Official UK procurement notice
Interpreter Services · UK public procurement notice
Authority: West Midlands Ambulance Service University NHS Foundation Trust (Central government)·Consortium: 3 public authorities
What is being bought7 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionTelephone Interpreter Services for 999 call takers and/or paramedic attending a patient.
CPV: Interpretation services · Translation services
How this framework works
From the published notice- Bids received
- 34 bids on the busiest of 7 lots · 23 suppliers appointed
- Framework period
- 2 yrs from 1 Apr 2024
Lots and requirements (7)Procurement structure
7 lots · all with a published value · same evaluation weights on every lotEvery one of these 2 lots carries the same published figure, £5,000,000: it is the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each lot's own budget, and no share per lot is published. The cards below say ceiling above rather than repeat it.
Lot #1Managed Service for all Interpretation, Translation and Transcription ServicesCancelledPublished value£8,000,000
Telephone Interpreter Services for 999 call takers and/or paramedic attending a patient. Additional information: Award of a contract without prior publication of a call off competition in the cases listed below<br/><br/>The procurement falls outside scope of the regulations<br/><br/>Explanation:<br/><br/>Awarded via ESPO Language Services Framework 402_24 Lot 4a Remote Interpretation Services Telephone
Lot #2Face to Face Interpretation Services (Verbal)Cancelledceiling above
Services where a spoken language is converted from one to another via the use of a linguist in physical attendance, either consecutively, or simultaneously, between individuals or in groups. Additional information: Services delivered under this lot will be dependent on the location of customers and their respective assignments, therefore this lot is further divided into 12 geographical sub-lots.
Lot #3Face to Face Interpretation Services (Non-Verbal)Cancelledceiling above
Services where the communication of non-spoken language is facilitated via the use of a linguist in physical attendance, either consecutively, or simultaneously, between individuals or in groups. Additional information: Services delivered under this lot will be dependent on the location of customers and their respective assignments, therefore this lot is further divided into 12 geographical sub-lots.
Lot #4Translation, Transcription and Additional ServicesCancelledPublished value£2,000,000
Services where written media can be translated from one language to another. Audio files or other media can be transcribed, or written media can be transcribed into non-verbal language.
Lot #5Telephone Interpretation ServicesCancelledPublished value£4,000,000
Services where a spoken language is converted from one to another via the use of a linguist over the telephone, either consecutively, or simultaneously, between individuals or in groups.
Lot #6Video Interpretation Services - (Spoken)CancelledPublished value£3,000,000
Services where a spoken language is converted from one to another via the use of a linguist over the video or audio technology, either consecutively, or simultaneously, between individuals or in groups.
Lot #7Video Interpretation Services - (Non-Spoken)CancelledPublished value£3,000,000
Services where the communication of non-spoken language is facilitated via the use of a linguist over video or audio technology, either consecutively or simultaneously, between individuals or in groups.
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published award criteria (1)
- Price
- Price carries 50 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 5 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- “Interpreter Services” is a framework: the contest is a place on its panel, not a single contract.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record · publisher note attached- Procedure method
- Competitive procedure with negotiation
- Legal basis
- CELEX · 32014L0024 Public Contracts Regulations 2015 (Directive 2014/24/EU)
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Unspecified in notice
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Framework agreement
- Who may use this agreement
- Not stated in the notice; call-off rights may be limited to the establishing authority
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA)
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 20 Oct 2023, 12:10 BST
- Last source update
- 18 Dec 2025, 14:27 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- 20 Nov 2023 – …
- Authority reference
0748-25-W- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-084460- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-040db0Find a Tender
- Performance terms
The minimum financial requirement for the purposes of the current tender exercise is stated in the procurement documents.
Throughout the Term ESPO shall monitor the Service Providers financial standing against the Service Providers financial position taken on the Commencement Date. In the event that the Service Providers financial position falls below the position recorded on the Commencement Date, ESPO shall discuss the Service Providers circumstances with the Service Provider. ESPO reserves the right to terminate the Framework Agreement by serving a notice on the Service Provider in writing with effect from the date specified in such notice where (in the reasonable opinion of ESPO) there is a material detrimental change in the financial standing of the Service Provider which:
- Adversely impacts on the Service Providers ability to provide the Services under this Agreement; or
- Could reasonably be expected to have an adverse impact on the Services Providers ability to provide the Services under this Agreement.
- Review procedure
Information on deadlines(s) for review procedures can be found in Part 3, Chapter 6 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015.
