Statewide Small Works Roster

On July 1, 2024, MRSC Rosters became the official home of the small works roster for Washington State (RCW 39.04.151(2)). This centralized system simplifies the process for public agencies seeking licensed contractors for small works projects under $350,000.

What does this mean for businesses? 

Businesses with the Public Works Small Business Enterprise (PWSBE) certification through the Office of Minority and Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE) are eligible for a FREE annual membership for all three rosters through June 30, 2026.

We have also unveiled many changes to the MRSC Rosters website, including updated business categories, enhanced filtering tools, and new reporting functionalities to comply with state law.   

To keep your membership relevant: 

  • Review your membership application to make sure:
    • Account Administrators and Account Users are current
    • Contact information is accurate (email address & phone number)
    • Roster types, project types, categories, and subcategories accurately reflect the type of work you can “prime”
    • The public agencies selected are truly agencies you would consider bidding to 
  • If you provide maintenance services, such as landscape maintenance or janitorial services: Make sure to sign up for MRSC’s Vendor Roster, not the Small Works Roster, and be aware that maintenance services may require prevailing wages in some cases. 
  • Research to see if your business is eligible for the Public Works Small Business Enterprise (PWSBE) certification through the Office of Minority & Women’s Business Enterprises (OMWBE). PWSBE-certified businesses appear first on the bidder’s list and are eligible for small public works “direct contracting” opportunities under new state law. The PWSBE certification program is race-and gender-neutral and applies to small businesses owned by economically disadvantaged individuals.

Contractors should also watch for “direct contract” opportunities. For small public works contracts under $150,000, new state law allows public agencies to direct contract with individual contractors, using “rotation” principles to avoid repeatedly favoring one contractor over others. If you receive an email Invitation to Direct Contract/Negotiate from a public agency, this means your business is the only one receiving the current invitation. 

What does this mean for public agencies?

All state agencies and local governments with public works authority are authorized to use the statewide MRSC small works roster. However, agencies are not required to use the statewide roster and may still use their own roster or another agency’s roster.

One of the most significant changes to the small works roster contracting process effective July 1, 2024 is the option to “direct contract” or negotiate with an individual contractor for contracts under $150,000.

Here are public agency resources for the Small Works Roster changes: 

  • Read MRSC’s Small Works Roster Manual (formatted as a series of webpages, not a PDF) and the new roster statutes to understand the new small works contracting processes. There are many changes to the competitive bidding requirements, as well as the option to “direct contract” or negotiate with an individual contractor for public works contracts under $150,000. 
  • Adopt a new resolution and update any existing procedures, as required by state law, to reflect the new small works requirements. See MRSC’s sample resolution for all three rosters (small works, vendor, and consultant) (.docx file download) or sample resolution for the small works roster only (.docx file download).
  • 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 PWSBE-certified businesses; and adopt procedures outlining how award amounts are determined and/or negotiated. Examples are available on the Small Works Roster Manual webpage on Direct Contracting for Small Works.
  • Update the information on your agency’s public-facing website if needed. 

Public agencies are strongly encouraged to sign up for all three of MRSC’s rosters (Small Works, Consultant, and Vendor) for efficiency and ease of connecting with businesses.

Training materials for public agencies

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

Please note: Some of the information below, including free membership for small works, may have changed since the materials were originally presented in 2024. However, these materials still give a good overview of the Rosters program and processes.

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”

Questions? 

For any questions, please contact MRSC Rosters customer service.