All proposals will be reviewed by the RFP Coordinator to determine compliance with administrative requirements and instructions specified in this solicitation. The Proposer is specifically notified that the County may reject or withdraw a proposal at any time as nonresponsive for any of the following reasons:Incomplete proposal,Failure to comply with any part of this solicitation or any Attachments to this procurement,Submission of incorrect, misleading, or false information.The County also reserves the right, however, at its sole discretion to waive minor administrative irregularities, which are defined as variances which do not provide a proposer an advantage or benefit over other proposers.

This RFP does not obligate the County to contract for services specified herein.

The County reserves the right at its sole discretion to reject any and all proposals received without penalty and not to issue a contract as a result of this RFP.

An Application Evaluation Committee (AEC) will review the bidding documents and evaluate all responses received based upon the criteria listed herein. The County may request clarifications or additional information, if needed. The proposer determined to be most qualified through the initial evaluation phase may be interviewed and the final determination will also consider reference checks and interviews.The County intends to select the Contractor most qualified for this pursuit/solicitation and begin the negotiation and award process based on the requirements of this solicitation.Selected Proposer(s) will be invited to enter into contract negotiations with the County. Should the County and the selected proposer not reach a mutual agreement, the County will terminate negotiations and move to the next ranked contractor and proceed with negotiations. A Proposer’s inability to agree to the terms of the County’s standard contract may be a basis for the County to terminate negotiations and begin negotiating with one or more other Contractors.

Pierce County Government Relations is seeking a state contract lobbyist consultant interested in representing the County's interests at the state level. The Consultant will act as a liaison and report activities to the Executive or their designee who coordinates the County's legislative advocacy efforts. Essential duties include monitoring and analyzing legislation; making recommendations on responses to legislative proposals and budgetary actions that impact the County; and meeting with state-level officials to advocate for the County's priorities.

PROPOSERS WHO REGISTER AND DOWNLOAD RFP DOCUMENTS will be automatically added to the FOLLOWERS' list in the County's eProcurement Portal. Notifications for solicitation updates, addendum and other procurement information will be sent to all who register on the Pierce County eProcurement Portal.

Welcome to Pierce County's eProcurement System. This system is inclusive to the procurement process, including submission of any questions and/or clarifications, the release of any addenda/notices, and submission of proposals. It is strongly encouraged that organizations responding to any procurement first read the entire procurement, paying close attention to the timelines, scope of work, eligibility, submission requirements, and specifically to the questionnaire section, which may include required attachments (when applicable), and ask for any clarifications regarding content and instructions early in the process.

“Apparently Successful Proposer (ASP)” means a proposer selected as an entity to perform the anticipated services, subject to completion of contract negotiations and execution of a written contract."Applicant," "Bidder," and "Proposer" mean an organization, agency or provider that submits a formal response to this procurement."Application," "Bid," or "Proposal" mean a formal response to this solicitation. “CFR” means Code of Federal Regulations.“Client,” "Participant," "Household," or "Member" means an individual (or individuals) who receives services, or is eligible to receive services, under this procurement. “Contractor” means an individual or organization whose proposal has been accepted by the County and has been awarded a fully executed, written contract.“Procurement” means the process by which the County obtains services.“Request for Proposal (RFP)” or "Solicitation" means this document and its attachments in which needed goods and/or services are identified and organizations are invited to provide information as to how they propose to meet the County's needs. “RCW” means Revised Code of Washington.“WAC” means Washington Administrative Code.

The Washington State Interlocal Cooperation Act, Ch. 39.34 RCW, authorizes public agencies to cooperatively purchase goods and services if all parties agree. By responding to this RFP, Consultants agree that other public agencies may purchase goods and services under this procurement or contract at their own cost and without Pierce County incurring any financial or legal liability for such purchases. Pierce County agrees to allow other public agencies to purchase goods and services under this procurement or contract, provided that Pierce County is not held financially or legally liable for purchases and that any public agency purchasing under such procurement or contract file a copy of this invitation and such contract in accordance with RCW 39.34.040.

A virtual or in-person Procurement Workshop will be conducted by Pierce County staff at the time, date, and location as indicated in the Procurement Schedule section of this RFP.Pre-proposal meeting attendance is not required but is highly encouraged for all organizations considering a response to this solicitation. It is the County’s belief that attending the meeting will assist proposers in presenting the best possible request for funding. During the Pre-Proposal Meeting Workshop, Pierce County staff will give an overview of the procurement, the procurement process, an overview of the requirements, and will also be available to answer questions and provide technical assistance. Please have the instruction/proposal packet available as well as any questions that the organization may have related to the procurement. The County will be bound only to written answers provided in response to questions. Questions arising during the Procurement Workshop will be documented and answered in the eProcurement Portal.

