Translation services proposal template

Prepared for [Client Company] by [Your Name], [Date].

Thank you for considering me to translate for [Client Company]. This proposal covers the [source language] to [target language] translation of your [documents / website / marketing materials]: how quality is kept consistent, what it costs per word, and when you get it back.

[Client Company] needs [describe: a website, contracts, product documentation, marketing campaigns] translated from [source] to [target] so it reads as if it were written in [target], not translated into it.

The material is for [audience and market], where [describe: tone matters, legal precision matters, industry terminology must be exact]. Success means readers never sense a translation.

1. Phase 1, Scope and glossary. I review the source material, confirm the word count and subject matter, and build a glossary of your key terms (product names, industry vocabulary, tone choices) so every document uses the same language.
2. Phase 2, Translation. I translate the material myself, working as a native [target language] speaker, with translation-memory tooling for consistency across documents (never raw machine output shipped as work).
3. Phase 3, Review. Every text gets a second, separate revision pass [by me after a cooling period / by a second linguist in the Pro tier] against the source for accuracy, then read aloud for flow.
4. Phase 4, Delivery. Files come back in their original formats with formatting preserved, plus the updated glossary so future work stays consistent.

• Translation of approximately [word count] words from [source] to [target]
• A project glossary of your key terms, yours to keep
• A full revision pass on every document before delivery
• Delivery in the original file formats ([Word, InDesign, PO files, CMS entry])
• [Optional] certified translation with signed statement where required
• Turnaround of approximately [2,000 to 2,500] words per business day

• Copywriting new material in [target] (transcreation of slogans and campaigns is quoted separately)
• Desktop publishing and layout beyond preserving existing formatting
• Interpreting (live spoken translation)

Prices are placeholders. Set your own before sending.

• Translated by a person, reviewed on purpose: machine tools assist consistency, they never replace judgment
• A living glossary means your brand says the same thing in every document, forever
• Native [target] speaker: the text reads like it started in your customer's language

This proposal is valid for [30] days. A deposit of [amount or %] is due to begin, with the balance due [on delivery / per the schedule]. Work outside the scope above is quoted separately before it starts.

Pricing is per source word, counted before work begins, so the price cannot drift. Substantive changes to the source text after translation starts are quoted as new words. Your documents are kept strictly confidential and deleted [or archived] per your instruction after delivery.

To move forward, approve this proposal in writing and I will send the agreement and the deposit invoice. We can begin as soon as the deposit is received.

Accepted by: ______________________________ Date: ____________