The State of Washington, Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) plans to issue a Request for Qualifications and Quotations (RFQQ) to solicit responses from qualified bidders to provide management and oversight for the Capital Readiness Pilot Program as described in Washington Laws of 2023, Chapter 474, Section 1024, Subsection (10) as follows:

(10) $350,000 of the Ruth Lecocq Kagi early learning facilities development account—state appropriation in this section is provided solely for the early learning facilities capital readiness pilot program. The department, in partnership with the department of children, youth, and families, shall administer the program as part of the early learning facilities program. The early learning facilities capital readiness pilot program must support no more than 10 licensed early learning providers that will serve children through working connections child care or through the early childhood education and assistance program to study the feasibility of expanding, remodeling, purchasing, or constructing early learning facilities and classrooms. Participants must receive small grants and project support to conduct capital feasibility studies that cover financing, architectural design, construction, business operations, and other relevant topics. Participants must also have access to professional consultation related to financing, architectural design, construction, and business operations.

The Early Learning Capital Readiness Pilot Program is part of the Department of Children, Youth and Families Early Learning Facilities program. The early learning facilities capital readiness pilot program must support no more than 10 licensed early learning providers that will serve children through Working Connections Child Care (WCCC) or through the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) to study the feasibility of expanding, remodeling, purchasing, or constructing early learning facilities and classrooms.

Pilot participants must receive small grants and project support to conduct capital feasibility studies that cover financing, architectural design, construction, business operations, and other relevant topics. Successful Bidder must ensure participants have access to professional consultation related to financing, architectural design, construction, and business operations.

Potential bidders must demonstrate how they meet the following qualifications as part of their response.

All bidders must meet the following minimum qualifications:

1. Licensed to do business in the state of Washington or provide a commitment that it will become licenses in Washington within thirty (30) days of being selected as the Apparent Successful Bidder (ASB). (Mandatory Pass/Fail)
2. Provide three (3) business references for whom work has been accomplished and briefly describe the type of service provided for them. (Mandatory Pass/Fail)
3. Must have an understanding of state and national early learning trends and working with early childhood providers. (Mandatory Scored)
4. Must have professional project management experience. (Mandatory Scored)
5. Early learning and/or child care facility design and capital feasibility experience such as expanding, remodeling, purchasing, or constructing early learning facilities and classrooms. (Desirable Scored)
6. Professional experience in design approaches, conceptual plans, financing, architectural design, construction, business operations, consulting, and other topics relevant to this work. (Desirable Scored)

The RFQQ will be issued on November 13, 2023, and responses will be due on January 2, 2024. This solicitation and all its amendments are posted in the Washington’s Electronic Business Solutions (WEBS) system.  WEBS can be accessed at https://fortress.wa.gov/ga/webs/.

WEB Community Codes:               918-27     Community Development Consulting

918-32     Consulting Services (Not Otherwise Classified)

952-43     Family and Social Services (Including Shopping and Buying Services

A Zoom prebid conference is scheduled to be held on November 16, 2023, at 2:00 p.m., Pacific Time, Washington.  Bidder should participate; however, participate is not mandatory.

Zoom link:  https://dcyf.zoom.us/j/88339955613?pwd=MEMzRVUxZGc3ZldYZitMa0pmeTd4UT09

            Meeting ID:  883 3995 5613

Passcode:  167267

All bidders must be registered in WEBS to download this solicitation and receive notifications regarding amendments to the solicitation.  To register in WEBS, please follow the instructions as shown on https://des.wa.gov/services/contracting-purchasing/doing-business-state/webs-registration-search-tips.