Language Access Products and Services

Harris County Department of Education (HCDE) and its cooperative purchasing division, Choice Partners (CP), have issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for Language Access Products and Services to support K-12 schools, higher education institutions, and government entities across the nation. The procurement seeks qualified vendors to provide comprehensive language access solutions including spoken language interpretation (consecutive, simultaneous, over-the-phone, and video remote), written translation in multiple languages, American Sign Language interpretation, captioning and transcription, specialized services in healthcare and legal settings, and language access consulting and professional development. Vendors may also propose hardware or software products that support language access needs. The proposal submission deadline is Thursday, April 9, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. Central Time, with a mandatory pre-proposal meeting scheduled for Wednesday, March 25, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. CT, and questions due by April 2, 2026, at 2:00 p.m. CT. The anticipated award date is Wednesday, June 15, 2026. Evaluation criteria include overall cost of program (40 points), references (10 points), vendor reputation and work history (15 points), quality of goods and services including management team and quality certifications (25 points), financial capability (5 points), and marketing plan (5 points), with a minimum score of 70 required for award consideration. Vendors must demonstrate compliance with federal requirements including EDGAR (2 CFR Part 200), Title VI of the Civil Rights Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, FERPA, and state and local accessibility laws.

The RFP specifies no set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond. The contract term is one year with automatic renewals for up to four additional one-year terms, for a potential total of five years, with either party able to decline renewal by providing thirty days' notice. Vendors must submit all pricing in the HCDE eBid System with firm, fixed pricing for the initial contract term; pricing may be negotiated during renewal periods, and vendors are encouraged to offer national, regional, or tiered volume-based discounts. All prices must include a 2% HCDE/CP Administrative Fee that vendors remit to HCDE/CP based on total sales, and vendors may propose per-hour, per-project, per-word, per-minute, per-event, or subscription-based pricing models. Contracts awarded are available for use by HCDE and CP members—a cooperative of more than 2,600 governmental entities, school districts, and educational institutions nationwide—through supplemental contracts at negotiated terms. Vendors must maintain appropriate insurance coverage, submit monthly sales reports, and comply with all federal, state, and local laws governing interpretation, translation, and accessibility services. No specific budget range or award value has been disclosed in the solicitation documents.