Construction services for new department of aging and community living ("dacl") ward 8 senior wellness center

The District of Columbia Department of General Services ("DGS") is issuing an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for construction services to design and build a new Department of Aging and Community Living ("DACL") Ward 8 Senior Wellness Center located at 1700 Q Street, SE, Washington, DC 20020. The project involves construction of a 3,000 square-foot ground-up new facility located within the existing Kramer Middle School parking lot that will serve as a congregate space for seniors, featuring a gym, meeting rooms, and educational space for wellness activities. The successful contractor will be responsible for providing all necessary services, supervision, permits, labor, supplies, equipment, and materials to complete the project in full compliance with the specifications and drawings provided in the IFB. Bidders must submit a lump sum price covering all 23 work divisions and must hold their bids open for a minimum of 120 days after the IFB closing date. The mandatory pre-bid conference and site visit will be held on January 29, 2026, at 9:30 A.M. at the project location; written questions must be submitted by February 4, 2026, at 2:00 P.M.; and bids are due electronically by February 25, 2026, at 2:00 P.M., with bid opening occurring at 3:00 P.M. the same day. The Department will award a single contract to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder based on price-related evaluation factors submitted in the Offer Letter and Bid Form. Substantial completion is required by May 3, 2027, with final completion by July 2, 2027, and an administrative term extending to September 1, 2027. A disincentive fee of $2,250 per day applies for failure to achieve substantial completion by the scheduled date.

This procurement includes a mandatory 35 percent Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) subcontracting requirement, with a minimum 35 percent of the dollar volume subcontracted to Small Business Enterprises (SBEs) or qualified CBEs, though no mandate exists to hire a DBE subcontractor. The contract is subject to stringent federal labor standards including Davis-Bacon prevailing wage determinations, the Living Wage Act of 2006 (minimum $17.95 per hour through June 30, 2026, then $18.40 per hour), and the Contract Work Hours and Safety Standards Act, which prohibits working more than 40 hours per week without overtime compensation at 1.5 times the base wage rate. Contractors must also comply with a First Source Employment Agreement requiring a 51 percent District resident hiring threshold for new positions on projects valued between $300,000 and $5 million, and must submit a Revised Employment Plan that includes hiring schedules and community outreach strategies. Additional requirements include Equal Employment Opportunity compliance, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) outreach documentation, a 5 percent bid bond, performance and payment bonds equal to 100 percent of the contract amount, comprehensive insurance coverage including $1,000,000 general liability per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, compliance with the Buy American Act provisions, and federal restrictions on lobbying activities. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the procurement documents, as this represents a new facility construction project with no existing infrastructure requiring integration. The final contract value is to be determined through the competitive bidding process, with pricing established based on the lowest responsive and responsible bid submitted.