DCPSC Offices

The DCPSC has nine offices to help accomplish the organizational mission.

1. The Offices of the Chairman and Commissioners

The Offices of the Chairman and Commissioners consist of the Commissioners and their administrative and policy advisors. Through their Offices, the Commissioners review and make decisions on matters before the Commission and on issues of public policy pertaining to utility regulation and the mission of the Commission. The Commissioners provide testimony before the D.C. Council and represent the Commission on a local, regional and national level on various boards, committees, and task forces. These include, among others, participation in the D.C. Sustainable Energy Utility (DC SEU) Advisory Board, the Organization of PJM States (OPSI), the Mid-Atlantic Conference of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (MACRUC), the Multi-State Task Force on Cybersecurity, and various committees of the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners (NARUC).

2. The Office of the General Counsel (OGC)

OGC advises the Commissioners on all matters and proceedings related to the PSC’s statutory authority. OGC is responsible for all legal issues involving the day-to-day operations of the PSC, as well as a broad spectrum of issues that relate to the Commissioners’ regulatory responsibilities including appellate representation before the D.C. Superior Court and the D.C. Court of Appeals. The staff attorneys prepare orders and legal advisory memoranda, and assist the Commissioners in conducting all proceedings. Staff counsel also serve as hearing officers in formal consumer and pay telephone complaint hearings. OGC monitors proceedings at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and the Federal Communications Commission and submits filings with the Federal agencies as appropriate. OGC also reviews legislation of the D.C. Council and prepares comments and/or amendments on draft legislation that may impact the PSC and its jurisdictional authority.

4. The Office of Technical and Regulatory Analysis (OTRA)

OTRA advises the Commissioners on financial, accounting, economics, engineering, compliance, enforcement, and infrastructure and system planning issues in formal cases and rulemakings. In addition, OTRA staff monitors electric, natural gas, and local telecommunications markets at the retail and wholesale levels. This includes keeping abreast of energy activities at the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and PJM Interconnection (the Regional Transmission Organization) and telecommunications activities at the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). OTRA also tracks and analyzes energy and telecommunications prices at the local, regional, and federal levels. The Office also conducts compliance reviews, audits, inspections, and annual surveys to gauge the status of local competition in the District; helps manage formal cases and investigations, and enforces compliance of service providers. Furthermore, OTRA performs activities associated with utility assessments and prepares materials for the Commission Annual Report.

• Office of Compliance and Enforcement (OCE) protects consumers by monitoring and enforcing compliance of service providers. The enforcement matters handled by OCE in cooperation with OGC include pipeline safety requirements and electric and gas reliability standards.
• Office of Economics (OE) advises on complex economic matters involving the public utilities, particularly for utility rate cases. OE monitors electric, natural gas, and local telecommunications markets.
• Office of Finance and Accounting (OFA) advises the Commission on complex financial matters such utility rate case analysis, regulatory filings, assessments, auditing investigations and studies.
• Office of Infrastructure and System Planning (OISP) is responsible for providing professional engineering and other technical support on all matters relating to the planning, design, construction, operation, maintenance and replacement of infrastructure and systems utilized by the electric, natural gas and local telephone companies.

6. The Office of Consumer Services (OCS)

OCS serves as the consumer relations arm of the PSC. OCS’s Consumer Specialists are responsible for investigating and mediating consumer complaints regarding utility service providers, and responding to consumer inquiries. OCS and its Consumer Specialists also develop and execute the PSC’s community outreach program to help consumers make informed choices about retail electric and natural gas suppliers, and to raise awareness about the Utility Discount Program for low-income, District residents. Each year, OCS has an annual goal of participating in approximately 100 outreach events. OCS also keeps the Commissioners and staff informed of local and national consumer-related trends, and provides the PSC with information on the quality-of-service performance of local utility service providers. OCS personnel also serve as the PSC’s social media administrator for the agency’s social media platforms on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. OCS is also responsible for issuing press releases, consumer advisories, and fact sheets as well as overseeing the preparation of the Commission’s annual report.

7. Office of Deputy Executive Director for Administrative Matters (ODEDAM)

The Office of the Deputy Executive Director for Administrative Services (ODEDAM) is responsible for overseeing a variety of management and administrative areas, including information technology, contracts and procurement functions, facility management, vehicle administration, telephone administration, and other PSC administrative programs and projects.

Contracts and Procurements
As an independent agency, the PSC has its own procurement and contracting authority. ODEDAM is responsible for purchasing goods and services for the PSC by providing the purchasing /contracting methods that will ensure the best value, competition, and price, while meeting the PSC’s requirements.

Other Administrative Areas

• Coordinates the One Fund Campaign of charitable giving in which there was 97% employee participation;
• Administers the e-Procurement, e-Invoice, e-Travel Systems;
• Manages the administrative concerns in conjunction with the Agency Fiscal Officer;
• Achieved 110% of the Commission’s Certified Business Enterprise (CBE) goal;
• Oversees DCPSC Information Technology Advances.

8. The Office of the Commission Secretary (OCMS)

The Office of the Commission Secretary (OCMS) is responsible for maintaining the official records of the Commission. Thus, the office serves as the custodian of the official files and documents and as the filing and distribution point for the public's access to Commission filings, orders, and other documents. OCMS also manages e-Docket, the Commission’s electronic filing system. In addition, OCMS schedules, staffs and coordinates the evidentiary, community, and public interest hearings and open meetings. OCMS provides coverage for the PSC’s reception area, support for telephone calls placed to the PSC’s primary telephone numbers, and face-to-face service to PSC visitors. OCMS staff serves as the primary website administrator, determines, develops and updates the Commission’s website content and mobile application, in addition to identifying data and content trends and problems. OCMS staff also serves as the key operator for copier and audio-visual equipment, schedules courier services, manages and delivers all Commission mail, and hires transcription service providers. The Director of OCMS reports to the Deputy Executive Director for Administrative Matters.