Procurement of interpretation and translation services in Sweden Klas Ericsson Kammarkollegiet

1. Procurement of interpretation and translation services in SwedenKlas EricssonKammarkollegiet

2. Kammarkollegiet • Oldest public authority in Sweden, founded in 1539 • Central authority under the government, department of finance • Legal, financial and administrative services, 30 different tasks • Our main customers are other public authorities.

3. Community interpreting in Sweden 650 000interpretedhours... … in 120languages 2009: 1,2 – 1,5 millioninterpretedhours… … in 170languages 2004:

4. Authorization – general information 40 languages Application fee: 2 300 SEK (240 EUR) Valid for 5 years

5. National registers Authorized interpreters and translators – ca 1000 registered Trained interpreters – ca 100 registered, ca 600 educated since 2006

6. The National Procurement Services • Our task is to supply coordinated framework agreements at National level for goods and services, • Also at Regional and Local level whithin the area of ICT & telecom, • The main objective is to generate savings for the tax-payers, • Central government authorities should use the framework agreements unless they find other forms of agreements better all in all, • Activities are financed by fees. The suppliers pay fees in proportion to turn-over. The economic goal is full coverage of costs, • The total turn-over has been approximately 1,2 billion EUR (10,5 -11 billion SEK) annually.

7. Framework agreements for Interpretation services • Contract period 2+1+1 years, (new procurement in progress), • Includes the provision and distribution of: • Authorized interpreters, • Court interpreters, • Medical interpreters • Other interpreters, • Contracts by county, three suppliers (agencies) per county, • Call off routine: fixed ranking by county, • Annual turn-over: approx. 130 MSEK • Largest users are the Police, Courts, Social insurance office, Public employment service and the Prison and probation service.

8. Framework agreements for Translation servicesvalid until 12-06-30, new contracts signed • Contract period 2+1+1 years, • Includes translation services: • Subarea 1 – English • Subarea 2 – frequent languages • Subarea 3 – other languages • Three nationwide suppliers (agencies) per subarea, • Call off routine: fixed ranking per subarea, • Annual turn-over: approx. 25 MSEK • Most requested languages: English, Arabic,

9. Why framework agreements? • Important contract areas, • High demand for services, • Convenient and time saving for the authorities to call off services through an agency from the framework agreements, • Quality assured suppliers and services, • Contracted prices,

10. Observed general problems • Lack of certified and qualified interpreters and translators, • Court interpretors do not feel requested, • Existing training programs do not respond to needs, • Authorization is lagging behind in terms of topicality, • Poor knowledge of the business among users/ contractingauthorities, • Different interpreter tariff for assignments in different kind of authorities, uncertainty about benefits, • Insecure situation for interpreters and translators, • declining remuneration, stressful work, poor advance planning, interpreters are not involved in the procurement process.

11. Observed deficiencies in existing agreements • Quality deficiencies – • texts are not translated correctly, deficient interpretation, • many complaints, inadequate service from agencies, • competence not always utilized, cheaper options offered customers, • unnecessarily high travel costs, • No follow-up of performance and quality during the contract – • requirements are ineffective, credibility of the NPS reduces, • Strict ranking – • authorities feel obligedalways to call off supplier No. 1 even if they have bad experiences of its performance, • Too much emphasis on the price in the procurement - leading to; • suppliers of low capacity and limited experience, • low remuneration to interpreters and translators,

12. The consequences of poor agreements • The framework agreement is perceived as inadequate – • bad reputation among contracting authorities, • distrust of agencies, • authorities carry out their own procurements, • framework agreements undermined, • Skilled interpreters seeking other jobs, leads to lack of competence among agencies, • Quality deficiencies can result in threats to legal security, additional administrative work, increased costs.

13. Procurement of translation services • announced March 6, 2012 • 18 tenders • high demands on suppliers, evaluation of the lowest total price, • framework agreement signed with 9 suppliers (agencies), • agreements will be effective July 1

14. Procurement of translation services • 5 language areas​​, 5 suppliers in each area, additional services of proofreading and authentication, • Fixed ranking within each language area, a number of options for the customer to deviate from the ranking, • Requirements for translators with advanced knowledge in at least 5 of 12 specified disciplines (law, economics, medicine, etc.) • Supplier shall declare the types of documents (articles, agreements, decisions, etc.) they have experience in translating, • Requirements for short response times, clear feedback, delivery, availability, etc.

15. Procurement of translation services • Supplier must always ensure that the necessary information from customers has been obtained before assignment begins, • Requirement of named translators should if possible be met, otherwise the most appropriate for the task. The customer has the right to deselect translators who are not considered appropriate or previously delivered poor quality, • Confirmation of orders by 15:00 the next working day, 16:00 the same day if urgent and maximum of 500 words, • Requirements for Customer Relationship Management (CRM),

16. Procurement of translation services • Requirements for dedicated project manager for each assignment, • Requirement to carry out computer-assisted translation with CAT tools, to receive and use a translation memory. • Requirements for handling and storage of documents, requirements for information security, • The translator must self check and adjust their work prior to delivery. The supplier is responsible for correct delivery. • Normal delivery, express delivery, document formats.

