Request for Proposals (RFP) from and qualified firms who can provide professional, accurate, timely, as needed oral interpretation and written translation services to include but not limited to Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, Farsi, Arabic, Japanese, Khmer, Chinese, Armenian, Cantonese, French, Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Hmong, Tagalog, Croatian, American Sign Language, and other as-needed target languages for Superintendent departments and programs. The successful proposers(s) will provide written translation services for a variety of Superintendent documents and forms as well as oral interpretation services at in-person or virtual Superintendent meetings and events.

3. Request for Proposals (RFP) Schedule

The Superintendent anticipates the following timeline for the process of selecting experienced and qualified firms.

RFP Advertisement Date July 21, 2026 and July 28, 2026

Deadline for Clarifications August 7, 2026 10:00:00 a.m. PST

RFP Proposal Due Date August 14, 2026 10:00:00 a.m. PST

Review of Proposals August 17, 2026 – August 21, 2026

Notification to Finalists August 24, 2026

Interviews (if needed) August 26, 2026 – August 28, 2026

Award of Contract(s) September 7, 2026

*Note: All dates are preliminary and subject to revision at the Superintendent’s sole discretion.

4. Instruction to Respondents

A. Notice Inviting Proposals – All Proposers are invited to submit a proposal in accordance with the terms and conditions stated in this Request for Proposals (RFP) to provide interpretation and translation services. The Superintendent reserves the right to amend the RFP documents at any time. Addenda providing clarification or corrections will be done formally through posting on the Superintendent’s web site. It is the sole responsibility of each Proposer to periodically check Superintendent’s web site for any addenda.

B. Questions and Requests for Clarification - Any question, request for explanation or clarification of any kind in regard to this RFP must be made in a written form, submitted via email directed to Patricia McCaughey at pmccaughey@ocde.us.

Questions must be received no later than 10:00:00 a.m. PST on August 7, 2026. No other person or entity is authorized to receive such questions. Any clarifications resulting from questions will be made by addendum as noted in this RFP and posted to Superintendent’s website www.ocde.us. It is the sole responsibility of each respondent to periodically check Superintendent’s web site for any addenda.

Acknowledgement of all addenda must be submitted with the proposal. Failure to acknowledge receipt of any addendum may result in rejection of your proposal.

5. Submission of Proposals

Proposal Due Date - Proposals must be delivered and received in the Purchasing Department located at the Orange County Superintendent of Schools, Purchasing Department, 200 Kalmus Drive, Building A, Costa Mesa, California 92626. no later than August 14, 2026 at 10:00:00 a.m. PST. Proposals are to be submitted in a sealed envelope or package bearing the RFP name and number, date, and time due, and the name of the Proposer displayed on the package or envelope. Proposers shall submit their proposals on or before the due date and time. The receiving time in the Purchasing Department will be the governing time for receipt of proposals. Proposals will not be opened or revealed before the time set for receipt. It is the sole responsibility of the firm submitting a Proposal to ensure that its Proposal is actually received in the Purchasing Department prior the deadline time and due dated specified above. Any proposals received after the time and date specified above will not be considered.

mailto:pmccaughey@ocde.us

Faxed or emailed responses to this RFP will not be accepted. All costs incurred in the preparation, submission and/or presentation of Proposers responding to this RFP including, but not limited to, the respondent’s travel expenses to attend oral presentations, long distance charges, and negotiation sessions, shall be the sole responsibility of the respondent and will not be reimbursed by Superintendent. The proposal must be signed by a person duly authorized to bind the respondent to the RFP. By signing, the authorized person agrees to all terms, conditions, instructions, specifications, and requirements of this RFP document, including all amendments and attachments unless stated otherwise in the respondent’s proposal.

The Superintendent reserves the right to make use of any and all information or ideas contained in the proposal. The proposal submitted become public information and is subject to the Freedom of Information Act requests from the general public. Any ideas, trade secrets, or proprietary or confidential information submitted by the Proposer must be stamped on as such; however, this may not preclude the Superintendent from releasing such information if requested to do so. Entire proposals designated as confidential may be rejected by the Superintendent.

The Superintendent reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, to waive any irregularities or informalities not affected by law to evaluate the proposals submitted and to award the Contract according to the proposals, which in the Superintendent opinion will best serve the needs of the Superintendent.

