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Request for Proposals (RFP)
Legislative Representation and Lobbying Services
Date issued: Monday, September 22, 2025
Issued by: County Administrator’s Office
RFP Deadline: Friday, October 31, 2025
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Contents
PURPOSE OF REQUEST .............................................................................................................. 3
SUBMISSION INFORMATION ................................................................................................... 3
QUESTIONS .................................................................................................................................. 3
SELECTION PROCESS ................................................................................................................ 3
Review of Submissions .............................................................................................................. 3
Interviews and References .......................................................................................................... 4
Scoring ........................................................................................................................................ 4
Contract Negotiations ................................................................................................................. 4
Board Approval .......................................................................................................................... 4
Anticipated Timeline .................................................................................................................. 4
Limitations .................................................................................................................................. 5
SELECTION CRITERIA ............................................................................................................... 5
BACKGROUND ............................................................................................................................ 6
Governance ................................................................................................................................. 6
Unique Challenges ...................................................................................................................... 6
Overarching Legislative Goals ................................................................................................... 8
Legislative Priorities ................................................................................................................... 8
SCOPE OF WORK ........................................................................................................................ 8
Primary Objectives ..................................................................................................................... 8
Overview of Services .................................................................................................................. 9
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS ................................................................................................. 10
COMPENSATION ....................................................................................................................... 10
CONTRACT DURATION ........................................................................................................... 11
PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS .................................................................................................. 11
Format ....................................................................................................................................... 11
Contents .................................................................................................................................... 11
Confidential Information .......................................................................................................... 13
ATTACHMENTS......................................................................................................................... 13
PURPOSE OF REQUEST
Jefferson County ("the County") seeks proposals from qualified individuals or firms (hereinafter
referred to solely as "firm") to provide legislative representation, funding strategy assistance, and
lobbying services as described herein.
Jefferson County has engaged with a contract lobbyist firm to represent its interests in the past
and is interested in developing a new 2-year approach to this work. Through this Request for
Proposals (RFP), the County seeks competitive proposals to continue and potentially expand
services as described in the "Scope of Work" section.
Preference will be given to firms with experience representing rural local governments, as well
as proposals that focus on Washington State legislative representation and lobbying services,
whole also offering federal legislative guidance.
SUBMISSION INFORMATION
This RFP will be made available on Jefferson County's website at
http://www.co.jefferson.wa.us/Bids.
Proposals may be submitted electronically via email to jdpeters@co.jefferson.wa.us with the
subject line: Legislative Representation and Lobbying Services
Proposals must be received by 4:30 PM Pacific Daylight Time on Friday, October 31, 2025, to
be eligible for consideration. Late proposals will not be considered.
QUESTIONS
Members of the evaluation committee and Jefferson County Board of Commissioners may not be
contacted or solicited by any firm intending to submit a proposal. All questions concerning this
RFP and the review process should be directed to County Administrator Josh D. Peters via
email: j dpeters@co. j eff erson. wa. us.
SELECTION PROCESS
This RFP is intended to solicit proposals for the purpose of selecting a firm to provide legislative
representation and lobbying services at the direction of the Jefferson County Board of County
Commissioners and under the management of the County Administrator's Office.
Review of Submissions
Submissions will be kept on file and referenced on an as needed basis; confirmation ofreceipt of
submission will be provided.
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All proposals will initially be screened by Jefferson County staff. Those proposals determined to
be late, incomplete, or noncompliant, and those respondents that do not meet the minimum
qualifications identified in this RFP may be eliminated from further evaluation at that time. An
evaluation committee will assess the written proposals based on the selection criteria provided in
this RFP.
Interviews and References
Following the initial evaluation, the highest-ranking firms may be invited to attend an interview
in-person or virtually) with the evaluation committee to answer additional questions. The
County may, at its discretion, interview one or more firms for further consideration. The key
individual(s) that would work directly with the Board of Commissioners and County
Administrator’s Office representative(s), if selected, are expected to attend the interview.
The County may request additional information regarding demonstrated competence and
qualifications. The County intends to check applicant references.
Scoring
Based on proposals evaluation, interviews (if any), and references, the evaluation committee will
score and rank the proposals. (See “SELECTION CRITERIA” for more information.)
