Tier 2 Compliance Assistance Project

The Washington Department of Commerce is requesting proposals for the Tier 2 Compliance Assistance Project, with proposals due November 2, 2026 by 5 p.m. Pacific Time. Commerce intends to award a single contract with total funding not to exceed $600,000. A mandatory award provision requires Commerce to award to the highest-ranked responsive and responsible Small or Veteran-Owned Business if the contract value is less than $150,000, unless no such responsive proposal exists. Proposals exceeding $600,000 are non-responsive.

The scope spans outreach to Tier 2 building owners in Franklin, Grant, Grays Harbor, Chelan, and Yakima Counties, with priority to rural and underserved communities. Deliverables include an outreach plan; a minimum of four in-person resource fairs and monthly virtual resource fairs; and energy coaching and technical assistance services to support compliance with the Clean Buildings Performance Standard by the July 1, 2027 deadline.

Minimum qualifications require proposers to be licensed or commit to licensure in Washington within thirty days of selection, maintain at least one Qualified Person on staff, possess background in commercial buildings and building operations, demonstrate expert knowledge of CBPS and Tier 2 compliance pathways, and have experience providing technical assistance to unfamiliar audiences. Proposers are encouraged to incorporate certified minority-owned, woman-owned, veteran-owned, and small business subcontractors.

The contract period runs tentatively from December 2026 through June 30, 2027, with Commerce holding an option to extend for two additional one-year periods. Compensation is provided on a reimbursement basis for accepted deliverables and allowable time and expenses, with payment within thirty days of properly completed invoices. This is state-funded with no federal funding source.

Evaluation assigns 70 percent weight to the Technical Proposal, 20 percent to the Management Proposal, and 10 percent to the Cost Proposal, with an additional 5 percent bonus for proposers certifying they do not require mandatory individual arbitration clauses. Questions and answers run October 1–16, 2026. A mandatory pre-proposal conference is scheduled for October 8, 2026 at 1 p.m. Pacific Time. The Apparent Successful Contractor will be announced November 23, 2026, followed by contract negotiation through December 15, 2026.