In Person Interpreting and Document Translation

The State of Connecticut Department of Administrative Services (DAS) is seeking qualified contractors to provide in-person interpreting and document translation services through Solicitation Number 21PSX0065, which is an Invitation to Bid (ITB) for a three-year contract. The procurement will serve state agencies, municipalities, not-for-profits, and political subdivisions, focusing on supporting Limited English Proficient (LEP) or English-language learner clients. Services must include non-English in-person language interpretation and document translation across 14 primary languages, including Arabic, Cantonese, Farsi, French, German, Italian, Korean, Mandarin, Portuguese, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Swahili, and Vietnamese. Contractors must be located within the continental United States, provide 24/7/365 emergency services with a two-hour response time, and be capable of handling various document formats and specialized translations. Pricing must be submitted per hour for interpreting (with a two-hour minimum) and per word for document translation, with all-inclusive rates covering travel, parking, and meals. The solicitation period runs from September 24, 2021, to November 10, 2021, with a vendor Q&A period from September 24 to October 8, 2021, and the state intends to award contracts to approximately 5 contractors based on lowest responsible qualified respondent criteria.

There are no specific set-aside designations or restrictions on responding organizations for this procurement. The contract will replace the existing Contract Award 14PSX0152, which expires on April 30, 2022. Historical usage data reveals significant spending across state agencies, with document translation services totaling $625,689 and in-person interpretation services totaling $6,289,865 over a six-year period. Major spending departments include Mental Health & Addiction Services ($4.36M for interpretation, $262K for translation), Department of Developmental Services ($1.19M for interpretation), Department of Social Services ($400K for interpretation, $200K for translation), and Department of Children & Family ($336K for interpretation). While specific budget ranges are not explicitly stated, the extensive historical spending suggests a substantial contract value. The contract will be available for use by political subdivisions, schools, and not-for-profit organizations in addition to state agencies, offering a broad potential market for selected contractors.