ESBD_521007_1780009123570_FY26008RFP, Turnkey Services - Financing Redevelopment & Operator - for Downtown EP Childcare Facility.pdf

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

FY26008RFP

Turnkey Services – Financing, Redevelopment, and Operator – for Downtown El Paso Childcare Facility

Release Date: Monday, June 1, 2026

Submission Deadline: Tuesday, June 23, 2026

Workforce Solutions Borderplex, Inc.

304 Texas Ave., Suite 1400

El Paso, TX 79901

(915) 887-2200 procurement@borderplexjobs.com

Workforce Solutions Borderplex, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. Auxiliary aids are available upon request to individuals with disabilities. Relay Texas: Telecommunication Device for the Deaf (TDD) "711" or (800/735-2989), *800/735-2988 (Voice). La ayuda y los servicios están disponibles para las personas con discapacidad. Relay Texas: Sistema de comunicación para personas con problemas auditivos (TDD) "711" o

(800/735-2989), *800/735-2988 (Voz) mailto:procurement@borderplexjobs.com

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Workforce Solutions Borderplex (WSB) plays a central role in supporting the workforce in El Paso and the surrounding region by providing access to employment services, skills training, and affordable, high-quality childcare services, such as childcare assistance programs, childcare provider network support, parent education, and employer engagement. WSB serves the six counties in Far West Texas, including El Paso, Hudspeth, Culberson, Jeff Davis, Presidio, and Brewster Counties, and provides certain governmental functions and services for the benefit of the public, namely Childcare Funding and Administration.

Background Texas Gov't Code Chapter 791 authorizes Texas local governmental entities, including a county and a local workforce development board, to contract with one another to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of local government. El Paso County and WSB anticipate entering into a lease and related interlocal arrangement for a vacant County-owned building. Any resulting award under this RFP is contingent upon WSB first receiving the leasehold interest from El Paso County and then separately negotiating and executing an acceptable sublease and related agreement with the selected respondent.

Purpose In 2024, El Paso County contracted WSB to conduct a feasibility study to identify the demand for childcare services in the downtown area and the available supply of licensed providers. The feasibility study highlighted demand with ~11,000 employees working downtown and strong survey support (85% yes) for a downtown childcare center. After identification and evaluation of several potential sites, the consultant identified a County-owned vacant building at Campbell and First Ave (501 E. 1st Ave) as the preferred site to establish a childcare center. The site at 501 E. 1st Ave. meets downtown location goals and would accommodate over 90 children, filling a critical demand for downtown working parents.

El Paso County has agreed to lease the building to WSB for the purpose of allowing WSB to sublease the building to a third party that will provide turnkey services, including:

• Securing all project financing from non-WSB sources, including private financing, philanthropy, tax-credit financing, and any other lawful funding sources needed for design, construction, equipping, and start-up of the childcare facility. WSB is not committed to providing financing, reimbursement, or construction funding for the project.

• Designing, constructing, and improving the premises as necessary for operation of the childcare facility, subject to all applicable laws, permits, approvals, and the terms of the lease and sublease.

• Owning and operating the facility, after completion of construction, as a properly licensed Texas child-care operation and, if serving children through Child Care Services, participating in the Texas Rising Star program as required by Texas Workforce Commission requirements.

Governing Provisions WSB is issuing this RFP to identify a qualified respondent for potential sublease and related agreements. WSB is under no obligation to award a contract, enter into a sublease, reimburse any costs incurred in proposal preparation, or proceed with the project. Any award or agreement is contingent upon WSB's receipt of the County lease and the successful negotiation and execution of mutually acceptable final documents. All

FY26008RFP, Turnkey Services – Financing, Redevelopment, and Operator – for Downtown El Paso Childcare Facility Page 3 of 7 proposals become the property of WSB, subject to applicable law, and WSB reserves the right to reject any or all proposals, waive informalities, request clarifications, and negotiate final terms in its best interest.

Insurance Requirements Any selected respondent shall provide evidence of insurance in the types and amounts required by the final sublease and related agreements before occupancy or commencement of work at the premises. If required by the final agreement, WSB shall be named as an additional insured. Refer to Attachment A, if applicable, for insurance requirements.

Debrief

Written requests must be submitted within 10 business days of the notification of the procurement decision.

