Emergency, Transitional, and Permanent Supportive Housing Feasibility and Implementation Plan

CITY OF TUMWATER
REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL
I. PURPOSE OF REQUEST
The City of Tumwater (the "City") is requesting proposals from qualified consultants
to provide professional services for the preparation of an Emergency, Transitional,
and Permanent Supportive Housing Feasibility and Implementation Plan.
In the recently adopted 2025 Comprehensive Plan Housing Element, Tumwater
identified a projected 20-year need for 184 emergency housing beds and 723 units of
permanent supportive housing serving households at or below 30 percent of Area
Median Income. These housing types are anticipated to be developed and operated
primarily by nonprofit partners.
With the Comprehensive Plan now adopted, Tumwater is moving from long-range
policy direction to implementation planning. At the same time, limited service
provider capacity and uncertainty in long-term state and federal funding require a
clear understanding of what roles Tumwater can realistically play, under what
circumstances, and in what sequence, to incrementally advance these housing goals
over time.
The purpose of this study is to provide clear, decision-ready information to support
City Council consideration of feasible, incremental actions related to emergency,
transitional, and permanent supportive housing, with a greater emphasis on
transitional and permanent supportive housing. Emergency shelters are expressly
excluded from the scope of this study.
The study is intended to:
* Translate adopted Housing Element policies into implementable actions.
* Identify a limited number of participation models that align with Tumwater's
size, role, and organizational capacity.
* Identify actions Tumwater could realistically initiate within the next five
years, and how those actions could be expanded and layered over a 20-year
horizon.
* Evaluate feasibility at a policy, organizational, and fiscal level, considering
current funding conditions, provider capacity, and the broader regional
system.
* Clarify what implementation would require, including staffing, governance,
partnerships, funding pathways, and timing considerations.
* Present options, prerequisites, risks, and tradeoffs in a format that supports
City Council decision-making.
- 1 -

* Consider what actions could be undertaken using Tumwater's organizational
capacity and locally controlled resources, recognizing that state and federal
funding may be uncertain or unavailable.
The study shall not include:
* Identification or evaluation of specific sites or parcels.
* Detailed architectural, engineering, or site feasibility analysis.
* Commitments by Tumwater related to funding, operations, or site selection.
The City encourages consultant teams that combine expertise in housing policy
analysis and implementation with experience in affordable housing development
and finance.
II. CORE FRAMING QUESTIONS
This study is intended to support City Council decision-making by answering a
focused set of implementation and governance questions. These questions are
intended to guide the Consultant's analysis, shape the structure of the deliverables,
and ensure the final product presents clear implementation choices rather than broad
policy discussion.
1. City Role. What roles can the City of Tumwater realistically play in advancing
transitional and permanent supportive housing, given its size, organizational
capacity, and funding structure, without directly operating housing or
services?
2. Feasible Participation Models. Under current and reasonably foreseeable
conditions (including provider capacity and funding uncertainty), what
participation and implementation models are most feasible for Tumwater to
consider?
3. Near-Term Actions (0-5 Years). What actions could Tumwater realistically
undertake in the next 0-5 years using existing staff capacity and locally
controlled resources?
4. Prerequisites and Conditions. What policy, governance, partnerships,
staffing, or funding conditions would need to be in place for those near term
actions to move forward?
5. Sequencing. How could near-term actions be sequenced, repeated, expanded,
or layered over time to contribute meaningfully to Tumwater's 20-year housing
goals, recognizing that progress will depend on funding, timing, and partner
readiness?
6. Risks, Tradeoffs, and Decision Points. What are the key risks and
tradeoffs associated with each participation model or action pathway? Under
what circumstances should Tumwater advance, pause, modify, or decline a
- 2 -

