Active SLED Opportunity · WASHINGTON · PIERCE COUNTY
AI Summary
Pierce County, WA seeks qualified vendors for Transcreation and Inclusive Communications Support Services to ensure culturally responsive, linguistically accurate, and accessible government communications. This RFQ establishes a contractor pool to support diverse community engagement and compliance with federal language access laws.
Pierce County seeks qualified vendors to provide Transcreation and Inclusive Communications Support Services that promote equitable access to government programs, services, and civic engagement. These services are intended to ensure that County communications are culturally responsive, linguistically accurate, and accessible for diverse communities, including individuals with limited English proficiency, multilingual residents, and residents with varying literacy or communication needs.
This RFQ establishes a pool of contractors to support the development, review, adaptation, and enhancement of County communications across formats and departments.
Pierce County (hereinafter referred to as “the County”) is one of the most ethnically and linguistically diverse regions in Washington State. Federal civil rights laws, including Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), require recipients of federal financial assistance to take reasonable steps to ensure meaningful access to programs, services, and activities for individuals with Limited English Proficiency (LEP) and individuals with disabilities who require alternative communication methods. Guidance issued by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) directs public entities to assess language assistance needs by considering factors such as the number and proportion of LEP individuals served, the frequency of contact with public programs, the nature and importance of the services provided, and available resources.
In alignment with federal, state, and local language access requirements, the County has prioritized inclusive communications as a core service area. The County is committed to ensuring that all residents, regardless of national origin, language spoken, literacy level, or ability, can fully access and benefit from the County’s essential public services. This RFQ reflects the County’s continued investment in language access infrastructure and seeks to expand the reach and impact of these services across departments.
This RFQ intends to operationalize language access obligations by establishing a pool of qualified language providers capable of delivering culturally responsive transcreation services.
a) Transcreation, Cultural Adaptation, and Content Development
Experience providing transcreation, cultural adaptation, and culturally responsive communication services, including past work, communities served, and overall approach (workflows, tools, and review processes), in accordance with Question 4.1.
b) Plain Language and Cultural Responsiveness
Ability to produce clear, plain language and culturally responsive content, including cultural/contextual review processes and incorporation of findings into actionable deliverables, in accordance with Question 4.1.
a) Language Fluency and Cultural Coverage:
Identification of supported languages and cultural communities, including ability to ensure linguistic accuracy and cultural appropriateness across all languages, in accordance with Question 4.2.
b) Quality Assurance and Consistency:
Description of quality assurance processes used to ensure consistency in tone, intent, and messaging across formats and content types, in accordance with Question 4.2.
Experience producing clear and accurate documentation from community engagement activities, in accordance with Question 4.3.
a) Community Engagement Experience:
Experience supporting or conducting community engagement activities, including outreach, events, presentations, surveys, and in-person bilingual support, in accordance with Question 4.4.
b) Cultural Expertise and Staff Qualifications:
Qualifications of assigned staff or cultural representatives, including community connections and regional knowledge relevant to project delivery, in accordance with Question 4.4.
Ability to manage staffing, workflows, and multiple projects to ensure timely delivery, in accordance with Question 4.5.
Effectiveness in client communication, responsiveness, and collaboration throughout project execution, in accordance with Question 4.6.
Experience meeting applicable accessibility and language access requirements, including Title VI, ADA, and Section 504 compliance, in accordance with Question 4.7.
Experience working with public sector or similarly complex organizations on comparable projects, in accordance with Question 4.8.
As an authorized representative of the Proposer, having carefully examined the Request for Qualifications, propose to furnish services in accordance therewith as set forth in the attached proposal.
I further agree that this proposal will remain in effect for not less than sixty (60) calendar days from the date that proposals are due, and that this proposal may not be withdrawn or modified during that time.
I hereby certify that this proposal is genuine and not a false or collusive proposal, or made in the interests or on behalf of any person not therein named; and I have not directly or indirectly induced or solicited any Contractor or supplier on the above work to put in a false proposal or any person or corporation to refrain from submitting a proposal; and that I have not in any manner sought by collusion to secure to myself an advantage over any other contractor(s) or person(s).
