PRB

Background

PRB is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization with about 80 employees that helps organizations address challenges related to population, health, and the environment. We conduct research and analyze demographic, social, and economic trends in the United States and globally. In low- and middle-income countries, we work to improve people’s well-being and contribute to positive social change.

Scope of Work

PRB requires a wide range of translation and editing support for print and digital media across its portfolio of projects. We produce briefs, fact sheets, presentations, reports, videos, event announcements, and other products for partners and organizations to meet project parameters and audience needs. Many of our products are translated from English to French and are intended for audiences in Francophone West Africa. Other language needs may include Chichewa, Hausa, Hindi, Spanish, and Swahili, among others.

Services

The selected vendor will provide translation and editing services to meet project needs and timetables. All editing work will be in languages other than English. Specifically, we require the following services:

• Produce high-quality translation of texts from English into other languages for audiences that may include government officials, youth advocates, and others involved in public health, particularly family planning and reproductive health.
  • Ensure completeness of translations, including detailed comparison of content, facts, and figures to confirm there are no omissions from the source or changes in meaning, tone, or style; as well as endnotes, captions under photographs, tables, figures, lists, etc.
  • Perform quality checks of all translations, ensuring language is accurate and preserves the tone, style, and meaning of the original document and that no typographical errors are in the final text.
• Produce high-quality copyediting of text in languages other than English for audiences that may include government officials, youth advocates, and others involved in public health, particularly family planning and reproductive health.
  • Copyedit and proofread text, checking for factual accuracy and appropriate usage of language, vocabulary, syntax, expression, and grammar, as well as PRB (demographics and program-related) terminology, and appropriateness for the local geographic and cultural contexts.
  • Provide substantive edits when requested for clarity, organization, ease of reading, and effectiveness to ensure the content achieves its intended goals and speaks to its intended audience.

Timelines

PRB anticipates one week for translation of most products. This timeline may be expanded based on the length and complexity of a product. The translator is obligated to work within the required deadlines and be available to PRB for comments and corrections.

PRB employs up to two rounds of edits for some products. For example, editing of a fact sheet or brief may be scheduled for two weeks, with time included for the product manager to review edits and ask follow-up questions; a fact sheet or brief intended for only one round of edits would be scheduled for one week.

Some services may be requested on short notice or with short turnarounds.

Experience & Requirements

Vendors should have the following experience to be considered:

• Proven experience in translation and editing; experience working with nongovernmental organizations or nonprofits, international organizations, or research institutions, particularly on matters of public health.
• Ability to translate and edit sensitive and technical information related to demographics and family planning and reproductive health and preserve nuance in translation and editing.
• Experience with both copyediting and more substantive editing of texts, including knowledge of how terms are used in the local context.
• Ability to provide editorial review of page proofs and video cuts, from proofreading to editing of stakeholder corrections, to help ensure consistency and quality.
• Knowledge of key PRB concepts related to demographics and family planning and reproductive health (understanding of vocabulary and terminology) and language style preferred.
• Ability to handle editing in and translation into French. Experience working with content for Francophone African audiences (knowledge of how terms are used in the local context) preferred.
• Broad coverage of all languages, particularly those on the African continent and South Asia, preferred.
• Advanced user of computers and office software packages, including Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook; and Adobe Acrobat.

Proposal Process

Interested vendors should submit questions and proposals via email to Nancy Matuszak, nmatuszak@prb.org, by the following dates:

• Any written questions due February 18, 2022
• Proposals due February 25, 2022

We are also available for a phone call to clarify and discuss requirements.

We intend to award a fixed-rate contract with an annual ceiling of up to approximately $60,000 to the responsible vendor whose proposal provides best value to PRB. This contract is expected to have a base period of one year and up to two option periods of one additional year each. We reserve the right to make multiple awards based on this solicitation. We also reserve the right not to award a contract to any offeror, or to award the contract to other than the lowest-price offeror.

The successful offeror will be required to sign the Byrd Anti-Lobbying Amendment Certification (see, for example http://www.bidnet.com/bneattachments?/489400049.pdf).

Proposals must include the following to be considered:

• Cover sheet identifying your legal name, physical address, description of the organization, list of company officers, and information about how years you have been in business. If you are a small business, also indicate the applicable NAICS code(s) and your exact small business classification (e.g., woman-owned small business).
• Cost proposal that includes:
  • Fixed per-word rate for translation, broken down by language, type of translation, and/or other elements in accordance with your business practices.
  • Fixed per-word (or per-hour) rate for editing, broken down by editing type (copyediting v. substantive editing), quality checks, language, or other element in accordance with your business practices.
  • Description of any surcharges for rush jobs.
  • Translation and editing estimates for:
    • Presentation of 60 Microsoft PowerPoint slides, with notes of 6,000 words, translated from English to French and edited.
    • Report of 105,000 words, no tables or figures, translated from English to French and edited.
    • Brief of 1,600 words in a Word document, including two line graphs and one map, translated from English to Hindi and edited.
  • Description of your translation, editing, and QA processes.
  • Examples of previous work.
  • At least two references, preferably from other nonprofit clients with similar scopes of work, including name, organizational affiliation, phone number, and email address.

Contact

Nancy Matuszak, Editorial Director, nmatuszak@prb.org