Muriel BowsER Mayor Tune 14, 2019 Ms. Emily W. Murphy Administrator U.S. General Services Administration 18" and F Street, NW Washington, DC 20006 Re: SEC New Headquarters Lease Procurement Dear Administrator Murphy: ‘As Mayor of Washington, DC, I am writing to register our concerns with the elimination of a proposal from consideration for award under RLP SDCO0392 for a lease to serve as the headquarters for the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for lack of appropriate amenities. That proposal would have resulted in the construction of 1.3 million square feet of office space, the creation of thousands of jobs, and the generation of millions of dollars in new revenue at Columbian Quarter in Ward 8°s Anacostia neighborhood. First, we take issue with GSA’s characterization that the proposal and the Ward 8 site lack sufficient and sustainable amenities. The proposal—as we understand it—guaranteed 50,000 SF of new retail to serve SEC employees and met or exceeded all requirements for amenities set forth by GSA. Moreover, the immediate vicinity is already home to an enormous federal footprint. More than 20,000 federal employees are currently located at nearby Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling and the St Elizabeths West Campus. The headquarters for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the new Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Ageney’s headquarters are expected to commence construction in 2020 and 2021 respectively. The District of Columbia is also investing in the area and building out amenities. ‘The Washington Mystics and Washington Wizards play and practice at the newly opened Entertainment and Sports Arena, a state-of-the-art facility at the St Elizabeths East Campus that regularly attracts thousands of visitors, We have also funded a new $300 million hospital at the East Campus and will soon move the District Department of Health to Anacostia, And notably, approximately $500 million of private sector capital has been committed to develop the new StElizabeths Town Center, comprising hundreds of new residential units, a hotel, and three new office buildings. Second, we were optimistic that the GSA would use this procurement as an opportunity to fulfil avowed policy goals of the federal government. The GSA’s Economic Catalyst Initiative has a goal to “better align the agency’s building, leasing, and relocation plans with the economic development goals of local communities.” Selecting this site would have done so, because it sits in an Opportunity Zone, and advances the goals of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 to spur investments in new businesses and commercial projects in developing neighborhoods. Part of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council’s mandate is “to consider urban and economically distressed areas, including qualified opportunity zones, as possible locations for Federal buildings, through consultation with the General Services Administration.” The GSA’s decision to eliminate the Ward 8 proposal is a strong rebuke of these policies, and of this proud, vibrant neighborhood. Finally, the decision to eliminate this proposal restricts competition and thus will likely result in a failure to maximize value and protect taxpayer dollars. The disregarded policies discussed above, had they been followed, would also have reduced private market costs and in turn reduced GSA lease costs. For the foregoing reasons, we respectfully request that the GSA include Columbian Quarter in the SEC Headquarters Procurement and reconsider its decision. Sincerely, Murfel Bolyser Maypr CC: Mr. Daniel Mathews, Commissioner, GSA Public Building Service The Honorable Eleanor Holmes Norton