Decision details
Authority to extend a call-off contract in respect of the provision of Interpreting and Translation Services (Non-Key Officer Recordable Decision)
Decision Maker: Director - Communications, Insight and Innovation
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Is Key decision?: No
Is subject to call in?: No
Purpose:
To request authority to extend a contract in respect of interpreting and translation language services with DA Languages Limited as required by Contract Standing Order 112.
Decision:
That the Director Communications, Insight and Innovation:
i) Approves the extension of the contract for the provision of interpreting and translation language services with DA Languages Limited for a period of 12 months.
Reasons for the decision:
The Council entered into a call-off contract via the Crown Commercial Services Framework RM6141, Language Services Lot 5g, for the provision of interpreting and translation services with DA Languages Limited on 1 June 2022. The contract contained provision permitting extension of the contract by 12 months. Officers consider extending the contract by 12 months will achieve best value for the Council and is reasonable in all the circumstances.
Alternative options considered:
Not extending the contract would have an impact on the work of CYPS, where there is demand for independent professional interpreters for social work safeguarding assessments, Family Court proceedings, assessments of Unaccompanied Asylum Seekers and those with No Recourse to Public Funds. While demand can be managed in some areas, for example by encouraging customers to ask family members to accompany them to help with interpretation, there are many situations in the course of CYPS’s work where this cannot be done. According to the last Census (2021), 8% of Brent residents have poor proficiency in spoken English, the third highest rate nationally.
With the Council securing AI licences for the purpose of pilots, there is the opportunity to use the next 12 months to test how officers might use new technologies to reduce demand for translation services, prior to re-procuring. If successful, this could allow the Council to refine the specification to reduce costs.
According to the last Census, 90 languages are spoken in Brent. The diversity of languages spoken means that the Council benefits from the range of translators an external provider is able to provide. Attempting to build an in-house translation service to match this flexibility is considered to be more costly.
Wards Affected: (All Wards);
Cabinet/Committee Decision or Scheme of Delegation: Officer scheme of delegation - non-key recordable officer decision
Parties Consulted: Feedback from the children and young people department, who are regular users of the services, is positive, and no concerns have been raised about the proposal to extend the contract for 12 months.
Contact: Sadie East, Director - Communications, Insight and Innovation Email: sadie.east@brent.gov.uk Tel: 020 8937 1507.
Publication date: 04/04/2025
Date of decision: 04/04/2025