Virtual Interpretation Services

The International Development Research Centre (IDRC), an agency of the Government of Canada, is soliciting proposals for Virtual Simultaneous Live Interpretation Services and Technical Support for events, meetings, conferences, and webinars on an as-needed basis. The contract, identified by solicitation number 26270001, is structured as a multi-year standing offer with a base term of three years beginning June 1, 2026, and includes two optional one-year extensions under the same terms. Services must be delivered remotely via Microsoft Teams and Zoom using only native platform features, without paid add-ons, and must support a minimum of English-French language pairs with capacity for additional languages. Interpreters are required to hold verifiable professional certifications, and the supplier must provide qualified backup personnel, robust technical support, and incident recovery protocols to ensure zero disruptions. All work is performed from the supplier’s premises, with no onsite facilities provided by IDRC, and performance is subject to strict confidentiality, data protection, and PSEAH compliance requirements, including mandatory non-disclosure agreements and prohibitions on unauthorized retention of recordings. Evaluation of proposals is based on a best-value trade-off methodology, with technical merit accounting for 80% of the total score—59% for methodology, 14% for resources, and 7% for company experience—while financial proposals contribute 18% and PSEAH compliance adds 2%. Technical compliance is mandatory, and only the top three technically compliant proposals will proceed to financial evaluation. Offerors must submit four separate files via email by the deadline of April 30, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Eastern Time, including a one-page cover letter, a technical proposal with mandatory and rated requirements checklists, a financial and PSEAH proposal, and any objections to contract terms. All documents must be in Word or PDF format, with a total email attachment size not exceeding 10MB per transmission. Proposals will be assessed using adjectival ratings ranging from 0 to 10, with 10 indicating superlative performance. The contract includes non-exclusivity, allowing IDRC to engage other suppliers, and contains stringent audit rights, intellectual property assignment to IDRC, and a 15% withholding for non-Canadian suppliers administered through the Canada Revenue Agency. Bilingual English-French execution is required, and all interpretations must align with Canadian legislation and data privacy standards.