6. Proposal Format

In order that the Superintendent can systematically and more effectively the Proposer’s submittal must contain all information as outlined in this RFP. Each proposal should address the following items in the order listed below. The proposal response should demonstrate the qualifications, competence and capacity of the Proposer as well as specify Proposer’s approach in conformity with all federal, state, local, and Superintendent requirements.

Proposals must be completed in all respects as required by the instructions in this RFP. A proposal may be rejected if it is conditional or incomplete, or if it contains alterations of form or other irregularities of any kind. A Proposal will be rejected if, in the opinion of the staff of Superintendent, the information in the proposal was intended to erroneously and fallaciously mislead in the evaluation of the proposal.

Proposals shall be completed by writing in ink or by typewriter. Proposals are to be verified before submission as they cannot be corrected after proposals are opened. The signature of all persons signing shall be in longhand by authorized signatory personnel of your company. The completed proposal shall be without interlineations, alterations, or erasures. Alternative proposals will not be considered. No oral or telegraphic modifications will be considered.

The firm’s submittal must contain all information as outlined in this RFP, be no larger than 8 ½ x 11, and shall be limited to not more than 40 double sided pages (i.e., 80 printed faces/sides) in length (excluding covers and tab separators). The firm shall submit five (5) bound copies, one (1) unbound copy, and an electronic .pdf version on a CD or flash drive.

Before submitting a proposal, Proposers shall carefully read the specifications and the forms of other documents. They shall fully inform themselves as to all existing conditions and limitations and shall include in the proposal a sum to cover the cost of all items included in the services. No allowance will be made because of lack of such examination or knowledge. The decision as to acceptability of items rests solely with the Superintendent staff. Proposer shall submit complete information on the services stated in proposal form. Failure to do so may nullify the proposal. Any concerns regarding the specifications must be called to the attention of the Superintendent prior to the opening date set forth herein.

The Superintendent is very interested in the project team with which it will be working. All individuals that will be directly involved with the Superintendent’s projects should be identified and represent the firm in all discussions and interviews.

A. Cover Letter - Proposer’s cover letter should contain a statement of interest and a brief summary of qualifications to engage in professional relationship with Superintendent.

B. Table of Contents – The Table of Contents should reflect the order stated herein and shall include titles and page numbers.

C. Narrative - Proposer shall provide a detailed description of its qualifications for providing interpretation and translation services in its area(s) of specialization. Include descriptive and supportive evidence of how your firm will maintain a good working relationship with Superintendent. The narrative should include the following:

1. Background

a. Firm’s legal name.

b. Type of ownership, or legal structure of the firm (individual, corporation, etc.).

c. Brief history of your firm, including the number of years in business. A minimum five (5) years’ required.

d. Number of employees (company-wide).

e. Organizational Chart. Make sure lines of supervision are clearly identified for all roles throughout the firm.

f. Number of employees located in Orange County or Southern California.

g. Date firm established.

h. California Business License Number, if applicable

i. Tax Identification Number.

j. Name of the project manager who will serve as the Superintendent’s contact throughout the project(s).

k. Address, telephone, email address, web address of the office that will be primarily responsible for providing services under the proposal.

2. Staffing Resources

a. Indicate the name(s) of the persons who will be principally responsible for working with the Superintendent. Please indicate the role and responsibility of each individual. If the Proposal is chosen as a finalist, these principal individuals must attend the interview and in-person presentation.

b. Provide a resume of the individual’s on the team that will be assigned to working directly with the Superintendent to provide the requested services, including qualifications, licenses, certificates, credentials, and recent related experience providing similar services. The resume must represent work over the last five (5) years. Please also indicate number of years employed by firm.

D. Capacity and Methodology – Description of the approach to provide services and fulfil the requirements and expectations of the Superintendent and this RFP. Please use this section to address the ability of your firm to undertake and accomplish the required scope of service while meeting all deadlines.

E. Experience and References

a. Provide a list of contracts of services similar and related experience in scope to this proposal. The Proposer is required to submit a list of school Superintendents or county offices of education for which services have been performed in the past five (5) years. The list must include a minimum of three

(3) client references with whom you have contracted within the last three (3) years. List must include the following information for each contract:

1. Client Name and complete address

2. Contact name, telephone number, and email address

3. Date of Services

4. Description of Services

5. Contract amount

b. If any of the following has occurred, please describe it in detail:

1. Failure to enter into a contract or professional services agreement once selected.

2. Withdrawal of a proposal as a result of an error.

3. Termination or failure to complete a contract.

4. Debarment by any municipal, county, state, federal, or local agency.

5. Involvement in litigation, arbitration, or mediation.

6. Conviction of the firm or its principals for violating a state or federal antitrust law by bid or proposal rigging, collusion, or restrictive competition between bidders or proposers, or conviction of violating any other federal or state law related to bidding or professional services performance.

