31071 Sole Source WOSSA Contract

The Washington State Department of Health (DOH) is pursuing a sole source contract with the Washington On-Site Sewage Association (WOSSA) to provide comprehensive technical training for local health jurisdiction staff in onsite septic system programs. The contract, identified as CBO31071-0, will run from January 1, 2025, through June 30, 2025, with potential extensions up to four years. Key deliverables include developing and facilitating two webinar training courses, providing technical consultation, and coordinating 63 training seats for local health jurisdiction staff across Washington state. The training will cover critical topics such as operations and maintenance benefits, onsite sewage system design processes, pumping basics, design siting, mounds, drip systems, and installation techniques. Specific requirements include quarterly reporting, attendance at spring coordinator meetings, and delivering expert-level technical support to enhance local health jurisdiction capabilities in managing septic system programs. The solicitation was posted on December 6, 2024, with a response deadline of December 20, 2024.

The contract is designated as a sole source procurement due to WOSSA's unique qualifications as the state's only comprehensive onsite sewage training provider with specialized facilities and standardized curriculum. No specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises are mentioned in the documentation. The initial contract value is $17,500, with funds allocated across administration and reporting ($1,540), training development and facilitation ($3,025), technical support and consultation ($1,263), and support for local health jurisdiction training ($11,672). WOSSA's billing rate of $55 per hour is considered competitive, representing a cost-effective solution compared to state employee rates. Training seats, which typically range from $175 to $475 per course, will be provided at no cost to local health jurisdictions. This procurement represents DOH's second contract with WOSSA, and the combined fiscal year total will exceed the $40,000 Direct Buy threshold, necessitating the sole source justification process.