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Minimum Wage, Procurement, Comprehensive Plan, Traffic, and Development
1. Legislation Approved to Increase the District's Minimum Wage Effective January 1, 2005, the standard minimum wage for employees in the District of Columbia will increase from $6.15 per hour to $6.60 per hour. Mayor Anthony A. Williams signed the "Minimum Wage Emergency Amendment Act of 2004" on November 30, 2004, marking the District's first minimum wage increase since 1997. Final approval of the permanent legislation, announced by Councilmember David Catania, will increase the minimum wage in the District to $7 per hour by January 2006. Currently, 13 states including the District of Columbia have minimum wage rates higher than the federal minimum wage of $5.15 an hour. Based on the US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) occupational employment statistics for May 2003, there are 3,515 employees (0.6 percent of the 594,510 employees) in the District whose wage-level is below the proposed $6.60 per hour. A full-time District employee earning a minimum wage currently grosses less than $13,000 per year, which is below the poverty level of $18,244 for a family of four. According to the Department of Employment Services' (DOES) Director Gregg Irish, employees in retail trade, laundry and dry cleaning, beauty, fast food preparation and parking lot attendants will benefit from the increased wage rate. "This legislation not only helps those who labor at wages insufficient to provide adequate household maintenance," said Director Irish, "but it also increases the purchasing power of the District's workers." Visit DOES
2. OCP Procurement Forecast Lists Annual Buys for DC Agencies The Office of Contracting and Procurement has made public the FY05 District-wide Procurement Forecast containing descriptions of tens of thousands of planned acquisitions by 60 agencies. The Procurement Forecast is a valuable planning tool for companies and professionals interested in doing business with the DC Government. The requirements may be sorted by the requesting agency, the National Institutes of Government Purchasing (NIGP) codes, and by the OCP commodity group assigned to make the purchase. The listings, in most cases, contain the name of the agency program manager responsible for placing the requirement. You may call (202) 727-1000 and ask to be connected to that person. The listings also contain the names of the OCP personnel responsible for making the purchase. The Procurement Forecast contains information and dates that may change. OCP recommends that businesses continuously check the OCP website and select the Business Opportunities link for the most recent solicitations. Download the FY05 Procurement Forecast . Visit OCP.
3. Deputy Mayor for Operations Appointed Interim Chief Procurement Officer Mayor Anthony Williams appointed Herbert R. Tillery, Deputy Mayor for Operations to simultaneously serve as the Interim Director and Chief Procurement Officer for the Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP). Mr. Tillery began his service as the Interim Director on September 13, 2004. In his introductory remarks to OCP employees, Mr. Tillery said, "My mission during this interim period is to restore the trust and confidence in the work of the Office of Contracting and Procurement. In that vein, I have four goals for the agency:
Mr. Tillery has enlisted the services of the newly formed Center for Innovation and Reform, within the Office of the City Administrator, which will provide technical support as he leads business process re-engineering within OCP. Find additional information on Mr. Tillery's duties as Deputy Mayor for Operations here. Visit OCP.
4. Comprehensive Plan Revision Website Launched The DC Office of Planning launched the Comprehensive Plan Revision website, "Washington DC Comprehensive Plan." This highly interactive, visually-engaging website will be a vital part of the public participation process for the Comprehensive Plan Revision. The Comprehensive Plan is a general policy document that provides overall guidance for future planning and development of the city. The Home Rule Act requires the District government to develop a Comprehensive Plan. The Office of Planning is in the process of revising the current Comprehensive Plan. Residents are encouraged to visit the website to obtain information on upcoming events related to the Comprehensive Plan Revision. Those who visit the site will also find helpful fact sheets, a project timeline, maps, and information about getting involved in the revision of the Comprehensive Plan. In addition, the recently released "A Vision for Growing an Inclusive City," can be accessed from the website. "A Vision for Growing an Inclusive City" is the vision and policy framework that will guide the revision of the Comprehensive Plan. Visit the Comprehensive Plan Revision website. For more information about the Comprehensive Plan Revision process, please contact the Office of Planning at (202) 442-7600 or via email at compplan@dc.gov. Visit Office of Planning.
5. Mayor Williams Receives Downtown Congestion Report On November 22, 2004 Mayor Anthony A. Williams received the report* and recommendations of the Mayor's Downtown Congestion Task Force, reviewing possible policies to relieve traffic congestion downtown, including cutting the number of cars coming downtown, reducing low-cost parking for DC employees and variable pricing of parking and loading zones. Mayor Williams was joined by Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, Councilmember Carol Schwartz (at-large), Dan Tangherlini, Director of Transportation (DDOT), and business leaders. Convened in May by Mayor Williams and Councilmember Schwartz along with Councilmembers Jack Evans (Ward 2), Jim Graham (Ward 1) Sharon Ambrose (Ward 6) and Harold Brazil (at-large), the Task Force is comprised of 50 business, government, and community leaders who were charged with analyzing downtown congestion problems and proposing potential solutions. The Task Force's proposals are grouped into three principal categories: quick fixes, long-term investments and system changes. The recommendations concern public transit, traffic operations, parking, demand management and motor carriers. The report also welcomes the forthcoming arrival of the downtown circulator bus and the recent deployment of traffic control officers at major downtown intersections and 100 pedestrian countdown signals near-term actions to reduce congestion. Visit DDOT.
6. Marketing Center Releases Development Activity Guide The November 2004 Annual Meeting and Development Showcase marked the release of the Washington, DC Marketing Center's Development Activity: 2004-2005 Guide to Development in the District of Columbia. The publication serves as a resource book with over four years of data and research collected by the Center. It provides an overview of the District's development cycle and construction projects that are expected to continue for years to come. The guide highlights more than 80 development projects in the District, spanning office, retail, residential, hospitality, and education. With over $34.1 billion in development since 2001, the Development Guide exhibits the Districts' robust economic renaissance and construction cycle. To order your copy of the book, contact Andrea Nicholaou via email or at (202) 661-8670. Visit the Washington DC, Marketing Center.
7. DC Business Tools Available
 
8. View the BRC Bulletin Archives Previous editions of the BRC Bulletin newsletter feature articles for small businesses and nonprofits regarding incentives, training, licenses, procurement, commuting, emergency preparedness, and other topics. View the BRC Bulletin Archives.
Submit Feedback to brc@dc.gov
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