Terms of Reference for Interpretation Services

Date: 16 October 2026

Subject: Request for Proposal – Interpretation Services for Global Shield Secretariat Webinars

Frankfurt School of Finance & Management gGmbH, implementing the project “Global Shield Secretariat Transition”, invites you to submit a proposal for the delivery of services as described in the attached Terms of Reference (ToR) below.

Please submit your complete offer to opportunities@fs.de by 29 October 2026 11:59 pm (CET) 

Submissions must include:

• Accompanying email referencing this invitation 
• Confirmation of eligibility (use Annex 1) 
• Expert CV (use Annex 2) 
• Technical proposal (use Annex 4) and financial offer (EUR) (use Annex 3)

1.1 Background

Launched at COP27 by the Vulnerable Twenty (V20) Group and the Group of Seven (G7), the Global Shield against Climate Risks (GS) aims to increase protection for vulnerable people and countries and contribute to effectively responding to loss and damage from climate change. The Global Shield promotes an inclusive, gender-responsive and demand-driven process, which is led by the vulnerable countries’ governments. The Global Shield Secretariat has been hosted at Frankfurt School of Finance & Management (FS) since January 1, 2026.

The Secretariat convenes virtual webinars and exchanges involving government representatives, development partners, implementing organisations and other stakeholders. Professional interpretation is required to support multilingual participation and accurate communication of technical and policy discussions.

1.2 Objectives

The objective is to provide reliable, accurate and impartial professional simultaneous interpretation for selected Global Shield Secretariat webinars, enabling participants to follow and contribute in the agreed languages. Services will be commissioned on an as-needed basis, subject to the agreed contract ceiling and confirmed event requests.

1.3 Scope of Work / Deliverables

Estimated Service Requirements

The above requirements are indicative and reflect the Global Shield Secretariat's current planning assumptions. While three webinars are initially anticipated, additional webinars may be organized during the contract period, depending on operational needs. Interpretation services will be requested on an as-needed basis, and no minimum volume of work is guaranteed.

For continuous simultaneous interpretation, bidders should propose appropriate interpreter teams and breaks in line with professional practice. The service provider must not rely on automated machine interpretation unless explicitly authorised in writing.

1.4 Duration & Location

• Contract period: 01.12.2026 to 15.03.2027

• Location: remote/online. 

Services are requested for specific webinar dates and time zones communicated by the Secretariat. Any extension or additional language pairs require written agreement.

1.5 Reporting & Supervision

• The provider reports to the designated Global Shield Secretariat focal point at Frankfurt School. 

• The Secretariat will confirm event briefs and acceptance of services. 

• The provider shall promptly notify the focal point of availability constraints, delays, connectivity problems or any risk to service delivery.

1.6 Eligibility Criteria

Minimum mandatory criteria to submit a bid:

• Legally authorised to provide the contracted interpretation services.

• At least three (3) years of relevant professional interpretation experience for each proposed lead interpreter.

• Demonstrated experience in providing remote simultaneous interpretation services for webinars, virtual meetings or similar multilingual events.

• Excellent proficiency in English and French, with the ability to provide professional simultaneous interpretation in both directions.

• Access to appropriate technical equipment, including a reliable headset and microphone, stable internet connection and a quiet working environment.

• Capacity to provide suitable interpreter teams, including backup arrangements, to ensure uninterrupted and high-quality interpretation services.

• Ability to meet the specified technical requirements and scheduling arrangements.

• Commitment to confidentiality, data protection and compliance with applicable security requirements.

The following will be considered an advantage:

• Familiarity with terminology related to climate change, climate and disaster risk financing and insurance (CDRFI), development cooperation or finance.

• Previous experience providing interpretation services for international organisations, development partners or technical webinars.

Applicants must verify their eligibility for this opportunity using Annex 1 as the required template.

The applicant needs to provide the CV(s) for each proposed interpreter. The CV must cover:

• Full name and contact details

• Education and professional qualifications

• working languages and direction

• Detailed employment history (company/role/dates)

• Comparable assignments (with client references: name, email addresses or phone number) 

• Platform experience and availability

• At least two professional references (name, position, contact)

(CVs shall be submitted using the format as in Annex 2)

3.1 Technical Proposal

The technical proposal should contain:

• Understanding of the assignment and proposed approach to delivering remote simultaneous interpretation services.

• Proposed interpreter team, including staffing arrangements, roles and interpreter rotation.

• Approach to webinar preparation, including review of materials and management of technical terminology.

• Technical setup, platform compatibility, pre-event testing and backup arrangements.

• Quality assurance measures to ensure accurate and uninterrupted interpretation.

• Measures to ensure confidentiality and data protection.

• Availability and ability to accommodate webinar requests within the specified advance notice period.

• Key implementation risks and proposed mitigation measures.

Use Technical Proposal Template as in Annex 4.

3.2 Financial Proposal

The financial proposal shall contain: 

Itemized cost breakdown (unit price, quantity, unit description)

• Subtotals per cost category (labour, materials, travel, other)

• VAT shown separately (if applicable)

• Currency: EUR

• Offer validity: Minimum 30 calendar days 

Please complete Annex 3. 

3.2 Submission Instructions

• Submit electronic copies to: opportunities@fs.de

• Submission deadline (date/time CET):  29 October2026 11:59 CET

• Clarification requests: contact opportunities@fs.de.  Any questions on the ToR must be submitted before 24 October 2026.

3.3 Evaluation Criteria & Weighting

Evaluation Criteria – total of 100 points:  All proposals will be evaluated using the following weighted criteria:

Submissions will be evaluated in consideration of the following evaluation criteria:  

Evaluation criteria for the technical qualifications are (total of 70 point):

• Experience and qualifications of the interpreter. This part of the evaluation will be based in the CV shared by the interpreter in the proposal [50 points]; 

• Adequacy of approach and methodology [10 points]; 

• Experience working in the development sector producing high quality outputs; experience in the area of CDRFI [10 points]; 

The financial offer will account for a maximum of 30 points and is calculated as followed: The financial score = (lowest financial score amongst the tenderers / financial score of the tender being considered) x 30.