17. Procurement of translation services • Requirements to provide certified translators in specific language where such are available, • Requirements on the translator's professional competence, education and translation experience, • Requirements on delivery of statistics to the NPS, • Monitoring and verification of requirements in procurement will be made with suppliers on a regular basis during the agreement period,

18. Procurement of translation services • Follow up through "Satisfied Customer Index" and by a link to the central NPS website for customers comments; • Repeated measurements during the contract period, • Authorities may submit comments, • Dialogue with the supplier, demand for action plan, • Follow up of action plan after 3 months, • Written warning if deficiencies not corrected , • 6 months “quarantine” if deficiencies are not corrected within 1 month, • After three warnings to the supplier within a single language area, the following sanctions are possible: • Demotion to last place in the ranking within the language area, • Termination of the Framework Agreement as regards the language area,

19. Prestudy for the procurement of interpretation services – commenced in jan-feb 2012 Activities • Reference group meetings - largest users, • Survey Mailings to suppliersand contracting authorities, • Meetings with current framework suppliers (agencies) , • Meetings with interpreters associations, • Meeting with other stakeholders, • Studies of public reports and other procurements.

20. Key points highlighted in the prestudy • Tender areas • Range of services • Booking and cancellation procedures • Remuneration and invoicing • Quality monitoring • Skills development and user training • New technology

21. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • Tender areas – • Geographical division (by county) is preferred, • Fixed ranking with 3-5 suppliers per county is preferred, • How to promote the principle of proximity?Higher travel costs will counteract low prices in the procurement. • Range of services – • Contact and Telephone Interpretation, possibly separate subareas, different suppliers? • Conference (simultaneous) interpretation, possibly new service? • Sign-language interpretation, quite different conditions and prices, not included?

22. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • Booking and cancellation procedures – • What is reasonable time for confirmation of appointed assignmentsto the customer?Too short time for confirmation(2 h or less) makes it difficult to plan, risk of poorer quality, • Confirmation to customers must not be too late -difficulties in rebooking assignments to next supplier in the ranking, • Allocation of resources - letting agency decide which interpreter is best suited for the task?Not always an authorized interpreter.Resources must be better used.

23. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • Booking and cancellation procedures – • Requirements for Web-basedbooking system?Customer can book and receive confirmation immediately, check the status of booking, cancel, complain, become more engaged in the assignment, • Cancellation procedures – what is reasonable time frame towards customersrespectively interpreters in order to find a new assignment?

24. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • Remuneration and invoicing – • Minimum level of interpretor fees for all assignments - is it legally possible to apply in a procurement? Interpreter profession would become more attractive – but would it solve the problems with travel time or interpreter shortages at certain times? • Should interpreters be able to invoice the customer directly and not via the agency? No uncertaintyof their rightful compensation - butincreased administration for authorities?Uniform rules for how the billing will take place are needed.

25. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • Remuneration and invoicing – • Differentiated reimbursement to the agency – higher skills give higher compensation – incentives to always offer the highest competence and stimulate continuing education and authorization? • Written consent of interpreters for the procurement - conditions for beeing associated to an agency? Interpreters are able to influence the pricing of the tender, - or - is it better to follow up on how many interpreters the agency has paid salaries and the proportion of those who were authorized?

26. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • Quality monitoring – • Important with opportunities for monitoring and auditing requirements and quality during the contract, • We have to make clear in the framework agreement the requirements to be followed up,important with practicable requirements, • Requirements must be continuously verified, otherwise a risk that the best bids author win the contract, • New evaluation of the quality performance 6-12 months after the award decision? • Possibility of cancellation, quarantine, demotion in rank, etc?

27. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • Skills development and user training – • Which basic level does an interpreter need to have to perform assignments?A sufficient level of interpreting competence should be determined, • Who is responsible for and provides training? • Should agencies provide mentoring to interpreters for working with difficult situations/severe cases? • The interpreter need time to prepare for the assignment, important with information from the customer about the assignment.

28. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • Skills development and user training – • Important with information and training to interpreter users. • Interpreter users have equal responsibility for the interpretation as the individual interpreter, • Who will be responsible for the training? • How can interest be increased from the authorities? • Important with start-up meetings on new contracts for contracting authorities.

29. Procurement of interpretation servicesimportant issues to consider during the procurement • New technology – • Video interpretation - more secure than telephone interpretation, reduced travel time, benefits for the environment? • Who pays for the technology and costs? • Telephone interpretation inappropriate in court, the user must have a choice of interpretation method on needs and situation, • Call Centre for telephone interpretation? Does any authorized interpreters want to work in a call center? • The same remuneration for telephone interpreting as for contact interpreting?

30. Contact information • Information about authorization and registration www.kammarkollegiet.se+46 8 7000 800 • Information about the National Procurement Services framework agreements can be found on our webb-site www.avropa.se. • Klas Ericsson, klas.ericsson@kammarkollegiet.se+46 8 7000 737