The County reserves the right to make an award without further discussion of the proposal submitted. Therefore, the proposal should be submitted initially on the most favorable terms which the Proposer can offer. There will be no best and final offer procedure.The ASP should be prepared to accept this RFP for incorporation into a contract resulting from this RFP. Contract negotiations may incorporate some or all of the Proposer’s proposal. It is understood that the proposal will become a part of the official procurement file on this matter without obligation to the County.

Protests may be made only by Proposers or authorized representative of a Proposer who submitted a response to this solicitation document and who have participated in a debriefing conference. Upon completing the debriefing conference, the Proposer is allowed five (5) business days to file with the Procurement Coordinator a protest of the award decision. Protests must be received by the Procurement Coordinator no later than 3:30 PM, local time in Tacoma, Washington on the fifth business day following the debriefing. Protests must be in writing, addressed to the Procurement Coordinator, and submitted by email to PCPURCHASING@piercecountywa.gov. The protest must state the RFP number, the grounds for the protest with specific facts and complete statements of the action(s) being protested. A description of the relief or corrective action being requested should also be included.Protests that do not follow these procedures shall not be considered. This protest procedure constitutes the sole administrative remedy available to Proposers under this procurement.Only protests stipulating an issue of fact concerning the following subjects shall be considered:A matter of bias, discrimination, or conflict of interest on the part of an evaluator.Errors in computing the score.Non-compliance with procedures described in the procurement document or County policy.Protests not based on procedural matters will not be considered. Protests will be rejected as without merit if they address issues such as: 1) an evaluator’s professional judgment on the quality of a proposal, or 2) County’s assessment of its own needs or requirements.Upon receipt of a protest, a protest review will be held by the County. The Finance & Enterprise Services Department Director or an employee delegated by the Director who was not involved in the procurement will consider the record and all available facts and issue a decision within five (5) business days of receipt of the protest. If additional time is required, the protesting party will be notified of the delay. In the event a protest may affect the interest of another Proposer who also submitted a proposal, such Proposer will be given an opportunity to submit its views and any relevant information on the protest to the Procurement Coordinator. The final determination of the protest shall:Find the protest lacking in merit and uphold the County’s action; orFind only technical or harmless errors in County’s procurement process and determine County to be in substantial compliance and reject the protest; orFind merit in the protest and provide the County options which may include:Correct the errors and re-evaluate all proposals, and/orReissue the solicitation document and begin a new process, orMake other findings and determine other courses of action as appropriate.If a protest is filed, the County will wait to execute the contract until a final determination on the protest is made.

This procedure is available to potential Proposers who are contemplating submitting a proposal in response to this RFP. Only Concern Resolution submissions (Submissions) concerning the following subjects shall be considered:A claim that the solicitation unnecessarily restricts competition.A claim the solicitation evaluation or scoring process is unfair or flawed, orA claim the solicitation requirements are inadequate or insufficient to prepare a response.Proposers submitting a concern about this procurement shall follow the procedures described below. Submissions that do not follow these procedures shall not be considered. If a Proposer registers a concern against this solicitation, the issue(s) cannot be raised again during the protest period.All submissions must be in writing and signed by the submitting party or an authorized Agent. The submission must be sent to the Procurement Coordinator, or designee, and needs to be received no later than 4:00 pm, local time, Tacoma, WA, per Section 2.2 Timeline, and must clearly articulate the basis for the submission. The Proposer submitting a concern must also include a proposed remedy.Upon receipt of a submission, a submission review will be held by the County. The RFP coordinator will respond to submissions in writing and the Finance & Enterprise Services Department Director will be notified of all submissions and provided a copy of the County’s response. A copy of the response to the submission, including any changes to the solicitation, will also be posted in County's eProcurement Portal.The concern resolution process does not include an appeal process.

Any Proposer, who was not disqualified, who has submitted a proposal and been notified that they were not selected as an ASP may request a debriefing. The request for a debriefing conference must be received by the Procurement Coordinator within 5 days of having been notified that they were not selected.Discussion at the debriefing conference will be limited to the following:Evaluation and scoring of the Proposal.Critique of the requesting Proposer’s Proposal based on the comments made by the Application Evaluation Committee or individual comments made by an evaluator; andReview of Proposer’s final score in comparison with other final scores without identifying the other firms.Comparisons between proposals or evaluations of the other proposals will not be allowed. Debriefing conferences may be conducted in person or remotely and will be scheduled for a maximum of one (1) hour.