DISCLOSURES AND LEGAL NOTICES

Open Records Proposals submitted in response to this RFP may be subject to disclosure under the Texas Public Information Act, Texas Gov't Code Chapter 552. Respondents seeking protection for proprietary information must clearly identify the specific information claimed to be excepted from disclosure and provide the basis for the claim under applicable law, including Texas Gov't Code Section 552.1101, as applicable. WSB does not guarantee that any information will be withheld from disclosure except as provided by law.

Misrepresentation Any materially false statement or material misrepresentation may result in disqualification, rejection of a proposal, termination of negotiations, or any other remedy available under applicable law.

Outstanding Concerns Respondents shall disclose any material pending litigation, arbitration, governmental investigation, audit finding, suspension, debarment, or other matter that could reasonably affect the respondent's ability to perform the proposed project or enter into the contemplated agreements.

Procurement Standards This solicitation is for the potential award of a sublease and related agreements for a respondent-financed project. Except as expressly stated in a final written agreement, WSB is not providing project financing or construction funding and is not obligating federal, state, or local program funds for the respondent's development costs. The selected respondent shall be solely responsible for complying with all laws, regulations, licensing requirements, and financing conditions applicable to its proposal, project development, and facility operations.

Anticipated Schedule

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Activity Date & Time (MST)

Issuance of RFP Monday, June 1, 2026

Questions Deadline Thursday, June 11, 2026, 11:30 p.m.

Answers to Questions Posted Tuesday, June 16, 2026, by 4 p.m.

Proposals Due Tuesday, June 23, 2026, 3:00 p.m.

Contract Start Date Anticipated Sublease /Agreement Execution

Submission of Proposals WSB utilizes an all-digital procurement system. All proposals shall be submitted exclusively to the procurement email address, procurement@borderplexjobs.com

• Deadline: 3:00 p.m. MST on the date specified above.

• Official Record: The arrival of the email timestamp shall serve as the only official record of receipt.

• No Exceptions: Late submissions shall not be accepted. No hand-delivered or mailed proposals will be considered responsive.

Solicitation Workforce Solutions Borderplex ("WSB") is soliciting proposals from qualified firms interested in entering into a turnkey sublease and related agreements for the premises. The selected respondent would be expected to secure project financing, including private funding and new market tax credits if proposed, design and construct the childcare facility improvements, and, after completion, operate the facility as a properly licensed Texas child-care operator in compliance with applicable Texas Health and Human Services Commission requirements and Texas Workforce Commission program requirements.

Scope of Services Submitted proposals for this RFP must offer the following skills, qualifications, functional expertise, and deliverables as outlined below.

• The firm shall have the following expertise and/or experience, as applicable to its proposed project:

o Financially structured and developing complex public/private projects, with a detailed understanding of new market tax credits.

o Working within the legal environment and regulations governing the structuring of multi-party agreements involving both public and private entities sharing ownership, investment, risk, liability, and revenues.

o Managing and operating a licensed and regulated childcare facility within Texas Health and Human Services Licensing and Texas Workforce Commission requirements.

o Providing other expertise and/or experience that aligns with the objectives and elements of the Project.

Deliverables The firm shall secure financing, complete construction, and obtain a certificate of occupancy no later than December 31, 2030. The firm shall begin operating the facility under the licenses and permits required by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission. It shall operate the childcare center in compliance with applicable mailto:procurement@borderplexjobs.com

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Texas Health and Human Services Commission child-care regulations and Texas Workforce Commission Child Care Services and Texas Rising Star requirements, as applicable.

Interviews Selected firms may be invited to make presentations to WSB staff. Representative(s) attending and/or hosting these presentations must be qualified to respond to questions related to any component of the proposal.

Proposal Submittal Instructions This section outlines instructions for proposal submissions. Respondents should follow these instructions to facilitate review and evaluation. WSB reserves the right to determine responsiveness and to reject proposals that materially fail to comply with the requirements of this RFP.

WSB requires detailed responses to every section within this RFP. Concise and clear content are emphasized and encouraged. To facilitate the review of the responses, firms shall follow the following format, meant to expedite review and evaluation:

- No more than 15 numbered pages, including resumes, combined into 1 PDF-formatted document.

- Emailed to Procurement@borderplexjobs.com by 3:00 pm on June 23, 2026.

All proposals should include concise but complete information about the capabilities and experience of your company related to similar projects. All responses must include information as described below:

1. Background and Overview

• Provide a brief history and overview of your firm's background, including the number of years your organization has been in operation.

