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Small Works Roster Manual 2024

This e-publication provides a comprehensive overview of small public works rosters for local and state government agencies in Washington State, with an emphasis on the statewide public works roster administered by MRSC Rosters (mrscrosters.org).

Please note that the Small Works Roster Manual is formatted as a series of webpages (links below), not a PDF document. We no longer offer a PDF copy of the manual.

This information reflects the new small works roster processes that are effective July 1, 2024. It is intended to satisfy the requirements of RCW 39.04.151(3) requiring MRSC to provide guidance on how to use the statewide small works roster and process.

It is part of MRSC’s series on Purchasing and Contracting.

This guidance pertains specifically to the use of the statewide small works (construction) roster administered by MRSC Rosters under RCW 39.04.151(2). MRSC Rosters also administers a vendor roster and a consultant roster for other types of contracts, which many public agencies are authorized to use, but those are not discussed here.

For public agencies that choose not to use the statewide small works roster administered by MRSC Rosters, the contracting process and requirements are still the same. There is not a separate “statewide” small works roster process. Any authorized local government that maintains its own roster or uses another entity’s roster must ensure that its own roster complies with the same state laws.

Contents

  • Preparing to Use a Small Works Roster – Includes information on what a roster is, which agencies are eligible, the statewide small works roster administered by MRSC Rosters, and required internal controls (ordinances, resolutions, policies, and procedures)
  • Planning a Small Works Roster Project – Includes the definition of a "small works" project, scoping/cost estimating, prevailing wages, bonds/retainage, solicitation options, and federal funding considerations
  • Competitive Bidding for Small Works Contracts – Describes the bidding process required for small works roster contracts of $150,000 to $350,000, which may also (optionally) be used for contracts under $150,000
  • Direct Contracting for Small Works – Describes the contracting process that may (optionally) be used for small works roster contracts under $150,000, including contractor rotation, negotiation, and small/certified business utilization plans

Small Works Roster Training Materials

MRSC has conducted several training sessions to prepare local governments for the new roster procedures. Below are the resources from those training sessions:

August 1, 2024 Webinar: Using the Statewide Small Works Roster Platform

May 2024 In-Person Workshops: "Preparing for the Future: Changes to the Small Works Roster"

Definitions

Definitions are incorporated throughout this manual. However, you may also expand the definitions below to view all the key terms in one place.

