IFB No. 132144 - Live Virtual Bilingual Fluency Testing Services

The California Employment Development Department is requesting bids on live virtual bilingual fluency testing services under IFB No. 132144, with bids due September 28, 2026 at 3:00 p.m. PT and public bid opening on September 29 at 9:00 a.m. at 1416 9th Street, Sacramento. SB/MB and SB/NVSA certification preferences apply, providing a five percent adjustment to the lowest responsible bid when applicable, capped at $50,000; a DVBE incentive offering one to five percent bid adjustment is also available depending on certified DVBE participation proposed.

The scope covers live virtual proficiency testing in 17 languages: Hindi, Russian, Spanish, Tagalog, Thai, Khmer-Cambodian, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Cantonese, Mandarin, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Armenian, Arabic, Farsi, and Punjabi. Testing must be delivered via telephone and online video conferencing and must assess speaking, listening, reading, and writing proficiency. Results must be provided within five days of administration in ILR, ACTFL, or CEFR format. The contractor must certify compliance with ASTM International Standard F2889 for examination development and maintenance. No subcontracting is permitted.

Pricing is structured as a per-test rate across three bilingual test categories: Live Virtual Listening/Speaking (Audio), Writing, and Reading Comprehension, with contract award based on the lowest average test rate. The EDD does not guarantee a specific volume of work. The contract term runs from January 1, 2027 through December 31, 2029. Contractors must carry general liability insurance with $1,000,000 per occurrence limits, workers' compensation insurance with $1,000,000 limits, and automobile liability insurance of $1,000,000 per accident if applicable. Questions are due by September 18, 2026; responses will be provided by September 23. Anticipated award notification is the week of October 5, 2026.