Language Access Services

Montgomery County, Pennsylvania is issuing Request for Proposal (RFP) 26-01 for Language Access Services, seeking qualified contractors to provide comprehensive interpretation and translation services on an as-needed basis, 365 days per year, seven days per week, 24 hours per day. The requested services include Over-the-Phone Interpretation (OPI) in over 200 languages with 95% connection requirements and five-second answer times, Video Remote Interpretation (VRI) and Remote Video Conferencing (RVC) via Microsoft Teams and Zoom, Simultaneous Live Interpretation, In-Person Interpretation including American Sign Language, Document Translation and Transcription services, and specialized services for visually and hearing-impaired individuals such as certified deaf interpreters, tactile interpreting, real-time captioning, and Braille materials. The County intends to select a pool of multiple providers rather than a single contractor and does not guarantee minimum service volumes to any individual vendor; contractors must demonstrate capacity to handle up to 60,000 OPI calls per month. Proposals must be submitted electronically through the Bonfire portal by May 22, 2026, with technical submissions limited to 10-12 pages and must include company background, years of experience, service delivery narratives, quality assurance processes, training and certification procedures, references from at least three comparable organizations, project implementation timelines of 60-90 days, and surge capacity plans. Technical and cost proposals will be evaluated based on contractor experience, service delivery capability, quality assurance mechanisms, compliance with the National Council on Interpreting in Health Care Code of Ethics and Standards of Practice, and pricing structure, which must include per-minute rates for OPI and VRI by language tier, hourly rates for in-person interpretation, and per-word or per-page rates for translation services. The contract term will be two years from execution with potential renewal for up to three additional one-year terms at the County's discretion, for a cumulative maximum of five years.

No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged or diverse business enterprises are mandated; however, bidders may certify their status as minority-owned, women-owned, disabled-owned, veteran-owned, or LGBTQ+-owned businesses through recognized third-party certifiers as detailed in Appendix A submission forms. All bidders must comply with federal, state, and local laws including the Pennsylvania Steel Products Procurement Act and prevailing wage determinations where applicable, and must submit mandatory certifications regarding suspension and debarment status, tax compliance, nondiscrimination compliance, and contingent fee representations. Bidders must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including Commercial General Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$2,000,000 aggregate), Workers Compensation at Pennsylvania statutory levels, Professional Errors and Omissions Liability ($1,000,000 per occurrence/$1,000,000 aggregate), and Business Automobile Policy ($1,000,000 each accident) when applicable, with the County named as additional insured. Contractors must include standardized glossaries and predictive text generators for cost reduction purposes and confirm their platforms' support for Microsoft Teams and Zoom with any associated licensing requirements clearly identified. An optional piggyback provision allows non-profit community-based organizations and local government agencies within Montgomery County to access contracted services at pre-negotiated rates without requiring separate procurement processes. No incumbent vendors or budget ranges are specified in the RFP; however, Montgomery County maintains the highest AAA Bond Rating from the financial marketplace and is the third most populous county in Pennsylvania with over 865,000 residents, indicating substantial procurement capacity.