Call for proposals: providing AI-assisted language translation and captioning services

Background

The World Health Organization (WHO) is committed to achieving its mission of Health for All, ensuring that every individual, regardless of their backgrounds, personal circumstances, and other characteristics, can attain their highest possible standard of health. Central to this mission is the principle of accessibility. Disseminating knowledge and guidance in the six official UN languages is critical to ensure that WHO’s technical guidance and policy recommendations are widely understood, owned, and acted upon.

In recent years, WHO has taken significant steps to advance health equity for persons with disabilities. In 2021, the World Health Assembly Resolution WHA74.8 on The highest attainable standard of health for persons with disabilities highlighted the urgency of addressing the barriers faced by persons with disabilities in the health sector. Building on this resolution, WHO launched the Global report on health equity for persons with disabilities (2022), which provides evidence and practical recommendations to address the health inequities experienced by persons with disabilities. Complementing this, the Health equity for persons with disabilities: guide for action (2024) offers concrete tools to embed disability inclusion in health systems.

To translate these recommendations and initiatives into action, outreach and engagement with a wide range of stakeholders are essential, particularly with organizations of persons with disabilities and civil society organizations who play a vital role in shaping policy, advocating for rights, and ensuring accountability. To broaden participation of key stakeholders, it is crucial that information is made accessible in multiple languages. AI-assisted translation offers a cost-effective, scalable solution, enabling WHO to extend the reach of its webinars and multiply such opportunities for dialogue.

Objectives and activities

This call for proposals relates to the provision of AI-assisted translation and captioning services in the official languages of the United Nations (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish) for a series of webinars.

The translation services are required for a series of virtual meetings related to the topic of health equity for persons with disabilities, which will be undertaken between October and December 2025. The specific dates of the webinars are yet to be confirmed, but they will consist of 1- or 2-hour webinars, amounting to up to 20 hours in total. These webinars will bring together Government representatives, civil society, global health actors and WHO to discuss the importance of addressing health inequities for persons with disabilities. The services need to be integrated into the Zoom platform.

Outputs

1. Preparation, set-up and coordination of translation services.

• This will be conducted in the form of emails/phone calls or face-to face coordination throughout the contract.
• Set-up of services should take place on the day, with testing prior to the events to ensure a smooth experience for the speakers, panelists, and audience.

2. Provision of AI-assisted translation and captioning into Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish, for a series of webinars (approximately 18 one-hour webinars, and one 2-hour webinar), up to a total of 20 hours.

• The translation activities will be conducted for the entire duration of the webinars, as indicated and agreed in advance.
• Any associated recordings/materials will be provided to WHO following the events in a tidied and accessible format (e.g., transcripts and videos).

Eligibility criteria

Minimum criteria of the vendor:

1. Proven experience and ability to provide real-time AI-assisted translation and captioning in the six official UN languages (Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish).
2. Proven capacity to integrate translation and captioning services into the Zoom platform.
3. Availability to support testing, set-up, and coordination prior to the events, including availability to provide flexible support across time zones.
4. Commitment to data security, confidentiality, and compliance with WHO standards.
5. Capacity to deliver post-event materials (e.g., transcripts and recordings) in multiple languages and in a tidied and accessible format.

Preferable experience of the vendor:

1. Previous experience providing translation and captioning services for WHO, UN agencies, or other international organizations.
2. Established track record of supporting multilingual webinars for a large, diverse, and global audience.
   

Planned timelines

• Start date – 01/10/2025.
• End date  – 20/12/2025.

Proposal requirements

This activity will be conducted remotely via Zoom, Teams, mobile calls and emails.

Proposal requirements

The proposal submitted in response to this call should include:

• Statement of interest and relevant experience, including examples (two pages maximum).
• Cost proposal (one page maximum).

Submission of proposals

Prospective vendors are invited to submit a proposal in response to this call to the email disability@who.int.