Request for Proposal

Notice to Offeror: Request for Proposal by TAPED for Communication Access Services Including Sign Language Interpretation, Captioning, and DeafBlind Supports

June 25-27, 2026 – Houston CityPlace Marriott at Springwoods Village

Questions regarding this RFP must be submitted in writing to Twyla Loftin, Communication Access Team Member for SWCED 2026, at twyla.loftin@tsd.texas.gov no later than September 26, 2025. All questions and answers will be posted to https://www.taped.org from October 6-17, 2025. Offerors are responsible for viewing the website to review all questions and answers prior to submitting proposals. Oral communications concerning this RFP shall not be binding and shall in no way excuse an Offeror of the obligations set forth in this proposal.

Proposals must be sealed and prominently marked with the RFP title, RFP opening time/date, and name of Offeror. RFP submissions can be mailed or sent via email and must be received no later than 2:00 p.m. Central Time on October 24, 2025, by Twyla Loftin, SWCED Communication Access Team Member. If submitting via email, send to twyla.loftin@tsd.texas.gov. If submitting via mail, send to Twyla Loftin, 1102 South Congress Ave. Austin, TX 78704. Proposals received prior to the submittal deadline will be time-stamped upon receipt and kept secure and unopened. At the submittal deadline, TAPED will collect all proposals received before the deadline designated for the proposal opening. Proposals will be opened and recorded publicly during the November TAPED Board Meeting. Any proposal received later than the specified time, whether delivered in person, by courier, or mailed, will not be considered. Late proposals will be returned to the sender unopened.

Scope of Work

The 2026 biennial Texas Statewide Conference on Education of the Deaf (SWCED) is rapidly approaching. The conference will take place at the Houston CityPlace Marriott at Springwoods Village in Spring, TX, June 25-27, 2026. TAPED requests proposals from qualified suppliers with the intent to enter into a Contract for Communication Access Services, including sign language interpreting, captioning, and DeafBlind supports. TAPED is actively seeking to collaborate with selected vendors in conjunction with Twyla Loftin, the 2026 SWCED communication access planning committee member. Together, selected vendors and the SWCED planning committee will manage and provide communication access. The primary objective is to ensure impeccable communication access services throughout the event. Thus, TAPED is initiating a call for bids for the provision of communication access services.

TAPED anticipates a substantial in-person audience of up to 600 participants. Vendor expertise and commitment to communication and language access will play a crucial role in the success of this event.

In addition to the SWCED 2026 in-person event, June 25-27, 2026, SWCED 2026 will offer an online learning component with prerecorded content. Participants will be able to acquire SWCED content online that is accessible via sign language interpreting and captioning. Vendor expertise and commitment to communication and language access will play a crucial role in the success of this added online learning component.

In 1984, the inaugural Statewide Conference took shape in response to a recognized need among stakeholders in Deaf Education. It was evident that a unified voice was essential to represent educators and parents of children who are deaf or hard of hearing across the state. Consequently, this led to the establishment of the Texas Association of Parents and Educators for the Deaf (TAPED) in the same year. Among the core objectives of TAPED was the creation of a statewide conference, fostering a space where stakeholders from all corners of the state could convene.

Our current landscape comprises parents and educators from 53 Regional Day School Programs for the Deaf (RDSPDs) and Texas School for the Deaf (TSD). The 2026 SWCED Planning Committee is dedicated to upholding the legacy of delivering exceptional state and national speakers to the conference. The committee includes representatives from TAPED, Education Service Centers (ESCs), RDSPDs, TSD, and the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC) (state agencies/programs) who collectively enrich the spectrum of workshops. The conference offers multiple comprehensive sessions with topics spanning from educational strategies and technologies to research-based practice.

Product & Service Specifications

TAPED is seeking qualified vendors who can provide Communication Access Services (including sign language interpreting, captioning, and DeafBlind supports) to accommodate participants with such needs at the Texas Statewide Conference for the Education of the Deaf (SWCED), 2026.

This contract award will supersede and replace existing contracts for any current contract holders. If not awarded under this solicitation, an existing contract will remain valid throughout its contract term.

Offerors are encouraged to offer their complete catalog of products and services that may include

• Telephone and On-site speech interpretation
• Communication Access Real-Time Translation (CART)
• Video Remote: Interpreting and CART
• Sign Language Interpretation
• Co-Navigators
• Intervening for the DeafBlind
• Written translation or interpretation
• Create documents, training, presentations, and manual materials.
• Transcription, including converting live, recorded speech (audio, video, and phone), preparing documents for low-vision accessibility, and Braille
• Open and Closed Caption
• Court reporting, dictation, and shorthand
• Social Media and Graphic Design Literature
• Other services, as related to interpretation, transcription, training, testing, intercultural consulting, etc.

