Translation & Interpreter Services

The City of Wichita, Kansas, issued Request for Proposal #260141 on May 15, 2026, seeking qualified firms to provide professional translation and interpreter services for the Municipal Court in Sedgwick County. The procurement encompasses on-site interpreter services for court proceedings involving non-English-speaking individuals across multiple languages, including Spanish, Vietnamese, Mandarin, Chinese, Arabic, French, and approximately 20 additional languages; in 2025 alone, the Municipal Court required interpreter services for over 1,100 cases. Court operations occur Monday through Friday beginning at 8:00 a.m., with interpreters required to appear prior to docket proceedings, and emergency on-demand services may be requested with one hour's notice. Respondents must submit written questions by May 22, 2026 at 5:00 p.m., with addenda posted on May 27, 2026, and proposals due June 12, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.; evaluation is tentatively scheduled for the week of June 29, 2026, with City Council approval anticipated in July 2026. Proposals will be evaluated based on ability to meet terms and conditions (20%), project understanding and presentation (20%), technical qualifications and resources (20%), references and past performance (20%), cost (10%), and Small & Emerging Business Enterprise (S/EBE) program participation (10%). Minimum qualifications include three years of experience in similar services, understanding of industry standards, Kansas Secretary of State registration, municipal government experience (preferred), and compliance with all applicable federal, state, and local laws; vendors must carry Commercial General Liability insurance with minimum limits of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, Automobile Liability of $1,000,000, Workers' Compensation per statutory requirements, and Employers Liability of $1,000,000 per accident.

The RFP includes a 10-point evaluation criterion specifically for S/EBE program participation, indicating a preference for disadvantaged or small emerging business enterprises, though no explicit set-asides or restrictions limiting competition to particular business classifications were noted. The contract term is one year with four optional one-year renewal periods by mutual agreement, and either party may terminate with 30 days' written notice. Compensation will be based on actual on-site time for the primary interpreter, with no additional charges for additional clients served during an already-billed period; billing occurs only for the primary interpreter's time. The City of Wichita will provide weekly communication of court proceedings and advance notification of add-on cases scheduled less than one week in advance. No incumbent vendor, budget range, or award value was specified in the available procurement documents.