1. NASPO VALUEPOINT TELEPHONE BASED INTERPRETER SERVICES
LEAD STATE
NEW MEXICO
STATE PURCHASING DIVISION
GENERAL SERVICES DEPARTMENT

2. Sourcing Team Washington Florida Connecticut New Mexico
Connie Stacy Joel Atkinson
Huan Nguyen
Connecticut New Mexico
Pamela Anderson Angelica Lopez

3. Scope of Services Services Available Exclusions
“As Needed” over the phone interpreter services for customers and their clients who need immediate interpreter assistance 365-days a year/7-days a week/24-hours a day
Services are “as needed” – users are billed only for actual usage per minute rather than a preset amount
Exclusions
The Contract does not include VRI (video relay interpreting), in-person interpreting, sign language interpreting or document translation services.

4. Technical Requirements
Languages
Must provide interpreter services for all languages listed in Attachment A of the Master Agreements
Billing and Reporting
Required to submit monthly invoices detailing specific information for each call
Connection Requirements
95% of incoming calls must be answered within 5 seconds, and respond within 30 seconds of the client’s language being identified.
Above requirement changes if the mix of Spanish to all other languages is below 75%

5. Technical Requirements (cont’d)
Penalties
If interpreting services for Spanish, Russian, Somali, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean or Farsi* do not begin within 60 seconds of the client’s language being identified, the customer shall not be charged for any interpretation services provided for the duration of the call.
If any interpretation service request for Spanish, Russian, Somali, Vietnamese, Tagalog, Korean or Farsi* results in a customer being told “no interpreter is available,” the Contractor will be subject to a self-assessed penalty equal to the cost of the customer’s average interpreter call for the month in which the “no interpreter available” event occurs. These penalties will be assessed monthly and will be itemized and deducted from the appropriate monthly invoice total.
*Languages above are the most frequently used overall

6. RFP Process Release date: October 23, 2014
Pre-proposal date: November 12, 2014
RFP Amendments: Two
Closing date: December 18, 2014
Proposals received: 12
Master Agreements: 3 vendors awarded
Contract Term: March 4, 2015 – March 4, 2017 Not to exceed five (5) yrs total

7. Evaluation Criteria Evaluation Factors Points
Organizational Experience
125
Organizational Infrastructure
Key Staff Qualifications 25
Operational Information
150
Interpreter Quality Assurance
Organizational References
Cost
400
Technical Requirements
Pass/Fail
Service Testing – toll free number

8. Evaluation Criteria Scored Criteria Points Available CTS Linguistica
Voiance
Organizational Experience
Description of its organization’s experience and history providing Telephone Based Interpreter Services (including their familiarity with, and experience resolving, problems associated with this service).
Description of its business location(s), size, areas of specialization and expertise, client base (including other currently held contracts or agreements with state and/or local government entities) and how the Offeror has supplied expertise for similar contracts and must include the extent of their experience, expertise and knowledge as a provider of Telephone Based Interpreter Services.
125
105
101.3
112.5
Organizational Infrastructure
Describe your company’s current call-handling capabilities as well as its ability to accommodate a significant increase in the volume and duration of calls for Telephone Based Interpreter Services.
Describe your company’s Emergency Management Plan (EMP) to guarantee continuous service during a disaster or other catastrophe (e.g., earthquakes, power outages, etc.).
117.5

9. Evaluation Criteria Scored Criteria Points Available CTS Linguistica
Voiance
Key Staff Qualifications
Description of the qualifications and work experience for the proposed Contract Administrator and other key staff assigned to perform the work as outlined in this RFP listing their relevant experience and certifications. 25
19.5
21.8
22.5
Operational Information
Describe the method and/or protocol used to identify an LEP client’s language, the process for connecting that individual with an appropriate interpreter, and the process to address situations when an interpreter for the requested language is not immediately available.
Describe how your company will meet the requirement for interpreters to respond to calls (on average) at a rate of 95% or greater within 30 seconds of the client’s language being identified.
What are your company’s requirements and safeguards to ensure confidentiality and compliance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA)? Describe how these requirement/safeguards are managed and reinforced.
Provide a copy of the informational and instructional materials that will be provided to customers and the public explaining the process used to access telephone interpreter services with your company. Offerors must provide informational/instructional material for both the end users as well as for the public to indicate that interpretation services are available at no cost to the public.
150
138
117
136.5

