INVITATION TO BID
BACKGROUND
The Early Learning Coalition of Duval (the Coalition) was established legislatively in 1999 and is mandated by the Florida Legislature Section 411.01, Florida Statutes, to provide early learning programs to children and families in Duval County, which include the School Readiness Program and Voluntary Pre-kindergarten Program. These programs must be developmentally appropriate and research-based, involve parents as their child’s first teacher, serve as preventive measures for children at risk of future school failure, enhance the educational readiness of eligible children, and support family education.
The Coalition’s primary goal is to provide quality early care and voluntary pre-kindergarten education services that prepare children to be “school ready” upon entry into kindergarten.
BID SUBMISSION
The Coalition is a not-for-profit corporation in the State of Florida and is seeking to purchase Educational and Classroom Learning Materials, Equipment, Curriculum, Curriculum Training, and Consumable Supplies. The Coalition requests a bid for commodities and services based on the specifications described in Attachment A. The quote for commodities and services must include the following information:
● Company name and address
● Company telephone and fax number
● Company contact, telephone number, and e-mail address
● Company website address
● Federal I.D. #
● A detailed discounted price list itemizing learning materials, equipment, curriculum, supplies and/or services described in Attachment A
● A detailed summary of value added products and/or services including but not limited to, customer service, shipping costs/discounts, ability to drop ship materials, rush order delivery discounts, provider conference and training support, special events support (such as community events, provider appreciation events, etc.) and any other value added enhancements available
● The bid should be signed and dated by an authorized representative of the vendor on company letterhead
Upon receipt of all bids, the Coalition will review and make a decision based on the best value offered. Most importantly, the selected vendor(s) will be required to enter into an agreement with each Coalition to guarantee the product/service specifications, prices quoted, and value added services described, as well as to ensure adherence to all applicable state and/or federal laws. A bidder must be a reputable vendor specializing in learning materials for early education and care environments. All early learning materials should be of good quality with a minimum discount of 20% for each item.
Sealed bids must be mailed or delivered to the Early Learning Coalition of Duval to arrive no later than 4:00 p.m. – Friday, September 12, 2008. A bidder that submits a bid by mail should allow sufficient mail handling time to ensure timely delivery of the bid to the Coalition office located at:
Early Learning Coalition of Duval
Attention: Padma Rajan
4190 Belfort Road, Suite 130
Jacksonville, FL 32216
Electronic and/or faxed bid submissions will not be accepted. Questions and/or comments may be addressed by contacting Padma Rajan, Director of Programs at prajan@elcofduval.org. Telephone inquiries will not be accepted.
AWARD PROCESS
Award(s) will be made to one or more selected qualified bidder(s), based on their ability to provide the services and commodities as specified in Attachment A, value added enhancements available, the bidder’s experience in providing the requested items, and the quality of any previous services and commodities provided as determined from the bids.
The Coalition reserves the right to review all items listed on any price invoice to evaluate components that include, but are not limited to, product quality, durability, and developmental age-appropriateness.
The Coalition reserves the right to reject any or all bids, to waive any informality of bids, and to accept in whole, or in part, each bid as may be deemed in the best interest of the Coalition.
MULTIPLE AWARDS
Recognizing that no one dealer, agency, jobber, or publisher will be able to supply all of the materials to be covered by this bid, it is anticipated that contracts will be entered into with a number of vendors, some specializing in particular types of materials and/or particular services.
AWARD PERIOD
Once the bid award has been issued, one or more contracts shall be signed by the Coalition for a period of one (1) year with the vendor(s) of choice with an option of 2 one-year annual renewals. Price quotes must be guaranteed for the first year; however, costs may be re-negotiated at the beginning of each fiscal year (July 1st). If no price adjustments are submitted by the vendor to the Coalition during the period of June 1st to June 15th for subsequent years covered by this Request, the most current quote shall apply for the following fiscal year. Price increases submitted by the vendor(s) during the designated negotiation timeframe that exceed 10% over the previous year’s pricing may be subject to immediate termination of the contract.
