Industry Cluster Study

The Pacific Mountain Workforce Development Council (PacMtn) is requesting proposals for an Industry Cluster Study covering Grays Harbor, Lewis, Mason, Pacific, and Thurston counties in Washington, with proposals due October 12, 2026 at 4:00 PM Pacific Time and a mandatory bidders conference on September 23, 2026 at 10:00 AM PT via Microsoft Teams.

The study will identify key, emerging, and high-growth industry sectors within the five-county region and analyze workforce and labor market trends to support regional workforce and economic development planning. The consultant or firm must deliver four primary deliverables: recommended data indicators for regional analysis; updated data confirming current sectors and analyzing new and emerging sectors; community conversations with stakeholder engagement across all five counties; and recommended methods to identify emerging sectors and subsectors in localized communities.

The proposed budget does not exceed $50,000. The contract period runs from November 9, 2026 through February 26, 2027. Proposals are limited to seven pages (8.5" x 11" with 1" margins, 12-point Arial or Calibri font, double-spaced) and must be submitted electronically to contracts@pacmtn.org.

Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: Background and Relevant Experience (25%), Organizational Capacity and Qualifications (25%), Project Approach and Understanding (30%), and Fiscal Proposal and Overall Value (20%). The question submission deadline is September 28, 2026 at 4:00 PM PT. Formal proposal review begins October 13, 2026, with interviews potentially scheduled for October 19–20, 2026. The successful bidder will be announced October 21, 2026, followed by a seven-day appeal period through October 28, 2026. Contract negotiations are scheduled between October 27 and November 6, 2026.

Funding is contingent on the availability of federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act (WIOA) programs granted through the State of Washington Employment Security Department and the U.S. Department of Labor. PacMtn is an equal opportunity employer and program; discrimination in WIOA Title I-financially assisted programs is prohibited by federal law.