particular approach?
III. Definitions (Tumwater Municipal Code Title 18.04)
These definitions from Tumwater Municipal Code 18.04 Definitions are provided for
clarity and shall govern interpretation of housing types for purposes of this RFP:
"Emergency housing" means temporary indoor accommodations for individuals
or families who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless that
are intended to address the basic health, food, clothing, and personal hygiene
needs of individuals or families. Emergency housing may provide individual
rooms for sleeping and may have communal bathrooms and kitchen and dining
areas. Emergency housing may or may not require occupants to enter into a
lease or an occupancy agreement.
"Emergency shelter" means a facility that provides a temporary indoor shelter
for individuals or families who are currently homeless. Emergency shelter may
provide a mixture of individual rooms and common areas for sleeping and may
have communal bathrooms and kitchen and dining areas. Emergency shelter
may not require occupants to enter into a lease or an occupancy agreement.
Emergency shelter facilities may include day cooling and warming centers that
do not provide overnight accommodations.
"Permanent supportive housing" means subsidized, leased housing with no
limit on length of stay that prioritizes people who need comprehensive support
services to retain tenancy and utilizes admissions practices designed to use
lower barriers to entry than would be typical for other subsidized or
unsubsidized rental housing, especially related to rental history, criminal
history, and personal behaviors. Permanent supportive housing is paired with
on-site or off-site voluntary services designed to support a person living with a
complex and disabling behavioral health or physical health condition who was
experiencing homelessness or was at imminent risk of homelessness prior to
moving into housing to retain their housing and be a successful tenant in a
housing arrangement, improve the resident's health status, and connect the
resident of the housing with community-based health care, treatment, or
employment services. Permanent supportive housing is subject to all of the
rights and responsibilities defined in Chapter 59.18 RCW, Residential
Landlord-Tenant Act.
"Transitional housing" means housing providing stability for residents for a
limited time period, usually two weeks to twenty-four months, to allow them
to recover from a crisis such as homelessness or domestic violence before
transitioning into permanent housing. Transitional housing often offers
supportive services, which enable a person to transition to an independent
living situation.
- 3 -

IV. BACKGROUND - REGIONAL HOUSING CONTEXT
Tumwater participates in the Regional Housing Council through an Interlocal
Agreement with Thurston County and neighboring jurisdictions. The Regional
Housing Council's primary purpose is to coordinate policies, funding, and
partnerships in order to expand equitable access to safe and affordable housing across
the region.
Through the Regional Housing Council, Thurston County and participating
jurisdictions coordinate funding and implementation of the regional response to
homelessness and permanent supportive housing. This includes revenue sources such
as RCW 36.22.179 (ESSHB 2163), RCW 36.22.178 (SHB 2060), the HOME
Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Consolidated Homeless Grant (CHG),
Housing and Essential Needs (HEN), RCW 82.14.540 (SHB 1406), and other related
funding tools. These resources support emergency, transitional, and permanent
supportive housing development throughout Thurston County.
In addition, Tumwater participates in the Community Development Block Grant
(CDBG) program administered by Thurston County, which Tumwater has primarily
used to support affordable housing-related projects.
While participation in the Regional Housing Council provides an important regional
framework, it does not, by itself, address Tumwater's identified 20-year emergency,
transitional, and permanent supportive housing needs. This study is intended to
clarify how Tumwater's local actions, funding tools, and participation models could
align with and build upon the existing regional structure and available state and local
programs, while remaining realistic given provider capacity and funding uncertainty.
V. TIME SCHEDULE
Tumwater will follow the following timetable:
Issue RFP April 7, 2026
Deadline for Submittal of Proposals April 20, 2026
Interview Dates April 27, 2026
Notify Firm Chosen May 1, 2026
VI. INSTRUCTIONS TO PROPOSERS.
A. All Proposals must be submitted electronically, via email, using the following
subject line:
"Emergency, Transitional, and Permanent Supportive Housing
Feasibility Study - Formal Submittal"
B. All Proposals shall be submitted electronically to the following email
- 4 -

address(es):
Sharon Lumbantobing, Deputy Community Development Director
Slumbantobing@ci.tumwater.wa.us
C. No other method of delivering proposals will be accepted.
D. All proposals must be received by April 20, 2026, at 5 p.m.
E. A response email will be provided for each submittal verifying that proposals
have been received by the City.
F. Proposals should be prepared simply and economically, providing a
straightforward, concise description of provider capabilities to satisfy the
requirements of the request.
G. To be responsive, the following items must be included in your submittal:
* The names of individuals who will be assigned to the project, their areas of
responsibility, and their specific experience relevant to the proposed scope
of work.
* A detailed outline of tasks and deliverables that directly corresponds to
the Scope of Work in this RFP, including a proposed project schedule and
estimated hours by task and by staff role.
* A proposed budget that is clearly tied to Scope of Work in this RFP,
showing costs by task, and demonstrating how the total proposed fee is
allocated across the project scope. Budgets not clearly linked to the
proposed tasks may be deemed non-responsive.
* References.
H. The following general proposal document requirements also apply to
submittals:
* Special color displays, promotional materials, etc., are not desired.
* Emphasis should be on completeness and clarity of content; brevity is
strongly encouraged.
* No more than ten (10) pages including cover page and letter of interest.
* Resumes are not included in the ten (10) page count and will be attached
as part of the overall Proposal. All resumes will be no more than one (1)
page in length.
* Font shall be 12 point with the exception of section headings, etc.
* Text may be single spaced.
* A minimum of one inch margins on all sides for all pages. Does not apply to
spreadsheets and worksheets.
- 5 -

