1651-26-R-IFBD-00007-V02

The Mississippi Department of Human Services (MDHS) through its Division of Early Childhood Care and Development (DECCD) has issued an Invitation for Bids (IFB) for Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) Training Services. This three-year fixed-price contract, with options for two additional one-year renewals, seeks a vendor authorized to provide comprehensive CLASS training services, including Observation Training, Affiliate Train the Trainer sessions for Pre-K and Infant/Toddler levels, interaction essentials training, and environment trainings. The solicitation requires the vendor to deliver specific quantities of training resources such as observation participant packages, recertification codes, double coding sessions, observation score sheets, interaction dimension guides, CLASS manuals, and custom training events. Key requirements include having at least two years of experience providing similar services and being authorized to certify trainers and observers. The bid is due on August 29, 2025, at 2:00 PM Central Time, with an anticipated contract start date of September 11, 2025. For Year 1, the deliverables include one Observation Training with two participants, multiple trainer sessions, online environment trainings, and various training materials and resources.

The contract is funded through the Preschool Development Birth-Five (PDG-B5) grant and aims to restructure quality standards for early child care education by empowering educators and assessing their progress. While the document does not explicitly mention set-aside designations or restrictions for specific types of organizations, it emphasizes the need for a vendor with specialized CLASS training capabilities. The contract appears focused on a vendor's ability to provide comprehensive training services rather than limiting participation based on enterprise status. The solicitation does not indicate incumbent vendors or specify existing technology integration requirements. Though a specific budget range is not detailed, the comprehensive nature of the training services and the multi-year contract structure suggest a significant investment in improving early childhood education quality assessment capabilities. The contract's scope indicates a substantial commitment to professional development and quality measurement in Mississippi's early childhood education system.