DC invites small businesses to be part of the RFK redevelopment project
D.C. is inviting small and local businesses to compete for contracts related to the redevelopment of the RFK Stadium site, as work to build the new stadium complex progresses.
In an interview with WTOP, Mayor Muriel Bowser said the Washington Commanders agreed that 40% of project spending would be awarded to D.C. companies. The detail, she said, is written in the agreement between the District and the sports franchise.
The nearly $4 billion project has started with the demolition of the existing stadium site. D.C. and team leaders are hoping the new stadium is ready for the 2030 NFL season.
Contracts for vendors and firms that want work with either D.C. or the Commanders directly are now being released, Bowser said.
“We think there are a lot of fantastic opportunities for small businesses to be a part of one of the most transformative projects in the history of the District,” Bowser said.
The plans are described in what the city calls the Green Book, a framework for how companies can work with D.C. government on various contracting opportunities.
This year, D.C. agencies are expected to spend about $33.6 million on the stadium project.
Some of that funding, Bowser said, will be used for an owner’s representative, “a company that will sit on the other side of the table from the team and work on the construction phasing and timelines to make sure that the District is delivering their part of the project.”
The owner’s representative services are expected to cost about $400,000.
Almost $31 million will go toward a battery storage assessment, roads and utilities, stormwater relocation and a sportsplex programming study.
A Metro study, according to the Green Book, is expected to cost about $2 million.
To pursue contracts tied to the RFK project, businesses have to apply to become what the District calls certified business enterprises.
Some eligibility criteria are tied to how many owners or employees live in D.C.
The Green Book for fiscal 2026 sets a $1.5 billion goal for D.C.’s spending for small businesses and certified business enterprises.
“Reaching a $1.5 billion goal while clearly outlining major opportunities like RFK and a 40% CBE commitment shows how intentional we are about connecting local businesses to real pathways for growth,” Rosemary Suggs-Evans, director of D.C.’s Department of Small and Local Business Development, said in a Feb. 9 news release.