* All pages shall be 8 12" x 11".
I. The Deputy Community Development Director, Sharon Lumbantobing, or
representative, will notify the firm selected by approximately April 15, 2026.
VII. SELECTION CRITERIA.
Factors Weight Given
1. Understanding of project purpose, scope, and
30%
consultant's proposed approach
2. Qualifications and relevant experience of the
firm and proposed project team, including 35%
experience with similar projects
3. Demonstrated ability to translate analysis
into feasible implementation strategies,
20%
including housing development and
finanancing
4. Price 15%
Total Criteria Weight 100%
Each proposal will be independently evaluated on factors 1 through 4.
Proposals will be evaluated using the criteria and weights identified above,
and scores will be combined to determine the final ranking.
VIII. TERMS AND CONDITIONS.
A. The City reserves the right to reject any and all proposals, and to waive minor
irregularities in any proposal.
B. The City reserves the right to request clarification of information submitted,
and to request additional information from any proposer.
C. The City reserves the right to award any contract to the next most qualified
contractor, if the successful contractor does not execute a contract within thirty
(30) days after the award of the proposal.
D. Any proposal may be withdrawn up until the date and time set above for
opening of the proposals. Any proposal not so timely withdrawn shall
constitute an irrevocable offer, for a period of ninety (90) days to sell to the
City, the services described in the attached specifications, or until one or more
of the proposals have been approved by the City administration, whichever
occurs first.
- 6 -

E. The contract resulting from acceptance of a proposal by the city shall be in a
form supplied or approved by the City and shall reflect the specifications in
this RFP. A copy of the contract is available for review. The City reserves the
right to reject any proposed agreement or contract that does not conform to the
specifications contained in this RFP, and which is not approved by the City
Attorney's office.
F. The City shall not be responsible for any costs incurred by the firm in
preparing, submitting, or presenting its response to the RFP.
IX. SCOPE OF SERVICES
Task 1 - Project Administration and Coordination
The Consultant shall:
a. Attend a project kickoff meeting with City staff.
b. Prepare and maintain a clear, streamlined project schedule tied to
deliverables.
c. Participate in monthly coordination meetings with City staff (total 8) to
review progress, assumptions, and emerging findings. All meetings can be
hybrid (in-person meetings not required).
Task 2 - Context and Lessons Relevant to Tumwater's Role
The Consultant shall prepare a concise synthesis of information needed to inform
Tumwater's role and options. This should include:
* A high-level overview of the regional emergency housing, transitional housing,
and permanent supportive housing landscape within Thurston County,
including key actors and how responsibilities are distributed.
* A review of adopted plans and strategies that directly affect Tumwater's
decision space.
* A focused review of no more than five (5) comparable jurisdictions, focusing
specifically on:
The roles cities assumed without directly operating housing or services.
o
Governance and partnership structures used.
o
Implementation challenges, risks, and lessons that may be transferable
o
to Tumwater.
This task is intended to establish context and practical guardrails. It is not intended
to be a comprehensive system inventory.
- 7 -