7. Knowing concealment of any deficiency in the performance of a prior contract.

8. Falsification of information or submission of deceptive or fraudulent statements in connection with a contract.

9. Willful disregard for applicable rules, laws, or regulations

Information regarding any of the above may, at the sole discretion of this deemed to indicate an unsatisfactory record of performance.

F. Fee/Service Rate Schedule – Proposers must provide a complete fee schedule in their proposal to include but not limited to, interpreting and translation services in Spanish, Vietnamese, Korean, Mandarin, Farsi, Arabic, Japanese, Khmer, Chinese, Armenian, Cantonese, French, Ukrainian, Russian, Romanian, Hmong, Tagalog, Croatian, American Sign Language, and other as-needed target languages, on-site rates, typical staffing rates, video remote (VRI), specialty services, pre-recorded (PRI), video captioning, over-the-phone (OPI), cancellation fees, interpreting equipment, translation rate per word, page or hour, overtime rates, reimbursable items, miscellaneous costs, rush jobs rates, etc., and any variations that Superintendent could expect for specific projects, if applicable, required for the performance of the contract resulting from this RFP. The fee/service rate schedule should be as thorough and specific as possible. The Fee/Service Rate Schedule must be signed by an authorized representative of the firm.

G. Fiscal Stability – Provide a copy of the most recent financial statement (audited or authenticated by CPA) attesting financial stability of the Proposer. Please submit a hard copy of the financial statement in a separate envelope marked on the front of the envelope “Financial Statement.”

H. Certifications and Attachments – Complete and return the attached certifications and attachments to this RFP.

7. Withdrawal of Proposal

Proposers may withdraw their proposal by written request, at any time prior to the closing time for receipt of proposals. After RFP opening, no Respondent may withdraw their proposal for a period of ninety (90) days after the date set for the opening thereof.

8. Exceptions or Deviations

Any exceptions to or deviations from the requirements set forth in this RFP must be declared in the response submitted by the Proposer. Such exceptions or deviations must be segregated as a separate element of the response under the heading "Exceptions and Deviations.

9. Errors and Omissions

If the Proposer identifies any ambiguity, conflict, discrepancy, omissions, or other error in the RFP, they must promptly notify the Superintendent in writing and request clarification or modification of the document. Any changes will be issued through addenda, which will be posted on the website www.ocde.us

If a Proposer fails to notify the Superintendent of a known error in the RFP, or an error that could reasonably have been identified, before the submission deadline, the Proposer assumes full responsibility and risk. Should the contract be awarded, the Proposer will not be entitled to additional compensation or time due to the error or its subsequent correction. Proposers should thoroughly review the entire RFP, any addenda, and all related materials or data referenced in the RFP or otherwise available.

10. Ethics in Public Contracting

By submitting a response, Proposer certifies that its submittal is submitted without collusion or fraud, that it has not offered or received any kickback or inducement from any other firm, supplier, manufacturer, sub-contractor, customer, or other person in connection with its submittal, and that it has not conferred on any public employee or official having official responsibility for this procurement transaction any payment, loan, subscription, advance, deposit of money, employment, service, or anything of more than nominal value, present or promised, unless consideration of substantially equal or greater value was exchanged.

11. Evaluation and Selection Process

All proposals will be evaluated for completeness and the Proposer’s ability to meet or exceed the RFP requirements. The Superintendent intends to use the proposal responses that it receives to assist in possible selection of one or more firms to provide the services required in this RFP. The Superintendent will evaluate each firm based on the information set forth in the proposal submitted, together with other information available to the Superintendent from any other sources. In addition to any other criteria specified in this RFP, the evaluation criteria will include, among others, the firm’s qualifications and availability of key person assigned to the contract, number of years of experience, demonstrated competence in relative experience, experience in performance of comparable work, financial stability, conformance with the specifications identified in this RFP, ability to meet Superintendent criteria and project costs range, the firm’s ability to develop a rapport and working relationship with Superintendent personnel. Firm’s services must be fully compliant with all applicable requirements including Superintendent policies and regulations, and all State and Federal laws.

