Department of Justice Awarded a Contract to CARMEN M MACOSSAY for $7,792.50

Summary of Award

The JSON response from usaspending.gov pertains to a contract awarded by the U.S. federal government to Carmen M. Macossay for providing interpretation and translation services. The contract, identified by the Purchase Order Number 15JA7924P00000015, involves translation from English to Spanish and vice versa. The contract is valued at a total obligation of $7,792.50, which includes a budget of $1,000 allocated for translation work and $8,000 for court/deposition interpretation services.

### Recipient Profile

Carmen M. Macossay, the recipient of the contract, operates as a sole proprietorship and is recognized as a Hispanic American owned, minority owned, woman owned, and woman-owned small business. These designations may offer competitive advantages in government contracting, although this particular contract was not set aside for such categories. Macossay's business is based in Corpus Christi, Texas, a strategic location within the Southern District of Texas, which aligns directly with the service area of the contract. ### Nature of Services The services classified under NAICS code 541930 relate to Translation and Interpretation Services. This involves a specialized service sector focusing on converting spoken language orally (interpretation) and converting written text across languages (translation). The procurement supports administrative needs within the Department of Justice, primarily aimed at ensuring effective communication in the Southern District's legal proceedings. ### Contract Details The contract, categorized under a "Purchase Order," reflects a modality often utilized for procuring goods or services that do not require elaborate contractual frameworks. This simplicity aligns with the contract's firm-fixed pricing structure, providing financial predictability for both the government and the contractor. It commenced with a competitively bid process under Simplified Acquisition Procedures (SAP), a streamlined procurement method facilitated by the relatively low financial scope of the project. The base value and exercised options uniformly amount to $7,792.50, indicating no further financial obligations beyond the initial arrangement. The contract's period of performance begins on February 15, 2024, and extends to July 31, 2025, with the significant last modification captured on April 10, 2025. ### Government Agencies and Funding Context The awarding and funding responsibilities rest with the Department of Justice (DOJ), specifically through its sub-tier agency, the Offices, Boards, and Divisions. The focal point for executing this contract is the U.S. Attorneys Office in the Southern District of Texas (USA79), indicating the localized nature of the work and its role in the justice delivery system within that district. The funding profile internal to the contract reveals allocation under DEF code "Q," with a notable discrepancy between total obligations ($9,000) and total account outlay ($2,902.50). This variance indicates a complex or phased disbursement structure potentially reliant on specific performance metrics or milestones. ### Transactions Associated with the Contract The series of transactions linked to this contract offers insights into the fiscal operations: 1. **Initial Transaction (February 5, 2024)**: This marks the contract signing, and $9,000 was obligated under the contract. This move indicates an upfront financial commitment to secure the services, aligning with the February 15, 2024, start date. 2. **Subsequent Adjustment (April 10, 2025)**: Notably, a negative transaction amount of -$4,207.50 occurs later in the contract lifecycle. This reversal might reflect a financial recoupment or realignment, adjusting for changes in service scope, performance issues, or auditing outcomes. The precise nature of this transaction can be speculative but underscores a responsive financial management component inherent to government contracts. ### Conclusion The case of Carmen M. Macossay's contract highlights essential dynamics in federal procurement for administrative support services, especially in a bilingual legal environment like the Southern District of Texas. While primarily functional, the contract encapsulates the strategic use of minority-owned small businesses under a competitive framework, facilitated by Simplified Acquisition Procedures. The intricate interplay of financial transactions illustrates the contract's responsive adjustments to operational realities. This case underscores a critical junction where specialized linguistic services intersect with legal procedural needs, reflecting broader federal commitments to inclusivity and efficiency in justice system operations.