Task 3 - Participation Models and Feasibility Assessment
1. The Consultant shall identify and evaluate a limited number of realistic
participation and implementation models Tumwater could consider. These may
include:
a. Policy or regulatory support roles.
b. Coordination or convening roles.
c. Land participation models.
d. Capital participation or limited financial support.
e. Interlocal or partnership-based approaches.
2. For each model, the Consultant shall assess:
* Feasibility under current and foreseeable conditions.
* Required City staffing, governance, and administrative involvement.
* Funding and fiscal implications, distinguishing between capital participation
and any ongoing obligations.
* Key risks, constraints, and prerequisites, including legal, financial,
operational, and partnership considerations.
3. Evaluate how Tumwater's current development regulations and fee structure
affect the feasibility of emergency housing, transitional housing, and permanent
supportive housing, including but not limited to zoning standards (TMC Title 18),
impact fees (TMC Title 16), and utility and permitting fees.
4. Identify specific amendments to Tumwater Municipal Code and/or fee
schedules that would reduce barriers or create incentives for private and nonprofit
development of permanent supportive housing, including potential adjustments to
development standards, fee reductions or waivers, and other regulatory incentives.
Recommendations should be clearly tied to feasibility and implementation.
5. Assess non-financial and market barriers affecting the feasibility and
delivery of emergency housing, transitional housing, and permanent supportive
housing, particularly for nonprofit providers. This should include, at a minimum,
insurance availability and cost, provider capacity, financing and underwriting
constraints, operating funding limitations, and other factors that may limit project
delivery.
6. Identify which barriers are within the City's influence and provide targeted,
actionable strategies to reduce or mitigate those barriers, including potential City
actions, partnerships, or policy changes.
Guardrails
To ensure recommendations are grounded in current conditions:
* For each model, identify the type of provider or partner that would be needed and
assess the practicality of that partnership locally.
* Clearly distinguish between capital funding and ongoing operating funding, and
describe the stability and risk of each assumed funding source.
- 8 -

* Where projections or examples are used, clearly state the assumptions regarding
funding availability, timing, and provider capacity.
Task 4 - Phased Action Plan and 20-Year Implementation Pathway
The Consultant shall prepare a clear, decision-ready implementation framework
describing how Tumwater could incrementally advance its transitional and
permanent supportive housing goals over a 20-year horizon.
The framework shall be organized around a limited number of near-term (0-5 year)
action pathways (approximately four to five). Each pathway shall represent a realistic
set of actions the City could initiate within existing organizational capacity and
illustrate how those actions, if repeated, expanded, or layered over time, could
contribute to longer-term housing outcomes.
For each near-term pathway, the Consultant shall:
* Clearly describe Tumwater's role and level of involvement.
* Identify the circumstances under which the pathway would be appropriate to
pursue.
* Outline prerequisites and dependencies, including:
Policy or regulatory actions
o
Governance or interlocal agreements
o
Staffing or administrative capacity
o
External funding availability and timing
o
Partner or provider readiness
o
* Distinguish between capital participation and any ongoing financial or
operational commitments.
* Provide a logical 0-5-year sequencing framework showing major steps and
decision points.
* Identify City Council decision points, including circumstances under which
actions should move forward, pause, be modified, or not proceed.
* Summarize key risks and tradeoffs, including financial exposure, reliance on
external funding, and long-term obligations.
When illustrative projections of beds or units are included, underlying assumptions
should be clearly stated, particularly with respect to provider capacity, funding
timing, and funding stability.
This task is intended to present structured implementation choices. It is not intended
to include site-specific plans, detailed cost estimating, negotiated commitments, or
operational program design.
- 9 -

X. REPORTING AND DELIVERABLES
At a minimum, the Consultant shall provide:
a. Project Work Plan and Schedule
A clear work plan and schedule tied to major deliverables, submitted after
the kickoff meeting and updated as needed.
b. Coordination Meetings
Participation in one kickoff meeting and approximately eight monthly
coordination meetings with City staff, consistent with Task 1. Meetings may
be conducted in hybrid format and will be used to review progress,
assumptions, and key findings.
c. Draft Reports
Two draft reports reflecting major phases of the work for City review and
comment.
d. Final Report
One consolidated final report incorporating City feedback and presenting
decision-ready participation models and implementation pathways.
e. City Council Materials and Presentations
Presentation materials suitable for City Council, along with concise summary
tables appropriate for inclusion in a Council agenda packet. The Consultant
shall attend and present at up to three (3) City Council work sessions.
Attendance may be virtual. Materials shall clearly summarize near-term
actions, prerequisites, staffing implications, funding considerations (capital
and operating), risks, and decision points.
All deliverables shall be provided in editable electronic format.
XI. ANTICIPATED PROJECT SCHEDULE
The City anticipates that the work described in this Request for Proposals can be
completed within an approximately eight (8) month timeframe.
Proposers shall submit a proposed schedule that:
* Reflects a phased approach to work;
* Includes interim deliverables and City review milestones; and
* Allows sufficient time for City feedback prior to final deliverables and
preparation of City Council materials.
- 10 -