Hillsborough County issues ITB for Head Start educational partners; bids due Nov. 21

Hillsborough County's Head Start Department held a pre-bid conference on Oct. 27, 2025, for ITB 25-00275, inviting licensed child-care providers to submit competitively sealed bids to serve as educational partners for Head Start and Early Head Start. Dawn D'Amina, the county's chief buyer, opened the session and reminded attendees that "this meeting is not mandatory" and that only written addenda will change the solicitation.

County contracts manager Maggie Jones said the solicitation seeks partners that meet Head Start Performance Standards and state and local licensing requirements, and she urged bidders to review the solicitation attachments, including classroom materials and the Head Start calendar. Jones said contractors must provide classrooms of at least 750 square feet and allow a minimum of 35 usable indoor square feet per child, with Head Start classrooms sized for 20 children and Early Head Start classrooms sized for eight.

Dane Telfer, manager of fiscal services for Head Start, said site visits will play a critical role in the selection process. "I strongly encourage everyone to look towards exceeding the expectation, not just to to meet it," he said, adding that the county will evaluate facility layout, playground quality, parking, drop-off/pick-up procedures and ADA compliance during on-site inspections. He noted the county prefers modern playground surfaces and described the outdoor space requirement as providing a minimum of 100 square feet of usable playground space per child with rotation so the outdoor area accommodates roughly half the enrolled children at any one time.

The solicitation lists specific facility and operational requirements: two hand-wash sinks per classroom (one in-classroom and a second in the bathroom), a minimum 150-square-foot food-preparation area with three-compartment sinks and approved refrigeration for meals, 150 square feet for office staff and 150 square feet for a reception area, and parking to support two spaces per classroom plus three administrative spaces. Contractors must also supply and maintain classroom furniture, equipment and age-appropriate software (minimum Microsoft Office 365 or equivalent).

On staffing and personnel, the county requires education supervisors, curriculum specialists or program directors, qualified teachers and teacher assistants, and infant/toddler specialists when applicable. Ratios cited by county staff call for at least one teacher and one assistant in a Head Start classroom of 20 children and two staff (teacher and assistant) for Early Head Start rooms of eight children. Contractors are responsible for the cost and documentation of criminal background checks, physicals and TB tests (to be updated every two years) and must keep affidavits of good moral character in personnel files.

The county will provide curriculum and assessment tools to contractors; staff named Frog Street as the county curriculum and said CLASS is used for assessment. County staff will also provide mental health consultation, health and dental screenings, and assist with eligibility, recruitment, selection and enrollment. The Head Start office will fill vacancies from its wait list and requires contractors to notify the county within one business day of any vacancy.

Reporting and oversight provisions include monthly claims forms (number of classrooms open, attendance days) and quality-assurance monitoring. Contractors with total income above $750,000 must provide an annual audit report. County staff warned that repeated compliance plans (more than twice in one month) could be deemed a material breach of contract.

Bidders were shown two bid tables to submit: daily training rates for teachers and assistants (to cover pay when training falls on a class day or requires a substitute) and weekly rates for a full Early Head Start classroom and a full Head Start classroom. Dawn D'Amina said invoices are submitted monthly and that, once a classroom is open and meets staffing and facility requirements, the contractor may bill for the full classroom capacity for the week even if enrollment has not reached the maximum, provided shortfall is not the contractor's fault.

The county defined two ZIP-code clusters to prioritize awards where needs are greatest. Maggie Jones and Dane Telfer listed cluster targets: cluster 1—20 Early Head Start classrooms (maximum eight children each) and six Head Start classrooms (maximum 20 children each); cluster 2—11 Early Head Start classrooms and six Head Start classrooms. Telfer said evaluators will prioritize proposals based on proximity to service needs when bids are otherwise comparable.

Procurement terms outlined that the award will go to the lowest responsive and responsible bidder meeting specifications; the county may award by line item, group, or overall total. Because federal funds will be involved, contracts include standard federal clauses and requirements (for example, Clean Air Act and Davis-Bacon Act provisions listed in the solicitation). Delivery of services must be ready within seven days of the county issuing a purchase order.

In a question-and-answer period, staff clarified procedural points: the deviations form is optional and the bidder-questionnaire (company EIN and attestations) is required; questions must be submitted in writing via the procurement portal and the deadline for questions is 14 calendar days after the pre-bid conference. On payment for additional office or other space, Telfer said any arrangement beyond the listed minimum requirements would require separate negotiation after award and agreement on the specific space and terms. On mental health services, county staff said the Head Start Performance Standards govern required activities and that the county holds a separate mental health contract for referrals and services; bidders were advised to request written clarifications if they need more detail.

Dawn D'Amina closed the session by reminding bidders the solicitation due date is Nov. 21, 2025, at 2:00 p.m. and that the recording of the pre-bid conference will be posted. "The recording of this meeting will be posted as soon as possible," she said.

The solicitation, attachments and procurement portal contain the full technical specifications, forms and submission instructions; bidders were repeatedly directed to submit any substantive questions in writing so responses can be shared publicly through the portal.