Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Emma Gonzalez, Manager, Office of Community Affairs
Subject: Agreement with Certified Languages International, LLC to Provide Language Interpretation and Translation Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution to authorize an agreement and waiving the request for proposals (RFP) process with Certified Languages International, LLC to provide language interpretation and translation services to San Mateo County Departments for the term of January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2026, in an amount not to exceed $225,000.
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BACKGROUND:
According to the 2021 U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 1-Year Estimates, nearly half of San Mateo County residents (47.6 percent) speak a language other than English at home. Collectively, the County’s residents speak more than 100 different languages from across the world with the most prevalent being English, Spanish, Chinese, and Tagalog.
Since 2018, the Office of Community Affairs (OCA) has contracted to provide language access services, such as over-the-phone interpretation and document translation to 22 County departments 24/7/365. Interpretation services include on-demand and pre-scheduled options in approximately 200 unique languages.
The current contract expires December 31, 2023.
DISCUSSION:
In January 2023, San Mateo Medical Center (SMMC) completed a Request for Proposals (RFP) for language interpretation and translation services for SMMC-provided services. Certified Languages International, LLC (CLI) was chosen as the most qualified vendor. In order to continue make these services available to County Departments that do not have direct contracts for such interpretation or translation services, OCA now wishes to leverage SMMC’s RFP process to establish a new contract with similar terms with CLI. OCA requests that this Board waive the competitive procurement process in connection with this contract.
The contract will provide high-quality video interpretation services for American Sign Language (ASL) and other languages between County employees, County clients, and qualified interpreters via a secure two-way connection to a video and phone interpreter 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, including holidays and 24/7 on-call IT support. Additionally, CLI will provide comprehensive translation services in over 100 written languages, including Braille. Additional services may include desktop publishing and typesetting of translated documents, proofreading/updating third-party (non-CLI) translations, audio and Braille transcriptions, as well as editing/updating exiting CLI translations.
On November 14, 2023, this Board approved a resolution acknowledging the importance of language access in the County of San Mateo and directed the creation of a language access ordinance and implementation plan and this contemplated contract furthers the Board’s language access efforts.
County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution and agreement as to form.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provisions allowing amendment of the County fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
It is anticipated that 99.5 percent of interpretation requests will be fulfilled for all languages.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2022-23 Actual |
FY 2023-24 Estimated |
|
Percentage of interpretation requests that are fulfilled for all languages |
99.5 percent |
99.5 percent |
EQUITY IMPACT:
The County of San Mateo is dedicated to ensuring equitable access to County services and to foster inclusive and welcoming communities. Nearly half of the population of San Mateo County speaks a language other than English at home. The services provided under this contract will enable the County to continue to offer over-the-phone interpretation of approximately 200 unique languages to residents when visiting County departments. Last year almost 600 over-the-phone interpretation requests were met. By offering equitable access to language services, the County strives to promote the health and welfare of all communities. Staff does not expect any negative impacts from creating this contract.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is January 1, 2024, through December 31, 2026. The amount of the agreement is not to exceed $225,000 for the three-year term. Funding for this agreement has been included in the Office’s FY 2023-24 Adopted budget with no increase to Net County Cost.