Request for Qualifications ? Executive Search Services City Manager Recruitment

City Manager Recruitment

Publication date: November 19, 2025

The City of Bainbridge Island, Washington (City) respectfully invites you to provide your qualifications to assist the City Council in its selection of its next city manager.  The City is seeking a firm to assist with the identification of qualified city manager candidates, development of an applicant pool, screening and vetting of qualified candidates, logistics for interviews, and employment background checks.   Additionally, the city would like assistance to secure the services of a qualified experienced Interim City Manager within a relatively short period of time. The City’s needs are detailed in this Request for Qualifications (“RFQ”).

The City of Bainbridge Island is in Kitsap County, Washington, and the entire island is incorporated as one city. Bainbridge Island has an area of 28 square miles, with 52 miles of shoreline, dense forests, mostly suburban development patterns, and an estimated population of 25,000.

The City operates under the laws of the State of Washington applicable to a non-charter code city with a Council-Manger form of government.  It has operated as a Council/Manager city since 2009. The well-regarded incumbent city manager has announced his retirement effective February 2026.

The seven part-time City Council members are elected to four-year, staggered terms from the island’s three wards plus one at-large position.  The mayor is rotated and selected from the Council that serves a population of approximately 25,000. The City provides the following major types of services: general executive and administrative services, police, emergency preparedness, judicial, water supply/treatment/distribution, sewer collection and treatment, storm water (drainage) collection, street maintenance and construction, planning and zoning, permits and inspections, some parks, and boat docks.  Other local governments provide public education, fire suppression, library, and most parks services.  The city staff is comprised of 142 full-time equivalent employees (FTE).

Firms responding to this RFQ will provide a concise description of provider capabilities to satisfy the requirements of the request. Each submittal must include the following components:

• History of the firm and experience providing assistance with executive search to cities.
• Identification of the specific individual assigned to this engagement, their specific experience with executive recruitment and their knowledge of municipal organizations and the role of city managers.  The city must be comfortable that the key members of the team will be available during the full term of the engagement and provide the level of attention and care this important recruitment requires.
• Discuss the approach, tasks, and steps.
  1. How will the firm identify potential candidates?
  2. How will the firm interact with the Council, community, and staff?
  3. How will the firm evaluate candidates?
  4. How will the firm present recommended candidates to the City Council?
  5. What role with the firm play during interviews?
  6. What services do you offer to verify qualifications and background?
• Proposed schedule of work.
• Proposed fee.
• Details of any guarantees the firm provides.

In addition to providing services related to the recruitment of a new city manager, the City is also interested in assistance with identifying an interim city manager. This individual will be an experienced manager who can provide leadership and value during the recruitment of the city manager, available to begin work in February 2026.

Submittals must be received by 8:00 AM PST on Friday, December 5, 2025.  Submittals are limited to 15 pages, not counting the cover pages. Responses should be sent via email under the subject “City Manager Services” to Blair King, City Manager, City of Bainbridge Island ( For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. ). Submittals received after the deadline will not be considered.

Email is the preferred method, but responses may also be mailed or dropped off at City Hall (Monday – Friday, from 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM). Print copies should be double-sided, with no cover or binding.

City Hall

280 Madison Ave N

Bainbridge Island, WA 98110

Attention: Blair King

Firms responding to this RFQ will include their proposed compensation plan with their submittal.

It is assumed the City Council as a whole, or via a subcommittee, will seek to interview firms prior to making a selection. Firms should be prepared for interviews at relatively short notice.

Selected applicants will be required to execute a City of Bainbridge Island Professional Services Agreement, obtain a City of Bainbridge Island Business License, and demonstrate compliance with the City’s insurance requirements (briefly explained below). ? ?

The City reserves the right not to select any of the applicants, and the right to select an individual or firm not from this application process.  The City further reserves the right to waive irregularities and informalities in this process. This RFQ does not obligate the City to pay any cost incurred by applicants in responding to this RFQ. All such costs shall be borne solely by each applicant. Furthermore, this RFQ does not obligate the City to enter into a contract with any applicant responding to this RFQ.

The City of Bainbridge Island, in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (78 Stat. 252, 42 U.S.C. §§ 2000d to 2000d-4) and the Regulations, hereby notifies all bidders that it will affirmatively ensure that in any contract entered into pursuant to this advertisement, disadvantaged business enterprises will be afforded full and fair opportunity to submit bids in response to this invitation and will not be discriminated against on the grounds of race, color, or national origin in consideration for an award.

The City of Bainbridge Island in accordance with Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act (Section 504) and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) commits to nondiscrimination on the basis of disability in all its programs and activities. ?

We pledge to make our bid process accessible and user-friendly for everyone. If you are having difficulty viewing or navigating the content of this document, or note any content, feature, or functionality that you believe is not fully accessible to people with disabilities, please contact us at For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. or 206-842-2545 for assistance.

Please note the nature of your accessibility concern, the preferred format in which to receive the online material (hard copies are available), the Web page address of the requested material, and the best way to contact you.

The City of Bainbridge Island hereby notifies all bidders that all bidders and contractors will be selected, compensated and, if necessary,  terminated without regard to sex/gender, race, national origin, religion, creed, color, marital status, veteran status, age, national origin, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, genetic information or any other basis prohibited by law.

In alignment with the City of Bainbridge Island’s equity and inclusion goals, we encourage organizations led by those who identify as women or members of traditionally marginalized communities, or who are or could be certified as Minority Business Enterprise/Women Business Enterprise (MBE/WBE), Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE), or equivalent to respond.