Harrisburg, PA – Today, Secretary of Administration Neil Weaver and Secretary of General Services Reggie McNeil announced that new resources from their departments are available to support state agencies in the delivery of information and services in multiple languages to ensure every Pennsylvanian can access services they need from the Commonwealth to get a good job, open a small business, raise a family, and contribute positively to their communities.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau, approximately 1.7 million Pennsylvanians speak a language other than English at home. Additionally, Pennsylvania’s population is becoming more diverse, with fast-growing Hispanic and Asian populations. From 2020 to 2024, Pennsylvania’s Hispanic population increased by nearly 18 percent and its Asian population by 16 percent.
“By expanding Pennsylvanians’ access to critical services in their preferred language, we are opening the doors of opportunity for every family and community in our Commonwealth to flourish,” said Secretary Weaver. “We are working to ensure that Pennsylvania continues to be a place where everyone is welcome and treated with dignity and respect.”
Last year, the Governor established the Hire, Improve, Recruit, Empower (HIRE) Committee through Executive Order 2024-01 to strengthen the Commonwealth’s workforce to deliver better services to all Pennsylvanians, including the development strategies to enhance language access for individuals with limited English proficiency.
The Office of Administration (OA) has established a new Language Access Management Program (LAMP) to assist agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction and ensure that language access is considered when delivering services to Pennsylvanians. The program includes training for agency staff, streamlining procurement efforts, promoting resource sharing across agencies, and coordinating dissemination of information on vital programs and services to the public. Earlier this year, OA hired a dedicated language access program manager for the first time in the Commonwealth’s history to enhance language resource support to agencies under the Governor’s jurisdiction, including translating materials like brochures, flyers, and website content; providing training to staff across agencies; and leveraging artificial intelligence capabilities to improve translation speed and accuracy. The language access program manager will guide the development of language access plans by state agencies to identify areas in need of improvement and track progress over time, beginning with OA.
In support of the language access program, the Department of General Services (DGS) has issued a new Invitation to Qualify (ITQ) contract for vendors interested in providing language services to Commonwealth agencies, including in-person and remote interpretation, document translation, American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation, and specialized support for specific dialects or subject-matter expertise (e.g. legal, medical, and technical terminology). The ITQ aims to support agencies in delivering equitable access to government programs by building a pre-qualified pool of vendors able to meet the state’s broad and growing communication needs.
“The Language Services ITQ reflects our commitment to removing language barriers in government services,” said DGS Secretary Reggie McNeil. “We invite qualified vendors, especially small, small diverse, and veteran-owned businesses, to help ensure that all Pennsylvanians can engage with state services in the language they understand best.”
The opportunity is open to qualified businesses of all sizes, with a strong emphasis on engaging small and diverse businesses, including those owned by veterans. Interested vendors can review the full Statement of Work (SOW) by accessing the Language Services ITQ Statement of Work (PDF).
Examples of services sought under this ITQ include:
- In-Person Interpretation: Live, in-person language interpretation for public meetings, hearings, and agency interactions.
- Remote Interpretation: Telephone and video interpretation services to support virtual and emergency interactions.
- Document Translation: Accurate translation of written materials such as applications, forms, brochures, reports, and legal notices.
- American Sign Language (ASL) Interpretation: Certified ASL interpretation for both in-person and virtual settings.
- Specialized or Technical Language Support: Services requiring fluency in specific dialects or subject-matter expertise (e.g., legal, medical, or technical terminology).
The Shapiro Administration is committed to ensuring that every Pennsylvanian can access programs and services they need from the Commonwealth, regardless of language, disability, or location. In addition to the new language access resources announced today, OA and the Department of Labor & Industry are currently piloting a $1 per hour additional pay incentive to help recruit and retain bilingual state employees who serve Pennsylvanians seeking employment services and unemployment compensation (UC) benefits and services.
In April 2023, the Governor established the Commonwealth Office of Digital Experience (CODE PA) to make digital services like websites and applications more user friendly and accessible. This commitment to digital accessibility is reflected in every CODE PA project. For example, the redesigned PA.gov is built to be compatible with assistive technologies such as screen readers and can be navigated using just a keyboard. Additionally, content is written to emphasize the use of plain language, helping to ensure that software translations of pages are more accurate.
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