The Early Learning Coalition of Putnam and St. Johns Counties, Inc. is requesting proposals for School Readiness and Voluntary Prekindergarten services in Putnam and St. Johns Counties. The potential contractor will be responsible for coordinating and delivering School Readiness services to children birth through 12 years of age and Voluntary Prekindergarten (VPK) services for four year old children in fiscal year 2009/2010.   Services include Child Care Resource and Referral, Inclusion, Quality Support Services, Eligibility and Enrollment, and Fiscal Administration.

The Request for Proposal will be released January 12, 2009 and may be obtained at: www.elcpsj.org. The Notice of Intent to Submit a Proposal is due to the Coalition no later than January 26, 2009, 4:00 p.m. (EST).   The deadline for all sealed proposals to be submitted to the Coalition is no later than March 2, 2009, 4:00 p.m. (EST).   The date, time, and location of the Public Opening of Proposals is included in the Calendar of Events in the RFP document posted to the Coalition website, as well as all other dates, times, and locations of events as it relates to this RFP. The anticipated dates for the Posting of the Notice of Intended Award are April 2 – April 6, 2009 to the Coalition’s website: www.elcpsj.org. Certified Minority Business Enterprises are encouraged to submit a proposal.

Only written correspondence and/or inquiries directed to the Coalition’s Procurement Manager (who is the sole point of contact with the Coalition for purposes of this RFP) will be accepted. The Procurement Manager’s name and contact information is: Robert K. Hund, C.P.A., Early Learning Coalition of Putnam and St. Johns Counties, Inc., 200 Reid Street, Suite 2, Palatka, FL 32177, rhund@elcpsj.org.

After the release of this RFP, if any solicitation revisions become necessary or appropriate, as determined by the Coalition, the Coalition will electronically post the addenda to the Coalition’s website: www.elcpsj.org. Proposers are responsible for checking the Coalition website and contacting the Coalition’s Point of Contact for this solicitation before the RFP deadline to ascertain whether any addenda have been issued.

The Early Learning Coalition of Putnam and St. Johns Counties, Inc. reserves the right to reject any and all solicitations or ignore or correct minor irregularities when it is in the best interest of the Coalition.

Funding Sources: The project described in this RFP and the resulting Contract will be funded by the General Revenue from the State of Florida and Federal funds. The State of Florida Voluntary Prekindergarten Program is 100% state funded. The State of Florida School Readiness Program, on a statewide level, is approximately 76.24% federally funded.

Sponsored by: Early Learning Coalition of Putnam and St. Johns Counties, Inc., and the State of Florida, Agency for Workforce Innovation.