IFB #25-025 - Translation, Typesetting, and Proofreading Services for the June 2, 2026, Primary Election and November 3, 2026, General Election, Voter Information Guide(s)

The California Secretary of State is soliciting bids through Invitation for Bid (IFB) #25-025 for translation, typesetting, and proofreading services supporting the June 2, 2026, Primary Election and November 3, 2026, General Election. The procurement encompasses translating, typesetting, and proofreading the California Voter Information Guide (VIG), Ballot Labels, Ballot Titles and Summaries, Text of Proposed Laws (TOPL), precinct notices, audio scripts, cover letters, and web content into nine standard languages: Spanish, Chinese (Traditional), Hindi, Japanese, Khmer, Korean, Tagalog, Thai, and Vietnamese, with provisions for additional languages as required. Deliverables include both print-ready and web-ready versions of all materials, with approximate word counts of 104,000 words for the VIG and precinct notices, 83,200 words for TOPL, and 8,000 words each for audio and web components per language. All translators and proofreaders must possess a minimum of five years' written translation experience with state, local, or federal government entities and hold current professional certifications from recognized organizations such as the American Translators Association or California Judicial Council. The contractor must maintain $1,000,000 minimum Errors and Omissions insurance coverage and implement a quality assurance process acceptable to the Secretary of State. Key deadlines include the bid submission deadline of February 4, 2026, at 4:00 p.m., bid opening on February 9, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. in Sacramento, anticipated award on February 20, 2026, and contract term from March 1, 2026, through December 31, 2026, with detailed deliverable milestones ranging from March through October 2026. Pricing is structured on a per-word and per-page rate basis for translation, typesetting, and formatting services.

This procurement includes a mandatory 3% Disabled Veterans Business Enterprise (DVBE) participation goal, though DVBE incentive points are waived with only pass/fail evaluation applied to compliance. Small business preferences apply for bids of $100,000 and over, and Target Area Contract Preference Act (TACPA) preferences are available for qualifying firms. The solicitation requires all bids to include certifications, quality assurance processes, references, ethics statements, and DVBE documentation as mandatory attachments. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. The state retains ownership of all work documents and reserves the right to offset costs for contractor errors against invoices. Payment is contingent on satisfactory performance and receipt of approved invoices submitted to the Secretary of State's Accounts Payable office. No specific contract value or budget range is disclosed in the available documentation.