With Construction Ramping Up, Norton to Release Monthly Stats on D.C. Workers and Small Businesses at Her Federal Project Sites

WASHINGTON, D.C.—As the Office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) prepares for Norton's annual Job Fair on Friday, August 21, 2015, she announced today that she will begin receiving and publicizing data on the number of District of Columbia residents employed and D.C. small businesses contracted at federal construction sites here, achieved though Norton's legislative work. The Congresswoman also will start making unannounced visits to federal sites beginning in the fall and meeting with some contractors. Federal law does not allow local jurisdictions to use specific quotas for the hiring of local residents, as the District of Columbia does for projects in which the city has invested. However, in addition to Norton, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) does significant outreach to local communities and businesses for work and contracting at federal construction sites, and in awarding contracts, and considers contractors that have shown a willingness to reach out to local communities for hiring and small business contracts. Federal sites that are undergoing construction include the largest in Ward 8, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) consolidation at St. Elizabeths, which has just started Phase 2 of construction; renovation of the Old Post Office building on Pennsylvania Avenue; construction of the Smithsonian African American History Museum; and renovation of the Department of State Truman building in Foggy Bottom. In addition, Norton expects a number of other projects to begin here soon.

Even though federal law and regulations permit any U.S. resident to work on a federal site anywhere in the country, Norton was able to get contractors to employ significant numbers of D.C. residents and D.C. small business contractors during construction of the new Coast Guard Headquarters at St. Elizabeths as well as the Smithsonian African American History Museum. She says that there now are new opportunities in construction of Phase 2 of the DHS site, particularly gutting and rehabilitation of the Center building at St. Elizabeths for the DHS Secretary and his 900 staff, and the long sought renovation of a neighborhood park, Shepherd Parkway, as part of the construction of a new I-295/Malcolm X Avenue Interchange.

"We have an obligation to our residents and to the local economy to hold federal contractors accountable when they are building in the District of Columbia and particularly when projects come directly from our work in Congress," Norton said. "D.C. residents should be participants in construction projects in their own city, not voyeurs as buildings go up. From past experiences, we know that the process of monthly reports that I will begin in September works. I appreciate that I have found most contactors understand the value to them as well as to the city in reaching out to the residents of communities where contractors are engaged in local projects."

During the month of September, Norton has asked GSA to do another small business 8(a) certification workshop, which the agency regularly held as the Coast Guard building was going up. Her office also works with the Opportunities Center that GSA built at St. Elizabeths, which is open weekdays 8 a.m.-4 p.m. and provides assistance to prospective employees and small business to help them with hiring and contracting at St. Elizabeths and other GSA sites. The Center also offers resume writing workshops, job postings, 8(a) small business training, and community outreach.