Committee accepts BLA-recommended reduction to LanguageLine amendment and forwards it to full Board

The Office of Contract Administration requested a fourth amendment to the city's LanguageLine Services Inc. contract to increase the not-to-exceed amount and extend the contract by six months to July 31, 2022. Daniel Sanchez (OCA) told the committee usage of telephonic interpretation rose during the COVID-19 pandemic and that OCA is close to issuing a new RFP for a broader suite of language-access services. OCA originally requested a larger increase but concurred with a BLA recommendation to reduce the requested NTE to $11,694,000 based on review of actual spending.

Nick Menard (BLA) reported actual spending and recommended amending the resolution to an NTE of $11,694,000; OCA agreed. The committee accepted the amendment, rescinded a prior procedural vote to accept a different NTE, then voted to forward the item to the full Board with a positive recommendation as amended. The committee also discussed including non-telephonic services such as in-person and video interpretation in the upcoming RFP and coordination with OSEA and the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs.

Because telephonic interpretation is used across many departments (DPH, MTA and others), the amendment aims to keep services available while the city completes a procurement for expanded language access services.

The committee's final vote to forward the amended item carried (3 ayes).