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Board clears notice of intent to award contract to FirstLight for East Redmond managed camp services
Summary
After presentations and questions about hours, security and partnerships, the board voted to issue a seven-day notice of intent to award a contract to FirstLight for daily participant support and service coordination at the East Redmond managed camp; the contract will be negotiated if not protested.
The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners on June 1 moved to issue a notice of intent to award a contract to FirstLight Incorporated to provide daily participant support and service coordination at the East Redmond managed camp.
Staff told the board the May 18 RFP produced two proposals (FirstLight and Home More Network) and that the county selected a narrower scope than a previous operator RFP: the contract would cover daily interactions, participant referrals and coordination with city and county staff while overall camp operations would remain the responsibility of county and city personnel. "This is much more narrow," the deputy county administrator said, describing intake through the coordinated entry system and county-held contracts for site services such as porta-potties, water and trash removal.
Lorenzo Perez, introduced by staff as the executive director of ‘Verslight,’ described FirstLight's work with people experiencing substance-use disorder and mental-health challenges and said the organization would coordinate referrals and track clients through HMIS and coordinated entry. Perez said FirstLight is pursuing OHA certification to expand workforce options and noted that additional funding and FTEs would enable more consistent on-site staffing.
Commissioners asked practical questions about coverage (the RFP asked for 2–4 hours per day of direct provider presence), nighttime monitoring (gates are likely to remain unlocked; camera footage would be unmonitored), security visits (limited daily stops budgeted), pet limits (one pet per space), and how the county and the city would coordinate intake and services. Staff said the notice of intent triggers a seven-day protest period; if no protest is filed, staff will negotiate a contract and return a draft to the board for review.
Motion and outcome: A commissioner moved and another seconded issuance of document number 2026-0418, the notice of intent to award a contract to FirstLight; commissioners present voted yes and staff will publish the notice of intent and begin the protest period.
Why it matters: The managed camp is part of the county's strategy to provide shelter and coordinated services for people experiencing homelessness; the selected provider will focus on day-to-day participant interactions and pathway-to-housing supports while county and city staff coordinate site operations.
Next steps: Staff will publish the notice of intent to award, allow a seven-day protest period, and if no protests are sustained enter contract negotiations with FirstLight. A negotiated draft contract will be returned to the board for approval.
