American Sign Language Services

The Oregon Legislative Policy and Research Office (LPRO) is seeking a sole-source contract for American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services during the 2025 legislative session. The procurement is for comprehensive ASL interpretation across 40 committees and subcommittees, covering an estimated 800 committee hearings from January through August 2025. Services will be primarily delivered via Microsoft Teams, with occasional in-person interpretation requirements, and will necessitate teams of two interpreters per committee meeting. The contract demands interpreters who are familiar with legislative terminology and can maintain high-quality communication standards, adhering to NAD-RID professional conduct guidelines. Interpreters must be capable of handling up to eight concurrent committees meeting in 90-120 minute blocks, with potential needs of up to 14 interpreters during any two-hour block and 70-80 interpreters weekly. The procurement timeline indicates a posting date of January 10, 2025, with proposals due by January 21, 2025, and service delivery commencing immediately thereafter for the legislative session. Evaluation will focus on the vendor's demonstrated ability to provide comprehensive, consistent, and high-quality ASL interpretation services across multiple simultaneous legislative committee meetings.

The contract is a sole-source award to ZP Better Together's Purple division, with no specific set-aside designations mentioned in the documentation. The total contract value is $800,000 for the eight-month period, covering interpretation services for the entire legislative session. While no specific disadvantaged enterprise requirements are outlined, the procurement appears to prioritize vendor capability and proven performance in legislative interpretation settings. The LPRO indicates that after the 2025 session, they plan to either execute a competitive bid process for the 2025-27 biennium or utilize Department of Administrative Services (DAS) price agreements if available. The sole-source justification stems from Purple's proven track record of adequate coverage during previous legislative sessions, with other regional vendors unable to meet the complex volume and technical requirements. The contract will require the vendor to provide both remote and in-person interpreting services using staff interpreters who are intimately familiar with the legislative environment and communication protocols.