The Superintendent is not obligated to explain any deficiencies in a proposal, nor to accept requests for justification from Firms not selected. The Superintendent reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals, to select one or more qualified firms after receipt of proposals with or without interviews and to negotiate with any or more than one of the qualified firms without interviews should it be deemed that such an approach is in the best interest of the Superintendent. This RFP will be awarded the most responsive, responsible respondent to the RFP that Superintendent deems is in its best interest.

This RFP is solely a solicitation for Proposals. Neither this RFP, nor any response to this RFP shall be deemed or construed to: (i) create any contractual relationship between Superintendent and any individual or firm; (ii) create any obligation for Superintendent to enter into a contract with any individual or firm or other party; or (iii) serve as the basis for a claim for reimbursement for costs associated with submittal of any Proposal.

The Superintendent reserves the right to accept or reject any or all proposals; to select one or more qualified firms whose proposal(s) provide the greatest value to Superintendent, and to negotiate with any or more than one of the qualified firms. All proposal costs shall be borne by the Proposer.

Proposals received from this RFP will be used as the foundation for the development of an agreement and contract with specific provisions subject to review, negotiations, and approval of the Superintendent. Superintendent, at its sole discretion, reserves the right to waive any irregularity in any Proposal received.

12. Proposal Evaluation Criteria

During the evaluation period, the Superintendent reserves the right to obtain clarification of any point in a proposal submitted or to obtain additional information. The Superintendent reserves the right to conduct telephone or email conversations with a Proposer to clarify proposals, competitively negotiate, ask questions, or obtain additional information.

The criteria listed below are not necessarily an all-inclusive list. While price will be the most heavily weighted criteria, the order of appearance is not intended to indicate relevance of importance. Once a Proposer has been found responsible to the RFP requirements, a determination of award will be made based on the following considerations:

a. Quality of proposal plan for delivery of interpretation and translation services

b. Proposer’s past experience with K-12 public schools for the same of similar work/firm’s expertise and background, personnel qualifications, etc.

c. Respondent’s services previously provided to Superintendent, if applicable.

d. Performance references.

e. Cost, best value pricing structure

Criteria Weight Fee Schedule, Costs, Best Value Pricing Structure 40 Meeting RFP requirements; Responses to Scope of Services 25 Firm’s expertise and background, personnel qualifications, experience with similar clients, acceptance of Superintendent’s T&C’s

Services previously provided to the Superintendent 15 Proposal format, organization, and clarity 5

Total Points 100

13. Oral Presentation

The Superintendent may, at its sole discretion, if necessary, shortlist selected Proposers for a virtual presentation or in-person presentation. The Proposer should be prepared to present such information in order that the Superintendent can effectively and objectively analyze all documentation proposed to provide interpretation and translation services. Proposers invited for an oral presentation must be represented by the individual who will be the prime contact person assigned to the Superintendent, and other key team members. A Proposer’s inability to respond to any request for clarification and/or oral presentation may be cause for disqualification. Upon conclusion of the proposal evaluation process, a Notification of Intent to Award will be sent to the Proposer or Proposers selected.

14. Confidential Information

All information and documentation submitted as part of this RFP, which has not been clearly designated as proprietary or confidential information, shall become the property of the Superintendent, and may only be returned at the Superintendent’s option and at the submitting firm’s expense. All information and documentation submitted to the Superintendent excluding financial and proprietary information clearly identified in the proposal, shall become public documents subject to the Public Records Act, and be made available to the public upon request.

It is understood that Proposals made in response to the RFP may contain technical, financial, or other data, the public disclosure of which would cause substantial injury to the firm’s competitive position, or that would constitute a trade secret. To protect this data from disclosure, the firm should specifically identify the pages of the Proposal that contain such information by properly marking the applicable pages and by inserting the following notice in the form of its proposal:

