Boston Pre-K Community-Based Providers

Boston Public Schools and the Department of Early Childhood is requesting proposals for up to 1,165 Pre-K seats from community-based organizations to serve eligible three and four-year-old students (K0 and K1), with proposals due October 23, 2026. Geographic priority is assigned to providers located in or serving Hyde Park, Mission Hill/Jamaica Plain, and West Roxbury based on identified demand in those areas.

Selected providers will deliver 6.5 hours of instruction per day for 180 days per year. Providers must comply with Boston Jobs, Living Wage, and Prevailing Wage Ordinance requirements: covered vendors with 25 or more full-time equivalent employees company-wide receiving service contracts of $25,000 or more must pay employees no less than $19.36 per hour effective July 1, 2026, subject to annual adjustment. Covered building service vendors must pay according to wage schedules provided by the contracting department. All covered vendors must complete a Vendor Agreement (Form Wage-2), submit quarterly reports (Form Wage-9), execute a First Source Hiring Agreement (Form Wage-10), and maintain payroll records and site visit documentation.

Respondents must submit a completed Certificate of Authority (Form CM-06) authorizing a designated individual to execute contracts on behalf of the organization, along with a Contractor Certification (Form CM-09) affirming good-faith bidding without collusion. All vendors must comply with Massachusetts Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) standards when conducting background checks on applicants for sensitive positions, including baseline qualification review, adverse action notice, applicant rebuttal opportunity, and consideration of offense seriousness, relevance, and age before final hiring decisions.

Vendors must provide a Certificate of Insurance (ACORD 25 form, issued within three months) naming the City of Boston as Certificate Holder and Additional Insured on applicable liability policies, with policy limits meeting contract requirements and at least thirty days' written notice of cancellation or material change. A Comprehensive Vendor Pricing Proposal document establishes the framework for cost submission. Funding derives from city and state early childhood education allocations.