Treasury's IRS awards $5.7M for Nationwide Sign Language & Captioning Services to Translation Excellence Inc

Contract Overview

Contract Amount: $5,696,376 ($5.7M)

Contractor: Translation Excellence Inc.

Awarding Agency: Department of the Treasury

Start Date: 2024-03-10

End Date: 2025-09-09

Contract Duration: 548 days

Daily Burn Rate: $10.4K/day

Competition Type: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE

Sector: Other

Official Description: NATIONWIDE SIGN LANGUAGE & CAPTION ACCESS REAL-TIME SERVICES

Place of Performance

Location: AURORA, ARAPAHOE County, COLORADO, 80014

State: Colorado Government Spending

Plain-Language Summary

Department of the Treasury obligated $5.7 million to TRANSLATION EXCELLENCE INC. for work described as: NATIONWIDE SIGN LANGUAGE & CAPTION ACCESS REAL-TIME SERVICES Key points: 1. Contract awarded to Translation Excellence Inc. for real-time sign language and captioning services. 2. The contract value is $5,696,375.73 over its duration. 3. Competition was full and open, suggesting a competitive bidding process. 4. The sector is primarily professional services, specifically translation and interpretation.

Value Assessment

Rating: good

The contract value of $5.7M for real-time captioning and sign language services appears reasonable given the nationwide scope and duration. Benchmarking against similar large-scale accessibility contracts would provide a more precise assessment.

Cost Per Unit: N/A

Competition Analysis

Competition Level: full-and-open

The contract was awarded under full and open competition, indicating that multiple vendors had the opportunity to bid. This method generally promotes price discovery and competitive pricing.

Taxpayer Impact: Taxpayer funds are being used to ensure accessibility for individuals with hearing impairments, promoting inclusivity in government services.

Public Impact

Ensures accessibility for IRS services to individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing. Supports nationwide real-time communication needs for government agencies. Facilitates compliance with accessibility mandates and promotes equal access to information.

Waste & Efficiency Indicators

Waste Risk Score: 50 / 10

Warning Flags

Potential for scope creep if additional services are requested beyond initial requirements.
Dependence on a single vendor for critical real-time communication services.

Positive Signals

Full and open competition likely resulted in a competitive price.
Contract duration provides stability for service provision.
Focus on essential accessibility services.

Sector Analysis

This contract falls within the professional services sector, specifically translation and interpretation. Spending benchmarks for similar government-wide accessibility services are difficult to pinpoint due to the specialized nature of real-time captioning and sign language.

Small Business Impact

While the contract was awarded under full and open competition, there is no explicit indication of small business participation or subcontracting goals. Further analysis would be needed to determine if small businesses were involved.

Oversight & Accountability

The contract is managed by the Department of the Treasury's Internal Revenue Service. Standard oversight mechanisms for federal contracts, including performance monitoring and payment verification, are expected to be in place.

Related Government Programs

Translation and Interpretation Services
Department of the Treasury Contracting
Internal Revenue Service Programs

Risk Flags

Potential for vendor lock-in if services are highly specialized.
Reliance on real-time services introduces risk of immediate service disruption.
Accuracy and quality of interpretation/captioning are critical and hard to measure consistently.
Scope definition is crucial to prevent cost overruns.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is this federal contract paying for?

Department of the Treasury awarded $5.7 million to TRANSLATION EXCELLENCE INC.. NATIONWIDE SIGN LANGUAGE & CAPTION ACCESS REAL-TIME SERVICES

Who is the contractor on this award?

The obligated recipient is TRANSLATION EXCELLENCE INC..

Which agency awarded this contract?

Awarding agency: Department of the Treasury (Internal Revenue Service).

What is the total obligated amount?

The obligated amount is $5.7 million.

What is the period of performance?

Start: 2024-03-10. End: 2025-09-09.

What is the estimated cost per hour or per event for the sign language and captioning services?

The provided data does not specify the cost per hour or per event. The total award amount of $5.7 million is for the entire contract duration. To determine per-unit costs, one would need to know the projected volume of services required over the contract period and divide the total value accordingly.

What are the key performance indicators (KPIs) for ensuring the quality and timeliness of the real-time services?

The contract details do not explicitly list the Key Performance Indicators (KPIs). However, typical KPIs for such services would include accuracy rates for captioning and interpretation, response times for service activation, and overall client satisfaction. The IRS would likely monitor these metrics to ensure service quality.

How does this contract ensure continuity of service in case of vendor failure or unforeseen circumstances?

The contract's duration of approximately 1.5 years provides a defined period of service. While the data doesn't detail contingency plans, federal contracts often include clauses for service continuity, potential for emergency support, or requirements for the vendor to have robust backup systems and personnel to mitigate disruptions.

Industry Classification

NAICS: Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Other Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services › Translation and Interpretation Services

Product/Service Code: SUPPORT SVCS (PROF, ADMIN, MGMT) › ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT SERVICES

Competition & Pricing

Extent Competed: FULL AND OPEN COMPETITION

Solicitation Procedures: SUBJECT TO MULTIPLE AWARD FAIR OPPORTUNITY

Pricing Type: FIRM FIXED PRICE (J)

Evaluated Preference: NONE

Contractor Details

Address: 3300 S PARKER RD, AURORA, CO, 80014

Business Categories: 8(a) Program Participant, Category Business, Corporate Entity Not Tax Exempt, DoT Certified Disadvantaged Business Enterprise, Minority Owned Business, Other Minority Owned Business, Self-Certified Small Disadvantaged Business, Small Business, Special Designations, U.S.-Owned Business

Financial Breakdown

Contract Ceiling: $5,696,376

Exercised Options: $5,696,376

Current Obligation: $5,696,376

Actual Outlays: $5,695,726

Contract Characteristics

Commercial Item: COMMERCIAL PRODUCTS/SERVICES

Parent Contract

Parent Award PIID: 2032H820A00002

IDV Type: BPA

Timeline