Doing Business

As a municipal corporation, the City of Tumwater is governed by laws that provide for fair processes to procure goods and services for public benefit. Requests for Proposals (RFP) are formal solicitations, generally through a bidding process, initiated by the City for procurement of goods or services. Requests for Qualifications are issued for professional services, including architectural design and consultant services.  

Requests for Proposals (RFP) 

Attendance at a pre-bid meeting is sometimes mandatory to provide project details to all interested parties. Bids are due by the closing date and must include all requested materials to be considered for the project. Most RFP/RFQ responses require bids to be sealed when submitted to the City. A formal Bid Opening is conducted at a public meeting where each sealed bid response is opened, reviewed, and recorded during a posted public meeting.

Small Works Roster & Consultant Services 

The City of Tumwater subscribes to a third-party nonprofit agency, the Municipal Research & Services Center (MRSC), to provide a list of registered contractors, vendors and consultants to solicit bids for public works projects under $350,000 and Consultant Services Roster for certain consultant services.

Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) Rosters provides an online shared Small Public Works Contractor Roster and Consultant Services Roster for local governments in Washington State, including the City of Tumwater, to search for eligible Contractor and Consultant service providers by service category. 

The City of Tumwater does not maintain a Small Works or Consultant Roster separate from those provided by MRSC. 

To register for the MRSC Small Works or Consultant Roster

Operated by the not-for-profit Municipal Research & Services Center of Washington (MRSC), the MRSC Rosters is a fee-based service for all participants charged annually; however, Contractors and Consultants do have a free option to register for individual agency rosters.

MRSC - Contractor and Consultant Registration

Public Notices

Public notices to announce opportunities to bid on a project are published in The Olympian and posted on the City’s website under RFP/RFQ/Bid Openings.

City of Tumwater Reseller Permit Certificate

The City of Tumwater has several categories of business that are covered under the master Reseller Permit. Additional information can be found on the Department of Revenue website.

Reseller Permit Certificate