Recruitment Services RFP

Clatsop County, Oregon, is soliciting proposals for a nationwide executive search to recruit its County Manager, with proposals due November 8, 2026 and written questions due October 30, 2026. No set-aside or preference program applies. The proposer must be authorized to do business in Oregon and comply with Oregon Veterans' Preference statutes (ORS 408.230/408.237) and Oregon Public Records Law (ORS 192).

The county seeks a single contractor to manage the full recruitment lifecycle, including candidate assessment, stakeholder engagement, and leadership transition support before the current county management retires. The selected firm must commit to a minimum twelve-month placement guarantee, providing repeat search services at no additional consulting fees if the selected candidate separates within one year of hire. The attached standard personal and professional services form lists Comprehensive General Liability, Automobile Liability, and Professional Liability insurance, with minimum limits of $1,710,200 per occurrence for bodily injury and $701,300 for property damage, and names the county as additional insured on all policies except Professional Liability.

The RFP requires a fixed-fee cost proposal with consulting fees, reimbursable expense caps for travel, marketing, advertising placements, and candidate background checks, and hourly rates for optional services. Proposals must remain valid for sixty days from the due date. No contract value or term is stated.

Evaluation weights are Firm Qualifications and Executive Search Experience (25%), Proposed Search Strategy and Statutory Compliance (25%), Qualifications of Assigned Lead Consultant (20%), Past Performance and Client References (15%), and Cost and Overall Value (15%). Proposal evaluation runs November 9–11, 2026, with finalist interviews potentially occurring November 12–16, 2026. Award is anticipated December 9, 2026, with the effective date on or about that day upon Board of County Commissioners execution. The county's timeline exhibit schedules the public recruitment from January 22 to February 19, 2027, candidate interviews March 10–12, 2027, and formal board appointment March 24, 2027.