Contract Negotiations
The County will then enter into negotiations with the highest-ranking firm to develop a mutually
acceptable contract for services which will be based upon the firm’s submitted proposal and the
sample personal/professional services agreement attached to this RFP.
If an acceptable contract cannot be negotiated, written notice will be provided, and negotiations
with the next highest-ranking firm will commence.
Board Approval
Finally, County staff will provide the agreed upon contract to the Jefferson County Board of
Commissioners, as a recommendation. The Board of Commissioners will vote on the
recommendation in a public meeting, officially rejecting or approving the provided contract
between the County and the selected firm for legislative representation and lobbying services.
Anticipated Timeline
Distribution of RFP—September 22, 2025
Deadline for proposals— October 31, 2025
Review of submissions— by November 7, 2025
Interviews, references, and scoring—November 10 to 14, 2025
Final selection—by November 21, 2025
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Contract negotiations—Completed by December 5, 2025
Board of County Commissioners’ approval—December 15, 2025
Contract services commence—January 1, 2026
Limitations
All costs associated with preparing and submitting a proposal are solely the responsibility of the
respondent. Jefferson County may reject any proposal not in compliance with prescribed
procedures and requirements, may reject for good cause any and all proposals, and reserves the
right to waive any informalities or irregularities in the proposals upon a finding of the County
that it is in the public interest to do so.
This solicitation does not obligate Jefferson County to select any single respondent and the
County reserves the right to cancel the procurement, to retain all proposal materials and to use
any material included in the proposal regardless of whether it is selected.
Submissions are considered public records and are subject to the Washington State Public
Records Act.
Selection Criteria
Jefferson County will select the firm that is determined to be most qualified to fulfill the terms of
the contract. Preference will be given to firms with experience representing rural local
governments, as well as proposals focusing on state legislative representation and lobbying
services yet also offering experience in the federal legislative arena. Firms should demonstrate
experience in securing funding for rural local governments and have a strong understanding of
state and federal agency and legislative functions and resources.
The criteria listed below will be used by an evaluation committee to score and rank submitted
proposals on a 100-point scale. If necessary, those firms that submit the highest rated proposals
may be invited to participate in an interview in which additional points may be awarded. The
County may request further clarification to assist the evaluating committee in gaining additional
understanding of one or more proposals.
Evaluation Factor Total Points Available
Qualifications and Experience 20
Project Understanding and Approach 20
Project Team 20
Values and Culture “Fit” with County 20
Budget 20
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Background
Jefferson County is nestled in the northeast corner of the Olympic Peninsula, sandwiched
between Clallam County to the north and Mason County to the south. It is the home of people
who love to play in the ocean, fish, hike, garden, ranch, create, and to those who foster this
unique, welcoming and resilient community. Home to about 34,000 residents, the County’s
primary industries are maritime, paper products, and tourism/recreation. While residents here
enjoy a beautiful place to call home, there is significant poverty, with many low wage jobs that
do not keep up with the high cost of living. Jefferson County is the oldest median age county in
the state, with many residents on fixed incomes.
Patrolling roads, inspecting restaurants, issuing building permits, maintaining roadways,
vaccinating kids and adults, conducting elections, holding court – Jefferson County provides a
wide variety of services to our residents, businesses and visitors. Currently, the County employs
approximately 350 personnel.
There are a variety of taxing districts that use County dollars to perform a number of functions,
such as rural fire departments, water, health, transportation, recreation, sewer, schools, roads,
and drainage districts.
Governance
Jefferson County is governed by a three-member elected Board of Commissioners, each elected
from one of the three geographic districts, and voters also elect eight other county officials. The
County promotes and thrives on collaboration among its elected officials, staff, and residents, as
well as local jurisdictions, businesses, and community partners.
The Jefferson County Board of Commissioners establishes policies, sets the vision of the
County, and appoints a County Administrator. The County Administrator carries out the Board’s
policies and oversees the day-to-day operations of the organization.
The Board of Commissioners is progressive and seeks to establish Jefferson County as a unique
and forward-looking rural county, committed to addressing modern problems with innovative
solutions.
