MPA 54 Interpreting and Translation Services

Solicitation OEV26006762 establishes the State of Rhode Island Master Price Agreement (MPA) 54 for Interpreting and Translation Services. This open enrollment agreement provides oral and written interpretation, translation, and translation review services on an as-needed basis for state departments and agencies. The scope is divided into three distinct categories: Interpreting and Translation Services, Language Proficiency Testing Services, and On-Demand Telephonic Interpreting Services. Telephonic services must be available 24/7/365 in over 200 languages, with strict response time requirements of 15 seconds for live agents and a maximum 30-second connection time to an interpreter. Emergency and non-scheduled requests across all categories require a response within two hours. Selection is based on a pass/fail evaluation of mandatory requirements rather than weighted scoring. To be eligible for the qualified vendor list, bidders must submit fully loaded pricing, meet specific insurance requirements, and complete Vendor Assessment Forms for each category. Key compliance mandates include a 15% Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) participation goal, a conflict of interest attestation, and mandatory background checks for all successful bidders. Personnel must be completely fluent in English and the target language, maintain strict confidentiality, and remain impartial. Medical interpreters must hold CCHI or NBCMI certifications, while legal translators are recognized through NAJIT, FCICE, or NCSC certifications. All contract-related records must be maintained in Rhode Island for at least three years following the agreement's termination.