Sole Source - ODHS Human Services Landscape, Funding Analysis and Legislative Communications Support

The Oregon Department of Human Services is announcing a sole-source contract award to Economic Consultants Oregon, LTD (operating as ECONorthwest) for economic research, fiscal and demographic analysis, data visualization, and legislative communications support, with protests to the sole-source determination due October 5, 2026 (seven calendar days from the September 28 posting date).

This is a non-competitive procurement. ODHS justified the sole-source determination on ECONorthwest's prior competitively procured work under Contract 178280-0, which provided the contractor with ODHS-specific knowledge of agency programs, budget structures, data sources, and analytical frameworks. The agency determined that engaging a new contractor would require substantial duplication of discovery, data review, and program mapping—increasing costs, consuming significant staff resources, risking inconsistent analysis, and jeopardizing the compressed December 31, 2026 deadline.

The scope includes developing a landscape-level analysis of economic and demographic conditions driving demand for human services; mapping the roles of ODHS, other public systems, and community-based organizations; analyzing ODHS budget and revenue streams; examining how human services investments flow to households and local economies; and developing county-level estimates. Deliverables comprise slide-ready maps and charts, statewide landscape slides for ODHS leadership, legislative budget talking points, county-level profiles, priority program slides for Aging and People with Disabilities, the Office of Developmental Disabilities Services, and the Oregon Eligibility Partnership, and documentation of data sources and assumptions. Work begins with a scoping meeting and proceeds through biweekly reviews, with all products due by December 31, 2026.

The estimated contract value is $200,000. ODHS reserves the right to purchase additional related services or extend current services if the complexity of the analysis requires additional effort, subject to available authority and funding.