Framework Agreement for Video Interpreting Services

Summary

The procurement is for a framework agreement to provide video-based interpreting services in prisons in the German state of Saxony. The contractor must arrange qualified interpreters for video conversations between prison staff and prisoners, interpreting between German and the required foreign language. The 15 core languages must be available with a maximum waiting time of 5 minutes during daytime service and 15 minutes at night, on weekends and public holidays; these limits must be met in at least 97% of service requests. The daytime and out-of-hours core languages are Arabic, Polish, Czech, Russian, Romanian, Georgian, Slovak, Persian/Farsi, Hungarian, Bulgarian, Turkish, Bosnian/Croatian/Serbian, Kurdish-Kurmanji and English. During daytime service, the contractor must also arrange the fastest possible availability for appointment languages, including Albanian, Hindi, Vietnamese, Punjabi, Dari, Somali, Spanish, French, Pashto, Kurdish-Sorani, Greek, Italian, Croatian/Serbian, Tigrinya, Urdu, Chechen, Dutch, Macedonian, Chinese/Mandarin, Portuguese, Latvian, Lithuanian, Ukrainian, Armenian, Mongolian, Hebrew, Bengali, Slovenian and Thai, German Sign Language, and Malinke. The solution must support both web-browser access and SIP-enabled video-conferencing equipment, with encrypted communications. The contract starts on 1 January 2027 for two years, with two possible one-year extensions, up to 31 December 2030. Services are ordered as needed, with no guaranteed minimum volume; the average order value over the previous three years was approximately €208,240 per year. The provider must ensure the required interpreter qualifications, insurance cover, and compliance with data-protection and confidentiality obligations.