1651-26-R-IFBD-00008-V04

The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) has issued Invitation for Bids (IFB) No. 3160007466 for comprehensive Language Interpretation & Translation Services targeting Limited English Proficient (LEP) and Hearing-Impaired individuals. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide diverse language services including telephonic interpretation via a toll-free number, written document translation, on-site interpretation, and hearing-impaired services such as American Sign Language (ASL) and communication access real-time translation. Required services will cover languages including Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, Arabic, French, Tagalog, Hindi, Korean, German, and Russian. Interpreter and translator qualifications mandate a minimum of two years of professional experience with demonstrated proficiency through certifications or language tests. The contract term is anticipated to be two years with potential for three one-year renewals, and bidders must complete various forms including a Debarment Verification Form and References Form. Critically, bidders must score a minimum of 12 points from reference interviews to be considered responsive, and the bid submission deadline is September 18, 2025, at 2:00 PM Central Time.

The pricing structure for this contract will be based on per-minute, per-word, and per-hour rates for different language services, with differentiated pricing for Spanish and other languages. Contractors must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage, including workers' compensation, comprehensive general liability, and professional liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence. Monthly performance reporting and quality control will be mandatory contract requirements. While no specific set-aside designations were mentioned in the procurement documents, potential vendors should be prepared to demonstrate robust linguistic capabilities and operational excellence. The solicitation does not explicitly list incumbent vendors or specify existing technological infrastructure requirements. Although a specific budget range was not disclosed, the broad scope of language services across multiple MDHS divisions suggests a potentially significant contract value that would require substantial linguistic and operational capacity from the selected vendor.