NOTICE

The data on pages _____ of this proposal, identified by an asterisk (*) or marked along the margin with a vertical line, contain information which are trade secrets, disclosure of which would cause substantial injury to the firm’s competitive position. The firm requests that such data be used only for the evaluation of its qualifications but understands that disclosure will be limited to the extent that Superintendent determines is proper under federal, state, and local law. The Superintendent assumes no responsibility for disclosure of use of unmarked data. In the event properly marked data are legally requested, the firm will be advised of the request and may expeditiously submit to the Superintendent a detailed statement indicating the reasons it has for believing that the information will be used by the Superintendent in making its determination as to whether or not disclosure is proper under federal, state, and local law. Superintendent will exercise care in applying this confidentiality standard but will not be held liable for any damage or injury which may result from any disclosure that may occur. Proposer agrees to assume and pay for all costs incurred by the Superintendent including attorney’s fees awarded by the court if proposer requests Superintendent to resist disclosure of material provided to the Superintendent by Proposer, provided the Superintendent determines that said materials are exempt under federal, state, or local law.

15. Litigation

Provide specific information on termination for default, litigation settled or judgments entered within the last (5) five years related to your firm, joint venture partners, or sub-consultants. Also, provide information related to any convictions for filing false claims within the past five (5) years.

16. Additional Data

Proposer may provide additional information about your firm as it may relate to this RFP. Include letters of reference or testimonials, if appropriate. Indicate ongoing commitment to professional education of staff, total number of permanent employees, and any other data that may assist the Superintendent in understanding your qualifications and expertise.

17. Indemnification

The Proposer, at its own expense and without exception, shall indemnify, defend, hold harmless and the Orange County Superintendent of Schools, the Orange County Board of Education and their officers, agents and employees from and against any and all actions, suits, or other proceedings as may arise as a result of performing the work hereunder, except to the extent such actions, suits or other proceedings as arise as a result of the negligence or willful misconduct of the Superintendent, their officers, agents, and employees.

18. Insurance

At all times during the term of the Agreement, Proposer shall maintain on file with the Superintendent a certificate of insurance, showing that its insurance policies are in effect in the required amounts identified below:

Commercial General Liability – $1,000,000.00 per occurrence, combined single limit and $1,000,000.00 general aggregate for bodily injury, personal injury, and property damage, including contractual liability, and products competed operations coverage;

Automobile Liability –$1,000,000.00 per occurrence, combined single limit for bodily injury and property damage, for owned, non-owned and hired vehicles;

Professional Liability – Errors and Omissions – $1,000,000.00 per occurrence combined single limit with a $2,000,000.00) aggregate;

Workers’ Compensation – As required by the State of California – Part A - Statutory requirements, Part B Employers’ Liability: $1,000,000.00 per injury and $1,000,000 aggregate. Waiver of Subrogation will not be accepted.

For all insurance coverages provided by Proposer, the following terms apply:

a. Any deductibles or self-insured retentions shall be declared in writing to the Superintendent; approval is required for any amounts over $25,000.00.

b. Insurance shall be placed with California admitted insurers with a current A.M. Best rating of no less than A unless otherwise approved by the Superintendent, except for Worker’s Compensation, the State Compensation Fund of California is acceptable.

c. Workers’ Compensation and Employer’s Liability policies shall contain a waiver of subrogation.

d. The general liability and automobile liability policies are to contain, or be endorsed to contain, the following provisions:

1. Defend, indemnify, save and hold harmless the Orange County Superintendent of Schools, the Orange County Board of Education, and its officers, agents, and employees against liability arising out to the activities performed by or on behalf of Proposer, products and completed operations of the Proposer, premises owned, occupied, or used by Proposer, or automobiles owned, leased, hired or borrowed by the Proposer.

2. Name the Orange County Superintendent of Schools, the Orange County Board of Education and its officers, agents, and employees as an additional insurance under its insurance policies and provide Superintendent with a copy of the certificate of insurance and the additional named insured endorsement prior to performing any services. Proposer shall not cancel or change the coverage provided by the policies of insurance without first giving Superintendent at least thirty (30) days prior written notice. Should any such policy of insurance be cancelled or changed, Proposer agrees to immediately provide Superintendent with true and correct copies of all new or revised certificates of insurance.

3. For any claims related to the services under the Agreement, the Proposer’s insurance coverage shall be primary insurance as respects to the Superintendent, the Orange County Board of Education, and its officers, agents, and employees. Any insurance or self-insurance maintained by Superintendent shall be excess of the Proposers insurance and noncontributory.

4. All insurance required by this RFP shall be endorsed to state that coverage shall not be suspended, voided, cancelled, or reduced in coverage or in limits except after thirty (30) days prior written notice to Superintendent. Proposer agrees to immediately provide Superintendent with true and correct copies of all new or revised certificates of insurance.

