Introducing MRSC’s New Small Works Roster Manual!

For over a year, many of you in the public works contracting world have been looking ahead to the July 1, 2024, launch of the new small works roster processes. Well, the time has come! 

MRSC Rosters is now the official home of the new statewide small works roster for construction contracts of $350,000 or less. The statewide small works roster provides state and local governments with an alternative to publicly advertised sealed bids, while still providing for some level of competition. 

To help explain the new requirements, we’ve published a totally new version of our Small Works Roster Manual, in addition to revamping the MRSC Rosters website platform, coordinating with state agencies and other stakeholders, and hosting rosters training workshops in Spokane and Tacoma that attracted hundreds of attendees.

(While the new statewide designation applies to small works only, MRSC Rosters also offers a consultant roster and a vendor roster for small to mid-size purchases, maintenance contracts, and service contracts.) 

Public agencies are not required to join MRSC Rosters and may continue to host their own rosters or use shared rosters administered by other authorized government entities, but we are happy to report that MRSC Rosters is now used by 732 public agencies across the state and counting. 

Public agencies that choose not to use MRSC Rosters are still required to follow the new statutory requirements, which are spelled out primarily in RCW 39.04.151-.152. While the new Small Works Roster Manual focuses on the use of the statewide small works roster, the same general guidance also applies to public agencies using a different small works roster.

Legislative Changes

As a quick recap, 2SSB 5268 made changes to the small works process, including: 

• Expanding roster authorization to include all state agencies and local governments with public works authority. Many local governments already had roster authorization in their enabling statutes, but some did not. 
• Authorizing an official statewide small works roster to be administered by MRSC Rosters. 
• Updating solicitation processes, including a new option to “direct contract” with one specific contractor at a time for contracts under $150,000.

These changes took effect July 1.

What’s in the Small Works Roster Manual?

Our brand-new Small Works Roster Manual relies on the public works expertise of Aleanna Kondelis, who also conducted our in-person trainings and has been involved in the MRSC Rosters website changes. 

Please note that the new Small Works Roster Manual is formatted as a series of webpages, not a PDF file. We no longer produce a PDF version of the manual.

The Small Works Rosters Manual is divided into four topic areas: 

• Preparing to Use a Small Works Roster: This section includes information on the definition of a roster, agency eligibility, the statewide small works roster, and required internal controls (resolutions, ordinances, policies, and procedures).
• Planning a Small Works Roster Project: This section includes the definition of a “small works” project, scoping/cost estimating, prevailing wages, bonds/retainage, an overview of solicitation options, and federal funding considerations.
• Competitive Bidding for Small Works Contracts: This section 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: This section 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.

MRSC Rosters Website Changes

We’ve also unveiled many changes to the MRSC Rosters website, including updated business categories, enhanced filtering tools, and new reporting functions to comply with state laws for competitive bidding and direct contracting.

For direct contracts, our database now lists whether each business is certified with the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE), as well as when your agency last contracted with each business, to help you “rotate” through contractors as required by state law and avoid repeatedly awarding contracts to the same contractor.

Next Steps

As soon as possible, public agency staff and officials who intend to use the new rosters processes should:

• Read MRSC’s new Small Works Roster Manual and the new roster statutes to understand the new small works contracting processes. 
• Adopt new ordinances/resolutions and update procedures authorizing the use of the new roster procedures, as required by state law. Sample resolutions for using the statewide small works roster are available on the MRSC Rosters website, on the webpage Transitioning to MRSC Rosters. 
• If intending to use the “direct contracting” option for public works contracts under $150,000: Adopt a rotation policy to avoid repeatedly favoring one contractor; establish a business utilization plan for awarding contracts to small businesses and businesses owned by minorities, women, and veterans; and adopt a negotiation policy outlining how direct contract award amounts will be determined. An example is available in the Small Works Roster Manual: Direct Contracting for Small Works webpage. 
• Update the information on your agency’s public-facing website, if needed.  
• Sign up for MRSC’s free August 1 webinar: Using the Statewide Small Works Roster Platform, which will include a demonstration of the MRSC Rosters website for public agency members and highlight new features and processes.