PRF88 Request for Quote-On Demand Language Interpretation and Translation (DFW-2027-021)

The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife (MassWildlife) is requesting quotes for on-demand language interpretation and translation services under Statewide Contract PRF88 (DFW-2027-021), with responses due September 1, 2026 by 1:00 p.m. EST through COMMBUYS. Small Business Purchasing Program (SBPP) participants meeting best-value criteria will be awarded the contract.

The scope encompasses five service categories: on-demand telephone and email interpretation and translation; in-person interpretation at classes, events, and public meetings; American Sign Language interpretation as backup to primary Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing vendors; limited-content document translation; and value-added services. Services must be provided in a minimum of ten languages—Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Haitian Creole, French, Vietnamese, Russian, Arabic, Hindi, and Italian—with additional languages evaluated favorably. Standard availability is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, with intermittent evening and weekend needs anticipated. Services will be delivered across eleven MassWildlife office locations throughout Massachusetts.

Vendors must have a minimum of five years of experience providing on-demand verbal and document translation services to state agencies, institutions, hospitals, universities, or public bodies. They must establish secure account controls and maintain separate tracking mechanisms for different programs and funding sources. Use of artificial intelligence or machine translation during any interpreting session is prohibited.

The contract commences October 1, 2026 and continues through June 30, 2023, with renewal options subject to PRF88 requirements. Anticipated annual expenditures are less than $15,000 for informational purposes only; MassWildlife does not guarantee minimum compensation or work volume. Pricing follows PRF88 statewide rates: remote and video remote interpretation billed per minute per language with no minimum hours, in-person interpretation billed hourly with a one- or two-hour minimum to be established by vendor response, and translation services billed at maximum price per word.

Evaluation allocates 100 points: Qualifications (30), Pricing (20), Value-Added Services (10), Security and Controls (20), and Additional Languages (20), with potential bonus points for evening and weekend availability. Bidders must submit documentation through COMMBUYS including the mandatory bid sheet, pricing, experience details, language capabilities, hours of operation, security processes, key personnel information, and three references.