(1) The department shall establish a programmatic approach, or plan, for the selection and solicitation of TIP projects. The plan will include maintaining a registry of projects eligible for development under a competitive solicitation process. The projects must meet all eligibility requirements of WAC 468-600-015(4). The projects should be reasonably described, including the status of any preliminary development or construction, and any public or private funds committed for any phase of the project, whether expended, appropriated, earmarked or otherwise identified as available for use.

(2) The department shall periodically update the information in the registry, and shall review and consider additions or deletions to the registry at least every two years. When considering additional projects for the registry, or removal of the projects on the registry, the department must publish a request for information that seeks comments and suggestions from the public and private sectors.

(3) At least once every two years, the department must develop a plan for conducting a solicitation of proposals under the TIP program. The purpose of this plan is to:

(a) Encourage sound programming and budgeting practices, which are the basis for submittals required under chapter 43.88 RCW;

(b) Ensure that the department does not issue a request for proposals that exceeds the resources available to properly evaluate, select and enter into development agreements;

(c) Ensure that development of projects under the TIP program would not run contrary to any legislatively enacted direction or express executive policies or directions; and

(d) Provide potential proposers an anticipated schedule for the solicitation and development of certain projects on the registry.

In selecting projects for competitive solicitation, the department should endeavor to follow the published plan for soliciting proposals for projects on the registry. However, the department is not required to solicit only those projects contained on the registry, nor is it required to conduct a solicitation for a predetermined number of projects each year or biennium, nor is it required to undertake projects in the exact order of consideration as published in the Register.