American Sign Language and Interpreting Services

Northside Independent School District (NISD) is seeking qualified vendors to provide American Sign Language (ASL) and Interpreting Services for its Regional Day School Program for the Deaf, which currently serves approximately 30 deaf or hard of hearing students. The procurement encompasses comprehensive interpreting services including in-person educational interpretation in classrooms, admission/review/dismissal (ARD) meetings, video remote services, and court-certified interpreting across San Antonio city limits. Proposers must have interpreters holding current Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID) certification supported by the National Association of Deaf, with strict compliance requirements for federal, state, and local regulations. The proposal is due on Tuesday, December 16, 2025, at 2:00 PM (CT) through the Bonfire Portal, with the contract valid for one year upon Board of Trustees approval and potential renewals for three additional one-year periods. Evaluation criteria will be weighted as follows: 30% purchase price, 20% meeting district needs, 15% service quality, 10% total long-term cost, 5% reputation, 5% SWMVBE certification impact, and 10% for other relevant factors.

The procurement does not explicitly indicate specific set-aside designations, but does reference SWMVBE (Small, Women, and Minority-owned Business Enterprise) certification as part of the evaluation criteria. Vendors must provide separate pricing for multiple service categories including standard weekday hours, short notice assignments, after-hours and weekend services, and cancellation charges. Insurance requirements are substantial, including $1,000,000 Commercial General Liability per occurrence, $2,000,000 aggregate, $5,000,000 Professional Liability/E&O, and statutory Worker's Compensation limits. Criminal background checks are mandatory for all covered employees, and vendors must comply with FERPA and EDGAR regulations. While specific contract value is not disclosed, the procurement covers interpreting services for approximately 28 students per semester, suggesting a potentially significant annual contract value for the right vendor. The district reserves the right to make single or multi-supplier awards based on best value determination, with the contract contingent upon funding availability.