Washington State Parks launches new electronic bidding system for public works projects

OLYMPIA — The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission (Parks) has begun using a new electronic bidding system for public works projects.

The launch of the Municipal Research and Services Center (MRSC) Bonfire system marks the first phase in the agency’s larger plan to modernize and streamline procurement across all competitive applications. 

This move steers State Parks away from outdated paper and email-based bid submissions to a secure, centralized and transparent online portal: State Parks Bonfire Procurement Opportunities, powered by the MRSC Electronic Bidding Bonfire platform. The system is widely used by public agencies across the state. 

“Bonfire will help us to better serve vendors and the public by improving efficiency, ensuring fairness and aligning with our statutory obligations,” Contracts and Grants Program Manager Manuel Iglesias said. “This launch is a major milestone in our commitment to transparent, accessible and compliant procurement.” 

MRSC Bonfire platform 

Prior to the pandemic, Parks received bids through the U.S. mail or by hand delivery, which caused delivery delays and other errors. During the pandemic, the agency moved to email-based bids, where spam filters and quarantined files led to missed submissions. 

The MRSC Bonfire system fixes these issues by offering: 

• Secure, online submission and confirmation for bidders 
• Automated, enforced deadlines and instant timestamping 
• Same-day bid result access for faster project turnarounds 
• A digital audit trail for transparency and public records 
• Improved compliance with RCWs 39.04, 39.26, 39.80, and 79A.05 
• Increased vendor trust and participation 

Next steps

Currently, MRSC Bonfire is live for Public Works bids (RCW 39.04). In the coming months, Parks will expand its use to: 

• Architectural and Engineering RFQs (RCW 39.80) 
• Goods and Services Requests For Proposals (RCW 39.26) 
• Invitations for Bid under State Parks authority (RCW 79A.05) 

This phased rollout will bring consistency and innovation to all State Parks’ competitive solicitations.