Project Information

Bid Title

Request for Proposal - Hearing Examiner Services

Issuing Agency

City of Bainbridge Island

Location

Washington

Published Date

Jun 17, 2026

Closing Date

Jun 30, 2026

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Title:	Request for Proposal - Hearing Examiner Services
Category:	Hearing Examiner
Status:	Open

Description: PURPOSE The City of Bainbridge Island (“City”) is requesting proposals from individual attorneys or firms with substantial Hearing Examiner experience for the purpose of selecting a Hearing Examiner. The Hearing Examiner conducts quasi-judicial hearings on complex land use matters and regulatory compliance issues on behalf of the City and issues decisions and recommendations supported by findings and conclusions. PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS Education: A Juris Doctor degree and a license to practice law in the State of Washington is preferred. Applicants without a Juris Doctor degree will be considered if they can demonstrate substantial knowledge of land use and zoning law and meet the minimum experience requirements identified below. Experience: Five (5) years of experience in land use and zoning law, preferably as a land use hearing examiner or as a land use attorney representing clients before administrative decision makers such as hearing examiners, city/county councils, boards of adjustment, and/or planning commissions in the State of Washington. TERM OF SERVICES The duration of this Agreement will be for a two-year term, from July 15, 2026, to July 14, 2028. GENERAL STATEMENT OF SCOPE OF SERVICES The individual or firm with whom the City contracts shall perform the duties of the Hearing Examiner as set forth in the Bainbridge Island Municipal Code (“BIMC”). See, e.g., BIMC 2.14.030, BIMC 2.16.020, BIMC 2.16.100, and other relevant BIMC provisions. The Hearing Examiner shall also perform the duties set forth in Attachment A, Scope of Services, in the Proposed Agreement for Professional Services for the City of Bainbridge Island Hearing Examiner that is attached to this RFP and is incorporated into the RFP as if fully set forth herein. The Hearing Examiner shall be appointed by the City Manager and confirmed by the City Council and shall serve for a term of two (2) years. The Hearing Examiner is responsible for conducting hearings on and adjudicating quasi-judicial cases involving a variety of complex land use and regulatory compliance issues, and other issues which the City Council may designate to the Hearing Examiner by ordinance or resolution. The Hearing Examiner shall issue decisions and recommendations based on relevant ordinances, regulations, policies, statutes, and other authorities. In addition to any other duty established by ordinance or resolution, the Hearing Examiner: Conducts public hearings for land use applications; Develops procedural rules for the scheduling and conduct of hearings and related matters. Reviews properties that are the subject of hearings to become familiar with the terrain and relationships to other properties. Receives and examines hearing related documents, and reviews case files, City codes and policies, environmental impact statements, plot plans, and topographical maps. Evaluates testimony and evidence, prepares records, enters final written findings, and imposes conditions to conform projects to City ordinances and land use policies. Maintains knowledge of current relevant state and City land use laws, policies, and related state and federal court decisions. Prepares reports and correspondence to the City Manager, City Council, and Planning Commission as requested. Prepares and submits annual written reports to the City Manager and City Council, including how many hearings have been conducted, the final outcome of hearings, the time required to issue decisions, and the cost of hearings. Meets with the City Manager, City Council, Planning Commission, and staff as requested to identify conflicts in the code. When necessary, recommends candidates for Pro Tem Hearing Examiner for approval by the City Manager. HEARING EXAMINER TO HAVE ITS OWN ADMINISTRATIVE SUPPORT The City will provide a properly equipped hearing room and on-site audio-visual assistance. The Hearing Examiner shall independently provide for the Examiner’s clerk and/or administrative staff and other support services. Scheduling of hearings is generally done in coordination with staff from the City’s Department of Planning and Community Development. The City is responsible for recording the proceedings for the purpose of records retention. Changes to this intended level of City support – either related to requiring more or less support – should be specifically addressed in any proposal submitted. GENERAL INFORMATION These contracted services are intended to begin on July 15, 2026. There are generally two to four hearings a month, but there may be more depending on the month. The hearings are held in the Council Chamber at City Hall unless some other venue is necessary due to unique circumstances. COMPENSATION The City and any party selected for these services will enter