About MRSC Rosters
What is MRSC Rosters?
The Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) hosts online directories (“rosters”) used by local and state government agencies across Washington State to find eligible bidders to fulfill their procurement needs.
How many rosters does MRSC Rosters host?
Three rosters: Small Works, Consultant, and Vendor. These rosters are broken down into categories which represent the scope of work a business performs or services it provides. Learn more about roster types.
Where can I find the categories for all three rosters?
You can find the categories through our drop-down menu by selecting Businesses/All Roster Categories. From that page, you can also download the full list of categories to Excel.
Are project opportunities posted on MRSC Rosters?
No. When a participating public agency has a procurement need and chooses to use a roster procurement process, the agency uses MRSC Rosters to generate a list of businesses in a specific roster/category/subcategory. Then the public agency sends the project opportunities and bidding documents directly to the businesses based on the agency’s procurement policies. Opportunities are sent from the agencies, not posted on MRSC Rosters.
Which public agencies use MRSC Rosters?
MRSC Rosters is used by hundreds of local and state government agencies across Washington State. View a list of all participating agencies, which can also be filtered by county.
Why don’t all local governments use MRSC Rosters?
Different local and state government agencies have different contracting processes and project needs. Some agencies may determine their internal resources are sufficient for maintaining their own rosters, some may choose not to use a roster process at all, or some may not be authorized to use a roster process under state law.
Signing Up
When can businesses join MRSC Rosters?
Businesses can join MRSC Rosters at any point throughout the year. Your membership will last for one year after your sign-up date.
What is the cost for a business membership?
Pricing depends on several factors; see business membership pricing.
How do I determine the best roster for my business?
Review the Categories which are broken down into the three rosters (Small Works, Consultant, Vendor). There is an option to download the full category list into Excel so you can search using keywords.
Is it possible to be on more than one roster with MRSC?
Yes, it is possible to be on any or all of the rosters depending on the categories of work your business performs.
What if I can’t find my category in a roster listing?
MRSC Rosters includes hundreds of different categories for businesses to choose from depending on the nature of your work. We try to include the most common categories, and the Small Works Roster categories specifically are based on prime contractor data from the state Department of Labor & Industries. However, there are some less common or specialty categories which may not be included.
If you cannot find an appropriate category, please contact us. If you know of specific upcoming work an MRSC Rosters public agency member is planning and are interested in bidding on it, you can also reach out to the agency directly and ask what categories they plan to use.
In general, we suggest you select the closest category to your expertise and make sure to provide detailed information about your business in a capabilities statement or statement of qualifications. This helps public agencies find exactly what they need.
How do I best prepare for my application?
Review the business application checklist and eligibility requirements before beginning your application and make sure you know which roster(s) your business wants to sign up for. Please note: All three rosters require a Washington State UBI #.
The Small Works Roster has additional requirements; please make sure you fulfill all requirements before starting the application process. If your business does not meet the requirements for the Small Works Roster, you will not be able to complete the membership application.
How does a business decide which agencies to work with?
Be mindful when selecting public agencies. Are they in your service area? Will you actively bid when receiving notifications from a particular agency? Only select those public agencies in your service area you are willing to provide a quote to.
To be best prepared, we suggest you conduct market research with an APEX Accelerator to be aware of local governments’ historical spending in your categories.
Project Opportunities
When do participating public agencies use MRSC Rosters?
Participating public agencies use MRSC Rosters when they have a project or procurement need and they choose to use a roster procurement process.
How do participating public agencies find businesses on the roster?
Agencies generate a list of businesses depending on their procurement needs. Public agencies will generate a roster list based on a roster, project type (Small Works ONLY), service category, and sub-category.
Who at our business will receive notification of new project opportunities from public agencies?
The PRIMARY CONTACT your business identified during the application process will automatically receive notifications about project opportunities, as well as any ADDITIONAL CONTACTS you selected in your application.
Why can’t a public agency find me on their roster?
There are generally two reasons a public agency cannot find you in their roster:
- You did not select the public agency in your application.
- When generating the roster list, the public agency searched for a different category than the one(s) your business selected in its application.
I heard about an agency’s project solicitation, selected the agency, and chose the category they are using to generate their roster list – why wasn’t I contacted?
Either your business was not registered with the public agency at the time they generated their roster list, or the agency decided not to contact your business based on their contracting procedures. Contact the public agency directly to inquire about specific project solicitations.
Renewing Your Membership
Does MRSC Rosters send out reminder notifications when a membership is ready to expire after 1 year?
Yes. MRSC Rosters sends out three notifications to the PRIMARY CONTACT identified in your application. These emails are sent 30, 20, and 10 days before the expiration date.
What happens if I don’t renew my membership before the expiration date?
Your membership will become inactive, and agencies will not see you on their lists.