Posting Language
Title
Authorize fourteen contracts for language interpretation services for all City departments with Bruxelles, Inc./Inlingua Language Services, Effectiff LLC, Interpreters Unlimited, Language Line Services Inc./Language Line Services or Languageline Solutions, Lionbridge Global Solutions Inc./Lionbridge Global Solutions, Masterword Services Inc., Native Translation Services LLC, Rana Haddad, SAI Language Solutions, LLC, Shun Tong/Sharon Tong, Susana Pimiento Chamorro/Language Access Austin, Universe Technical Translation, Inc./Universe Technical Translation, Voiance Language Service LLC, and Worldwide Interpreters, Inc./Worldwide Interpreters, each for an initial term of two years, with three 1-year extension options, in an amount not to exceed $4,000,000, divided among the Contractors. Funding: $66,667 is available in various City department’s Operating Budget. Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available future budgets.
Body
Lead Department
Financial Services Department.
Client Department(s)
All City departments.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $66,667 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Budget of various City departments.
Funding for the remaining contract term is contingent upon available funding in future budgets.
Purchasing Language:
The Financial Services Department issued a Request for Qualifications Statements RFQS 5000 BRS4002 for these services. The solicitation was issued on July 22, 2024, and closed on September 19, 2024. Of the 29 offers received, the recommended contractors submitted the best evaluated responsive offers. A complete solicitation package, including a log of offers received, is available for viewing on the City’s website, e. This information can currently be found at:
https://financeonline.austintexas.gov/afo/account_services/solicitation/solicitation_details.cfm?sid=140727
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MBE/WBE:
This contract will be awarded in accordance with the City Code Chapter 2-9B (Minority-Owned and Women-Owned Business Enterprise Procurement Program). For the services required for this solicitation, there were insufficient subcontracting opportunities; therefore, no subcontracting goals were established.
For More Information:
Direct questions regarding this Recommendation for Council Action to the Financial Services Department - Central Procurement at: FSDCentralProcurementRCAs@austintexas.gov or 512-974-2500. Respondents to the solicitation and their Agents should direct all questions to the Authorized Contact Person identified in the solicitation.
Additional Backup Information:
These contracts will provide language interpretation services to the City on an as-needed basis for a wide array of needs. Interpretation services will be provided in a variety of settings which includes but not limited to: business, legal, medical, emergency and non-emergency situations. The contractors will provide interpretation services in three ways: in-person, over-the-phone, and video remote. The contractors will interpret between English and other languages spoken in the Austin area based on the data from the 2023 American Community Survey, the Americans with Disabilities Act Office of the City of Austin, Austin Independent School District, Asian American Quality of Life Commission, Austin Public Health, Austin Energy, and the Austin City Demographer’s qualitative and quantitative data.
Data from the US Census and the American Community Survey indicate that 22.9% of Austin residents speak Spanish. Approximately 17.9% of Austin residents are foreign born. There are more than 70 languages spoken in the Austin area. Speakers of continental Asian languages (including Arabic, Burmese, Chinese, Korean, Urdu, and Vietnamese) are doubling in number every ten years. Of the speakers of Austin’s various linguistic groups, approximately 20% to 50% may self-assess on the US Census as unable to speak English “very well.”
These demographic trends highlight the City’s ongoing need to serve and communicate effectively with people who are considered “Limited English Proficient.” That is, they may not speak, read, write, and/or understand English well enough to interact fully with City staff and services. Building on the City’s progress in expanding language access, the interpretation services contract will help ensure that speakers of languages other than English are not excluded from programs, delayed in receiving services, or given information they can’t fully understand. This contract also supports City staff by giving them access to qualified interpreters across multiple languages, allowing them to serve the public more accurately, efficiently, and equitably in a variety of settings.
This contract will replace an existing contract which expires September 18, 2025. The requested authorization amount was determined by departmental estimates and historical spend. Seven of the recommended contractors are the current providers of these services.
An evaluation team with expertise in this area evaluated the offers and scored Bruxelles, Inc./Inlingua Language Services, Effectiff LLC, Interpreters Unlimited, Language Line Services Inc./Language Line Services or Languageline Solutions, Lionbridge Global Solutions Inc./Lionbridge Global Solutions, Masterword Services Inc, Native Translation Services LLC, Rana Haddad, SAI Language Solutions, LLC, Shun Tong/Sharon Tong, Susana Pimiento Chamorro/Language Access Austin, Universe Technical Translation, Inc./Universe Technical Translation, Voiance Language Service LLC, and Worldwide Interpreters, Inc./Worldwide Interpreters, as the best to provide these services based on demonstrated agency qualifications, personnel, references, expertise, and compliance.
If the City is unable to secure a contract, the City will not have reliable and consistent access to qualified interpretation services across departments, which could compromise the City’s ability to serve Austinites with limited English proficiency in a timely and accurate manner. Without a contract, the City would also be forced to procure these services on an as-needed basis, which may result in higher pricing and operational cost, increased administrative burden, and delays in service delivery during critical situations.
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Contract Details: |
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Contract Term |
Length of Term |
Contract Authorization |
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Initial Term |
2 years |
$1,600,000 |
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Optional Extension 1 |
1 year |
$800,000 |
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Optional Extension 2 |
1 year |
$800,000 |
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Optional Extension 3 |
1 year |
$800,000 |
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Total |
5 years |
$4,000,000 |
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Note: Contract Authorization amounts are based on the City’s estimated annual usage. |