|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
NCRC RFP, National Business Women's Conference, Home Again RFP, Howard Theatre Solicitation Delayed, Firehouse Bid Award, Consumer Protection Week, Parking at 825 and 941 North Capitol
1. NCRC and RLARC Looking For Businesses Specializing in Environmental Services The National Capital Revitalization Corporation (NCRC) and the RLA Revitalization Corporation (RLARC) are jointly inviting firms that specialize in environmental consulting and/or remediation to submit qualifications statements to provide environmental services for various projects. NCRC is an independent corporate instrumentality of the District of Columbia government charged with conducting certain economic development activities in the District. NCRC is responsible for facilitating large-scale real estate development projects, and implementing business development and finance programs. RLARC is a subsidiary of NCRC charged with the management and disposition of a portfolio of properties for the District of Columbia. For more information regarding NCRC or RLARC, please review NCRC's website. The corporations desire to contract with local, small, and disadvantaged business enterprises (LSDBEs), as certified by the District's Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), or teams that include LSDBEs. More specifically, the corporations will give consideration for LSDBE participation in the following order:
Qualification statements are due by 5 pm on Wednesday, March 1. Respondents shall submit the intent to bid form by 5 pm on Monday, February 13. Respondents shall be responsible for verifying that their qualification statements satisfy all modifications to the request for proposals (RFP), if any, as posted on NCRC's website, including any clarifications, which may include responses to questions posed by respondents. If you have any questions with regard to this RFP, please contact Purchasing Manager Debbie C. Williams at (202) 467-1060 or via email. Visit NCRC.
2. Second Annual National Business Women's Conference Announced for June 2006 The second annual National Business Women's Conference is scheduled for June 12 at the JW Marriott in central Washington, DC and it will be bigger than the inaugural event in June 2005. This year the NWBC has added an exhibit hall and a loan fair-in addition to the government agency matchmaking sessions and the media interview roundtables. Visit the conference website. Early registration discounts apply to everyone who registers in the month of February. For more information, visit National Women's Business Center or call (202) 785-4922.
3. Home Again Releases RFP for Development of Ivy City Properties
The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) announced the release of its eighth request for proposals (RFP) for the development of 37 properties in Ivy City as part of the Home Again Initiative. This RFP marks the largest concentration of formerly vacant and abandoned property made available in any one neighborhood since the inception of Home Again four years ago. At least 50 percent of the units produced will be affordable, with special emphasis on units affordable to buyers who earn below 50 percent of the area median income. The RFP also allows developers to propose alternative homeownership models, such as limited equity cooperatives and longer periods of affordability ranging from 25 to 99 years. The District has allocated up to $3 million in public subsidy to assist developers in meeting the affordability requirement. "This request for proposal [RFP] is the result of a collaborative and inclusive process with the community," says Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Stanley Jackson. "The result is an RFP that strikes a desirable balance by providing unprecedented affordability for a neighborhood revitalization project of this type while creating more opportunities for workforce housing for teachers, police officers, and workers in the hospitality industry." For more than six months, Home Again worked with residents and the Ivy City Task Force to address neighborhood concerns, including parking and transportation-related issues. An urban design consultant was hired and conducted a community design workshop, which led to the creation of the community design guidelines of preferred development options for each of the properties offered in the RFP. The RFP also encourages the use of high performing, green building technologies in the development of the new housing units. The DC Office of Planning will make available technical assistance with implementing green building technologies to the selected developer(s). Responses to the RFP from developers who are pre-qualified to participate in the Home Again Initiative are due by noon on March 31. Home Again is designed to stabilize neighborhoods by removing blight and creating more affordable housing opportunities. To address this challenge, Home Again has two goals:
Since its start in January 2002, Home Again's efforts have rehabilitated over 350 formerly vacant and abandoned properties. Developers must be pre-qualified in order to participate in the program. Contact Home Again at (202) 478-1355 or visit Home Again.  
4. Issuance of Howard Theatre Solicitation Delayed The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) has delayed the issuance of the solicitation of offers for the redevelopment of the historic Howard Theatre, located at 620 T Street, NW, in the heart of the Cardozo/Shaw and Le Droit Park neighborhoods. The solicitation of offers, which was scheduled to be made available February 10 in the Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 317, and online, will be delayed until further notice. We regret any inconvenience this delay has caused. Please provide your name and contact information to the Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development at (202) 727-6365. A representative will contact you directly with updates.
