TRANSLATION/INTERPRETATION AGENCY FOR GLOBAL SUMMIT 2022 At International Treatment Preparedness Coalition

Background

The International Treatment Preparedness Coalition (ITPC) is a global coalition of PLHIV and community activists working to achieve universal access to optimal HIV, HCV and TB treatment of those in need. Formed in 2003 by a group of 125 HIV activists from 65 countries at a meeting in Cape Town, ITPC actively advocates for treatment access in eight regions across the globe. ITPC believes that the fight for treatment remains one of the most significant global social justice issues.

The Make Medicines Affordable Campaign works to bring down the price of HIV, TB, Hepatitis C, and potential COVID-19 medicines and vaccines, specifically in middle-income countries (MICs). Make Medicines Affordable (MMA) believes it is every person’s right to access the treatment they need, and that intellectual barriers (IP) preventing access must be removed. The MMA campaign is a civil society-led initiative made up of civil society organizations from over 20 countries. These organizations include patients, lawyers, health experts and activists, who have chosen to challenge the IP measures through successful legal and technical interventions, in-line with the TRIPS (Trade-Related Aspects to Intellectual Property) agreements, and working to change patent laws to improve access to medicines.

In the over two decades of TRIPS implementation, civil society and particularly community-based groups like people living with HIV, HCV and cancer have played a key role in advocating for, ensuring the use of, and even directly implementing TRIPS flexibilities through patent oppositions and litigation. The extent of work and expertise of CSOs and the critical role they play in balancing WTO mandated IP rules with public interest and health while also resisting the onslaught of TRIPS-plus measures is underappreciated and under-resourced.

The Global Summit will coincide with the anniversary of the Doha Declaration adoption and shall serve as a platform to reflect, discuss and strategize on over two decades of the implementation of the TRIPS Agreement and Doha Declaration, its impact on health and access to medicines and to both imagine and reimagine what the next two decades of TRIPS implementation will or could bring. The recognition, preservation and sustainability of the work of civil society in this regard is central to the theme and sessions at the Global Summit. The Summit will take place in a hybrid in-person and virtual format for 3 days on 8-10 July, in Istanbul, Turkey.

Consultant Scope of Work and Deliverables

ITPC is seeking a translation/interpretation agency capable of providing interpretation for the Global Summit on Intellectual Property and Access to Medicines 2022 in a hybrid format following language combinations:

· French/English

· Spanish/English

· Portuguese/English

· Russian/English

· Thai/English

Duration of Consultancy

· 1 June to 10 July 2022

· 3-day meeting held 8-10 July in Istanbul, Turkey (with participants attending virtually) and written translations in the lead-up to the event

Deliverables

· Provide simultaneous interpretation in the aforementioned languages for 3 days

· 5 interpretations booths for 3 days

· Approximately 100 headsets

· Provide written translation of agenda, concept note and subtitles as requested

Education & Experience Requirements

● Degree or certification in translation

● Minimum 2-5 years-experience providing interpretation and translation services in most of the requested languages

● Experience providing interpretation and translation services in French, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish and Thai is a plus

● Experience providing interpretation and translation in-person and through online platforms (i.e. Zoom)

● Experience of participation in technical summits/workshops as well as high-level events in professional settings is a plus

● Experience providing interpretation and translation services on the topics of global health, intellectual property and access to medicines, drug manufacturing and trade issues is a plus

● Previous experience working with civil society and international organizations and agencies is a plus

● Demonstrated effective organizational skills and ability to work flexibly and adapt to changing requirements

Method of Selection

Competitive Negotiations method shall be used to determine the winner. The following selection criteria with relative weight of criteria showed in percentages shall be used for selection for the bidders’ proposals that meet all obligatory qualification/eligibility requirements above and that essentially meet the above scope and deliverables:

1. Degree of completeness of services proposed in response to Request of Proposals (ToR): number of languages proposed, written translations and coordination services (relative weight of criteria 30%) – shall be assessed based on received proposal documents;
2. Quality and relevance of experience in translating at events and/or of materials on the topics of HIV/AIDS, public health or related field (relative weight of criteria 20%) – shall be assessed based on CV and;
3. Quality and relevance of experience in translating at events and/or of materials on topics of access to medicine and intellectual property topics (relative weight of criteria 20%) – shall be assessed based on CVs of translators or short description of translation team experience with description of previous works;
4. Value for money (relative weight of criteria 30%) – shall be assessed based on provided quotation and scope of the work.

Instructions to Tenderers

Tender proposal validity should be no less than 60 days counting from the closing date of receiving proposals indicated below.

Tenderers shall have the right to seek written clarifications on any aspect of the tender documents and receive responses from ITPC in good time before the deadline for submission of tenders, not less than 2 days prior to the deadline.

The starting date of this tender is 27 April 2022. Closing date for receiving proposals is 23 May 2022 23:59 SAST.

Questions should be sent by potential bidders before 20 May 2022 to the same email address as indicated below.

Expected proposal acceptance date is 29 May 2022, although this deadline could be extended by ITPC, if needed.

Tender proposals shall be evaluated by ITPC and the outcome of the selection procedure shall be notified to tenderers by email.

Compensation

Applicants are invited to submit a quote with daily rate for simultaneous translation and fixed fee or daily rate for coordinator with total budget for simultaneous translation for translators and coordinator, and separately please provide price per word for written translations (for written translations the total). Payment will be made within 30 days upon delivery of the monthly invoice.