Interpreter and Translator Requirements

• Screened and tested for proficiency in both written English and the target language(s) with affiliation/accreditation by the American Translators Association (www.atanet.org) or have other credentials or certifications that are comparable to or exceed the standards of the American Translators Association.
• Verify sign language interpreters and interveners for the DeafBlind hold certifications such as BEI, EPIA (4.0), RID, SEE, and/or NAD. Sign language interpreters and interveners for the DeafBlind should be proficient in one or more of the following: ASL, PSE/SEE, DeafBlind, Oral, and/or Trilingual interpreting. This versatility aligns with the diverse range of speakers, workshop presenters, and conference participants.
• Able to write at an appropriate reading level for the target audience and are linguistically accurate, culturally appropriate, and technically consistent with the original documents, as well as ensure that a single translator is used to complete each document to ensure continuity and consistency in terminology, syntax, and style.
• Knowledgeable about U.S. domestic culture. Translators from a foreign country are not acceptable unless the potential translator was raised within the U.S. or has spent significant recent time in this country and is directly knowledgeable regarding U.S. domestic culture. Any potential issue regarding this requirement/prohibition for a particular translation request must be brought to TAPED for resolution.
• Interpreters who are able to act as a bridge, providing TAPED with feedback not only on grammatical and linguistic accuracy but also on cultural appropriateness.
• Knowledgeable of and comply with HIPAA-related privacy guidelines.
• Aware of affidavits and statements of truth in reference to the validity of the translation.

Overview of Conference Planning and Provision of Service

Outlined below are the bid requirements for proposals. This structure offers transparency in objectives and highlights the synchronized demands that will arise throughout the conference.

The chosen contractor(s) will assume responsibility for all transportation, venue parking per vehicle, and any related expenses linked to the deployment of communication access services. It is mandated that for all conference sessions, certified sign language interpreters must be engaged, specifically those at BEI Level III or Advanced and beyond, or holding credentials such as RID CSC, CI, and CT or NIC at the Advanced level or higher.

All food and beverages must be purchased through the hotel. No food or beverage of any kind will be permitted to be brought into the hotel or leave the hotel by anyone associated with the conference. The chosen contractor(s) will assume responsibility for providing food (snacks, meals, non-alcoholic beverages, etc.) for the service providers purchased through the hotel. If the hotel witnesses any outside food or beverage, the hotel will charge the group $500. The chosen contractor(s) will assume responsibility for this charge if the transgression is committed by a communication access service provider. The hotel “Events Menu” can be provided upon request to approximate the costs of food and beverage for the communication access service provider group. Contact Shelly Bybee, shelly.bybee@esc20.net, to request a menu.

Bids should be received by October 24, 2025. Bids should be typewritten and emailed to:

Twyla Loftin
Communication Access for SWCED 2026
Statewide Outreach Center
1102 South Congress Ave.
Austin, Texas 78704-1728
Email: twyla.loftin@tsd.texas.gov

The planning committee will notify the selected vendors upon decision. Upon award, the following deliverables are required.

• Attendance at Planning Meeting: The Interpreter Coordinator is required to attend a planning meeting onsite in the Spring of 2026 (to be determined) at the Houston CityPlace Marriott at Springwoods Village in Spring, TX. The Interpreter Coordinator is also required to virtually attend the Statewide Conference Planning Committee Monthly Meetings from December 2025 to June 2026.
• Draft Schedule with Assigned Interpreters: By April 2026, the Interpreter Coordinator should provide a draft schedule outlining the assigned interpreters in conjunction with the speakers.
• Food and Beverage Coordination: The Interpreter Coordinator will work with Shelly Bybee and/or other SWCED Facilities Subcommittee members to coordinate food and beverage choices to be provided to communication access service providers during the event, if the Contractor has chosen to provide this for the communication access service providers. If the Contractor does not choose to provide food and beverage for the communication access service providers, the service providers must know they cannot bring outside food or beverage to the conference hotel.
• On-Site Assistance During the Conference: Throughout June 25-27, 2026, the Interpreter Coordinator will collaborate with the Communication Access Team to address any last-minute requests or changes pertaining to interpreting services. This collaborative troubleshooting ensures the smooth functioning of interpreting provisions.
• Special Needs Interpreter Notice: Registrants for SWCED must provide a two-week notice for special needs interpreters (e.g., DeafBlind, Oral). In the event of such requirements, the selected bidder will be responsible for supplying suitably trained personnel. Please detail the hourly rate for special needs interpreting on an as-needed basis in an addendum to this bid.

Below is a draft copy of the 2026 conference agenda that highlights the times communication access services are needed. For your reference, the website (www.swced.org) provides supplementary information, including the layout and intricate particulars concerning the conference.

Draft Agenda

Day 1

Day 2

Day 3