Unique Challenges
Jefferson County takes a proactive approach to addressing the issues identified below and
frequently engages governments at various levels in developing solutions. A strong presence
during each state legislative session and healthy relationships with legislators, public officials,
industry organizations, state and federal agencies and other local government agencies are
necessary to expand the County’s level of engagement and influence. The Commissioners
comprise a “working board” and will frequently be found in Olympia, and occasionally in
Washington, DC, as well, undertaking efforts to further the County’s goals for safe communities,
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healthy people, a resilient economy, and quality service delivery. Additionally, frequent contact
with our congressional delegation and other members of Congress is vital year-round and
especially when budget proposals are being formulated. Jefferson County seeks a firm that
welcomes active participation from County Commissioners and the County Administrator in
myriad advocacy and lobbying venues.
As a small local government with limited staff capacity, Jefferson County relies on a contracted
lobbying firm in order to stay up to date on funding opportunities, relevant policy, and political
happenings that affect our region.
General Fund Revenues
The County’s General Fund is composed of two primary revenue sources: property taxes and
sales taxes. General Fund revenues have not kept pace with inflation and have grown more
slowly than the County’s expenses for a number of years. The County’s needs and expenses are
outpacing its revenue. While property taxes are dependable and don’t decline during recessions,
this is not true of sales tax and other revenues. In addition, Washington State frequently imposes
unfunded mandates on local governments they simply can’t afford.
Tourism
Within a two-hour ferry ride/drive to the Seattle metropolitan area, Jefferson County hosts a
large visitor population year around. While these visitors are vital in supporting the local
economy, the County is limited in its ability to recoup costs that tourism imposes on public
infrastructure and services. This revenue gap creates significant strains on the County’s ability to
effectively serve residents and visitors.
Housing
The lack of affordable and transitional housing is a critical issue impacting individual and family
decisions regarding staying in or moving to Jefferson County. Jefferson County is one of the
most expensive housing markets in the entire state with median incomes inadequate to afford
rentals for home purchases.
The County declared a housing emergency in 2019 and has focused much of its energy on
addressing the critical local issue with mixed results.
More recently, in response to the pandemic and increased remote work options, some people are
choosing to leave more densely populated cities/counties and relocate to more rural areas. These
people in addition to climate refugees and recent retirees relocating from other states are driving
housing prices inexorably upwards.
Service Capacity and Access to State Funds
Jefferson County frequently lacks the resources required to pursue or participate in federal and
state funding opportunities or pilot programs/initiatives. Funding formulas for award
distributions regularly do not account for the unique challenges faced by rural and coastal
communities.
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Most commonly, the County lacks the pre-existing social service infrastructure or administrative
support required to access available state and federal funds.
Overarching Legislative Goals
Support legislation that balances economic interests and growth with a healthy and
sustainable environment.
Help develop innovative strategies for unique rural challenges: Growth Management Act
GMA) compliance, small tax base, lack of capacity, etc.
Oppose unfunded mandates.
Serve as an active participant with other local and regional governments, including the
Washington State Association of Counties (WSAC) to address legislative/regulatory
issues that are important to the County and the region.
Legislative Priorities
Jefferson County’s legislative priorities continue to evolve to proactively address emerging
community needs and respond to recent and proposed changes to state and federal policy.
Current priorities include, but are not limited to:
1. Rural infrastructure
2. Growth management / Limited Area of More Intensive Rural Development (LAMIRD)
flexibility
3. Financial sustainability and capital funding needs
4. Affordable housing for non-urban communities
Scope of Work
The selected firm will be responsible for providing legislative representation and lobbying
services on behalf of the Jefferson County Board of Commissioners. Services to be provided
may include, but are not limited to, the responsibilities, tasks, and activities listed below. Firms
may include additional services with the knowledge that Jefferson County may select all or a
portion of those proposed and will negotiate a final contract price based on the range chosen.
Primary Objectives
1. Act as Jefferson County’s representative the Washington State Legislature and the
Governor’s Office and lobby on behalf of the County in accordance with priorities set by
the County.
2. Both proactively and at the direction of the County, advise and assist the County and its
Board of Commissioners in developing and executing effective legislative and funding
strategies to protect and advance the County’s needs and priorities.
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3. Educate legislators, legislative staff, state agencies, state advisory boards/committees, and
other stakeholders with legislative influence or decision-making authority on the impact
of legislation on the County’s ability to serve its residents.
4. Assist in developing strategy in Jefferson County’s approach regarding federal policy and
funding matters related to our priorities. Help develop effective relationships with our
congressional delegation in support of these priorities.
