Community Compensation

The Washington Department of Commerce, Housing Division is requesting proposals to administer the Community Inclusion Program (CIP), a community compensation payment system for eligible participants in Class One Workgroups across Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Chelan, and Yakima counties, with proposals due August 25, 2026 at 3:00 PM Pacific Time. Commerce intends to award one contract.

Minimum qualifications are licensure to do business in Washington, two years of experience in financial management or administering stipend programs, and two years of experience administering digital payments. The scope includes developing and implementing streamlined stipend and reimbursement processes, onboarding new participants, processing prompt payments within 10 days, arranging ground transportation, and providing logistical support for in-person workgroup meetings. The contractor must collect data in compliance with state security standards and serve an estimated 250 eligible individuals per contract year, with approximately 2,500 total payments and 353 monthly payments anticipated.

The total contract value does not exceed $710,677, with administrative costs capped at $187,600 and pass-through funding of $523,077 allocated for direct payments to eligible individuals. The contract period runs from September 30, 2026 through June 30, 2027, with the possibility of renewal for up to three additional one-year periods through June 30, 2030. All payments are made on a reimbursement basis upon acceptance of deliverables; no advance payments are permitted.

Evaluation allocates 50 percent to technical proposal scoring and 50 percent to management proposal scoring, with additional point bonuses available for workers' rights certifications and small or veteran-owned business status. Proposers must submit technical and management proposals with staff resumes, cost proposals, and required certifications including diverse business inclusion plans and workers' rights certifications. The contractor must carry commercial general liability ($1,000,000), cyber liability ($1,000,000), and fidelity insurance ($100,000).

A pre-proposal conference is scheduled for July 23, 2026 at 3:00 PM Pacific Time via Zoom.