Sign Language Interpretation Services

Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC) issued Request for Proposals (RFP 739-SL3792695) to procure American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services for deaf and hard of hearing students enrolled in health-related academic programs across its five campuses in Abilene, Amarillo, Dallas/Fort Worth, Lubbock, and Permian Basin. The procurement encompasses interpreting services for classroom lectures, laboratory sessions, simulation-based instruction, and clinical training environments with flexible scheduling availability outside standard business hours, including early mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays. Services may be delivered through on-site in-person interpretation or video remote interpreting (VRI) via approved platforms such as Zoom or Microsoft Teams, with team interpreting required for assignments exceeding 60 minutes or involving high cognitive demand. All interpreters must hold current certification from the Registry of Interpreters for the Deaf (RID), the Board for Evaluation of Interpreters (BEI), or equivalent state-recognized credentials and must comply with the RID Code of Professional Conduct, HIPAA, and FERPA regulations. Performance standards include a 98 percent assignment fulfillment rate, 98 percent punctuality with interpreters arriving 10 minutes prior to assignments, and a two-hour response time for request acknowledgment. Evaluation criteria weighted proposals at 40 percent for pricing, 10 percent for experience and reputation, and 50 percent for product and service specifications. Written questions are due by April 17, 2026, with proposals due by 4:30 PM Central Time on May 6, 2026, with evaluation anticipated between May 6 and May 31, 2026.

The contract includes historically underutilized business (HUB) requirements, and proposers must complete and submit a VETHUB Subcontracting Plan acknowledging compliance. TTUHSC reserves the right to award multiple agreements and may utilize group purchasing authority allowing other Texas institutions of higher education to contract with the selected vendor. The contract term begins upon execution and expires August 31, 2027, with two optional one-year renewal periods extending through August 31, 2029. Contractors must maintain Commercial General Liability insurance with minimum limits of two million dollars aggregate and one million dollars per occurrence and must undergo criminal background screening for all personnel assigned to TTUHSC premises. Standard payment terms are Net 30 days, with proposers required to submit pricing in a format suited to TTUHSC's intended use. No incumbent vendor, budget range, or award value was specified in the RFP documentation.