Washington, DC., – The Department of Consumer and Regulatory Affairs (DCRA) announces a partnership with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) that makes the innovative DCRA Contractor Rating Systemeven more valuable to District consumers looking to hire licensed building professionals on Sept 15.

Earlier this spring, DCRA launched the Contractor Rating System, which provides free access to an inventory of licensed contractors, architects or other building professionals assigned a rating of one to five stars based on objective data. Under this new partnership, if a building professional is accredited by BBB, the accreditation will be clearly shown in the Contractor Rating System.

“In partnering with the Better Business Bureau, we’re equipping District consumers with even more tools to make informed decisions about who they hire to work on their homes or businesses,” said DCRA Director Ernest Chrappah. “We invite our customers to inquire before they hire.”

“The BBB Accredited Business Seal stands for trust and is a guiding light that fosters an ethical marketplace for all,” said BBB serving Metro Washington DC’s President and CEO Edward Johnson. “We are pleased to partner with DCRA and the important role that they play in helping consumers.”

The Contractor Rating System is comprised of licensed building professionals who have worked on a project within the last 3 years in the District of Columbia. The rating system includes general contractors, architects, electricians, plumbers, expediters and more. Generally, a building professional’s rating represents their performance on projects over the past 3 years during building permit intake, permit plan review, and construction.

The BBB is a nonprofit organization focused on advancing marketplace trust. A BBB-accredited business has met accreditation standards that include a commitment to make a good faith effort to resolve any consumer complaints. The BBB assigns ratings from A+ (highest) to F (lowest) that represent the BBB’s opinion of how the business is likely to interact with its customers. The BBB rating is based on information the BBB is able to obtain about the business, including complaints received from the public. The BBB seeks and uses information directly from businesses and from public data sources.

The DCRA Contractor Rating System is the only known customer-facing contracting rating system in the country operated by a local government, and another example how DCRA is using technology to enhance the customer experience.