DEPARTMENT: Human Services
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Melody Woosley
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: City Wide
SUBJECT:
Professional Services Contract with Shine Early Learning, Inc.
SUMMARY:
An Ordinance authorizing a one year Professional Services Agreement with an option to renew for an additional three, one - year terms with Shine Early Learning, Inc. for the provision of data analysis, individualized data management tools and ongoing staff training to support the implementation of quality and outcome-focused initiatives in Head Start Program Design and Management, Early Childhood Education and Family and Community Services, for a total amount not to exceed $560,000.00.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
The Head Start program is a federally-funded early childhood education program administered by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). The program provides education and family support services to children between the ages of three and five, and their families that are below 100% of the federal poverty level. The City of San Antonio Head Start program serves 3,020 children and their families in 27 Head Start locations in the San Antonio Independent School District (SAISD) and Edgewood Independent School District (EISD). The City of San Antonio has served as a grantee for the Head Start Program for over 30 years.
Under new Federal grant requirements, all Head Start refunding applications will require that the Head Start program describe a program approach; provide defined program outcomes; and report on progress made throughout the grant period. The goal of this change is to ensure that grantees are able to provide substantiation of the program's impact on children, families and the communities served.
As a result of these changes, the City's Head Start program published a Request for Proposal from various organizations with data analysis expertise to develop a comprehensive data collection and analysis plan to comply with this new requirement. A Request for Proposal (RFP) for Head Start Data and Management Systems Consulting was issued on August 20, 2014 and closed on September 5, 2014. COSA Head Start received two (2) responses to the RFP and selected Shine Early Learning, Inc.
Shine Early Learning will generate monthly reports measuring progress on Education, Family, and Health outcomes to provide to the Head Start program. Further, the Contractor will provide customized tracking tools at the request of the program to measure the effectiveness of other programs and services as the need arises during the school year. Finally, Shine Early Learning, Inc. will provide ongoing training to Head Start staff as to how to effectively translate the data received into practical program changes and improvements.
ISSUE:
This Ordinance authorizes the execution of a professional services contract with Shine Early Learning Inc. to provide data analysis, individualized data management tools and ongoing staff training to support the implementation of quality and outcome-focused initiatives in Head Start Program Design and Management, Early Childhood Education and Family and Community Services for a period of one (1) year with three (3) one year administrative renewal options. The total amount is not to exceed $560,000.00.
Selection of the recommended contractor, Shine Early Learning, Inc., will fulfill the City of San Antonio's obligation as a Head Start Program grantee, to ensure that the City is in compliance with Federal Head Start grant requirements.
This contract will be awarded in compliance with the Small Business Economic Development Advocacy (SBEDA) Program, which requires contracts be reviewed by a Goal Setting Committee to establish a requirement and/or incentive unique to the particular contract in an effort to maximize the amount of small, minority, and women-owned business participation on the contract. The Goal Setting Committee applied the Small Business Enterprise Prime Program with (10) evaluation preference points and Minority/Women-Owned Business Enterprise Prime Contract Program with (10) evaluation preference points. No evaluation preference points were awarded to Shine Early Learning, Inc., as they are not a certified SBE or MWBE located within the San Antonio Metropolitan Statistical Area.
Recommended award is an exception to the Local Preference Program.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program does not apply to professional service contracts governed by statute, so no preference was applied to this contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this professional services contract not be approved, the Department of Human Services will need to identify another vendor for these services which would result in delaying required data collection and analysis, and subsequent implementation of program improvements.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This action authorizes the execution of a professional services contract and three one-year renewal options, with Shine Early Learning, Inc. in an amount not to exceed $560,000.00, which will be funded utilizing the Head Start Grant. $140,000 funded out of FY 2015 Head Start budget, remaining years funding is contingent upon receipt of the Head Start Grant.
There is no fiscal impact to the General Fund.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends approval of a professional services contract with Shine Early Learning, Inc. to provide ongoing data collection and analysis services for the Head Start Program.