Community Relations Service

The Department of Justice Offices Boards and Divisions Community Relations Service is a civilian sub-agency that procures goods and services to support community mediation, conflict resolution, and intergroup dialogue programs across federal, state, and local jurisdictions. The Service operates as the federal government's principal mediator and facilitator for community tensions and disputes, and its contracting activity reflects operational and administrative support for that mission.

The Department has issued 140 federal contract awards since 2007, with combined potential value of $15.2 million and $14.4 million in combined dollars obligated. Recent activity has been modest: 3 awards in 2022, 3 in 2023, 2 in 2024, and 2 in 2025, indicating a sharp decline from the 19 awards issued in 2021. Among the 27 awards issued over the last five years, 41 percent carry no reported potential value, typical of Schedule task orders, BPA calls, modifications, or below-threshold purchase orders that fall below centralized reporting thresholds.

The competitive landscape is highly fragmented. By award count over the last five years, Canon U.S.A., Inc. leads with 14 awards, followed by Federal Express Corporation with 4 awards and Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority with 3 awards, collectively accounting for 85 percent of recent awards by count. By potential value, concentration is even lower: Mathematica Inc. holds the largest single award at $2.3 million, followed by Chainbridge Solutions Incorporated at $634 thousand, together representing only 22 percent of recent combined potential value. The remaining recent value is distributed across 20 distinct contractors, each with minimal individual spend. Fifty-five distinct prime contractors have been awarded contracts across the portfolio lifetime.

Set-aside activity is minimal. Eighty-eight percent of awards use no set-aside designation, with 5 percent small-business set-asides and 6 percent 8(a) (both sole source and competitive combined). The portfolio shows no WOSB, SDVOSB, HUBZone, or other minority-designated awards.

No recent contract opportunities are recorded against the agency. The most recently recorded award date is in the future relative to today, indicating option exercises or estimated deliveries on existing awards extending into the forecast period. Business development activity at this office is advisable only for firms positioned to support routine operational contracting (office supplies, logistics, event services, consulting support) or those already established on applicable federal schedules or blanket purchase agreements where opportunities emerge through task-order calls rather than open solicitation.