The Workers Compensation Board of Manitoba (WCB) invites firms to submit a Proposal for the following: Provide translation and interpretation services in multiple languages.
Description of Services
The WCB requires the Contractor to provide either or both the translation and interpretation components of the Services as described herein. Depending on Proposals submitted and Vendors' qualifications and capabilities, the WCB reserves the unfettered right to award the Services for the interpretation and translation Services to separate Contractors.
The Services shall normally be performed during Business Hours. However, the WCB may request some of the Services to be performed outside Business Hours from time to time, as deemed necessary, in the unfettered discretion of the WCB. The Contractor shall not be entitled to charge overtime rates unless specified in the Fee Schedule.
The Contractor will normally provide the Services remotely from its own facilities, except for "in-person" interpretation services which shall be conducted onsite at the WCB's offices, at the injured worker's residence, or public locations within Manitoba, as requested by WCB, that the WCB and Contractor mutually agree to, unless otherwise agreed in writing.
The Vendor must possess the following:
a) Experience & Expertise
(i) Proven experience in professional translation and interpretation services.
(ii) Ability to provide services across multiple industries, including legal, medical, insurance, and workplace compensation contexts.
b) Language Capabilities
(i) Certified or professionally trained linguists with native or near-native fluency in target languages.
c) Certification & Compliance
(i) Certification by recognized translation and interpretation bodies.
(ii) Compliance with confidentiality and data security standards.
(iii) Ability to adhere to the WCB's style guide for French-language translations.
d) Service Delivery & Accessibility
(i) Capability to provide real-time, on-demand interpretation (e.g., over-the-phone, video).
(ii) Ability to provide in-person interpretation when required.
(iii) Secure system for submitting and tracking document translations and booking interpretation services.
(iv) System that allows multiple WCB users to access, submit, and track documents and interpretation services.
e) Quality Assurance & Accuracy
(i) Robust quality control measures (proofreading, second-pass reviews, error-checking).
(ii) Ability to provide certified translations upon request.
(iii) A defined process for handling translation disputes or errors.
f) Technology & Security
(i) Secure, encrypted communication channels for handling sensitive documents and interpretation services.
The Vendor should possess the following (which may be considered an asset when evaluating):
a) Experience working with government agencies, insurance boards, or regulated industries.
b) Ability to provide both translation and interpretation in one hundred (100) or more languages (or as specified by WCB).
c) Translators and interpreters with specialized knowledge in legal, medical, and compensation-related terminology.
d) A dedicated project manager or point of contact for WCB's translation needs.
e) Capacity to scale services based on demand fluctuations.
f) Experience integrating with clients' systems to streamline service delivery.
g) Use of translation memory tools and glossaries to ensure consistency.
Translation Services
The Contractor shall provide the following translation services:
a) Document translation for updates to approximately forty (40) different multi-language publications annually (English source provided electronically);
b) Complete document translation of approximately one hundred and fifty (150) English publications issued annually (English source will be supplied electronically);
c) Capability to translate English text into one hundred (100) or more languages, covering publications, posters, fact sheets, legal documents, and claim file documents, including healthcare correspondence using appropriate medical terminology; and
d) Translation of collateral material for public awareness campaigns.
In providing the translation component of the Services described above the Contractor should have the ability and capacity to:
a) Receive electronic files via secure e-mail using TLS (Transport Layer Security);
b) Independently proofread and correct text before delivery;
c) Guarantee accuracy of translated material;
d) Comply with the requirements of The Personal Health Information Act (PHIA) and The Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA) of Manitoba and any other applicable privacy legislation;
e) Layout and design text to maintain maximized readability in the translated language while matching its English source counterpart as closely as possible;
f) Update text for brochures, etc., using the relevant version of Adobe InDesign including the necessary fonts;
g) Meet the following timelines for print translation services:
(i) 1 to 500 words - within one (1) Business Day;
(ii) 501 to 2,000 words - within two (2) Business Days;
(iii) 2,001 to 6,000 words - within six (6) Business Days;
(iv) 6,001 to 15,000 words - within ten (10) Business Days; and
(v) 15,001 to 45,000 words - within twenty-two (22) Business Days;
h) Deliver on rush orders when necessary [acknowledge receipt of request within thirty (30) minutes of initial contact and confirm ability to meet the timeline for documents of approximately one thousand (1,000) words, completed within two (2) hours] (Longer documents may also be requested on a rush basis but will require prior confirmation from the Contractor regarding feasible delivery timelines.);
i) Convey intended meaning of source text when a literal translation does not do so;
j) Maintain same formatting and fonts as source material;
k) Provide Services throughout WCB Business Hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., MB Time, Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays); and
l) Assign a senior account manager of the Contractor to be available to work on the WCB's account.
