From Danish to English – new rules for using external translators

Does your unit or your department need to purchase translations externally? Then it is important that you read the following, as the university's procurement of translations has been put up for tender and this means there are now rules for how we are allowed to order external text translations. The agreement does therefore not apply to translations done internally.

At Health, the following freelance translators won the tender:

• Lambourne Translations with Peter Lambourne (primary)
• O'Shea Translations with Billy O'Shea (secondary)

This means that all translations purchased externally must be ordered from Peter Lambourne. If he is unable to take the job due to e.g. holidays or being too busy, you should instead contact Billy O'Shea.

Peter Lambourne has worked for Health as a freelance translator since 2013, and he therefore has both insight into and experience of the faculty and its subject areas.

The purchasing agreement does not have any influence on translations that are done by the department’s own employees. All 'in-house' translation and language services can continue as hitherto.

How to order a translation

• Send an email and attach the text to be translated to Peter Lambourne: peter@lambourne.dk. Texts for translation must be editable – i.e. in Word, PowerPoint, Excel or similar. PDFs must either be converted into Word or otherwise obtained in Word before they are sent for translation.     

You can request a price estimate from the translator before ordering. Any estimates follow the purchasing agreement and are therefore non-negotiable.    

• Please provide the following information in the email:
  • Deadline
  • Any comments or special wishes
  • Any reference files or reference websites, such as e.g. the scientific article on which a press release is based.
  • The EAN number and contact person for invoicing.

• After the translation has been ordered you will receive a confirmation of receipt from Peter Lambourne by email. If he cannot accept the job, then send an email to Billy O'Shea: billy@oshea.dk. 
• The translator will send the translated text back to the person who placed the order unless otherwise agreed in advance. When you receive the text, it is a good idea to run through it and note any comments or queries from the translator.

Important information about Health’s collaboration with external translators

• Always contact the translator if you are in doubt about (parts of) the translation or have any feedback, for example from researchers. If the translator does not hear anything, he will assume everything is okay.
•  If you alter important parts (for example special terminology) of the translated text, it is recommended that you send the final version back to the translator, so he can update this in AU's translation memories. In this way, we ensure that translators receive feedback on their translations and that they enter the correct terminology in the system for future use. 
• The translators are bound by a duty of confidentiality. However, it is a good idea to anonymise texts that contain sensitive personal data and/or confidential information before sending them to translation.     

Facts about the purchase agreement

• The tenderers in AU's translation tender were assessed on price (40%) and quality and qualifications (60%). Health has entered into cost-effective agreements with highly qualified and experienced translators who have extensive experience with the research and education sector. 
• The new purchasing agreement is binding and you may not use other external suppliers for translations. Only the two above-named translators may be used. 
• All translations from Danish to English are as a rule subject to the framework agreement. Academic proofreading or other language services are not covered. 
• The agreement came into force on 15 November 2017 and is valid for a period of two years.

If you want to find out more, please see the purchasing agreement on AU Procurement's website.

If you have any questions about the purchasing agreement and the framework for it, you are welcome to contact Lenore Messick from Events and Communication Support at lmm@au.dk.

If you have any questions about ordering specific translations or translation practices at Health, you can contact Sabina Bjerre Hansen from HE Communication at sbh@au.dk.

• How to order a translation