  • Annual notification means a publicly advertised request for contractors to join a small works roster that is published in a newspaper of general circulation and provided to the Office of Minority and Women's Business Enterprises (RCW 39.04.151(1)(c)). MRSC Rosters provides notification for its public agency members.
  • Annual published list means a comprehensive list of small works contracts awarded during the previous year, the contractors who were awarded, and contractors contacted for direct contracting (RCW 39.04.152(7) and RCW 39.04.200). MRSC Rosters provides this information for its public agency members.
  • Applicable roster or appropriate roster means a project-specific roster or list of businesses created for a small works invitation using a small works roster (RCW 39.04.152(4)(a)(ii)).
  • Authorized local government means a political subdivision of the state, school district, or special purpose district with public works authority (RCW 39.04.010). In addition to cities and counties, this would also include many special purpose districts – including fire protection districts, library districts, park districts, port districts, public hospital districts, public utility districts (PUDs), transit districts, water-sewer districts, and any others with public works authority. Authorized local government may also be referred to as local agency, awarding agency, public owner, or similar; the agency that is procuring and awarding a small works project.
  • Bid splitting means the prohibited process of breaking up a project into units or phases if done for the purposes of avoid bid limits and/or thresholds (RCW 39.04.151(1)(f)).
  • Business utilization plan means an agency-specific contracting plan, developed by the state agency or authorized local government prior to the use of direct contracting, as outlined in RCW 39.04.152(4)(b)(iv).
  • Category or work category means a description or division of work used in the statewide small works roster to further describe the construction need within a project type.
  • Certified business means any business that is certified by the Office of Minority and Women Business Enterprises as outlined in chapter 39.19 RCW.
  • Direct contracting means the optional award process for small works contracts estimated to cost less than $150,000, excluding sales tax, as outlined in RCW 39.04.152(4)(b).
  • Diverse business means a general term used to group small, minority, women, and veteran-owned businesses.
  • Invitation means the written request by an authorized local government or state agency to receive a bid from a roster contractor, which at a minimum includes: an estimate for the work, a scope of work including the nature of the work, and any materials and equipment to be furnished (RCW 39.04.152(3)).
  • Invitation-only, by invite only, or private solicitation means the small works roster intended limited solicitation to only contractors registered on an applicable or appropriate roster (RCW 39.04.152(4)(a)(ii)).
  • Negotiation means a process in direct contracting where a local government and a contractor reach agreement on an award amount as specified in the invitation and/or bid form.
  • Minority-owned business means the same as defined in RCW 39.19.030(7)(b).
  • Notify means providing direct contracting use information to all small, minority, women, or veteran owned contractors on an appropriate, applicable, or project specific roster (RCW 39.04.152(4)(b)(iii)). [This is not explicitly provided under the statewide small works roster.]
  • Ordinance or resolution means the legislative tool that a local government may use to establish contracting authority, policies, and/or procedures for using a small works roster and process (RCW 39.04.151(4)).
  • Procedures mean the steps, processes, internal controls or similar established by a local government to implement the use of a small works roster and process (RCW 39.04.152(1)).
  • Project type means a broad classification of different construction, renovation, or improvement categories.
  • Publicly available means, unless otherwise defined by local resolution or policy, bid and award documentation readily available to any member of the public without request (posted on a website, etc.).
  • Responsible bidder means a bidder that meets the requirements of RCW 39.04.350.
  • Responsible contractor means a registered contractor on the small works roster that, at the time of registration, had an active general contractor's license and was not debarred.
  • Rotation means the intent, unless otherwise defined by rule or policy, to not use the same contractor consecutively for similar work on the same applicable roster.
  • Small business means the same as defined in RCW 39.04.010.
  • Small works roster process means a contracting method described in RCW 39.04.152, to compete and/or award public works projects using the pre-established list of responsible contractors.
  • Small works bidding package or bidding documents means a compiled set of documents such as, but not limited to, an invitation, bid form, instructions to bidders, and form of a small works contract.
  • Small works project means a single project for construction, building, renovation, alteration, repair, or improvement of real property anticipated to cost $350,000 or less, excluding sales tax, that will be awarded using the small works roster process (RCW 39.04.152(1)).
  • Small works program is a general term to reference a local-government specific internal public works contracting framework that includes, but is not limited to, resolution, policies, procedures, internal controls, and similar; together with the establishment of a responsible contractor list and procedures for a contracting process using the established list in accordance with RCW 39.04.151-154.
  • Small works roster procurement means a local government specific solicitation, bidding, and award process that often occurs outside/separately of a small works roster through a procurement software application (portal), email distribution list, electronic bidding site, or similar.
  • State agency means the Department of Enterprise Services, the State Parks and Recreation Commission, the Department of Natural Resources, the Department of Fish and Wildlife, the Department of Transportation, any institution of higher education as defined under RCW 28B.10.016, and any other state agency delegated authority by the Department of Enterprise Services to engage in construction, building, renovation, remodeling, alteration, improvement, or repair activities (RCW 39.04.010).
  • Statewide small works roster means an administered list of responsible contractors eligible to compete for small works projects across the state, using a web-based software, that includes a partially automated small works solicitation process and central data repository, available for use by registered local governments with MRSC Rosters.
  • Veteran-owned business shall mean the same as defined in RCW 43.60A.010.
  • Women-owned business shall mean that same as defined in RCW 39.19.030(7)(b).

Last Modified: August 07, 2024