Federal Election Commission Searches for New HQ
As part of a reduction mandate form the Obama administration known as “Reduce the Footprint,” the Federal Election Commission is on the lookout for a new HQ that'll be substantially smaller. The FEC currently leases almost 137k SF at 999 E St NW from Douglas Development under a lease set to expire in September 2017.
A pre-solicitation posted to FedBizOpps.gov indicates that the General Services Administration is seeking up to 105k SF for the FEC’s new space. This is the latest potential leasing deal posted by the GSA, following July’s posting for a new HQ for the Federal Communications Commission. Before it can officially go out and seek new space, the GSA must receive authorization from Congress.
The reduction mandate is intended to cut costs for the government but has posed some challenges for the GSA. As opposed to simply renewing current leases, agencies working with the GSA are beginning to rethink how they use space. In some cases, agencies will be relocating from older, less efficient buildings to newer ones that will provide more of a reduction in costs over the long-term. [WBJ]
