Translation Services CN160008

The California Department of Education's Curriculum Frameworks and Instructional Resources Division is seeking qualified contractors to provide translation services for its Clearinghouse for Multilingual Documents (CMD) through an Invitation for Bid (IFB) numbered CN160008. The procurement targets comprehensive translation services for parental information templates across multiple languages, specifically divided into Group A (19 languages) and Group B (8 languages), including Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Arabic. Contractors must use only USA-resident translators who are native speakers in target languages, possessing a minimum of 5 years professional translation experience, with at least 2 years translating educational documents. The contract will be awarded to the responsive and responsible bidder submitting the lowest average per-word rate for Language Group A, with bidders required to provide pricing for standard and emergency translation rates. The contract period spans from July 1, 2016 through June 30, 2017, with a potential one-year renewal option through June 30, 2018. Key submission dates include a question submission deadline of April 8, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. PST, bid submissions due April 22, 2016 at 2:00 p.m., and a public bid opening scheduled for April 26, 2016.

The solicitation includes specific set-aside and preference provisions, offering a 5% bid preference for California certified small businesses and Disabled Veteran Business Enterprise (DVBE) incentives ranging from 3-5%. Bidders must provide references from at least one state department of education and either a large school district/county office or non-educational state agency. The current contractor is Carmazzi Global Solutions, which has historically managed approximately 106 translation assignments in the fiscal year 2014-2015, with established rates of $0.13 per word for Group A languages and $0.17 per word for Group B languages. Emergency translation rates are set at $0.17 per word across both language groups. While specific budget ranges are not explicitly detailed, the procurement is structured as an as-needed contract, indicating potential variability in actual translation volume and corresponding expenditures. The California Department of Education will not accept alternative pricing models, separate pricing for translation and proofreading services, or minimum/desktop publishing charges, emphasizing a standardized approach to service procurement.