The County complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Bidders should contact the RFP Coordinator to request an accommodation.

Proposal Release Date:August 28, 2026Question Submission Deadline:September 4, 2026, 4:00pmProposal Submission Deadline:September 11, 2026, 1:00pm The County reserves the right to revise the above timeline.

Pierce County is Washington's second-largest county with an estimated population of over 920,000. In Washington State, county governments have limited revenue-raising authority compared to city governments. As such, Pierce County has significant needs for influencing state-level policy and budgetary decisions. The Consultant will interface with the County Executive, County Council, countywide elected officials, and County staff on policy development, preparation of funding requests, and advocacy strategy for advancing the County's interests.

The County will not be liable for any costs incurred by the Proposer in preparation of a proposal submitted in response to this RFP, in conduct of a presentation or interview, or any other activities related to responding to this RFP.

In the event it becomes necessary to revise any part of this RFP, addenda will be published in the County's eProcurement Portal.All amendments and notifications of cancellation shall be posted in the County's eProcurement Portal. If you did not receive this solicitation via the County’s eProcurement Portal, please register there to receive further notifications.The County also reserves the right to amend or add to, retract from, or cancel this Procurement at any time, in whole or in part, and without penalty.In the event of a conflict between amendments or between an amendment and this Solicitation Document, the document issued latest in time shall control.

Pierce County, in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. 2000d to 2000d-4 and Title 49, Code of Federal Regulations, Department of Transportation, subtitle A, Office of the Secretary, Part 21, nondiscrimination in federally assisted programs of the Department of Transportation issued pursuant to such Act, hereby notifies all Proposers that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises as defined at 49 CFR Part 26 will be afforded full opportunity to submit proposals in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The County will notify all proposers of the outcome of their proposal in writing upon completion of the evaluation process.

The proposal must be received by the time/date as indicated in Section 2.2.

The RFP Coordinator is the sole point of contact in the County for this procurement. All communications between the Proposer and the County upon release of this RFP shall be with the RFP Coordinator.Lauren DaseProcurement and Contract Specialist 2Email: lauren.dase@piercecountywa.govPhone: (253) 798-7501Department:ExecutiveAny other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on the County. Proposers are to rely on written statements issued by the RFP Coordinator. Communication directed to parties other than the RFP Coordinator may result in disqualification of the Proposer.

Organizations should be aware that any records they submit to the County or that are used by the County even if the organization possess the records, may be public records under the Washington Public Records Act (RCW 42.56). The County must promptly disclose public records upon request unless a statute exempts them from disclosure. Organizations should also be aware that if even a portion of a record is exempt from disclosure, generally, the rest of the record must be disclosed. Exemptions are narrow and specific.Organizations should clearly mark any record they believe is exempt from disclosure.

The initial period of performance of any contract resulting from this procurement is anticipated to begin on or around December 1, 2026, and end on November 30, 2028. Amendments extending the period of performance, if any, shall be at the sole discretion of the County. The County reserves the option to extend the contract for one additional term of twelve months. However, no Consultant will be guaranteed an extension.

Proposers who do not meet these minimum qualifications will be considered non-responsive, and their proposal will not be evaluated or scored.• At least one member in the firm must have a minimum of five years' experience representing client interests before the Washington State Legislature, including providing written and spoken testimony at committee hearings;• Public sector experience, either in-house or as a contractor;• Knowledge of county government operations, the state legislative process, and how decisions at the state level impact county government operations;• Familiarity with the Pierce County political landscape;• Excellent written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills;• Ability to synthesize large amounts of information quickly and succinctly so decision-makers can make well-informed decisions;• Proven ability to work in a team-oriented, collaborative manner;• Ability to work under the pressure of extreme deadlines and adapt quickly to changing circumstances• Strong political acumen and sound, independent judgment;• Flexibility and availability to travel to the State Capitol in Olympia, Washington during the Legislative Session (January - May) and when needed for other legislative or stakeholder meetings;• Flexibility and availability to travel to Pierce County and state legislative districts during the Legislative Interim (May- December);• Positive relationships with state Administration officials and staff, legislative staff, and Democratic and Republican members of the State Legislature;• Ability to use a web-based bill tracking system and conduct virtual meetings with Pierce County leaders and departments

