News Release

National Park Service Announces Opportunity for Communications Infrastructure Plan in the National Mall Areas

News Release Date: January 16, 2026 Washington – The National Park Service invites qualified entities to submit a proposal to develop communications infrastructure within the National Mall and surrounding park areas in Washington, D.C. Proposals must be submitted by Thursday, Feb. 16, 2026. 

This opportunity supports the National Mall Telecommunications Infrastructure Concept Plan finalized in December 2025, which establishes a coordinated, multi-provider approach to improving wireless service capacity while protecting the historic and cultural resources of the National Mall and Memorial Parks. The plan identified a need to significantly increase telecommunications capacity to better serve visitors, major public events, and emergency response operations.

Proposed infrastructure must minimize impacts to cultural resources and historic viewsheds, prioritize co-location and shared infrastructure, and use architectural designs compatible with the National Mall’s nationally significant setting.

Through this competitive process, the selected participant(s) will be awarded the opportunity to apply for an NPS Right-of-Way Permit authorizing the installation, operation, and maintenance of communications infrastructure. Selection does not guarantee issuance of a permit. Any permit issuance will be contingent upon completion of required environmental and historic preservation compliance and review by the National Capital Planning Commission and the Commission of Fine Arts.

The opportunity area encompasses the National Mall and surrounding parklands, generally bounded by Constitution Avenue NW, Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Independence Avenue SW, the Potomac River, and adjacent memorial and waterfront areas.

How to Apply
Interested parties must submit a proposal in accordance with the requirements outlined in the opportunity, including a business plan and an implementation plan addressing technical capacity, design compatibility, co-location, operations, and long-term stewardship. Proposals will be evaluated using established minimum requirements and weighted scoring criteria described in the opportunity.

Complete submission instructions, evaluation criteria, and reference materials are available in the full prospectus. Proposals must be received by the NPS no later than Monday, Feb. 16, 2026. Incomplete or late submissions may not be considered.

The full opportunity and supporting documents are available at https://go.nps.gov/NCRtelecom.
 

NPS