10. Evaluation Criteria Scored Criteria CTS Linguistica Voiance
Points Available
CTS
Linguistica
Voiance
Interpreter Quality Assurance
Describe your screening process for interpreters and the general minimum requirements for experience, education, language proficiency and certifications. Include detailed information regarding any testing instruments or tools you use to determine the interpreter’s skill level.
Describe how your company will ensure that interpreters are providing (and will continue to provide) a quick, courteous response with accurate interpretation.
150
138
123
Organizational References
References from similar projects performed for private, state or large local government clients within the last three years. 25
23.5 17 24

11. Evaluation Results
Four finalists were selected based on a natural break in the scores, but one finalist failed the service test calls.
Awards were made to the remaining 3 finalists.
Offeror’s Name
Technical Score (out of 600)
Voiance
563
CTS
536.5
Linguistica International
485
Offeror’s Name
Proposed Cost
Cost Score (out of 400)
Linguistica International
$.57/min
393
CTS
$.62/min
361.3
Voiance
$.75/min
298.7
Offeror’s Name
Total Awarded Points (out of 1000)
CTS
897.8
Linguistica International
878
Voiance
861.7

12. Comparison of Awardees
CTS LanguageLink
Linguistica International, Inc.
Voiance Language Services
Contract Pricing:
$0.62/min. for all languages
$0.57/min. for all
Languages
$0.75/min. for all languages
Optional Pricing:
n/a
Tiered/Volume Pricing:
$.54/min Spanish and $.69/min all other languages
Optional Equipment:
Dual Handset Phone $150.00
Lease Dual Handset Phone
$15/month
Purchase of Y connector and extra handset
$35.00
Dual handset phone Medical Antibacterial (standard copper line)
$90.00
Dual Handset DECT set (standard copper line)
$55.00
Tri handset DECT (standard copper line)
$69.99
*Additional Equipment – 20% discount off MSRP
** Volume discounts apply for orders larger than 50 units
Corded Dual Hand-Set Single Line Phone Implementation Team will assess how many phones are required to provide optimal service
Waived (no cost)
Cordless Phones (Optional Add-on)
$5.95/month
Tri handset DECT (standard copper line)

13. Vendor Industry Specific Experience (Quotes pulled from vendor proposals)
CTS
Linguistica
Voiance
The majority of our current clients are state and local government agencies.
We have extensive experience providing multilingual services in the health care, social services, legal and general business.
CTS LanguageLink has developed a level of institutional knowledge and streamlined processes that allow us to provide our clients worry-free service.
We have specialized in serving two types of clients: government agencies and healthcare organizations.
In terms of government agencies we are the main vendor for a multitude of states and serve as the primary language services company for numerous large state cooperative contracts.
In terms of healthcare we serve large hospitals and medical facilities throughout the United States. All of our services are specifically targeted to serving these two types of clients allowing us in-depth knowledge of how they operate and how language services support their daily operations.
We have relevant experience implementing service for our government organizations, as well as our clients with call centers.
We earned lasting trustworthy partnerships with over 3,000 clients in North America, and we service clients in various industries – including some of the largest municipal governments,, 911 Emergency Centers, PSAPs, health plans, hospitals, property, and casualty (P&C) insurances and banking organizations in the United States

14. Changes from Previous Contracts
Services and technical requirements remain the same, but the following change was made to the “Equipment and Facility” requirements:
Interpreter services for the most frequently used languages must be performed within the United States from a professional facility or a professional home-based office with limited background noise and no interruption.
Interpreter services for the least frequently used languages may be performed outside of the United States and/or from a professional home-based office with limited background noise and no interruption only in cases where an interpreter from the United States or a professional facility is unavailable.
“Most frequently used languages” means the top ten frequently used languages within each Participating State to be identified on each state’s Participating Addendum

15. Changes from Previous Contracts cont’d
Optional pricing and equipment now included.
CTS LanguageLink
Linguistica International, Inc.
Voiance Language Services
Optional Pricing:
n/a
Tiered/Volume Pricing:
$.54/min Spanish and $.69/min all other languages
Optional Equipment:
Dual Handset Phone $150.00
Lease Dual Handset Phone
$15/month
Purchase of Y connector and extra handset
$35.00
Dual handset phone Medical Antibacterial (standard copper line)
$90.00
Dual Handset DECT set (standard copper line)
$55.00
Tri handset DECT (standard copper line)
$69.99
*Additional Equipment – 20% discount off MSRP
** Volume discounts apply for orders larger than 50 units
Corded Dual Hand-Set Single Line Phone Implementation Team will assess how many phones are required to provide optimal service
Waived (no cost)
Cordless Phones (Optional Add-on)
$5.95/month
Tri handset DECT (standard copper line)

