Lifeguard & Water Safety Instructor Services

The New York State Office of Mental Health (OMH) is soliciting bids for lifeguard and water safety instructor services at the New York City Children's Center - Bronx Campus, located at 1300 Waters Place. The procurement is a five-year contract from November 1, 2025 to October 31, 2030, seeking two positions requiring 20 hours per week each: lifeguards for the facility's indoor pool and water safety instructors to teach swimming classes for all age groups. Minimum qualifications mandate candidates be at least 18 years old, possess current CPR certification from an approved NYS course, and maintain appropriate professional certifications throughout the contract term. Lifeguards must have certifications valid for up to three consecutive years, while water safety instructors must maintain their Water Safety Instructor (WSI) certification. The contract will be awarded to the responsible and responsive bidder offering the lowest total bid amount who meets all mandatory requirements, with bid tiebreakers determined by the longest business tenure. Key dates include a question submission deadline of June 12, 2025 by 3:00 PM EST, with answers distributed by June 19, 2025, and final bids due by June 27, 2025 at 3:00 PM ET.

The solicitation includes specific supplier diversity requirements, with overall goals of 30% Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBE) participation, broken down as 16% for minority-owned and 14% for women-owned businesses, along with a 6% goal for Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Businesses (SDVOB). No service-disabled veteran-owned business set-aside is specified for this contract. The previous contractor identified is Black People Will Swim, LLC, which has been awarded an identical or substantially similar procurement contract within the past five years. Bidders must submit comprehensive documentation including a Vendor Responsibility Questionnaire, proof of being in business for at least three years, tax certifications, non-collusive bidding certification, and professional references. While no specific budget range is explicitly stated, the contract will cover lifeguard and water safety instructor services across all New York State counties, with specific focus on the Bronx Campus facility. The procurement will be administered through OMH's Bureau of Procurement Enterprise Services, with all communications directed to the designated Contract Management Specialist.