Request for Proposals– Translation Services Needed

Henry L. Stimson Center
38 North
1211 Connecticut Ave. NW, 8th Floor
Washington, DC 20036

Natalia Slavney, Research & Editorial Assistant, 38 North
[email protected]

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS – TRANSLATION SERVICES NEEDED

38 North (www.38north.org) is a web journal that provides policy and technical analysis and commentary on a broad range of topics related to North Korea. It draws on experts and academics with a legacy of proven experience and/or exposure to North Korea(ns)—academics, analysts, NGOs, IGOs, former government officials and diplomats, etc.—to help assess what we know about the DPRK at any given time. 38 North is a program at the Henry L. Stimson Center, a nonpartisan policy and research organization focused on international security issues, based in Washington, DC.

PROJECT GOAL AND SCOPE 

The overall project goal is to translate a number of North Korean economic materials from the past five years—including academic journals as well as select media and propaganda—from Korean to English, to be archived on the website.

Since taking power in 2011, Kim Jong Un has been putting the foundations in place for a “new strategic line,” one that concentrates on the economy. 38 North seeks to translate key economic materials, which will offer key insights into how economic thinking has evolved over the years, and reveal which ideals, models, theories and concepts have seen further elaboration and consideration for how they apply to a North Korean context versus those that have fallen away. The translated economic sources will also be used to facilitate deeper study of the North Korean economy by non-Korean language proficient experts and researchers, and gain a better understanding of current trends, and what the North sees as its best options for its future and what implications this has for the international community.

PROJECT TIMELINE

38 North seeks to initiate the translation of North Korean economic materials by mid March 2020. The project is grant-funded and the work must be completed by mid September 2020, with prospects for extension.

PROPOSAL INSTRUCTIONS

We are inviting proposals from experienced translation contractors by COB on Wednesday, March 11, 2020. Proposals for services have to include:

  • Statement of work and budget estimate (please detail your translation rate, either hourly or per word, as well as your weekly availability)
  • Brief summary of experience translating and/or interpreting Korean to English, highlighting specific North Korean-to-English experiences
  • Contacts for 2-3 references for the translation/interpretation services previously conducted
  • 2 short samples of translation work, if available (provide original text in Korean and translation to English)

CONTACT

If you have further questions, please email Natalia Slavney, Research & Editorial Assistant, at [email protected].