19. Independent Contractor

While performing the services, the Proposer’s staff is an independent contractor and not an employee of the Superintendent.

20. Compliance with Laws

The Proposer agrees to comply with all applicable Federal, State, and local laws, rules, regulations, ordinances, policies, and procedures in the conduct of the projects as specified herein.

21. Proposer’s Obligation to Perform Work in Accordance with Standards

If the work performed by the Proposer is not in accordance with the standards in this RFP, or if the reports submitted by the firm are not complete, the Proposer will be obligated to do whatever is required to correct the work to meet the requirements as specified in the standards at no additional cost to the Superintendent.

22. Signature

The proposal must be signed in the name of the firm and bear the signature of the person authorized to sign proposals on behalf of the firm.

23. Interpretation of Documents

If any firm contemplating submitting a proposal is in doubt as to the true meaning of any part of the specifications, or other proposed documents, or finds discrepancies in, or omissions from the specifications, they are instructed to submit their question in writing to request an interpretation or correction thereof. Any interpretation or correction of the proposed documents will be made by Addendum duly issued by the Executive Director, Business Operations, and a copy of such Addendum will be post on Superintendent’s website. Superintendent will not be responsible for any other explanation or interpretation of the proposed documents.

24. Non-Collusive Declaration

The form of such declaration is included as part of the RFP documents. Each proposer shall execute the attached declaration and submit it with his/her sealed proposal.

25. Disposition of Proposals

All materials submitted in response to this RFP will become the property of the Superintendent and will be returned only at the discretion of the Superintendent, and at the Proposer’s expense.

Superintendent reserves the right to use any or all ideas presented as part of the firm’s proposal.

Selection or rejection of the proposal does not affect this right.

26. Equal Opportunity

A statement that the Proposer is an equal opportunity employer and will certify compliance with the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and all applicable Federal and State laws and regulations relating to equal employment opportunity.

27. Non-Appropriation of Funds

Any contract resulting from this RFP is subject to appropriation of funds by the Superintendent for each fiscal year of services listed herein.

28. Tobacco and Drug-Free Workplace Policy

The Superintendent and all Superintendent project work are “tobacco” and “drug free” workplaces and, as such, require that all persons on Superintendent property be subject to the requirements mandated by California Government Code section 8350, et seq. when on project site.

29. Fingerprinting Pursuant to provisions of Education Code section 45125.1, the Superintendent has a zero-tolerance policy for all Firms having any contacts with students without clearance from the State Department of Justice. All assigned personnel shall comply with the fingerprinting clearance law prior to providing services at the school sites.

30. Non-Discrimination

In connection with all work performed under this RFP there shall be no unlawful discrimination against any prospective or active employee engaged in the work because of race, color, ancestry, national origin, religious creed, sex, age, marital status, physical disability, mental disability, or medical condition. The successful Proposer agrees to comply with applicable Federal and State laws including, but not limited to, Title VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended (pertaining to race, color, national origin and religion), Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 (pertaining to sex discrimination), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (pertaining to handicap), The Age Discrimination Act of 1975 (pertaining to age), the California Fair Employment and Housing Act, beginning with Government Code Section 12900 and Labor Code Section 1735 (pertaining to ancestry, race, national origin, color, sex, religion, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital status, and age over 40); and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (pertaining to disability). It is the responsibility of the Proposer to ensure that those employed by or subcontracted by the Proposer also adhere to Superintendent and Public Policies.

31. Term of Agreement

The initial term of the Agreement shall be for one (1) year with an option to renew for four (4) additional successive one-year periods, not to exceed an accumulative total of five (5) years. Pricing shall be held firm for the duration of the contract unless otherwise negotiated by the Superintendent. As part of the criteria for the renewal process, the successful firm will be evaluated annually in order to strengthen and maintain a positive client-contractor relationship.

32. Contract Negotiations

The Superintendent may negotiate a contract with the firm(s) best qualified for the services, as determined by the Superintendent to be in the best interest of the Superintendent, at compensation that the Superintendent determines is fair and reasonable. Should the Superintendent be unable to negotiate a satisfactory contract with the firm considered to be the most qualified at a price the Superintendent deems reasonable, negotiations with those firms may be formally terminated. The Superintendent may undertake negotiations with other firms most qualified for the services. The Superintendent reserves the right to select one or more individuals or firms to perform the work identified within this RFP.

