(Washington, DC) Chief Financial Officer Natwar M. Gandhi announced today that five firms have been selected to provide advocacy services to the Government of the District of Columbia - Patton Boggs, LLP; Holland & Knight, LLP; Van Scoyoc Associates, Inc.; Arent Fox Kintner Plotkin & Kahn, PLLC; and the Downey McGrath Group, Inc. Under the terms of the contract, which is a Blanket Order Agreement for up to five years, there is no specified contract sum. The District will issue task orders to one or more vendor, and each task order will have its own specific cost, statement of work, and associated deliverables. To date, no task orders have been issued.

"Many municipalities and most states employ outside firms to conduct advocacy on their behalf," said Gandhi. "For many years, the District was precluded by federal law from engaging in lobbying activities. Congress removed this restriction in the Fiscal Year 2003 District Appropriations law."

The Office of the Chief Financial Officer in the District of Columbia is viewed as an impartial, independent agency. Because of that, and its independent procurement authority, the Office was able to issue a Request for Proposals and award a contract within three months. Representatives from the District's executive and legislative branches helped select the best-qualified vendors.