DEPARTMENT: Pre-K 4 SA
DEPARTMENT HEAD: Sarah Baray, Ph.D.
COUNCIL DISTRICTS IMPACTED: Citywide
SUBJECT:
Annual Contract for Professional Learning & Development Platform for Pre-K 4 SA
SUMMARY:
This item authorizes acceptance of a contract with Kickup, Inc. to provide a professional learning and development platform for one year, with two, one-year options to renew for a total contract value not to exceed $123,387.00.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION:
Pre-K 4 SA is a comprehensive early learning initiative designed to develop a more productive workforce, healthier and more engaged families, less poverty, and civic-minded young adults to take San Antonio into the future. A key tenet of Pre-K 4 SA’s work is proving professional learning to strengthen San Antonio’s early learning workforce. As a publicly funded program, Pre-K 4 SA has a responsibility to measure the costs and benefits of services provided and communicate the return on investment to the San Antonio community. Systematically collecting data for a cost-benefit analysis of professional learning services requires a data management system designed to capture and report a complex set of measures associated with knowledge work. Such measures include number of participants, time engaged, content covered, effect on student outcomes, teacher attributes, and behavior changes. A comprehensive platform to house and generate reports on the data for these purposes is critical.
Each year, Pre-K 4 SA’s Professional Learning (PL) division provides over 10,000 hours of best-in-class professional education to increase the knowledge and skill of early childhood teachers and leaders throughout San Antonio. This team is also a recognized, Texas Education Agency (TEA) Authorized Provider of Texas House Bill 3 (HB3) Reading Academies, passed by the 86th Texas Legislature in June of 2019. The PL department is also nationally recognized as a Gold Standard provider of the Child Development Associates credentialing. The team provides ongoing educational resources that include seminars, workshops, coaching and credentialing to preschool (infant through age five) through school age (K through 3rd grade) early childhood educators throughout San Antonio.
The Pre-K 4 SA PL Team consists of learning specialists dedicated to mentoring and educating early childhood education teachers, leaders, coaches, and specialists. The purpose is to increase the number of highly skilled early learning teachers and leaders in San Antonio, improve teacher credentialing, serve as the pipeline for Early Childhood Education (ECE) leadership, and increase the number of accredited ECE Centers in San Antonio.
To enhance the professional learning services and to monitor teachers’ growth, the Pre-K 4 SA PL Team provides training results and strategic planning regularly for school districts. All the training services, data collection, data analysis, and reporting require a comprehensive software platform. This comprehensive platform not only allows Pre-K 4 SA PL Team to manage training events efficiently, but also provides a one-stop resource for all participating educators and stakeholders to the program.
Pre-K 4 SA worked in coordination with the City’s Finance Department, Purchasing Division (Purchasing) to develop a Request for Competitive Sealed Proposals (RFCSP) to meet the needs of the program. The City issued a Request for Competitive Sealed Proposal for “Professional Learning & Development Platform for Pre-K 4 SA” on May 21, 2021, with a submission deadline of June 23, 2021. One proposal was received.
The evaluation committee met on July 14, 2021 to evaluate the proposal received. After committee review and evaluation, Kickup, Inc. was recommended for award by the evaluation committee based on consensus scoring.
The evaluation committee consisted of representatives from the Information Technology and Services Department and Pre-K 4 SA. The Finance Department, Purchasing Division facilitated by ensuring compliance with City procurement policies and procedures.
The initial term of the agreement is November 19, 2021 through November 18, 2022. At Corporation’s option, this contract may be renewed for two additional, one-year periods and shall be authorized by this action.
ISSUE:
Pre-K 4 SA staff requests Board action authorizing acceptance of a contract with Kickup, Inc. to provide a professional learning and development platform for one year, with two, one-year options to renew for a total contract value not to exceed $123,387.00.
This contract is within the scope of the SBEDA Program. However, due to lack of available firms and/or subcontracting opportunities, the Goal Setting Committee was unable to apply a SBEDA tool to this contract.
This contract is an exception to the Local Preference Program.
The Veteran-Owned Small Business Preference Program does not apply to non-professional service contracts, so no preference was applied to this contract.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should this contract not be accepted, the Pre-K 4 SA Professional Learning team would be unable to reliably and systematically collect, analyze, and report cost-benefit data.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This item authorizes acceptance of a contract with Kickup, Inc. to provide a professional learning and development platform for one year, with two, one-year renewal options for a total contract value not to exceed $123,387.00.
Funds are budgeted and available within the FY 2022 Pre-K 4 SA Adopted Budget. Future contract year funds are contingent upon approval of the annual operating budget by the Board of Directors.
RECOMMENDATION:
Staff recommends for the Board to authorize acceptance of a contract with Kickup, Inc. to provide a professional learning and development platform for one year, with two, one-year options to renew for a total contract value not to exceed $123,387.00.