Fiscal Note
The proposed resolution authorizes the non-competitive selection of the service contract with Language Line Solutions for the the Department of Civil Rights language access program at a cost not to exceed $80,000. The adopted 2019 operating budget for the Department of Civil Rights includes $122,000 for interpreter services and language access costs which provides sufficient funding for the cost of this contract.
Title
A Resolution authorizing a non-competitive selection contract between the Department of Civil Rights and Language Line Solutions for the provision of telephone and video interpretation services, and translation services.
Body
PREAMBLE: In order to comply with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act and executive order 13166, the City of Madison is required to provide comprehensive language services to ensure that all residents have access to city services. In February of 2018 the Common Council approved the Language Access Plan created by the Department of Civil Rights as a response to this obligation. In order to provide these services in compliance with City contracting requirements it is necessary for the Department of Civil Rights to enter into a contract with an appropriate interpretation agency.
WHEREAS, The Department of Civil Rights moved forward with the selection of the vendor while they were part of the State of Wisconsin Language Access contract in order to comply with the competitive bid requirements by piggybacking, and,
WHEREAS, The State of Wisconsin terminated these contracts in favor of new vendors beginning on 10/1/2018, with the City of Madison having selected Language Line Solutions prior to that date, and,
WHEREAS, The contracting negotiation process was already under way when the State changed their contractors, and,
WHEREAS, the need for this contract is due to the immediate interpretation needs while the Department of Civil Rights works on the details of needs assessment, coordination and RFP processes as part of the implementation of the Language Access Plan; and,
WHEREAS, the Department of Civil Rights desires to contract with Language Line Solutions beginning upon signature of the contract by the mayor through December 31, 2019; and
WHEREAS, under sec. 4.26(4)(b), of the Madison General Ordinances if the aggregate amount of the fee for services exceeds $50,000 and the contract was not subject to a competitive bidding process, the contract shall meet one of the other requirements of sec. 4.26(4)(a) and be approved by the Common Council; and,
WHEREAS, for the reasons stated in the attached Noncompetitive Selection Request Form, the proposed contract with Language Line Solutions meets the exception to the bidding process in section 4.26(4)(a)7, which states “A particular consultant has provided services to the City on a similar or continuing project in the recent past, and it would be economical to the City on the basis of time and money to retain the same consultant.”,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Mayor and City Clerk are authorized to sign contract document(s) as needed with Language Line Solutions for these purposes not to exceed $80,000.