33. Precedence of Documents

The contract between the Superintendent and the successful Firm shall consist of (1) this Request for Proposals (RFP) and any amendments thereto, (2) the Contract included herein to be executed with the successful Firm; and (3) the proposal submitted by the Firm to the Superintendent in response to the RFP. In the event of a conflict in language between the documents referenced above, the provisions and requirements set forth and/or referenced in the Contract shall govern.

However, the Superintendent reserves the right to clarify any contractual relationship in writing with the concurrence of the Firm, and such written clarification shall govern in case of conflict with the applicable requirements stated in the RFP or the Firm's proposal. In all other matters not affected by the written clarification, if any, the RFP shall govern.

34. Bid Protest

Proposers may protest a contract award if he/she believes that the award was inconsistent with Superintendent policies or the RFP specifications or was not in compliance with the law. The protest must be filed in writing with the Executive Director, Business Operations within five (5) working days after the after the date of the RFP opening. The Proposer shall submit all documents supporting or justifying the protest. A Proposer’s failure to timely file a protest shall constitute a waiver of his/her right to protest the award of the contract.

35. Disputes

If a dispute arises among the parties hereto, the parties agree first to try in good faith to settle the dispute among them via agreement and thereafter by mediation administered by the American Arbitration Association under its Commercial Mediation Rules before resorting to litigation. All parties shall share the costs of any mediation proceedings equally.

36. Conflict of Interest

Proposer affirms that no Proposer employee or representative has participated in or attempted to influence the Superintendent’s decision-making concerning this RFP and Agreement include (a) influencing or attempting to influence an officer, employee, or member of the Board of Education of the Superintendent or any Superintendent employee or (b) making an offer of any gratuities, favors, or anything of monetary value to an officer, employee, or member of the Board of Education of the Superintendent or any Superintendent employee for the purpose of influencing favorable disposition toward connection with the awarding of this Agreement.

37. Addendums

The Superintendent reserves the right to amend this RFP at any time. Each amendment will be in the form of a written addendum posted to Superintendent’s website. Each Proposer must acknowledge receipt of, and respond as appropriate to, each addendum. The Superintendent may deem any proposal that fails to acknowledge and respond to any such addendum to be non-responsive and may reject that proposal.

38. Governing Law

This RFP shall be governed by the laws of the State of California with venue in Orange County.

39. PROPOSAL CONTENT: A complete proposal shall include all of the following documents (organized in listed order):

A. Five (5) copies of the completed proposal.

B. Completed Attachment A – Information Required of Proposer

C. Completed Non-Collusive Declaration form.

D. Education Department of General Administration Regulation (EDGAR) compliance form.

E. Completed Certification forms.

To be an acceptable proposal, all of the above documents must be included in the submittal.

RFP NO. 26-01

SCOPE OF WORK

The Superintendent is seeking proposals from qualified vendors capable of providing comprehensive language access services, including written translation, oral interpretation, American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, accessibility support services, and related communication services. Services shall be available on an on-call, scheduled, emergency, and as-needed basis. The Superintendent offers no guarantee of the volume, frequency, or value of services that may be requested under any resulting agreement.

The successful Proposer must meet the following objectives:

1. Provide full-service multilingual written and oral communication support in a broad range of languages commonly spoken within the Superintendent's service area, including but not limited to world languages, indigenous languages, dialects, and American Sign Language (ASL).

Additional languages shall be provided upon request as determined by the Superintendent.

2. Provide consecutive interpretation, simultaneous interpretation, sight translation, over-the-phone interpretation, video remote interpretation, on-site interpretation, conference interpretation, ASL interpretation, real-time captioning, transcription, subtitling, voice-over, dubbing, and other language access services as requested.

3. Maintain sufficient staffing and resources to respond to routine, scheduled, urgent, and emergency service requests.

4. Support communication needs across educational, administrative, legal, public engagement, special education, student services, family outreach, and community engagement settings.

Translation Services:

To meet the requirements of this RFP, successful Proposers must be able to:

1. Provide professional translation services for a wide range of materials, including but not limited to:

o Educational materials o Parent and family communications o Student records and notices o Forms and applications o Policies and procedures o Handbooks and manuals o Reports and presentations o Meeting agendas and minutes o Flyers and outreach materials o Website and digital content o Social media communications o Training materials o Public information and emergency communications

2. Deliver translated materials in formats specified by the Superintendent and compatible with commonly used document, web, multimedia, and graphic design platforms.

