Legislature seeks new Mat-Su office space as Wasilla lease runs out

The Legislative Affairs Agency is seeking proposals for about 7,400 square feet of Class A office space in the Matanuska-Susitna Borough. The agency issued the request Oct. 2 for a 10-year lease starting Aug. 1, 2027, with five optional two-year renewals. Proposals are due by 2 pm Nov. 2. Offers from outside the borough will be automatically disqualified, the request says.

The Legislature's current Mat-Su office in Wasilla has been leased since 2017 under a five-year term with five one-year renewals. The Legislative Council approved the final renewal in a 13-0 vote June 17, extending the lease through July 31, 2027.

Procurement Officer JC Kestel told the council in a May memo that no renewal options remain once that term ends, requiring a new request for proposals.

The current office covers about 6,927 square feet and rents for roughly $16,260 a month. It houses Sens. Rauscher, Tilton and Yundt, Reps. D. Johnson, McCabe, Moore, G. Nelson, St. Clair and Underwood, and Legislative Information Office staff. The new request seeks about 470 more square feet, a 400-square-foot office for visiting legislators, and 50 reserved parking spaces. The agency says it prefers street-level space for easier public access.

The request sets no fixed budget. Bidders propose a price, which carries the heaviest weight in scoring, followed by design, security and location. Alaska-based bidders receive a small scoring preference.

The Legislative Council must approve any award and may reject the agency's recommended bidder, the request says. Bidders are barred from contacting legislators or their staff about the proposal. Rent will depend on yearly legislative appropriations.

The winning landlord must have the space ready for move-in by mid-July 2027 and would face daily penalties if it is not fully occupied by Aug. 1, 2027. Starting in mid-2028, rent could rise annually tied to the Anchorage consumer price index, applied to part of the base rent.

Questions from bidders are due Oct. 23, with site visits planned in mid-November. The agency expects to announce its intent to award the lease in early December and sign a contract in January.