About Request for Proposals (RFP)
CyraCom responds to healthcare RFPs for Over-the-Phone Interpretation, On-Site Interpretation,
Video Remote Interpretation, Translation & Localization, and Testing & Training.
Organizations familiar with issuing RFPs should download our RFP Guide.
Organizations unsure about the use of RFPs should consider the following before
reviewing the RFP Guide:
Should you issue an RFP?
For many organizations, issuing an RFP ensures a fair process and equal opportunity
for all potential business partners. RFPs can also be used to solicit detailed information
from potential business partners and engage internal stakeholders.
However, there are situations where purchasing language services without an RFP
might be the better choice, as creating a quality RFP takes time and a significant
amount of resources.
Issuing an RFP
- Become informed: Without detailed knowledge of the services available, you might
not ask the right kinds of questions.
- Analyze your needs: What are your current language service pain points? How many
patients do you expect will use the services? How would a language services provider
fit into your overall language access program?
- Prequalify: The more RFP responses you receive, the more your review periods will
require significant time and effort. You may wish to prequalify your potential language
service providers and send the RFP only to those that have made a favorable impression.
- Determine award criteria: The best price might not give you the best value or lowest
overall cost of ownership. Determine what is important to you and communicate this
to the language services provider.
Sample RFP Questions
Below are the top questions for a healthcare language services RFP. Looking for
more questions? Download our RFP Guide.
- What differentiates your organization from other language services providers?
- What healthcare-focused training do your interpreters receive?
- How often do your interpreters receive ongoing quality monitoring, what measures
are used to evaluate your interpreters, and what are the consequences for good or
poor performance?
- What call center metrics does your organization regularly report, how are the metrics
measured, and how will the metrics add to my organization’s efficiency?
- What level of redundancy is employed in your organization’s infrastructure and technology
and how do you maintain services in the event of a power outage or natural disaster?
- What is the total value I can expect to receive by entering into a contract with
your organization?