RFP Title: Development of Training for Courts on Use of Machine Translation Tools
RFP Number: CFCC-2024-28-LV
REQUEST FOR
PROPOSALS
JUDICIAL COUNCIL OF CALIFORNIA
REGARDING:
Development of Training for Courts on Use of Machine
Translation Tools
PROPOSALS DUE:
April 19, 2024, NO LATER THAN 1:00 P.M. PACIFIC TIME
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RFP Title: Development of Training for Courts on Use of Machine Translation Tools
RFP Number: CFCC-2024-28-LV
1.0 BACKGROUND INFORMATION
1.1 The Judicial Council of California (“Judicial Council” or “JCC”) is the
policymaking body of the California court system, which includes 58 superior
courts, the courts of appeal, and the Supreme Court. Under the authority of the
state’s Constitution and with the leadership of the Chief Justice of the California
Supreme Court, the Judicial Council is responsible for ensuring the fair, impartial,
and consistent administration of justice. The Judicial Council recommends
improvements to the courts, adopts rules and procedures for court administration,
and makes recommendations annually to the Governor and the Legislature. Judicial
Council staff assist the Judicial Council with implementing policies and supporting
court operations. The Judicial Council’s main office is in San Francisco, California.
1.2 Within the Judicial Council’s Center for Families, Children, and the Courts
(CFCC), the Language Access Services Program (LASP) works to develop policies
and provide services to ensure equal access to justice for court users who are
limited English proficient (LEP) or deaf/hearing-impaired. LASP is comprised of
the Court Interpreters Program (CIP) unit and the Language Access
Implementation (LAI) unit. CIP works on court interpreter issues, and LAI works
on making the courts more language accessible via resources such as signage,
technology, and translated forms.
1.3 The Advisory Committee on Providing Access and Fairness (PAF) makes
recommendations to the council for improving access to the judicial system,
fairness in the state courts, diversity in the judicial branch, and court services for
self-represented parties. The PAF Language Access Subcommittee is a standing
subcommittee that advises and presents recommendations to PAF regarding the
council’s Strategic Plan for Language Access in the California Courts and its
overarching goal of ensuring access to justice for all court users, especially LEP
court users. As appropriate, the subcommittee makes recommendations to PAF in
the areas of technology, education, and translation; as well as recommendations on
legislative and rule of court proposals to enhance language access services
throughout the judicial branch.
1.4 The Judicial Council Information Technology (JCIT) office manages and maintains
a portfolio of programs and services for the branch. The mission of JCIT is to
empower access to justice through technology.
1.5 The Information Technology Advisory Committee (ITAC) makes
recommendations to the council for improving the administration of justice through
the use of technology and for fostering cooperative endeavors to resolve common
technological issues with other stakeholders in the justice system.
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RFP Title: Development of Training for Courts on Use of Machine Translation Tools
RFP Number: CFCC-2024-28-LV
1.6 As appropriate, PAF and ITAC collaborate on Information Technology projects
that are designed to assist LEP court users through the appropriate use of
technology.
1.7 Efforts to enhance language access for all LEP court users through technology,
including video remote interpreting (VRI), California Court Translator application
(voice-to-text) language services, multilingual websites, and self-help services and
other technological solutions to support language access, are critical components of
the judicial branch goal to ensure equal access to justice for people of all
languages.
1.8 The “CA Courts Translator” solution provides real-time voice-to-text transcription
and translation service in approximately 130 languages to serve LEP court users.
The voice-to-text translation pilot is enabling the use of the “CA Courts Translator”
application at the court’s self-help centers, service counters, and other areas outside
the courtroom and is currently being piloted in 31 courts.
1.9 Contractor will work with Judicial Council staff from CFCC and JCIT to develop
training for court staff, including self-help center staff, on the appropriate use of
machine translation tools within the courthouse. Training will provide guidance on
the appropriate use of machine translation tools for different situations and how to
support meaningful and accurate communications between litigants and the court.
Training will also highlight situations where an in-person or telephonic interpreter
may be needed, to help protect legal rights and remedies, how to reduce
misunderstandings in communication, and when to consult legal experts.
2.0 DESCRIPTION OF SERVICES AND DELIVERABLES
2.1 The Judicial Council seeks the services of a contractor (“Contractor”) with
experience to assist the LASP and JCIT with research and developing and
presenting training for varied court audiences regarding appropriate use of machine
translation tools.
