TEACH

Here is a two-paragraph summary of the state and local contracting opportunity related to the Teacher Education and Compensation Helps (TEACH) scholarship program in Florida:

This opportunity is for a single-source procurement by the Florida Department of Education, Division of Early Learning (DEL), to administer the TEACH scholarship program. The TEACH program provides educational scholarships to caregivers and administrators of early childhood programs, family day care homes, large family child care homes, and early learning coalition (ELC) staff, with the goal of increasing education, training, compensation, and reducing turnover in the early child care field. The intended single source is Children's Forum, Inc., who has been the sole licensed entity in Florida authorized to deliver the TEACH program since 1998. The original contract amount is $10,000,000 per fiscal year, with an additional $1,150,000 added for FY23/24 for a total contract value of $11,150,000. The contract term is 60 months. Interested parties should review the single-source documentation and provide information to the contact person by 3:00 PM on August 9, 2023, if they feel they can provide the described services.

This is a single-source procurement, as Children's Forum, Inc. is the sole licensed entity in Florida authorized to deliver the TEACH program. There are no set-aside designations or restrictions on the types of organizations that can respond. The approved American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) Discretionary Child Care and Development Fund Spend Plan includes allowing ELC staff to participate in the scholarship program before June 30, 2024, when the ARPA monies expire. The single-source procurement has been approved by various DEL and Department of Education officials.