3. Utilize qualified translators with demonstrated proficiency in the source and target languages and experience in educational, governmental, or public-sector communications.

4. Implement quality assurance processes that include editing, proofreading, terminology management, and review by qualified linguists prior to final delivery.

5. Maintain and apply approved terminology, style guides, glossaries, and reference materials provided by the Superintendent.

6. Meet established deadlines and provide drafts for review upon the Superintendent's request.

Interpretation Services

To meet the requirements of this RFP, successful Proposers must be able to:

1. Provide qualified interpreters for meetings, conferences, public hearings, trainings, workshops, special education meetings, disciplinary proceedings, community events, and other activities as requested.

2. Provide interpretation services through multiple modalities, including:

o In-person o Telephone o Video remote o Hybrid events o Virtual meetings

3. Provide interpretation for scripted presentations and unscripted discussions, including audience participation, question-and-answer sessions, and stakeholder engagement activities.

4. Ensure interpreters possess the linguistic, technical, and subject-matter expertise necessary to accurately convey information in both source and target languages.

5. Supply interpretation equipment and technical support when required for meetings and events.

Accessibility Services

The successful Proposer shall be capable of providing accessibility-related communication services, including but not limited to:

● American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation

● Certified Deaf Interpreter (CDI) services when appropriate

● Real-time captioning (CART)

● Closed captioning

● Accessible multimedia localization

● Audio description and other accessibility accommodations as requested

Responsible Use of Artificial Intelligence

The Superintendent recognizes that advances in language technology may support efficiency and consistency. However, the successful Proposer shall ensure that any use of artificial intelligence (AI), machine translation, automated transcription, speech recognition, or other language technologies complies with the following requirements:

1. Human Oversight. All final deliverables provided to the Superintendent shall be reviewed, edited, and approved by qualified human linguists before delivery.

2. Accuracy and Quality. AI-generated or machine-translated content shall not be delivered as final work product without appropriate human review and quality assurance.

3. Confidentiality and Security. The proposer shall not input confidential, sensitive, protected, personally identifiable, or student information into public or unrestricted AI systems.

4. Transparency. Upon request, the proposer shall disclose whether AI-assisted technologies were used in the preparation of deliverables and describe the quality-control measures employed.

5. Legal Compliance. Any AI-assisted services shall comply with applicable federal, state, and local laws, regulations, and policies regarding privacy, security, accessibility, nondiscrimination, intellectual property, and records management.

6. Data Protection. AI tools or systems used in connection with Superintendent data shall employ appropriate safeguards to protect information from unauthorized access, disclosure, retention, or secondary use.

Confidentiality, Privacy, and FERPA Compliance

The successful Proposer shall:

1. Maintain strict confidentiality regarding all information obtained in the course of providing services.

2. Comply with all applicable federal, state, and local privacy laws and regulations, including but not limited to:

o The Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) o Applicable student privacy laws o Records retention requirements o Data protection and cybersecurity requirements

3. Execute confidentiality agreements and data protection agreements as required by the Superintendent.

4. Ensure that all employees, subcontractors, interpreters, translators, and agents assigned to the contract receive appropriate training in privacy and confidentiality.

5. Protect student, family, employee, and organizational information from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, or retention.

6. Immediately notify the Superintendent of any actual or suspected data breach, unauthorized disclosure, or security incident involving Superintendent information.

Minimum Qualifications

Proposer shall demonstrate:

1. Expertise in providing translation, interpretation, localization, accessibility, and language access services across multiple subject areas.

2. Professional qualifications, certifications, training, education, and experience appropriate to the services provided.

3. Knowledge of language access best practices and applicable federal, state, and local requirements governing public agencies and educational institutions.

4. Experience serving diverse communities and working effectively with students, families, staff, and members of the public.

5. Capacity to provide services across multiple languages, modalities, locations, and communication formats.

6. Ability to furnish all personnel, equipment, technology, and support necessary to perform the required services.

7. Demonstrated commitment to quality assurance, customer service, responsiveness, confidentiality, and continuous improvement.

8. Availability to collaborate with Superintendent staff during normal business hours and outside normal…