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DOES: First Source produced measurable hires but officials warn gaps remain in pipeline
Summary
DOES reported that First Source agreements and outreach produced thousands of hours and wages for DC residents in FY25, but the agency and witnesses agreed that a limited resident talent pool, opaque alternative-plan practice, and constrained DOES staffing leave gaps to close before major projects like RFK begin.
The Committee on Executive Administration and Labor heard data from Morris Hughes, director of the DC Department of Employment Services, showing First Source delivered wages and hours to District residents but faces pipeline limits ahead of large projects. "First Source is a district law that requires government-assisted projects and contracts to prioritize hiring DC residents," Hughes said, adding that in FY25 First Source work resulted in more than $26,000,000 in wages and over 800,000 hours worked by district residents.
Hughes framed First Source as a strategic tool and described several programs to build capacity, including the Common Labor Initiative, the DC Infrastructure Academy and pilot training such as elevator programs. He said the Office of First Source Compliance executed 1,295 agreements (including 625 construction and 670 non-construction agreements as stated in testimony) and that from January–June 2025 First Source created 1,049 jobs, with 552 (about 52.6%) filled by DC residents. Hughes cautioned that a limited pool of qualified residents in some trades makes meeting category-specific hour requirements challenging.