Publisher note: ESPO Language Services Framework 402_24 Lot 4a Remote Interpretation Services Telephone
How it was run
Official notice- Appointment period ends
- 20 Nov 2023, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- {"electronicSubmission"}
- Accepted languages
- en
- Bid validity
- 120 days from the deadline
- Bids opened
- 20 Nov 2023, 12:01 GMT
Timeline
20 Nov 2023 → 18 Dec 2025 · 4 dates- Admission / appointment period endsperiod end, not a bid countdown20 Nov 2023, 12:00 GMT
- Bids opened20 Nov 2023, 12:01 GMT
- Contract starts1 Apr 2024, 00:00 BST
- Notice published306 days ago18 Dec 2025, 14:27 GMT
Notice history
3 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 23 Aug 2024- Status changed to complete23 Aug 2024, 15:57 BST
- Procurement method changed18 Dec 2025, 14:27 GMT
- Buyer details updated18 Dec 2025, 14:27 GMT
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast8 suppliers are admitted to this framework without individual award values or dates, see the supplier list below.
Contracts
All 2 of these contracts carry the same published figure, £5,000,000, the framework's maximum for the whole notice, not each contract's own value. They are not eleven separate sums.
Contract 084460-2025-1
- Signed
- 1 Dec 2025
- Value
- —
- Period
- … – 31 Mar 2026
- Status
- active
Lot 1 - Managed Service for all Interpretation, Translation and Transcription Services
- Signed
- 16 Aug 2024
- Value
- £8,000,000
- Period
- … – 31 Mar 2026
- Status
- active
Lot 2 - Face to Face Interpretation Services (Verbal)
- Signed
- 16 Aug 2024
- Value
- ceiling above
- Period
- … – 31 Mar 2026
- Status
- active
Lot 3 - Face to Face Interpretation Services (Non-Verbal)
- Signed
- 16 Aug 2024
- Value
- ceiling above
- Period
- … – 31 Mar 2026
- Status
- active
Lot 4a - Telephone Interpretation Services
- Signed
- 16 Aug 2024
- Value
- £4,000,000
- Period
- … – 31 Mar 2026
- Status
- active
Lot 4b - Video Interpretation Services - (Spoken)
- Signed
- 16 Aug 2024
- Value
- £3,000,000
- Period
- … – 31 Mar 2026
- Status
- active
Lot 4c - Video Interpretation Services - (Non-Spoken)
- Signed
- 16 Aug 2024
- Value
- £3,000,000
- Period
- … – 31 Mar 2026
- Status
- active
Lot 5 - Translation, Transcription and Additional Services
- Signed
- 16 Aug 2024
- Value
- £2,000,000
- Period
- … – 31 Mar 2026
- Status
- active
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Managed Service for all Interpretation, Translation and Transcription Services | 34bids · 34 electronic | 32 | — | £107,542 – £174,393 |
| 2 · Face to Face Interpretation Services (Verbal) | 34bids · 34 electronic | 32 | — | — |
| 3 · Face to Face Interpretation Services (Non-Verbal) | 34bids · 34 electronic | 32 | — | — |
| 4 · Translation, Transcription and Additional Services | 34bids · 34 electronic | 32 | — | — |
| 5 · Telephone Interpretation Services | 34bids · 34 electronic | 32 | — | — |
| 6 · Video Interpretation Services - (Spoken) | 34bids · 34 electronic | 32 | — | — |
| 7 · Video Interpretation Services - (Non-Spoken) | 34bids · 34 electronic | 32 | — | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
3 public bodies on the noticeFramework contractors & participating bidders
24 commercial parties on the notice- AA GLOBAL LANGUAGE SERVICES LIMITEDFramework contractor
- BID SERVICESFramework contractor
- BRIGHTLINGUA LTDFramework contractor
- D A LANGUAGES LIMITEDFramework contractor
- GLOBAL CONNECTIONS (SCOTLAND) LTDFramework contractor
- GLOBAL LANGUAGE SERVICES LIMITEDFramework contractor
- GLOBAL VOICES LTDFramework contractor
- LANGUAGE LINE LIMITEDFramework contractor
- LINGVO HOUSE TRANSLATION SERVICES LIMITEDFramework contractor
- Language Line Limited T/A Language Line SolutionsFramework contractor
Show 14 more suppliers
- MIGRANT HELP TRADING LIMITED (T/A Clear Voice Interpreting Services)Framework contractor
- ONCALL INTERPRETERS LTDFramework contractor
- PAB LANGUAGES CENTRE LIMITEDFramework contractor
- PAPILLON TRANSLATIONS LTDFramework contractor
- PEAK TRANSLATIONS LIMITEDFramework contractor
- PRESTIGE NETWORK LIMITEDFramework contractor
- SIGN SOLUTIONS (SIGN LANGUAGE INTERPRETING AGENCY) LTDFramework contractor
- SUPREME LINGUISTIC SERVICES LTD (T/A Premium Linguistic Services)Framework contractor
- THE LANGUAGE SHOP LIMITEDFramework contractor
- THEBIGWORD INTERPRETING SERVICES LIMITEDFramework contractor
- TOPP LANGUAGE SOLUTIONS LIMITEDFramework contractor
- TP TRANSCRIPTION LIMITEDFramework contractor
- TRANSLATE UK LIMITEDFramework contractor
- UK TRANSLATION SERVICES LTDFramework contractor
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Economic and financial selection criteria
- Technical selection criteria