State Spending Focus: Washington State Contracts in Transit and Transportation

The Evergreen State invests millions in areas such as technology, education, transportation, healthcare, and corrections, making it a sought-after territory for many businesses to pinpoint as they scale their government contract pursuits, including businesses who sell locally, regionally, and nationally.

This blog will focus on the Washington government contracting opportunities available that relate to transit and transportation contracts. But GovWin covers Washington state contracts in all industries, and provides tips for winning more business in the state. You can discover all of this in the free guide, How to do Business with the Government in Washington.

Washington State Sound Transit Expansion to Generate Transit Contracting Opportunities

The state of Washington is one of the fastest-growing areas in the country in terms of both economic development and population growth. Recently, the state’s transportation and transit initiatives – particularly in and around the city of Seattle – have begun to match this development.

In November 2016, voters approved the Sound Transit 3 initiative, which allocated funding to significantly expand the region’s light rail system by an additional 116 miles. It will stretch from the cities of Everett to Tacoma with stops in Seattle neighborhoods and suburbs. The project also plans to expand the Rapid Transit bus service while creating other commuter lots. 

The entire project is projected to cost $54 billion, although it is contingent on federal funding – some of which is already being unlocked in the form of federal grants.

“These federal grants… will improve mobility and the quality of life for those who depend on public transit every day.”

-Elaine L. Chao, U.S. Transportation Secretary

In short, it is a massive transit project with major implications for contractors. The expansion will require a great deal of work to create. And by the time it’s fully built out in roughly 20 years, many parts of this expanded transportation system will need regular maintenance and repairs done.

Examples of Washington Government Contracts for Transit and Transportation

Contracts tied to light rail and Sound Transit aren’t the only areas where businesses can find transportation-related contracts. We’ve highlighted a few contracts taken directly from the industry-leading GovWin IQ platform, the essential source for businesses to find and win government contracts.

Here are three examples published within the last year:

1. Bike and Pedestrian Improvements – City of Lynnwood

Lynnwood is budgeting nearly $3M to create a safer connection between its transit center and other transit services for cyclists and pedestrians.

2. Fleet Management System – County of Spokane

Spokane County recently released an RFP for a new fleet management system solution that is scalable for use by other county departments.

3. Campus Roadway Revisions – Western Washington University

One of the state’s major universities, located in the city of Bellingham, has received funding to create improved roadways and intersections.

The Information You Need to Win Washington Government Bids and RFPs

In the coming year Washington is on track to continue its rapid pace of growth, offering a wide range of government contracting opportunities across all industries – not just transit and transportation. Savvy contractors will already know this, and they will be on the lookout for ways to capitalize. GovWin’s guide on How to do Business with the Government in Washington was designed specifically for those contractors.  

With this handy guide from the state and local analysis team at GovWin, you can learn how to grow your government sales with the state of Washington. Use this guide to:

• Learn how to register as a vendor and search for Washington government bids and RFPs in Washington’s Electronic Business Solution (WEBS)
• Understand how the state of Washington defines small business and diversity contract set-aside requirements
• Receive a list of Washington contracting acronyms like DES and Washington WEBS for Vendors
• Locate Procurement Technical Assistance Centers (PTACs) throughout the Evergreen State

Click here to get your free guide to winning more government contracts in the state of Washington. Or, if your business is ready to find and win more government bids in states beyond Washington, just request a free trial of the GovWin IQ platform to learn how you can pursue deals faster, find partners for teaming, and build your government contracting strategy for the near- and long-term.