5. Help Jefferson County access state and federal funding for local projects that address the
priorities identified in this RFP.
Overview of Services
Both proactively and at the direction of the County:
Work with County Commissioners to develop and execute legislative and funding
strategies that are important to the County.
Establish, strengthen, and maintain relationships with legislators, legislative staff, state
agencies, state advisory boards/committees, and other relevant stakeholders to gain
support for the County’s legislative priorities.
Assist the County in researching and preparing position papers, exhibits, testimony,
correspondence, proposed bill text, funding requests, and amendments as necessary.
Secure sponsors for County-proposed legislation.
Facilitate a process to identify and prioritize bills introduced during legislative sessions
which may be of interest to the County and which may require active lobbying on the
County’s behalf.
Monitor and track proposed legislation, programs, and proposals of interest to the
County. Furnish comprehensive reports regarding the status of such at the following
frequency:
o Weekly – during state legislative sessions
o Monthly – outside of state legislative sessions
o As-necessary – regarding time-sensitive information
Review periodic revenue forecasts and the proposed biennial state budget and alert the
County to opportunities and obstacles. Identify funding opportunities and assess program
requirements and guidelines.
Coordinate and facilitate remote meetings with County Administrator’s Office
representatives and as requested to provide timely updates and strategic direction.
Report on legislative progress at Board of County Commissioners meetings, as requested.
Provide introductions to individual legislators, and arrange meetings, manage logistics,
and prepare County officials for interaction with legislators, legislative staff, committees,
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interim work groups, and other public officials. This may be in Olympia; Washington,
DC; or other remote locations.
Attend meetings (e.g., briefings, informational meetings, public hearings, work sessions,
etc.) as necessary and appropriate to influence outcomes of legislation.
Work with WSAC staff and lobbyists on bills of interest to Jefferson County to further
impact of lobbying efforts.
Assist Jefferson County in preparing and submitting Community Funding and
Congressionally Directed Spending requests to representatives in Congress.
Work with members of Congress, legislators and staff, the Governor’s Office, public
officials and state agencies, special interest and industry groups, local governments, and
other organizations to develop support for or opposition to proposed legislation, funding,
policy, and regulatory decisions that may affect the County.
Minimum Qualifications
Firms must:
1. Be registered with the Washington Public Disclosure Commission (PDC) to conduct
lobbying with state legislators and public officials and be in good standing concerning
standards of conduct and the filing of periodic expenditure and other required reports.
2. Be able to certify that, in performing the specified work, that they will not discriminate
against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, political affiliation, sex, gender
identify, sexual orientation, age, pregnancy, marital or family status, physical or mental
disability, national origin, Limited English Proficiency (LEP), military status, genetic
information, or ancestry unless the reasonable demands of employment are such that they
cannot be met by such a person.
3. Maintain an accounting and financial management system which complies with generally
accepted accounting principles and which is adequate to meet federal and state
government requirements. The system must provide adequate documentation, monitoring,
access and reporting concerning the organization’s financial position.
4. Have experience and a successful track record of representing progressive rural counties
in Washington State and the federal government. This includes familiarity with legislative
and congressional delegations, a demonstrated understanding of political forces and
happenings, and strong working relationships with state and federal agencies.
Compensation
Based on the information provided in the proposal, the County may select all or a portion of the
services itemized and will negotiate a total contract price with the successful firm accordingly.
The services will be evaluated annually during the term of the contract to assess effectiveness.
Continuation of the contract will be dependent on evaluation results.
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Contract Duration
The contract term for legislative and lobbying services resulting from this RFP is intended to
begin January 1, 2026 and will extend through December 31, 2027. The contract may be
extended under the same or new terms depending on the mutual desires of the parties, but in no
case will the contract extend beyond December 31, 2029. The County may also decide to initiate
a new RFP process at the close of any contract period or upon termination.
Proposal Requirements
Format
Proposals shall be submitted in PDF format and may not exceed 20 pages of single-spaced text
excluding the appendix). The contents of each proposal must be organized as follows:
1. Table of Contents
2. Cover Letter
3. Qualifications and Experience
4. Project Understanding and Approach
5. Project Team
6. Budget
7. Appendix: Supporting Documents
Contents
Cover Letter
1. Confirm understanding and agreement of the terms and conditions of this RFP.
2. Provide a statement of intent to perform the services as outlined.
3. Provide a brief summary of qualifications and experience.
4. State, if any, exceptions taken to the scope of work.
5. Outline any contractual terms and conditions the firm requires that are not already
addressed in this RFP.
