Scheduling Sign Language Interpreters

Check the City Approved Vendor Information provided on the MOD website (https://www.sf.gov/information/sign-language-providers) and request a quote/rate sheet for the services.  For quality assurance, request for RID-certified interpreters only.

For City and County of San Francisco departments, contact your accounting representative to set up a purchase order.

Confirm the date, time, location, and the type of event or meeting that you will need the interpreter. Determine if the interpretation will be for a specific individual or for a group.

American Sign Language (ASL) is the most prevalent sign language in the United States but various types of sign languages may be requested (e.g. Signed English, and Pigdin). Additionally, some individuals might have unique communication styles and communicate best with specific interpreters. Whenever possible meet an individual’s request.  

Send an email to the City Approved Captioner that you have chosen; the email should include the following information:

• Use Specific Subject Line. Your subject line should include the date, time and location where sign language interpretation is requested.
• Identify Service Need. If the meeting/event is under 2 hours one interpreter may be enough. If the interpretation is for 2 hours or more, two interpreters are required.  If a specific interpreter has been requested, note the preference of the vendor; they will assign depending upon their availability.
• Confirm the date, location, and time of the requested interpretation. We recommend requesting that the interpreter(s) come at least 15 minutes before the meeting/event time to allow enough time for briefing and set-up.
• Provide information about what type of meeting or event the interpretation will be for. Specify if the interpretation is for a one-on-one meeting or a group.
• Identify the point of contact for the interpreter(s) to check in with or to request additional information about the assignment.  You should provide an email and telephone number that the individual can be reached on the day of the meeting/event.   If applicable, you may also wish to:  
  • Include additional information about the meeting/event such as agendas, programs, brochures, etc. The interpreters will use this information to prepare.
  • Notify the vendor if the interpreters will be televised or photographed and what it will be used for. Providing this information ahead of time will ensure that the interpreters are comfortable with the assignment.  

You should receive an e-mail confirmation that an interpreter has been booked.  

If the interpreter(s) for the meeting/event did not provide adequate service or behaved unprofessionally, this information should be provided to the vendor. Additionally, please contact the MOD and provide your feedback at MOD@sfgov.org.