PUBLIC ENTITY CRIMES
A person or affiliate who has been placed on the convicted vendor list following a conviction for a public entity crime may not submit a bid on a contract to provide any goods or services to a public entity, may not submit a bid on a contract with a public entity for the construction or repair of a public building or public work, may not submit bids on leases of real property to a public entity, may not be awarded or perform work as a contractor, supplier, subcontractor, or consultant under a contract with any public entity, and may not transact business with any public entity in excess of the threshold amount provided in Section 287.017, F.S., for CATEGORY TWO for a period of 36 months from the date of being placed on the convicted vendor list.
ATTACHMENT A
SPECIFIC INSTRUCTIONS
In accordance with Section 411.01, F.S., Coalitions are required to ensure that programs are developmentally appropriate and research-based, involve parents as their child’s first teacher, serve as preventive measures for children at risk of future school failure, enhance the educational readiness of eligible children, and support family education.
Please submit a comprehensive price list of products and/or services that will address the specific goals of each of the categories listed below. Bidders may submit quotes for all the categories or a portion of the categories. All bids must clearly designate the category(ies) for which the products and/or trainings apply. Each list must include, but not be limited to, a product name, product/item number, retail price, discounted price or percentage discount, and a designation for each product and/or service that can only be purchased through your company (sole source).
Estimated Totals: The coalition may increase or decrease its estimated investments in any amount based on the needs of the coalition and funding appropriations made by the legislature.
Category I – Environment Rating Scale Materials
Estimated Purchase Total: $650,000
To evaluate the implementation effectiveness of legislative requirements described above, the Coalition utilizes the following evaluation tools:
● Early Childhood Environment Rating Scale – designed to assess group programs for children of preschool through kindergarten age – 2 1/2 through 5. Areas measured include, but are not limited to: Space and Furnishings; Personal Care Routines; Language-Reasoning; Activities; Interaction; Program Structure; and Parents and Staff.
● Infant/Toddler Environment Rating Scale – designed to assess group programs for children from birth to 2 1/2 years of age. Areas measured include, but are not limited to: Space and Furnishings; Personal Care Routines; Listening and Talking; Activities; Interaction; Program Structure; and Parents and Staff.
GOAL 1: Provide early education materials, indoor and outdoor equipment, and manipulatives to early learning providers that will strengthen early learning classroom environments in the areas identified in the Environment Rating Scales.
GOAL 2: Provide technical assistance and training in the areas identified in the Environment Rating Scales.
Category II – Performance Standards and Outcome Measures
Estimated Purchase Total: $75,000
To enhance the implementation effectiveness of legislative requirements in meeting key developmental benchmarks, the Coalition utilizes the following references (as periodically amended):
● Florida Performance Standards and Outcome Measures for Birth – Three Year Olds
● Florida Performance Standards and Outcome Measures for Three – Five Year Olds
● Florida Voluntary Pre-kindergarten Performance Standards and Outcome Measures
GOAL: Provide materials that stimulate language and communication, mathematical and scientific thinking, emergent literacy, social and emotional development, motor development, physical health, etc. for birth to three)
Category III – Curriculum and/or Training
Estimated Purchase Total: $150,000
To strengthen classroom activities and maximize the overall learning environment in all early learning settings, the Coalition requires that providers select and implement an early learning curriculum. These include, but are not limited to: Creative Curriculum, High/Scope, High Reach, Scholastic, Language for Literacy, Fun Shine Express, Montessori, Beyond Centers and Circle Time, Doors to Discovery, WEE Learn, Letter People, DLM Early Childhood Express and others as identified.
GOAL: Provide research-based curriculum to early learning providers to maximize effective classroom instruction and overall learning environments.
GOAL: Provide curriculum training to early learning providers to maximize early educator staff understanding and effective curriculum implementation.
Category IV – Classroom Consumable Supplies
Estimated Purchase Total: $20,000
To strengthen activities offered in classroom settings that encourage fine and gross motor skill development, hand and eye coordination, and other key developmental skills, the Coalition may provide a wide range of consumable products.
GOAL: Provide consumable supplies, including but not limited to, construction paper, glue, paint, crayons, markers, etc. that can be used to strengthen key developmental skill sets as identified above.
SERVICES
All items purchased through a contract as a result of this award:
● Will be delivered to a number of destinations in Duval with no or discounted shipping fees charged to the Coalition or the delivery destination.
● Will be stored at the vendor’s facility until delivery with no storage fees charged to either the Coalition or the delivery destination.