6000001976 - telephonic interpreter services

The California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation (CDCR), through the Board of Parole Hearings (BPH), is conducting an Invitation for Bid (IFB #6000001976) for Telephonic Interpreter Services across Northern, Central, and Southern regional site locations. The procurement seeks a contractor to provide 24/7 foreign language interpretation services in up to 150 languages, utilizing specialized dual-handset telephone equipment with speaker capabilities. Interpreters must be certified by the Judicial Council of California Administrative Office of the Courts or possess English Fluency Examination certification for languages without state certification. The contract requires providers to interpret between foreign languages and English with appropriate expertise, covering approximately 83 locations. Key procurement dates included a February 26, 2016 deadline for Letters of Inquiry, with bid submissions originally due March 17, 2016, and subsequently extended to March 22, 2016 at 11:00 am. Evaluation criteria appear to include pricing, with provisions for lowest responsible bidder selection and the potential to award primary or secondary provider status across different regional locations.

The solicitation includes provisions for Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation, offering incentives ranging from 1-5% based on participation levels, and a small business preference of 5% for certified small businesses (not to exceed $50,000). Bidders are required to submit three reference letters from work performed within the past five years, demonstrating prior interpreting service experience. The contract allows vendors to bid on one or multiple regional service areas, with the potential for a consolidated agreement if a single vendor offers the lowest rates across regions. The estimated service volume is approximately 8,000 minutes of interpreter services per month, plus 200 third-party domestic calls, with the CDCR reserving the right to adjust work quantities and increase the agreement amount by 25-100% of the total bid. While no specific contract value was disclosed, the two-year contract period runs from July 1, 2016, through June 30, 2018, with anticipated future increases in service utilization based on historical usage of approximately 15,500 minutes of telephone interpretation services.