From 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, February 18, the Architect of the Capitol will be hosting an event for small business owners at the new Capitol Visitor Center (CVC) on doing business with the AOC and the CVC. 

The AOC is responsible for the maintenance, operation, development, and preservation of 16.5 million square feet of buildings and more than 450 acres of land throughout the U.S. Capitol complex in Washington, DC.  Opened on December 2, 2008, the CVC is the largest expansion to the Capitol, and it is the new visitor entrance to the Capitol — its facilities include a 16,500 Exhibition Hall, a 530-seat Restaurant, two Gift Shops, and two orientation theaters where visitors watch a 13-minute welcome film before touring the U.S. Capitol.

The Small Business Industry Day sponsored by the Architect of the Capitol at the U.S. Capitol is free and open to any small business owner; however, advance reservation is required and attendance will be limited to 400. 

Details on how to register and specific products and services sought will be available in early January. 

Generally, the CVC is looking for products to be sold in its two Gift Shops that are made in the U.S. A. and manufactured with U.S.-made materials such as educational toys, jewelry, and souvenir apparel whose product themes are focused on the Capitol.  The AOC is looking for goods and services required to maintain its buildings such as elevators, escalators, air handling units and electrical systems as well as products and services needed to maintain the landscaping around the Capitol complex and conserve and repair historical objects and artwork.

The CVC Gift Shops would be interested in small businesses that provide goods in the following NAICS codes (not a complete list):

322233 Stationery, Tablet, and Related Product Manufacturing 500
327112 Vitreous China, Fine Earthenware and Other Pottery Product Manufacturing
339914 Costume Jewelry and Novelty Manufacturing 500
339931 Doll and Stuffed Toy Manufacturing 500
339941 Pen and Mechanical Pencil Manufacturing 500
423920 Toy and Hobby Goods and Supplies Merchant Wholesalers
424320 Men’s and Boys’ Clothing and Furnishings Merchant Wholesalers
424330 Women’s, Children’s, and Infants’ Clothing and Accessories Merchant Wholesalers
424450 Confectionery Merchant Wholesalers 100
424920 Book, Periodical, and Newspaper Merchant Wholesalers

The AOC is actively searching for small businesses that provide goods and services in the following NAICS subsectors:

238, Specialty Trade Contractors
315, Apparel Manufacturing
321, Wood Product Manufacturing
325, Chemical Manufacturing
326, Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing
327, Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing
331, Primary Metal Manufacturing
332, Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing
333, Machinery Manufacturing
334, Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing
335, Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Manufacturing
423, Merchant Wholesalers, Durable Goods
443, Electronics and Appliance Stores
444, Building Material and Garden Equipment and Supplies Dealers