Proposals will be scored by consensus. Members of the AEC will score proposals individually and then meet to determine the final independent score for each proposal.In the event the AEC has clarifying questions for a proposer, they shall notify the Procurement Coordinator who will, in turn, send the question(s) to the appropriate proposer. The Procurement Coordinator shall provide a deadline for the answers and shall then notify the AEC members of the response. If members of the AEC wish to change their original scores based on the response to the clarifying question(s), they shall notify the Procurement Coordinator who shall determine the proper subsequent process.The County reserves the right to award the contract to any organization or combination of organizations whose proposal(s), in the opinion of the County, is in the best interest of the County.

Proposers may submit questions through the County's eProcurement Portal, under the Question & Answer Section, no later than 4:00 pm on the date set forth in Section 2.2. Proposers must be registered in the eProcurement Portal software to submit questions, receive addendums and notifications, and ultimately submit a proposal. Proposers may only rely on written statements issued by the County. Any oral communications are unofficial and are not binding on the County.

The ASP will be expected to enter into a contract which is substantially the same as the Sample Contract and its General Terms and Conditions attached as Exhibit D. In no event is a Proposer to submit its own standard contract terms and conditions in response to this solicitation. If a Proposer has a concern regarding a certain General Term & Condition, they can raise the issue per the Questions and Answers section of this solicitation.

The Consultant will participate in policy development, including research and analysis work, to assist in the development of the Pierce County legislative agenda. This may include engagement with the County Executive and County Executive's Office staff, the Pierce County Council, Pierce County's countywide elected officials, and departmental staff. The consultant will use their expertise to recommend effective advocacy strategies to advance the County's priorities. Engagement with the Washington State Association of Counties and stakeholder groups will be necessary during policy development and advocacy strategy.Consultants will meet with legislators, legislative staff, the Governor, administration officials, and other stakeholders to seek support for Pierce County's policy positions. This activity will occur during legislative sessions and the interim months. The Consultant will assist with bill drafting, developing amendment language, and preparation of funding requests to advance the County's legislative priorities.During the legislative session, the Consultant will participate in weekly virtual meetings with County staff to review the legislative schedule for the following week and discuss advocacy strategy on significant bills. Consultant will prepare weekly legislative reports for the purposes of informing the County Executive, County Council, countywide elected officials, and departmental staff of policy and fiscal matters, and any other developments at the state level relevant to county government.The Consultant will attend weekly strategy meetings with the Washington State Association of Counties during the legislative session. The Consultant will then apprise County Government Relations staff of emerging issues and potential impacts on county government.

The total value of this procurement is $204,000.00. The County anticipates awarding a single contract from this procurement. The County reserves the right to make no awards, based on the quality and scope of proposals received, available funding, and identified service needs.The total funding available under this Request for Proposals (RFP) is limited. Proposers are encouraged to scale their funding requests proportionally to the scope and geographic reach of their proposed services. The County may negotiate budgets and service levels to ensure the most effective use of funds. The County reserves the right to adjust the award amount at its sole discretion.Additional federal, State, or local funds may become available during the contracting cycle and allocated through this solicitation. Funding may only be awarded for the same scope of services as described in this solicitation. It is important to note, any contract awarded as a result of this procurement is contingent upon the availability of funding. If at any time during the term of the contract the funding relied upon for the contract is reduced, modified, or eliminated, or if the funding terms are modified, Pierce County reserves the right to amend the contract as appropriate or to terminate the contract.

Follow instructions carefully - if attachments are provided under this solicitation, they are to be utilized as part of the proposal - do not replace or use the organization's own format, as the proposal may be deemed "non-responsive" or "not eligible."

