Public Tender Announcement nb. 83487977 Framework Agreement for Interpretation and Translation Services - 18.9207.4-001.00 GIZ Office Beirut

Context

The Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is a global service provider specializing in international cooperation for sustainable development and international education. With over 25,000 employees operating in around 120 countries, GIZ draws on more than 50 years of experience in diverse fields, including economic development, employment, energy, the environment, and peace and security. As a public-benefit federal enterprise, GIZ primarily supports the German Government, particularly the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ), in addition to serving other public and private sector clients in around 120 countries in achieving their objectives in international cooperation. With this aim, GIZ works together with its partners to develop effective solutions that offer people better prospects and sustainably improve their living conditions.

In Lebanon, GIZ is seeking qualified and experienced service providers for Translation and Interpretation Services in four languages under a Framework Agreement Contract. This agreement aims to ensure easy and timely access to language services while maintaining cost efficiency, quality, and compliance with set conditions.

The objective is to select a competent and reliable provider that can deliver high-quality translation and interpretation services within a predefined contractual framework, ensuring fixed pricing, availability, and a streamlined procurement process.

Bidders may bid for one or both of the following language lots, noting that we require four distinct experts for this assignment. Meaning that if you apply for multiple lots simultaneously, you can be awarded only one.

• Lot 1: English - French – Arabic (2 experts will be awarded for this lot)
• Lot 2: English - German – Arabic (2 experts will be awarded for this lot)

Contracts will be awarded to the top four ranking bidders, with two experts allocated to Lot 1 and two experts allocated to Lot 2.

Place Of Assignment: All Over Lebanon, in person and virtually.

• Qualified interpreters with advance written translation are invited to participate.
• Translation firms and companies can apply for one or two lots with minimum 2 persons for each lot

Tasks to be Performed by the Contractor

The contractor shall deliver high-quality Translation and Interpretation Services under this Framework Agreement, ensuring efficiency and cost-effectiveness.

Written Translation  

The contractor shall ensure the precise and contextually appropriate translation of various types of documents, including but not limited to:

• Legal and judicial translation
• Commercial, financial, and administrative translation
• Restricted and internal documents (governmental correspondence, reports, official letters, project proposals, newsletters, etc....).
• Public content for GIZ, including communication products such as reports, press releases and statements.
• Multimedia content (including subtitling, captioning, and transcription of audio/video materials).
• Industry-specific materials requiring terminology management and glossary development.

Quality Assurance & Compliance

The contractor must:

• Ensure accuracy, consistency, and coherence across translated documents.
• Conduct revision and proofreading, including grammar, punctuation, formatting, and alignment with source content.
• Cross-check conflicting technical terms with the technical staff of GIZ, in case of doubts, and clearly indicate unclear words and passages.
• Translate all figures, tables, captions, footnotes, and graphical elements as required.
• Adapt units of measure, currencies, and other localization needs.
• Maintain strict confidentiality and data protection in compliance with GDPR and industry standards.
• Guarantee that all translations are done by qualified professionals—Google/AI-generated translations are unaccepted.

Deliverables & Formatting Requirements

• Standard line definition:
  • 1 Page = Up to 300 words
  • 1 Page = 1,800 characters (without spaces)
  • 1 Page = 35 lines
  • 1 Line = 55 characters (without spaces) ≈ 10 words

• • Draft documents must be submitted in advance to the GIZ team for comments and request necessary modifications. After revisions, the documents must undergo a final review to ensure all modifications have been properly implemented before approval.
  • Delivery formats: Translated documents must be submitted in the requested formats (Word, PDF, PowerPoint, etc.), maintaining the original formatting.
• Tracked changes: If any edits are made, track changes must be enabled.
• Final quality check: The contractor must verify all translated documents before submission to ensure compliance with GIZ’s quality standards.
• PowerPoint presentations: If translation includes slides, payment will still be calculated based on the standard page definition

Interpretation Services

The contractor shall provide professional interpretation services to support GIZ’s operations in Lebanon, ensuring seamless communication during meetings, conferences, and field visits. The interpretation services shall include simultaneous and consecutive interpretation, based on the context and setting, as well as the specific project needs:

• Official meetings, workshops, and conferences (including restricted and internal discussions).
• Simultaneous interpretation in online meetings via MS Teams

• Field visits and project site meetings with international staff and local stakeholders.
• Remote interpretation via video conferencing or telephone platforms.
• Simultaneous interpretation for international conferences, where interpreters in booths translate into multiple languages.
• Consecutive interpretation for interviews, briefings, and smaller gatherings.
• Whispered interpretation (chuchotage) for small groups or delegations.
• Escort/travel interpretation for international staff during local official visits.
• Crisis & emergency interpretation for urgent and unforeseen situations.
• On-Site Coordination Support for large-scale events requiring multiple interpreters.

Deliverables & Requirements

The contractor must deliver the following:

• Legal and judicial translation - Commercial, financial, and administrative translation
• Ensure interpreters are fully prepared by reviewing pre-submitted materials in advance.
• Provide high-quality, real-time interpretation with accuracy and cultural sensitivity.
• Use qualified interpreters with expertise in relevant fields and adherence to professional standards.
• If requested, supply and set up technical equipment (booths, headsets, microphones) at least one hour before the event. (rental fees for equipment to be reimbursed separately)
• Maintain strict confidentiality and compliance with European GDPR regulations.
• Provide post-event translations of key documents if required.