Early Care and Education (ECE) Technical Assistance

The Maine Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Child and Family Services, is requesting proposals for Early Care and Education Technical Assistance services under RFP 202605084, with proposals due August 7, 2026, and questions due July 8, 2026. One contract will be awarded.

The scope encompasses coaching, navigation, and facilitation of professional learning communities for early childhood educators and ECE programs across nine designated regions in Maine. The awardee must employ no more than nine full-time equivalent ECE TA Specialists (one per region) and one half-time TA Supervisor. ECE TA Specialists must hold a bachelor's degree in early childhood education or a related field, demonstrate five years of ECE experience, and possess knowledge of Maine's ECE services and technical assistance models. The TA Supervisor must hold a master's degree in a related field, provide five years of TA services, and have ten years of total ECE experience. Key deliverables include on-site and virtual coaching focused on health and safety, program quality, staff professional development, early learning standards, program leadership, and business practices; coordination and facilitation of a minimum of ten group professional learning sessions per year per specialist; monthly data reporting; quarterly performance measure submissions; and annual outreach and marketing plans.

Mandatory performance measures require contacting 95% of requesting providers within two business days of Department referral and ensuring 90% of coaching services include a Classroom Assessment Scoring System observation or Department-approved assessment tool.

The initial contract period runs January 1, 2027, through December 31, 2028, with two optional renewal periods covering 2029–2030 and 2031. Proposals must submit fixed cost projections covering all initial and renewal periods. Evaluation uses a 100-point scale: 30 points for Organization Qualifications and Experience, 30 points for Proposed Services, and 40 points for Cost Proposal (lowest cost receives full points; others score proportionally). Background checks per the Department's State Service Contract, Rider D, Section 13, are mandatory. Proposals are submitted via the Vendor Self Service System.