6. A single person for possible contact during the RFP review process.
Qualifications and Experience
1. Describe the nature and scope of the firm’s experience in providing legislative and
lobbying services for local government agencies.
2. Describe the firm’s understanding of current trends and issues for Washington’s rural,
coastal, and/or recreational counties.
3. Describe the firm’s knowledge and experience in analyzing and reviewing proposed
legislation, participating in administrative rule development and interim work groups,
analyzing the proposed state budget, educating clients about the impact of legislation,
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advising clients on potential courses of action, and preparing legislative strategies and
plans in advance of the legislative session;
4. Outline a process for establishing and maintaining strong working relationships with
federal and state legislators and staff representing all political affiliations, public officials
and state agencies, special interest and industry groups, local governments, and other
organizations involved in the legislative process; and
5. Describe legislative information and bill-tracking software used by the firm to identify
and monitor introduced legislation of interest to the County and to generate weekly status
reports.
Project Understanding and Approach
1. Describe from a project management and logistical perspective how the firm would carry
out the scope of work specified in this RFP.
2. Explain the firm’s philosophy and strategy used to achieve the best possible outcomes for
clients as a result of the legislative session.
3. Document examples of success in providing lobbying services to clients in the following
areas:
a. achieving passage of legislation
b. defeating legislation
c. amending legislation
4. Provide assurance that the firm is capable of providing the described services to Jefferson
County in addition to other responsibilities or commitments of the firm.
5. Describe the firm’s overall knowledge and understanding of issues that are likely to be of
specific concern to Jefferson County.
6. Describe the firm’s process for identifying, avoiding, and resolving and/or managing
conflicts or potential conflicts that may arise from representing various clients who hold
opposing views on legislative issues.
7. Outline internal procedures and/or policies related to work quality and cost control.
Project Team
1. Describe the firm’s management and organizational structure.
2. Explain the extent of involvement with the contracted services by the firm’s owner or
chief executive officer.
3. Provide names and locations of key staff members and provide brief biographical data
describing their background, qualifications, and experience. Identify those who would be
assigned to work with Jefferson County.
4. Describe how the assigned staff members will interact with Jefferson County
Commissioners and staff.
5. Estimate the number of hours key project staff members will dedicate to the contractual
obligations.
6. Describe team experience with similar or related contractual services.
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Budget
Provide a detailed budget for the full contractual period itemized in accordance with each of the
responsibilities, tasks, and activities outlined in the scope of work as well as any additional
elements proposed. The budget should be organized in such a way that each item is priced
individually, allowing Jefferson County to select all or a portion of the services and negotiate a
total contract price accordingly.
Appendix: Supporting Documentation
Please attach the following supporting documents:
1. Proof of registration with the PDC to conduct lobbying with state legislators and public
officials.
2. A list of clients from the 2023, 2024, and 2025 congressional and state legislative
sessions.
3. Recent audit report by an independent certified public accountant.
4. An organizational chart.
5. Résumés of key project staff.
6. A sample legislative tracking report.
7. Three references—including a contact name, phone number, and email address—at
agencies for which similar services have been performed.
Confidential Information
All proposals submitted in response to this RFP shall become the property of the County and
may be utilized in any manner and for any purpose by the County. Be advised that proposals and
all documents submitted in response to this RFP are subject to public disclosure as required by
applicable state and/or federal laws. If you intend to submit any information with your proposal
which you believe is confidential, proprietary, or otherwise protected from public disclosure
trade secret, etc.), it must be provided as a separate document and clearly identify all such
material. The cover page of the separate document must be red, and the header or footer for each
page must provide as follows: “Not Subject to Public Disclosure.” Where authorized by law, and
at its sole discretion, the County will endeavor to resist disclosure of properly identified portions
of the proposals.
Web Link
Jefferson County 2024-2028 Strategic Plan
www.co.jefferson.wa.us/DocumentCenter/View/19232/Jefferson-
County-Strategic-Plan