into a professional services agreement which will address compensation. Proposals must clearly set forth the fees or fee structure (e.g., hourly rate, monthly retainer, per-case fee) to be charged for the proposed services. The City will reimburse the Hearing Examiner for actual out of pocket expenses incurred in the conduct of the Examiner’s duties, including mileage to and from hearings and to sites selected for viewing to gain a satisfactory understanding of the facts and issues, as well as for parking, and copying charges. All invoices are expected to identify the basis of the charge and the matter or proceeding for which it was incurred. SELECTION PROCESS All proposals will be reviewed and screened by the City Manager. Proposals will be evaluated by considering the Proposer’s quality of experience, the strength of the approach described in the proposal, the responses to the questions provided below, and the cost to the City. The City Manager will convene an interview panel and finalists will be invited for interviews. Following the interviews, the City Manager will make an appointment for City Council confirmation. INSTRUCTIONS TO REPLY TO THIS REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS To reply to this RFP, please submit a proposal of no more than five (5) pages stating: Name and contact information. Identity and provide a resume or similar description of the educational and professional background for the individual who desires to serve as the City’s Hearing Examiner, including the name of that individual’s law school and the year of graduation from law school. Also provide information related to the professional and educational background of the individual who will serve as the clerk or administrative support for the Hearing Examiner. Hearing Examiner experience. Describe relevant experience working for other jurisdictions as a Hearing Examiner, Administrative Law Judge (ALJ), or other quasi-judicial official. If the Proposer is a law firm, provide this information for all attorneys anticipated to provide services to the City. Expertise. Describe your experience with administering and interpreting: land use laws, codes, and municipal regulations in the State of Washington; environmental laws, such as SEPA and NEPA; and shorelines laws, such as the Shoreline Management Act, Shoreline Master Programs, and other similar local, state, and federal laws. Civil violation proceedings. Describe your experience with code enforcement and other types of administrative appeals, including appeal proceedings outside of the land use context. Provide a statement describing your view of a municipal Hearing Examiner’s roles and duties. Describe your approach to conducting hearings and your perspective about what constitutes a “good result” for hearings over which the Hearing Examiner might preside. Fee proposal. Provide a fee proposal that describes how you will be paid for the proposed services (e.g., hourly rate, monthly retainer, per-case fee). Provide two Hearing Examiner reports. Provide two Hearing Examiner writing samples (i.e., recommendations, decisions, or orders) for hearings conducted by the Proposer, or similar written reports or documents demonstrating similar experience. Writing samples are not included in the five-page limit. Provide professional references. Provide contact information for three professional references with personal knowledge of the Proposer’s work and experiences that demonstrate qualifications and ability to serve as the City’s Hearing Examiner. As stated in the first part of this RFP, all materials shall be submitted electronically in one packet to the following email address: For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. ALL APPLICATION MATERIALS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY 5:00 P.M. ON JUNE 30, 2026. At the City’s discretion, proposals submitted after the due date and time may be considered. Proposers accept all risks of late delivery of submitted proposals. PROPOSED AGREEMENT A proposed Agreement is provided as an attachment with this RFP. It is important that each Proposer review the Agreement prior to submitting a proposal, particularly the Scope of Work. The City typically does not accept changes to the Agreement’s terms and conditions. Should the Proposer wish to propose changes to the Agreement’s terms and conditions, the desired changes must be identified in the proposal. The City is under no obligation to accept such proposed changes and may reject a proposal based on proposed changes unacceptable to the City. The City will verify Proposer representations that appear in the proposal. Failure of a Proposer to perform services as represented may result in elimination of the Proposer from further competition or in termination of the Agreement, consistent with the terms of the Agreement. Publication Date/Time: 6/17/2026 1:00 PM Closing Date/Time: 6/30/2026 5:00 PM Related Documents: Hearing Examiner_RFP_063020226

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Commodity Codes

• NAICS 611710Educational Support Services

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