DATE: June 30, 2026
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Susan L. Holt, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
Joe Prado, Director, Department of Public Health
Kirk Haynes, Chief Probation Officer, Probation Department
Steven E. White, Director, Department of Public Works and Planning
Antoinette Taillac, Director of Public Defender
Alimat Adebiyi, Executive Director, In-Home Supportive Services Public
Authority
SUBJECT: Master Agreement for Verbal Interpreting and Written Translation
Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Sitting as the Fresno County Board of Supervisors:
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Master Agreement with independent interpreters for interpreting and translation services to Limited English Proficient persons served by the Department of Behavioral Health, Department of Social Services, Department of Public Health, Department of Public Works and Planning, Probation, Public Defender, and the In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority, effective July 1, 2026, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one year extensions, total not to exceed $2,550,000.
Sitting as the In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority Governing Board:
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Master Agreement with independent interpreters for interpreting and translation services to Limited English Proficient persons served by the Department of Behavioral Health, Department of Social Services, Department of Public Health, Department of Public Works and Planning, Probation, Public Defender, and the In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority, effective July 1, 2026, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one year extensions, total not to exceed $2,550,000.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions, which will allow the departments and the In-Home Support Services (IHSS) Public Authority to contract with independent interpreters for the provision of multi-language interpreter and translation services to Limited English Proficient (LEP) persons. The services are utilized by the departments and the IHSS Public Authority to meet the language interpreter and translation requirements for the public to access services. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the County will be out of compliance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (42 U.S.C. et seq.; 45 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Section 80.1 et seq.; and 28 CFR Sections 42.101-42.112) and Executive Order 13166, which requires recipients of Federal funding to provide LEP persons with meaningful access to government services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The maximum cost of the recommended agreement ($2,550,000) will be offset with $2,322,500 through a combination of State and Federal revenues from Social Services Programs, Realignment, Mental Health Realignment, Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funds, grant funding, and fees from the Departments of Public Health, Behavioral Health and Social Services. Probation department expenses are funded with $22,500 in budgeted Net County Cost. Public Defender expenses are funded with $50,000 in budgeted Net County Cost. Department of Public Works and Planning expenses ($155,000) will be funded by State and Federal Revenues, intrafund, and budgeted Net County Cost. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budget requests for the duration of the term of the Agreement.
DISCUSSION:
On August 10, 2021, the Board approved Master Agreement No. A-21-298 with various independent interpreters for the provision of interpretation and translation services to LEP persons served by the County and the IHSS Public Authority.
The Department released a Request for Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ) on March 18, 2026 for Verbal Interpreting and Written Translation Services. The purpose of the RFSQ was to establish a Master Agreement that includes all qualified bidders with the ability to provide interpreting and translation services. The response period closed on April 20, 2026 and twenty-one (21) responses were received. All responses were reviewed and determined to meet the necessary requirements. Eleven (11) of the awarded bidders were unable to proceed as part of the recommended agreement due to disagreement regarding the set rates for these services and/or unregistered/ ineligible status with the California Secretary of State.
The Departments of Behavioral Health, Probation, Public Health, Public Works and Planning, Public Defender, Social Services, and the IHSS Public Authority contract with qualified independent interpreters and translators to assist in providing interpretation and translation services to LEP persons. Pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 2000d et. seq. (Title IV of the Civil Rights Act of 1964) and California’s Dymally-Alatorre Bilingual Services Act, agencies that receive federal financial assistance must provide language services for LEP persons to allow for meaningful access to services. Failure to provide interpreting and translation services exposes the County to Civil Rights Audit penalties and/or litigation.
The annual maximum compensation for each participating department is as follows:
Department of Behavioral Health: $200,000
Department of Public Health: $78,000
Department of Social Services: $180,000
In-Home Supportive Services Public Authority: $6,500
Probation Department: $4,500
Public Defender: $10,000
Department of Public Works and Planning: $31,000
The maximum compensation for each fiscal year of the recommended Master Agreement was determined based on the current agreement allocations and the average expenditures for the total term of the agreement.
The Agreement varies from the standard County template as it includes a Rate Modification clause in Article 15, Section 1, Subsection B that authorizes the Department of Behavioral Health Director to adjust rates annually up to five percent (5%) or that are needed to accommodate state-mandated rate increases through written approval. The modifications shall not result in a change to the maximum compensation. Subsections C and D of Article 15, Section 1 further define the requirements for contractor(s) to request such an increase and how the approval process shall occur.
AB339 noticing has occurred and the Human Resources department approved execution of the recommended Agreement.
Approval of the recommended actions will authorize the Master Agreement with independent interpreters for the provision of interpretation and translation services, for a five-year term, total not to exceed $2,550,000.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was notified of the recommended Agreement during the June 2026 meeting.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #32, August 10, 2021
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Master Agreement
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander Jr.