REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Written Translation Services and Document Design
Issue Date:
Response
Deadline:
November 26, 2014
Submit
Questions by:
December 1, 2014
Expected
Award:
December 19, 2014
RE:
Solicitation of Proposals for Translation and Design Services
December 10, 2014 via email: jbachay@fhi360.org
PURPOSE
FHI 360, a non-profit organization based in Washington, D.C. is requesting a technical proposal and cost
quotation from qualified companies or agencies to translate and layout the document design of the
following document. Translations will be from English to Spanish, French and Arabic:



Children and Economic Strengthening Programs: Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Harm
(40 pages)
Why Measuring Child-Level Impacts Can Help Achieve Lasting Economic Change (16
pages)
Achieving Lasting Economic Change: How understanding child-level effects improves
impact and sustainability (2 pages)
The firm will also incorporate the translated text into appropriate design templates as appropriate, such as
InDesign and Word.
BACKGROUND
Through a strategic combination of field implementation and rigorous monitoring and evaluation,
STRIVE, an associate award under the FIELD-Support LWA funded by the USAID Displaced Children
and Orphans Fund (DCOF), aims to understand if improvements in the economic wellbeing of households
translate into child-level impacts. Prime FHI 360 and partners Action for Enterprise (AFE),
ACDI/VOCA, CARE, MEDA, Save the Children, and USAID, implemented four field projects under the
STRIVE program in Africa and Asia. Each project pursued a different economic strengthening approach,
ranging from savings-led finance to workforce development to value chain interventions.
STRIVE has published three learning products in English and would like to translate all three documents
into Spanish, French and Arabic.
1
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
FHI 360 is seeking a firm with appropriate skills, experience and language ability. The firm will provide
quality control protocols to manage translation and design services and liaise weekly with FHI 360. The
firm should have experience translating technical documents into Spanish, French and Arabic. The firm
should also have member(s) on the team who have the requisite language skills and experience working
with InDesign. The firm should have a copy of InDesign software. The selected organization must also
demonstrate proven experience in translating large documents into multiple languages.
Scope of Work
FHI 360 is soliciting proposals from qualified companies or agencies to translate the following documents
into Spanish, French and Arabic:



