U.S. General Services Administration
General Services Administration Issues a Request for Information Regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility Practices in the Design and Construction Industry
WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) issued Requests for Information (RFIs) regarding Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility (DEIA) Practices in the Design and Construction Industries.
These RFIs support the set of recently released public buildings goals outlined in GSA's Equity Action Plan for Executive Order 13985, Advancing Racial Equity and Support for Underserved Communities Through the Federal Government.
Key Focuses of these RFIs:
- Gather information on the ability of design and construction firms and small businesses to provide actions, processes, and practices that support DEIA impacts in project solicitations.
- Focus on the goals of the above mentioned Executive Order and Equity Action Plan.
- Learn more about the impacts of its DEIA initiatives on underserved or disadvantaged communities.
GSA has already engaged with industry trade associations and public sector agencies to learn more about what types of DEIA practices and opportunities exist. The agency is committed to learning from industry regarding barriers to adoption and implementation of DEIA actions, as well as understanding best practices for GSA-funded construction projects. GSA is also seeking opportunities to consistently use such information and specifications in the future to improve DEIA outcomes.
“Leveraging insights from our industry partners is an important part of the work the federal government is doing to move the needle on equity for communities across America,” said Andrea M. O’Neal, Senior Advisor to the Administrator for Equity. “There is much to learn: from identifying best practices for attracting and retaining underrepresented talent in the design and construction career pipelines, to delivering projects in close collaboration with local communities. I look forward to the input we’ll get from these RFIs.”
“The public and private sectors should be learning more from each other about what is catalyzing DEIA actions - and what’s actually working - to impact positive change in industries like design and construction,” said Charles G. Hardy, Acting Chief Architect.
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About GSA: GSA provides centralized procurement and shared services for the federal government, managing a nationwide real estate portfolio of nearly 370 million rentable square feet, overseeing approximately $75 billion in annual contracts, and delivering technology services that serve millions of people across dozens of federal agencies. GSA’s mission is to deliver the best customer experience and value in real estate, acquisition, and technology services to the government and the American people. For more information, visit GSA.gov and follow us at @USGSA.