About Request for Proposals (RFP)
Voiance Language Services responds to all RFPs for Over-the-Phone Interpretation
and/or Document Translation and Web Localization. Organizations familiar with issuing
RFPs should download our RFP
Guide.
Organizations unsure about the use of RFPs should consider the following:
Should you issue an RFP?
For many organizations, issuing an RFP ensures a fair process and equal opportunity
for all potential business partners. RFPs can also be used to solicit detailed information
from potential business partners and engage internal stakeholders.
However, there are situations where purchasing language services without an RFP
might be the better choice, as creating a quality RFP takes time and a significant
amount of resources.
Issuing an RFP
- Be informed: Get to know the Language Service industry. Without a detailed
understanding of the different services available you might not ask the right kind
of questions.
- Analyze your needs: What are the main pain-points in your language services
needs? Who will need to use the services?
- Get in touch with business partners: Create a short-list. Contact and ask
them about their services and solicit their input to help you write the RFP.
- Pre-qualify business partners: To provide equal opportunity to all business
partners you will need to review all answers. Review periods are often significantly
extended because of the number of responses received. You may wish to prequalify
your business partners and send the RFP to those that have made a favorable impression.
- Create the RFP questions: Use Voiance's Guide for reference. Our Guide has been created based
on best practices from RFPs we have received.
- Determine award criteria: Looking for the best price might not necessarily
give you the best value. Determine the factors important to you and communicate
this to the business partners.
- Create a timeline: Creating an RFP, receiving and reviewing answers, and
awarding the bid takes time. A realistic timeline assures that your organization
and potential business partners have enough time to complete the required tasks.
Download our RFP Guide
Sample RFP Questions
Below are the top questions for a language services RFP. Looking for more questions?
Download our RFP Guide.
- What differentiates your organization from other language services providers?
- What training do your interpreters receive and where are your interpreters located?
- How often do your interpreters receive ongoing quality monitoring, what measures
are used to evaluate your interpreters, and what are the consequences for good or
poor performance?
- What call center metrics does your organization regularly report, how are the metrics
measured, and how will the metrics add to my organization’s efficiency?
- What level of redundancy is employed in your organization’s infrastructure and technology
and how do you maintain services in the event of a power outage or natural disaster?