Interpretation Services
The Contractor shall provide interpretation services, including:
a) A custom "1-800" phone line [the WCB has historically received between four hundred (400) to seven hundred (700) calls annually];
b) Interpretation for one hundred (100) or more languages;
c) In-person interpretation services for injured workers meeting with WCB staff (onsite at WCB facilities or at injured worker's residence, or public locations as required by WCB) and for in-person medical exams with the WCB's healthcare advisors [the WCB has historically had five (5) to ten (10) such in-person exams per month]; and
d) Interpretation for employers meeting with WCB staff at WCB facilities.
Telephone and Video Interpretation Requirements
For telephone and video interpretation the Contractor shall provide:
a) A custom WCB phone greeting for interpretation services;
b) On-call assistance (real-time access to interpreters on an as-needed basis so WCB staff can immediately connect with an interpreter without prior scheduling);
c) Quick reference guides and wallet cards (printed and digital material that help WCB staff access interpretation services immediately);
d) Language ID cards (a visual tool that helps identify the language a person speaks);
e) Services within two (2) minutes of receiving the phone call; and
f) Services throughout the extended hours of 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m. (MB Time), Monday to Friday (excluding statutory holidays).
In-Person Interpretation Requirements
For in-person interpretation services, the Contractor shall provide:
a) A system to schedule appointments in the future;
b) Interpreters to accompany WCB staff to appointments or attend in-person medical exams with at least one (1) week's advance notice; and
c) A video interpretation solution available on demand or as scheduled.
General Service Requirements
The Contractor must:
a) Provide detailed electronic invoices on a monthly basis;
b) Ensure service availability during standard WCB Business Hours;
c) Maintain appropriate service levels, including:
(i) Phone callbacks within four (4) hours during Business Hours or within the first four (4) Business Hours of the next Business Day if outside Business Hours; and
(ii) E-mail responses within four (4) hours during Business Hours or within the first (4) Business Hours of the next Business Day if outside Business Hours; and
d) Exercise due diligence to prevent errors and ensure service quality.
In addition to the information listed in Schedule "A", section 8.2 of this RFP, the Proposal should provide a detailed overview of the proposed resources who will be assigned to deliver the Services with the following details included:
a) Team composition & roles (clarify whether resources are in-house employees or subcontractors).
b) Experience & qualifications:
(i) Profiles of personnel highlighting their relevant experience in translation and interpretation services, particularly in legal, medical, and compensation-related terminology.
(ii) Details of certifications, degrees, and personal affiliations.
(iii) Outline of past experience working with worker compensation boards, government agencies, insurance boards, and other similar industries.
c) Highlight of previous projects that demonstrate expertise in similar services as described in this RFP.
The Contractor will not be required to have and maintain workers compensation coverage for its workers who will be providing the Services, unless required pursuant to The Workers Compensation Act.
It is expected the Services will be required for an initial period of three (3) years with a start date of October 1, 2025, continuing up to and including September 30, 2028. The WCB shall have an irrevocable option to extend the term of the Services for an additional period of two (2) years, continuing up to and including September 30, 2030, on the same terms and conditions.
The Services shall be requested by the WCB on an "as needed" basis and the WCB makes no representation to guarantee any minimum amount of work will be assigned to the Contractor.
All stored data, whether hard copy or electronic, including phone call recordings, must be physically and electronically stored in Canada, including any off-site storage, disaster recovery sites, and computer servers.
In order to comply with its obligations under The Accessibility for Manitobans Act, the WCB must maintain its website in accordance with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). The Contractor must ensure that all digital content, including PDF documents uploaded to the WCB's website, complies with WCAG. The Contractor is responsible for using appropriate tools, such as those available in Microsoft Word and Adobe InDesign, to create accessible documents. All final deliverables will be reviewed for WCAG compliance, and non-compliant documents will not be accepted.
*Vendors are not permitted to contact any employees, officers, or agents of the WCB for matters regarding this RFP, except in writing to the Agreement Administrator. Failure to adhere to this rule may result in the disqualification of a Vendor and rejection of its Proposal.
