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June 15, 2017

DDC Hosts 300 at 2017 Consultants Open House

Contact:
Dan Leibel
718-391-1251

Long Island City, NY – Approximately 300 representatives from various architecture, engineering, and construction firms attended the 2017 New York City Department of Design and Construction (DDC) Consultants Open House today, an industry event designed to inform firms that seek to do business with the City of upcoming DDC projects and how they can they can better navigate the City’s bidding and procurement processes.

DDC Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora addressing the audience
DDC Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora addressing the audience at the 2017 Consultant’s Open House

“Our open houses allow DDC to strengthen the continuing dialogue between itself and its industry partners,” said DDC Commissioner Feniosky Peña-Mora. “Reaching out to industry professionals this way involves more consultants in the City’s competitive bidding process, helps them gain business and plan their workload, and gives DDC a greater pool of consultants to work with, all at a time when the agency is taking on an increasingly varied group of projects.”

Representatives from architecture and engineering firms across New York City attended a full morning of presentations at DDC’s main offices in Long Island City. Projects in the department’s pipeline, including opportunities in infrastructure and public buildings, were discussed by department heads. The open house featured an address by Commissioner Peña-Mora, as well as presentations by senior staff in the architecture and engineering, construction management, infrastructure design, and program management departments.

Topics also included requirements for construction site safety, how the agency pays and conducts business with its consultants and contractors, and what is expected of consultants the agency contracts with. DDC’s Chief Architect, Margaret Castillo, AIA LEED AP, presented about DDC’s Guiding Principles and the agency’s Design and Construction Excellence 2.0 program.    

audience of consultants sitting in attendance
Approximately 300 consultants filled the DDC’s Atrium

The agency’s Guiding Principles outline shared aims in public construction to ensure that equity, sustainability, resiliency, and healthy living are integrated in the design and construction process. The Principles also provide a framework for durable, aesthetically pleasing projects that may be enjoyed by future generations of New York City residents and their guests. The Guiding Principles are intended to encourage consultants to unleash the creativity of their respective design teams while meeting the city’s needs.

In the last three years, more than 200 vendors have attended DDC “Meet and Greet” meetings, and more than 160 people have attended DDC professional development workshops. In total, over 8,200 people have attended various events organized by DDC’s Office of Diversity and Industry Relations. DDC has also developed a suite of capacity-building workshops for MWBEs, and is the City’s leading agency at awarding contracts to MWBE firms.



About the NYC Department of Design and Construction
The Department of Design and Construction is the City’s primary capital construction project manager. In supporting Mayor de Blasio’s lenses of growth, sustainability, resiliency, equity and healthy living, DDC provides communities with new or renovated public buildings such as such as firehouses, libraries, police precincts, new or upgraded roadways, sewers, water mains in all five boroughs. To manage this $15 billion portfolio, DDC partners with other City agencies, architects and consultants, whose experience bring efficient, innovative, and environmentally-conscious design and construction strategies to city projects. For more information, please visit nyc.gov/ddc.