In order to induce the County to consider this proposal, the Proposer irrevocably waives any existing rights which it may have, by contract or otherwise, to require another person or corporation to refrain from submitting a proposal to or performing work or providing supplies to Pierce County, and Proposer further promises that it will not in the future directly or indirectly induce or solicit any person or corporation to refrain from submitting a response or proposal to or from performing work or providing supplies to Pierce County.
By submitting a proposal, I agree that all documents, reports, proposals, submittals, working papers, or other materials prepared by the Proposer pursuant to this proposal shall become the sole and exclusive property of the County, and the public domain, and not property of the Proposer. The Proposer shall not copyright, or cause to be copyrighted, any portion of items submitted to the County in response to this procurement.
I confirm I have reviewed the content of the following attachments included under this RFQ: Sample Agreement and any other documents as identified as "sample" in the Attachments section and acknowledge I understand and agree to these requirements should my organization receive a contract as a result of this proposal.
By submitting a proposal, I understand and agree that if awarded funding from this RFQ, the organization may be required to meet certain insurance requirements based on services being purchased, prior to contract execution, and types of insurances may include, but are not limited to:
In addition:
Please see "Exhibit D" in the SAMPLE AGREEMENT under attachments to see full insurance requirements. If you have questions regarding insurance requirements, please submit them through the “Question & Answer” section of the RFQ.
As an authorized representative of the Proposer, I certify to the best of my knowledge and belief that the organization and its principals:
By checking the confirmation, I understand that a false statement on this certification may be grounds for rejection of this proposal or termination of any award. In addition, under 18 USC Sec. 1001, a false statement may result in a fine of up to $10,000 or imprisonment for up to 5 years, or both.
Please provide the name and title of the individual authorized to execute a contract on behalf of the organization.
Please provide the legal name, any d/b/a names, years in business, local address, billing address if different, email address, and phone number of the organization making the proposal.
Please provide the Employee Identification Number (EIN).
Must choose at least two (2) answers: Profit status (1 or 2) and organizational structure (3, 4, 5, or 6).
Please provide the name, phone, and email for:
Please provide the organization's UBI number.
WARNING: Failure to provide a UBI number may be cause for the application to be disqualified from competition.
Please confirm that you meet the following proposer eligibility requirements:
Pierce County may require the proposer to submit relevant documentation prior to executing a contract.
Please ensure that your answer to each question addresses the corresponding evaluation criteria (found in Section 4.2) and experience requirements (found in Section 1.5).
a. Describe your organization’s experience in providing transcreation, cultural adaptation, or culturally responsive communication services. Include examples of past work, communities serves, and your overall approach (e.g., workflows, tools, review processes).
b. Explain how you ensure content is both written in plain language and culturally responsive. Outline your approach to cultural/contextual review and how findings are documented and incorporated into actionable items.
a. Identify the languages and cultural communities your organization supports and describe how you ensure linguistic accuracy and cultural appropriateness across languages.
b. Outline your quality assurance process, including how you maintain consistency in tone, intent, and messaging across formats and content.
Describe your experience producing documentation from community engagement activities (e.g., summaries, reports, recommendations).
a. Describe your experience supporting or conducting community engagement (e.g., tabling, outreach events, presentations, surveys), including any in-person bilingual support.
b. Describe the qualifications of staff or cultural representatives you would assign to projects, including their community connections and regional knowledge.
Describe your team structure, staffing model, and systems used to meet deadlines and manage multiple projects.
Describe how you collaborate with clients throughout a project, including communication practices, responsiveness, and handling feedback or revisions.
Describe your experience applying Title VI, ADA, Section 504, and other language access or accessibility requirements. Include examples and how you ensure compliance in your deliverables.
Describe your experience working with public sector or community based organizations. Include examples involving clients of similar size or complexity.
Please upload a completed copy of Exhibit A.
An organization must have, at the time of submission, an active UEI number when the funding is identified as federal. Please list your UEI as issued by Sam.gov.
Funding may or may not create a subrecipient relationship between the organization and the County.
WARNING: Failure to provide a number OR if the UEI number is NOT ACTIVE may be cause for the application to be disqualified from competition.
Will the RFQ accept multiple proposals from a single vendor?
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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