Kittitas County commissioners approve 'Stop Gap' RFP process to prevent overlapping 1/10th funding requests

Commissioner Cory Wright, chair of the Kittitas County Board of County Commissioners, presided as the board approved moving forward with a one‑year "Stop Gap" RFP process to prevent overlapping 1/10th funding requests.

Kittitas County Public Health staff member Kasey Knutson told the board the county and advisory partners have agreed to streamline the 1/10th RFP process. Under the proposed change, RFPs will move to a two‑year funding cycle and overlapping RFP awards will be eliminated; the minutes note the last round under the current schedule will end in 2027, with the prior cycle ending in 2026. Knutson said that, as a result, any agency that did not apply in the most recent RFP would not be eligible to receive RFP funding until 2028.

Knutson additionally described a one‑year Stop Gap funding option that would not be an open competitive process: the department would work with the advisory board to update and test an RFP with two agencies currently in the Stop Gap process. The county, the auditor's office and the prosecuting attorney's office participated in discussions about the revised process, Knutson said.

Commissioner Brett Wachsmith moved to approve proceeding with the Stop Gap RFP process; Commissioner Laura Osiadacz seconded the motion. The board recorded unanimous approval and the motion carried.

The action directs staff and the advisory board to implement the Stop Gap RFP and to integrate the process changes into future RFP cycles. Staff indicated they will return with updated procedures and timeline details for the board's review.