5. Local Development Team Is Awarded Historic Firehouse Disposition The Office of the Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development (DMPED) selected NC Firehouse, LLC to develop and restore Old Engine Company 12, located at the corner of North Capitol Street and Quincy Place, NW. Built in 1897, the historic firehouse is one of the District's 29 pre-World War II firehouses. Vacant for nearly a decade, Old Engine Company 12 will transform into a full-service, sit-down restaurant named "EC-12" with a second-floor cultural and performing arts space programmed by XM Satellite Radio, a marketing partner on the team, who will broadcast live music events from the location. The lounge will also provide community meeting and exhibition space. EC-12 will include a sidewalk café and a renovated rooftop deck to accommodate an outdoor seating area. "We are thrilled that NC Firehouse, LLC will transform this historic landmark into a destination for all of the community to enjoy," said Deputy Mayor for Planning and Economic Development Stanley Jackson. "We expect that the restoration of Old Engine Company 12 will serve as a catalyst for economic growth and stimulate retail development along North Capitol Street." NC Firehouse, LLC is a local limited liability company whose principal owner is NextGen Construction and Renovation, LLC, a District-based development firm. The tenant and co-developer for this project is Novel Foods Hospitality Management, LLC, which manages and operates the popular restaurants Café Saint Ex and Bar Pilar on 14th Street, NW. NC Firehouse, LLC became the preferred developer because of its superior development plan, skilled development team, strong Local, Small, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (LSDBE) and First-Source hiring commitments, and a solid financial plan. Plans for a sit-down restaurant will make the property accessible to the larger public as well as provide for a much-needed community gathering spot on the North Capitol Street corridor. Community members identified that they prefer a sit-down restaurant for the site. The EC-12 restaurant proposal will also create significant job opportunities for local residents. The new development program is expected to produce 60 to 80 full- or part-time jobs and six to 10 additional temporary jobs during the restaurant startup phase for the final build-out. The development team will collaborate with the DC Central Kitchen to form a job training alliance and create a new culinary internship training program. In addition, the project is expected to generate substantial sales tax revenues and benefits to the community. As a result of this selection, DMPED will enter into exclusive negotiations with NextGen Development on the terms of the disposition. Once an agreement is reached, the Mayor will submit the sales contract to the DC Council for approval and grant of authority to dispose of the property to NC Firehouse, LLC on specified terms. Visit DMPED.
6. City Kicks Off National Consumer Protection Week in DC District officials today kicked off National Consumer Protection Week, which runs from February 6-10. Through their joint outreach effort, officials at the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) and the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) will focus on educating and empowering DC consumers in the fight against fraud. The District's Consumer Protection Week theme is Common Sense = Consumer $ense. According to a survey by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), nearly 25 million Americans-11.2 percent of the adult population-experience consumer fraud each year. In an annual report detailing consumer complaints about fraud and identity theft in 2005, the FTC named Washington, DC on its list of major metropolitan areas with the highest per capita rates of consumer fraud. "The bottom line is that too many Americans experience consumer fraud each year," said Mayor Williams. "As Mayor of the District of Columbia, I'm extremely pleased that we're combining forces to help empower District residents so that they don't become the next victims of fraud." The District of Columbia has had some of the nation's strongest consumer protection laws since 1976. But funding for enforcement of these laws under DCRA was suspended in 1994. As part of DCRA's fiscal year 2006 budget, the DC Council approved funding for an Office of Consumer Protection. The office will focus on education, mediation and enforcement-primarily in the areas of home improvement and car repair. "Consumers in the District of Columbia need more protection from their government," said Councilmember Graham. "DCRA is the only agency that has 'consumer' right in the name-so I couldn't be more pleased that we're putting these protections back where they belong." At today's press conference, DCRA rolled out a web-enabled business license verification system that allows consumers to check to see if local rental properties, auto repair shops and home improvement contractors have the necessary licenses to do business in the District. The verification system, consumer protection tips and guidelines can be found on DCRA's website at Consumer Corner. "Today we're rolling out the first of the tools we're developing to arm District residents with knowledge and information so that they can steer clear of unscrupulous businesses and avoid getting stuck with incomplete, inadequate or shoddy work," said DCRA Director Patrick Canavan, Psy.D. OAG's focus during National Consumer Protection week will be on educating DC consumers about common sense approaches to money and giving them the facts about payday loans, rent-to-own stores and pawn brokers. "My office will fully support DCRA in its two-pronged education outreach to inform consumers about fraudulent home contractors and auto repair shops," said Attorney General Robert Spagnoletti. "I take very seriously the protection of consumers from fraudulent business practices, and as Attorney General, I will continue to prosecute and hold accountable those who break the law and mislead consumers. I look forward to continuing a close working relationship with DCRA as it revives its own consumer protection programs." In the past year alone, OAG has successfully recovered over $500,000 in consumer restitution from its consumer protection and antitrust enforcement actions, and has handled approximately 650 consumer inquiries and complaints. For more information about consumer protection in the District of Columbia, visit DCRA and OAG. Consumers who think they've been treated unfairly by a business can also call DC's Consumer Protection Hotline at (202) 442-9828.
7. Short Term Parking Temporarily Unavailable at 825 and 941 North Capitol Street, NE Due to parking garage renovations, short term parking will be temporarily unavailable to customers of DC government agencies with offices at 825 and 941 North Capitol Street, NE. This will affect customers of the Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA), as well as the Office of Tax and Revenue (OTR) and the Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration (ABRA). The garages will be closed for daily and hourly parking from January 30 through March 17. Customers are encouraged to use public transportation during that time. The closest Metrorail stop is Union Station on the Red line. Metro buses with stops near these offices include the 80, D1, D3, D4, D8, X1, and X2 routes. Check Metro schedules for exact times and locations. Alternate parking is available at the MarcParc parking lot at 59 M Street, NE (entrance on 1st Street, NE). A shuttle bus will run from the M Street, NE, parking lot to the Metrobus stop at 825 North Capitol Street, NE, every 15 minutes, during the departments' normal business hours. Cost for parking at the 59 M Street, NE, parking lot is $4 per day.
Submit Feedback to brc@dc.gov
|
|
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
