Third-Party Inspectors for CDBG-DR Housing Projects

Washington State Department of Commerce has issued an RFI seeking industry input on third-party quality assurance inspection services for residential construction funded through its Community Development Block Grant - Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR) program, with responses due November 30, 2026. The RFI is not mandatory for future participation in solicitations and does not obligate the State of Washington to award a contract. No set-asides are identified.

Inspectors would verify compliance with local building codes, program quality standards, state and federal law, and construction contracts, and would confirm implementation of required environmental mitigation. Three program areas are covered: Homeowner Elevation & Rehabilitation at multiple Whatcom County locations, where inspections occur on at least 25 percent of funded projects; New Housing in Whatcom County at a location to be determined; and Multifamily Housing at Sumas Square, 408 Second Street, Sumas, WA 98295. For New Housing and Multifamily work, inspections occur on all CDBG-DR-funded work upon completion and before occupancy certification. Respondents must address familiarity with federal program requirements and experience with Washington's Evergreen Sustainable Development Standards, HUD's Green Building Retrofit Checklist, and Energy Star standards for single-family homes.

The RFI requests pricing detail covering transportation, labor rates, and distance considerations, along with scheduling, delivery timelines, and coordination among contractors, property owners, and the agency. The total inspection budget will be set in a sample scope of work document. Funding derives from a $30.823 million HUD CDBG-DR allocation to Washington for long-term disaster recovery and mitigation tied to the November 2021 atmospheric river event in Whatcom County.

Responses go electronically to Seamus Davis at Seamus.davis@commerce.wa.gov. Responses become public record under Chapter 42.56 RCW (Public Disclosure Act), so vendors should exclude confidential or proprietary information.