25NS0926 ASL Interpreting Services

The California Public Utilities Commission is requesting bids for American Sign Language interpreting services across five categories—in-person interpreting in San Francisco, Sacramento, and Los Angeles (within 50 miles of designated offices); scheduled video remote interpreting; and on-demand video remote interpreting available within 60 seconds—with proposals due June 13, 2026 (the source also states June 15 at 10:00 a.m. PST; the June 15 date is used as the authoritative deadline based on the formal IFB document). Written questions are due May 21, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. PST, with answers posted by May 27. Small Business and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise preferences apply, with a maximum combined preference and incentive limit of $100,000; a $10,000 withholding from final payment will be applied pending DVBE certification compliance.

Interpreters must hold current RID, NIC, or NAD certification and demonstrate two years of prior ASL interpreting experience. Each bidder must maintain at least three certified ASL interpreters per category. In-person assignments require arrival 15 minutes before scheduled time; video meetings require five-minute advance arrival. Services operate during standard business hours (Monday–Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Pacific Standard Time) or at mutually agreed times. Pricing is category-specific: in-person and scheduled video remote services are billed hourly with a two-hour minimum, paid in half-hour increments beyond two hours; on-demand services are billed per minute. Travel expenses are reimbursed at California Department of Human Resources approved rates. Contractors must carry commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 per occurrence and worker's compensation coverage.

The total annual budget for all contracts awarded is $250,000; historical spending averages approximately $120,000 annually. Current incumbents are Unspoken Languages and Interpreters Unlimited, billing at $90.50 per hour (scheduled video remote), $80.50–$90.50 per hour (in-person), and $2.08 per minute (on-demand). Awards will be made separately for each service category to the lowest responsive bidder. The contract execution date is estimated at July 1, 2026.