Procurement staff presented the results of a competitive sealed proposals process for professional services to implement the county's federally funded Community Development Block Grant – Disaster Recovery (CDBG‑DR) program. The evaluation committee scored proposals using published criteria and recommended the firm ranking from highest to lowest.

Scott Storm of Procurement Services reported the committee's scores: Ernst & Young (81.2 points), Horn LLP (77.6), Tetra Tech (74.8), ICF (72.6), Guidehouse (67.6), Indelible Management Solutions (60.1) and Elite Business Strategies (60.0). Storm advised the board that federal procurement rules require identifying evaluation factors and documented procedures and that adherence is necessary to avoid potential penalties or funding impacts.

Board members discussed the size of the program, the risk profile of large contracts (including inquiries about prior clawbacks and firm performance), and the potential impact of a federal government shutdown on program timelines. Commissioners Christine Miller and Ken Hagan argued that splitting work between two qualified firms would mitigate risk and draw on multiple technical strengths; Commissioner Miller made the motion to split the work between the top two ranked firms.

The board directed staff to negotiate with the top two ranked firms (Ernst & Young and Horn LLP) and to return with contract terms. The motion carried 7–0.

What’s next: Procurement will open negotiations with the selected firms and return proposed agreements to the board for final approval. Commissioners requested additional diligence on prior contractor recovery actions and capacity to perform work concurrently with other contracts.