Specific Tasks and ResponsibilitiesStrategic Legislative Planning and ConsultationAssist the County in developing annual and multi-year legislative priorities.Provide strategic advice on emerging legislative trends, risks, and opportunities.Recommend strategies to advance County interests and mitigate adverse impacts.Legislative Monitoring and AnalysisMonitor bills, amendments, budget proposals, hearings, and regulatory actions affecting the County.Provide weekly legislative reports during the legislative session, an end-of-session summary report, and other updates to the County as needed throughout the year if there are policy or budgetary developments at the state level relevant to the County. Analyze proposed legislation and regulations for operational, financial, and policy impacts on the County.Advocacy and RepresentationAdvocate for County positions with legislators, committees, executive agencies, and staff.Represent the County at hearings, workgroups, stakeholder meetings, and legislative committee work sessions as needed.Draft testimony, talking points, and communication materials to support County advocacy efforts.Relationship Development and Stakeholder EngagementMaintain professional relationships with elected officials, legislative staff, agency personnel, and relevant organizations.Facilitate introduction and engagement opportunities between County leadership and policymakers.Coordinate communication to ensure policymakers understand County priorities and impacts.Reporting and CommunicationProvide written reports summarizing legislative developments, advocacy efforts, and progress on priority issues.Participate in scheduled meetings with County leadership, including briefings before and during legislative sessions.Respond promptly to County inquiries requiring legislative background or strategic input.Compliance ObligationsRegister and report all lobbying activities in accordance with applicable state and federal laws.Maintain records of lobbying activities and make them available to the County upon request.Comply with all ethical standards and legal requirements associated with lobbying and governmental relations.

All proposals are evaluated on the completeness and quality of the content. Only those Proposers providing complete information as required will be considered for evaluation. The County will not contact the organization for correction of proposals and Proposers are strongly encouraged to carefully review their proposals for completeness and accuracy before submitting. For proposals to be considered responsive and move to the review process, the Proposer must, under Section 3, RFP Questionnaire:Acknowledge all required “confirmations.”Complete all required attachments, including uploading any supplemental documents requested in attachments; and Submit the following materials as part of the proposal. Cover LetterSigned by an authorized representative.Statement of intent to perform under the terms of the RFP.Acknowledgment of RFP Addenda (if any).Ability of the Firm to Provide the Proposed ServicesResponse addressing how the Consultant will approach the scope of work.Explanation of how deliverables will be carried out, including workflow, monitoring, and communication practices.Identification of project contacts with demonstrated knowledge of local government operations, processes, or issues.Description of capacity and resources to handle the expected volume of businessAny innovative offerings or tools that enhance monitoring, communications, or strategic engagement.Experience of the FirmFirm’s length of time in business (minimum five years of representing client interests at the state level).History of representing other public sector clients, preferably including mid- to large-sized local governmentsExamples of successful outcomes, such as legislation passed, budget requests secured, or policy wins.Pricing StructurePricing that aligns with a year-round retainer with a flat monthly fee.Supporting Documentation Resumes of key personnelList of current clients represented by the individuals assigned to this projectList of three current or past client references with similar contract requirements

The deliverables include, but are not limited to, the following:Meet with legislators, legislative staff, the Governor, administration officials, and other stakeholders to seek support for Pierce County's policy positions. This activity will occur during legislative sessions and the interim months.Assist with bill drafting, developing amendment language, and preparation of funding requests to advance the County's legislative priorities.During the legislative session, participate in weekly virtual meetings with County staff to review the legislative schedule for the following week and discuss advocacy strategy on significant bills. Prepare weekly legislative reports for the purposes of keeping the County Executive, County Council, countywide elected officials, and departmental staff informed of policy and fiscal matters, and any other developments at the state level relevant to county government. Engage with the Washington State Association of Counties and attend weekly strategy meetings during the legislative session. Apprise the County's Government Relations staff of emerging issues and potential impacts on county government.

This section provides a curated list of help articles addressing common questions and challenges proposers may encounter during the Request for Proposal process. The resources below are intended to offer clear guidance, practical solutions, and relevant information to support a smooth and successful submission. Proposers are encouraged to review these materials as needed to better understand requirements, resolve issues, and navigate the process with confidence.Vendor RegistrationFollowing a ProjectGetting Started with SubscriptionsHow to Submit a Question in OpenGovHow to Submit a Proposal Response in OpenGovHow to Edit or Withdraw a Proposal after Submission in OpenGov

Only electronic submittal via the County's eProcurement Portal shall be accepted for this procurement. No hard copies, emails, or fax submittals shall be accepted. The accepted forms of submitted materials are .pdf, png., jpeg., and MS Office formats such as docx. and xlsx.

Proposers must acknowledge and confirm each addendum and notice issued under this solicitation. The system will not allow final submission unless all required confirmations are checked.

Proposers should allow sufficient time to ensure timely receipt of the proposal by the County’s e-procurement System, OpenGov. Late responses will not be accepted and will be automatically disqualified. The County assumes no responsibility for delays caused by Proposer's technical related system errors.

All proposals and any accompanying documentation become the property of the County and will not be returned.