diff --git a/.bazelrc b/.bazelrc
new file mode 100644
index 00000000000..f93facf00a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/.bazelrc
@@ -0,0 +1 @@
+build --cxxopt=-std=c++14
diff --git a/WORKSPACE b/WORKSPACE
index b7078572402..f7097d62e47 100644
--- a/WORKSPACE
+++ b/WORKSPACE
@@ -56,7 +56,7 @@ http_archive(
 )
 
 ##### GRPC
-_GRPC_VERSION = "1.48.0"  # https://github.com/grpc/grpc/releases/tag/v1.48.0
+_GRPC_VERSION = "1.49.0"  # https://github.com/grpc/grpc/releases/tag/v1.49.0
 
 http_archive(
     name = "com_github_grpc_grpc",