Hillsborough County outlines facility, staffing and site-visit requirements in Head Start pre-bid for ITB 25-00275

HILLSBOROUGH COUNTY, Fla. — Hillsborough County procurement officials on Oct. 27 reviewed technical specifications and bidder requirements for ITB 25-00275, the county's solicitation for Head Start and Early Head Start educational partners.

Dawn Zemina, the county's chief buyer, opened the pre-bid conference and told attendees the meeting was recorded and publicly noticed. "This meeting is not mandatory," she said, and cautioned bidders that "only a written addendum may change the bid document." She walked bidders through submission materials and said the deadline for bid submission is Nov. 21, 2025, at 2:00 p.m.

Maggie Jones, contracts manager for the Head Start program, summarized the solicitation's scope and basic eligibility: the county seeks licensed childcare providers to operate Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms under federal and state requirements. "Please ensure that you are familiar with" Head Start performance standards, Florida statutes and county code, Jones said.

County staff set out facility and program minimums. Classrooms must be at least 750 square feet to accommodate a 20-child Head Start classroom or an 8-child Early Head Start classroom and provide 35 usable indoor play square feet per child, exclusive of toilets, kitchens and hallways. Outdoor play areas should provide a minimum of 100 usable square…