Children and Economic Strengthening Programs: Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Harm
(40 pages)
Why Measuring Child-Level Impacts Can Help Achieve Lasting Economic Change (16
pages)
Achieving Lasting Economic Change: How understanding child-level effects improves
impact and sustainability (2 pages)
The translations must follow the page format as it is laid out in English to the extent possible. If
something is bolded in English, keep the translation bolded. If there is a table, keep the translation in a
table. FHI 360 is looking for firm(s) to submit a quote for one or more of the translation and design needs
outlined in the table below. If the translation changes the text on the page, the text boxes and figures
should correspond to the appropriate text.
FHI 360 will consider a single quotation for all three of the contracts below, a single quotation for any
two of the contracts, or a quotation for any individual contract. Respondents should specify which
contract or combination of contracts their quotation responds to:
1. Contract for Spanish language translation of all 3 learning documents, document
design and revision.
2. Contract for French language translation of all 3 learning documents, document
design and revision.
3. Contract for Arabic language translation of all 3 learning documents, document
design and revision.
2
Request for Price Quotation
Item/Specifications
Units
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Children and Economic Strengthening Programs:
Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Harm
approximately 40 pages from English to French
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Children and Economic Strengthening Programs:
Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Harm
approximately 40 pages from English to Spanish
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Children and Economic Strengthening Programs:
Maximizing Benefits and Minimizing Harm
approximately 40 pages from English to Arabic
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Why Measuring Child-Level Impacts Can Help
Achieve Lasting Economic Change approximately 16
pages from English to French
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Why Measuring Child-Level Impacts Can Help
Achieve Lasting Economic Change approximately 16
pages from English to Spanish
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Why Measuring Child-Level Impacts Can Help
Achieve Lasting Economic Change approximately 16
pages from English to Arabic
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Achieving Lasting Economic Change: How
understanding child-level effects improves impact and
sustainability, 2 pages total from English to French
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Achieving Lasting Economic Change: How
understanding child-level effects improves impact and
sustainability, 2 pages total from English to Spanish
Cost for translation, design and one round of edits of
the Achieving Lasting Economic Change: How
understanding child-level effects improves impact and
sustainability, 2 pages total from English to Arabic
TOTAL
3
Unit Cost
Total
Cost
The Subcontractor will also:
1.
Provide CVs of potential translators and designers on the proposed team.
2.
Provide examples of comparable translation and design work.
3.
Present a quality control protocol to ensure that translation will be reviewed.
Deliverables
Deliverables
Children and Economic Strengthening Programs: Maximizing Benefits and
Minimizing Harm
Translation in Spanish, French and Arabic
Formatted translated text using InDesign template
Why Measuring Child-Level Impacts Can Help Achieve Lasting
Economic Change
Translation in Spanish, French and Arabic
Formatted translated text using InDesign template
Achieving Lasting Economic Change: How understanding child-level
effects improves impact and sustainability
Translation in Spanish, French and Arabic
Formatted translated text into Word Template
Proposed Due date
January 16, 2015
January 23, 2015
January 30, 2015
Expected Timeline
Anticipate final deliverables to be completed by January 30, 2015
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS
FHI 360 is requesting interested firms to provide the following:
1. Capability Statement: Not to exceed three-page narrative on the firm’s capabilities to perform the
scope of work indicating past experience in translation and document design. The firm should
include in an annex with brief descriptions of previous projects implemented by the firm.
2. Timeline: FHI 360 anticipates contracting the firm by December 19, 2014 and anticipate that the
contract will last until January 30, 2014. The timeline will be finalized when the firm is selected.
3. References: A minimum of three (3) client references worked with in the past two years on an
activity that is similar to this Scope of Work. Include the contact information (names, company or
organization, phone number and email).
4. Staffing: Names and CVs including their experience on this type of work.
5. Cost Proposal: The cost proposal will be based on the scope of work indicated above.
Staff/consultant fees, travel and other logistical expenses should be aggregated into fixed price
amounts per deliverable.
4
RFP RESPONSE INFORMATION
The key dates for this RFP process are shown below:
November 24, 2014
RFP released to potential vendors.
December 1, 2014
Submission of questions or requests for clarification in writing via email to
Jessica Bachay at jbachay@fhi360.org. 5 pm EST. Please note that inquiries
and answers to inquiries will be shared with all applicants. Please do not contact
any FHI 360 employees regarding this RFP. Contacting individual employees
may be cause for disqualification. No Telephone Inquiries Will Be
Answered.
December 3, 2014
Response to submitted questions.
December 10, 2014
Submission of proposal due by 5 pm EST via email to Jessica Bachay at
jbachay@fhi360.org.
December 19, 2014
Anticipated contract start date. Start date is subject to change.
SELECTION CRITERIA
FHI 360 is issuing this RFP requesting that each vendor provide us with a brief proposal. FHI 360 intends
to issue one or more fixed price agreement to the vendor whose proposal contains the combination of
those criteria offering the best overall value. Evaluation factors are a total of 100 points, apportioned as
noted in the following:
Technical qualifications
Past performance
Cost
50 points
20 points
30 points
CONTRACT MECHANISM
FHI 360 anticipated to contract one or more fixed-price purchase orders to the offerors whose technical
and cost proposal will be evaluated based on the evaluation criteria described previously. FHI 360 will
issue fixed payment(s) based on submission and FHI 360 acceptance of deliverables or measurable
performance milestones. Once a purchase order is issued, it will include a fixed price payment schedule
with deliverables/milestones specified in the Scope of Work.
FHI 360 may: (1) reject any or all offers; (2) accept offers other than the lowest-price offer; and/or (3)
make multiple awards.
TERMS AND CONDITIONS
Vendors are responsible for review of the terms and conditions described below and in the award template
attached.
WITHDRAWALS OF PROPOSALS
5
Vendors may withdraw proposals by written notice via email received at any time before award.
Proposals may be withdrawn in person by a vendor or his/her authorized representative, if the
representative’s identity is made known and the representative signs a receipt for the proposal before
award.
RIGHT TO SELECT/REJECT
FHI 360 reserves the right to select and negotiate with those firms it determines, in its sole discretion, to
be qualified for competitive proposals and to terminate negotiations without incurring any liability. FHI
360 also reserves the right to reject any or all proposals received without explanation.
DISCLAIMER
This RFP represents only a definition of requirements. It is merely an invitation for submission of
proposals and does not legally obligate FHI 360 to accept any of the submitted proposals in whole or in
part, nor is FHI 360 obligated to select the lowest priced proposal. FHI 360 reserves the right to negotiate
with any or all firms, both with respect to price, cost and/or scope of services. FHI 360 has no contractual
obligations with any firms based upon issuance of this RFP. It is not an offer to contract. Only the
execution of a written contract shall obligate FHI 360 in accordance with the terms and conditions
contained in such contract.
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FIRM GUARANTEE
All information submitted in connection with this RFP will be valid for three (3) months from the RFP
due date. This includes, but is not limited to, cost, pricing, terms and conditions, service levels, and all
other information. If your firm is awarded the contract, all information in the RFP and negotiation process
is contractually binding.
OFFER VERIFICATION
FHI 360 may contact vendors to confirm contact person, address, bid amount and that the bid was
submitted for this solicitation.
FALSE STATEMENTS IN OFFER
Vendors must provide full, accurate and complete information as required by this solicitation and its
attachments.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
Vendors must provide disclosure of any past, present or future relationships with any parties associated
with the issuance, review or management of this solicitation and anticipated award in or outside of
Liberia. Failure to provide full and open disclosure may result in FHI 360 having to re-evaluate selection
of a potential vendor.
RESERVED RIGHTS
All RFP responses become the property of FHI 360 and FHI 360 reserves the right in its sole discretion
to:




To disqualify any offer based on vendor failure to follow solicitation instructions.
FHI 360 reserves the right to waive any deviations by vendors from the requirements of this
solicitation that in FHI 360's opinion are considered not to be material defects requiring rejection
or disqualification; or where such a waiver will promote increased competition.
Extend the time for submission of all RFP responses after notification to all vendors.
Terminate or modify the RFP process at any time and re-issue the RFP to whomever FHI 360
deems appropriate.
6





FHI 360 reserves the right to issue an award based on the initial evaluation of offers without
discussion.
Award only part of the activities in the solicitation or issue multiple awards based on solicitation
activities.
FHI 360 will not compensate vendors for preparation of their response to this RFP.
Issuing this RFP is not a guarantee that FHI 360 will award a purchase order.
FHI 360 may choose to award a purchase order to more than one vendor for specific parts of the
activities in the RFP.
7