2.2 The Contractor will develop a work plan and conduct research including
interviews, and court observation in courts and self-help centers with California
court stakeholders and, as appropriate, other state court systems.
2.3 The workplan should cover research methods, interviews with California court staff
or other stakeholders, and timelines for finishing the project’s deliverables. The
workplan should include a detailed description of how the Contractor will develop
live instruction (webinars) and written training/guidance materials for courts on
appropriate use of machine translation tools. Training should be designed for
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RFP Title: Development of Training for Courts on Use of Machine Translation Tools
RFP Number: CFCC-2024-28-LV
different court audiences, including court clerks, self-help staff, and court
Language Access Representatives. Webinars will be recorded and delivered by
contractor to the Judicial Council for future use. The Judicial Council desires that
new webinars and training materials developed under this project will be the
property of the Judicial Council.
2.4 The Contractor will provide draft and final scripts, PowerPoints, and written
training/guidance materials for up to three training webinars (designed for court
clerks, self-help center staff, and court Language Access Representatives).
2.5 The Contractor will present drafts to Judicial Council staff for input before
finalizing scripts for training webinars and training materials. Contractor will
deliver draft and final scripts for the training webinars that include different
methods for discussion, including but not limited to audio/visual vignettes, as well
as case studies, other written materials, handouts, and job aids.
2.6 The Contractor will present up to three training webinars on appropriate use of
machine translation tools (designed for court clerks, self-help-center staff, and
court Language Access Representatives). Webinars will be recorded and delivered
by contractor to the Judicial Council for future use. The Judicial Council desires
that new webinars and training materials developed under this project will be the
property of the Judicial Council.
2.7 Webinars must encompass a mix of classroom-style instruction and group exercises
and participation. Each training webinar is expected to last one hour. Webinars
must include a significant amount of participatory activity and include a method for
practice and individual feedback from the instructor(s). The Contractor will discuss
and agree upon the content and planned format of webinars with Judicial Council
staff at all stages of the webinar development process.
2.8 Training materials must be in an electronic format suitable for printing and may
include PowerPoints, guides, and other visual job aids, including instructions, tips,
and best practices for court staff. JCIT will assist the Contractor with technical
content for instructional materials. Handouts including meeting materials and
guides prepared by the Contractor must be in plain English with easy-to-understand
graphics and must incorporate feedback from Judicial Council staff before being
finalized. As an example instructional graphic, please refer to sample here.
2.9 The Contractor will produce a brief final report that summarizes work completed to
date (including audiences reached, major findings and lessons learned), and makes
recommendations for consideration by council staff regarding future training
efforts for court audiences on appropriate use of machine translation tools.
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RFP Title: Development of Training for Courts on Use of Machine Translation Tools
RFP Number: CFCC-2024-28-LV
2.10 The Contractor will present the results of the project, including key work products
and findings, to the PAF Language Access Subcommittee.
The proposed contract is estimated to be effective from June 1, 2024, through
March 31, 2025.
The estimated funds available for this project will not exceed $250,000.00.
2.11 The Proposed Bidder must have expertise in the following areas:
1) Development of education for court audiences, including curriculum, training
modules, and written training/guidance materials.
2) Research, written and spoken presentations with PowerPoint for judicial branch
audiences.
3) Delivery of effective training and education, including state-of-the-art training
methods, and experience with continued skills development and enrichment.
4) Familiarity with existing machine translation tools, such as Google translate or
the CA Courts Translator.
5) Expertise on providing guidance and training on the appropriate use of machine
translation tools to support accurate and meaningful communication between
LEPs and court staff within the courthouse and for different situations (e.g.,
counter help, self-help assistance, or other assistance outside the courtroom).
6) Familiarity with legal and other guidance provided by the U.S. Department of
Justice regarding appropriate use of machine translation tools.
7) Ability to create scenarios and highlight situations where an in-person or
telephonic interpreter may be needed to protect legal rights and remedies and to
reduce misunderstandings in communication.
8) Ability to collaborate on training goals and content with attorney subject matter
experts at the Judicial Council.
9) Research on national court trends, including research with California or other
state court stakeholders, and development of reports and recommendations for
judicial branch audiences.
10) Familiarity with court interpreting services (or bilingual services offered by the
California courts.
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