Pilot Language Access Certification Program

The Office of Language Access (OLA), within the New York State (NYS) Office of General Services (OGS), is responsible for ensuring that NYS agencies covered under the Language Access Law implement it efficiently and effectively. The OLA provides critical oversight and language access coordination across 46 NYS agencies.

Under the Language Access Law, agencies that provide direct public services are required to provide oral interpretation services in a person’s primary language and translate vital documents related to offered services into the top 12 languages spoken by people with limited English proficiency in NYS—which may include Cantonese and Mandarin, as well as both Chinese scripts. In line with that and considering the need for ASL interpretation as the predominant sign language variant in the US, the following 14 languages are prioritized for this RFQ:

1. American Sign Language
2. Arabic
3. Bangla
4. Cantonese (including both Simplified and Traditional Chinese scripts, as needed)
5. French
6. Haitian Creole
7. Italian
8. Korean
9. Mandarin (including both Simplified and Traditional Chinese scripts, as needed)
10. Polish
11. Russian
12. Spanish
13. Urdu
14. Yiddish

The OLA is seeking a Contractor(s) must provide language fluency testing in Spanish and multiple languages which include, but are not limited to, the 14 languages –listed above, using various delivery methods. In addition, a curriculum for a public service interpreter training program relevant to NYS staff will be created which will include interpretation skills testing and other necessary materials for the training program. A “public service interpreter” refers to interpreting encounters that NYS staff interacting with the public are likely to encounter, as opposed to specialized environments, like legal or medical interpreting.

Please read Key Events Dates in RFQ Section 1.3 and Minimum Bidder Qualifications in RFQ Section 1.4.

When available, the solicitation can be found on the OGS bid opportunities page at https://ogs.ny.gov/procurement/bid-opportunities .