16. Getting Started Select a vendor
Complete Participating Addendum Process
Vendor will work with each state to establish/switch over accounts
Vendor will provide instructional materials and informational materials at no cost throughout the term of the contract.
Sample posters must be provided by vendor for approval and possible editing to suit local language needs

17. Participating Addendum Process

18. PA Process
All 50 states and The District of Columbia have executed the NASPO Cooperative MOA, allowing them to be eligible to use any NASPO ValuePoint cooperative Master Agreement 18

19. Participation Three Options for Participation
State signs a Participating Addenda for entire state
Every legally eligible entity in the state can participate
State signs a Participating Addenda for non state entities
Every legally eligible entity that is not a STATE agency can participate
State does not sign a Participating Addenda
Political subdivisions wishing to participate may contact the NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Development Coordinator (CDT) who will contact the STATE CHIEF PROCUREMENT OFFICIAL asking for approval for that entity to sign their own Participating Addendum.
Entities may be given approval on an individual basis or State CPO may give approval to all entities within the state to execute their own Participating Addendums. 19

20. Step by Step: Participation Opportunity #1
Participating Addendum templates are available on each Master Agreement page on
States may have submitted Intents to Participate during solicitation, this will provide the information for contractors to contact states interested in signing a Participating Addendum.
States may also contact contractors directly to begin Participating Addendum process.
State Chief Procurement Officials (or designated representative) will be the signatory on the Participating Addendum. They will also be the CDT point of contact throughout the process.
State completes the draft Participating Addendum for each contractor and then forwards the draft to the contractor. Negotiations will be handled directly between state and contractor. Upon agreement, the state sends a final copy of Participating Addendum to the contractor for signature.
Contractor signs Participating Addendum and sends back to state for signature.
State sends fully executed copy to both contractor and NASPO ValuePoint at
Executed Participating Addendum will be maintained in a repository.

21. Step by Step: Same Process as Opportunity #1
Participation Opportunity #2
Step by Step: Same Process as Opportunity #1
Participating Addendum templates are available on each Master Agreement page on
States may have submitted Intents to Participate during solicitation, this will provide the information for contractors to contact states interested in signing a Participating Addendum.
States may also contact contractors directly to begin Participating Addendum process.
State Chief Procurement Officials (or designated representative) will be the signatory on the Participating Addendum. They will also be CDT point of contact throughout the process.
State completes the draft Participating Addendum for each contractor and then forwards the draft to the contractor. Negotiations will be handled directly between state and contractor. Upon agreement, the state sends a final copy of Participating Addendum to the contractor for signature.
Contractor signs Participating Addendum and sends back to state for signature.
State sends fully executed copy to both contractor and CDT at
Executed Participating Addendum will be maintained in a repository.

22. Participation Opportunity #3
Step by Step: Participating Addendum templates are available on each Master Agreement page on
An request should be sent to from entity ( may also be sent from contractor). The needs to provide the following details: main point of contact from entity, full name of entity, phone number, address and physical address.
CDT will State Chief Procurement Officer requesting approval for the entity to execute a Participating Addendum.
CDT will both contractor and entity with the permission from Chief Procurement Official to proceed to complete the Participating Addendum.
Entity completes the draft Participating Addendum for contractor and then forwards the draft to the contractor. Negotiations will be handled directly between entity and contractor. Upon agreement, the entity sends a final copy of Participating Addendum to the contractor for signature.
Contractor signs Participating Addendum and sends back to entity for signature .
Entity sends fully executed copy to both contractor and CDT at
Executed Participating Addendum will be maintained in a repository.

23. PA Process Flow Chart

24. Final Steps
Sample PA’s are located on the NASPO ValuePoint Website under each master agreement portfolio.
Executed Participating Addendum will be maintained on
and in a repository.
Participating states and entities will be identified on the map of the USA on each Master Agreement page on
Contractors are encouraged to create and maintain state and/or entity specific web pages on their main Master Agreement website. 24

25. MASTER AGREEMENT
The Master Agreements and Participating Addendum forms can be found on the NASPO ValuePoint website at: Or at the State of New Mexico’s State Purchasing website at the following location:

26. Lead State Contact Information
Angelica Lopez State of New Mexico General Services Department State Purchasing Division (505)

27. Thank You
Please let NASPO ValuePoint know if we can be of any assistance:
Tim Hay, NASPO ValuePoint Cooperative Development Coordinator (503)
* NASPO ValuePoint Point of Contact for these Master Agreements. 27