• The first and last name, title/position, resume, and background of all key individuals, including consultants and contractors, to be associated with the Project.

2. Experience and Qualifications

• Describe your firm's experience and any qualifications that relate to the project.

• Provide examples of completed and operating similar projects, in which the firm played a primary role.

• Provide at least 1 client reference, including first and last name, telephone number, and e-mail address, for whom you have conducted similar services. Each listed reference should include a brief description of that project.

3. Proposed Project Concept, Finance Plan, and Approach

• A comprehensive proposal to provide full turn-key services and/or deliverables, including incurring all fees and costs.

• Outline who would develop, own, manage, operate, capitalize, refresh, renovate, repair, and maintain all facets, features, and components of the project, as needed, to keep the project in a first-class condition during the initial lease of a 20-year term

• Describe your experience with managing and operating a licensed and regulated childcare facility.

• Include any additional information specific to the parameters of the RFP that will assist WSB in the overall consideration of your proposal.

4. Finance Plan

• Provide a project plan for securing funding from the philanthropy community, including, but not limited to, grants, foundations, and new market tax credits.

• Disclose the financial capability of your firm to finance its proposed project readily.

5. Exceptions

• Disclose any potential conflict of interest that the firm or any of its team members may have with WSB.

mailto:Procurement@borderplexjobs.com

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• Disclose whether you or any member of your firm has been involved in any transaction in which it defaulted on a government contract, was suspended, or debarred by a government agency.

Evaluation All proposals will be screened by an evaluation committee of WSB management. WSB's evaluation committee will evaluate the RFPs received based on the following criteria:

Criteria Maximum Points

Background and Overview 10

Experience & Qualifications (Including P3 History) 30

Proposed Project Concept and 20-Year Operational Approach 30

Finance Plan (Proven NMTC & Philanthropic Track Record) 30

Total Base Points 100

VetHUB Tiebreaker Rule

Under the Veteran Heroes United in Business (VetHUB) Program, 5 points will be awarded only in the event of a tie between equally scored proposals. Respondents shall provide a valid VetHUB Certification Number and certificate to qualify.

Evaluation ratings will be on a 100-point scale, and those proposers selected for a short list may be invited to attend an interview at the proposer's own expense. Any invitation for an oral presentation will be solely for the purpose of clarifying proposals received from each qualifying proposer and will not represent any decision on the part of the evaluation committee as to the selection of a successful proposer.

Upon review of the proposals, WSB may begin negotiations with the highest-ranked respondent. If a sublease and related agreement cannot be successfully negotiated, WSB is not obligated to enter into any agreement with any respondent on any terms or conditions. If WSB determines that additional information is needed to assess best value, WSB may conduct interviews with one or more respondents without further obligation.

Until an award is made or the solicitation is canceled, WSB may limit disclosure of proposal contents to the extent permitted by applicable law and reasonably necessary for evaluation and negotiations. After an award or cancellation, proposals may be subject to disclosure in accordance with applicable law. All proposals become the property of WSB.

WSB reserves the right to negotiate the final fee prior to recommending any firm for a contract. WSB reserves the right to use all pertinent information (also learned from sources other than disclosed in the RFP process) that might affect WSB's judgment as to the appropriateness of an award. WSB reserves the right to waive any irregularities, request additional information from any respondent, reject any respondent, or cancel the entire process, any of which should be deemed in WSB's best interest.

Supplemental Material (optional)

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• Provide any supplemental material that may clarify any of the other materials. This material may or may not be included in the evaluation of the proposal, solely at the discretion of the evaluation team.

Forms (Attachment A)

• Conflict of Interest Questionnaire (if applicable) must be signed and returned with the proposal.

• Offeror Certification and Addenda Acknowledgment (if applicable) must be signed and returned with the proposal.

Authority of Workforce Solutions Borderplex:

Workforce Solutions Borderplex ("WSB") is the local workforce development board established under Tex— Gov't Code Section 2308.253. WSB operates as a nonprofit organization pursuant to Tex. Gov't Code Section

2308.266 and administers workforce and childcare programs in the Borderplex region as authorized by applicable state and federal law, including Tex. Gov't Code Chapter 2308. Nothing in this RFP obligates WSB to expend public funds for respondent development costs except as may be expressly provided in a final written agreement.

WSB will engage a selected firm only if and when it has executed a lease agreement with El Paso County.