FY 2017 GRANT APPLICATION (RFR)
FY 2017 Inclusive Preschool Learning Environments Grant - FUND CODE 391
GRANT APPLICATION (RFR) # IPLE Grant 391 / COMMBUYS Bid# 16-1037-1037C-1037L-00000008393
ISSUE DATE: May 10, 2016
Purchasing Department / Department of Early Education and Care /Address / 51 Sleeper Street, 4th floor
City, State Zip Code / Boston, MA 02210
Procurement Contact Person/Policy Contact Person / Cathy Depradine/Evelyn Nellum
Telephone Number / 617-988-2432/617-988-6646
Fax Number / 617-988-2451
E-Mail Address /
Grant Application (RFR) Name/Title / FY 2017 Inclusive Preschool Learning Environments
Fund Code / 391
Grant Application RFR Number / IPLE RFR 391
COMMBUYS Bid Number / 16-1037-1037C-1037L-00000008393
Description or Purpose of Procurement:
Through this renewal Grant Application, the Department of Early Education and Care ("EEC") seeks to provide direct preschool services through the FY 2017 Inclusive Preschool Learning Environments ("IPLE") Grant. The IPLE Grant is designed to support preschool learning environments serving preschool-aged children with and without disabilities in high quality, inclusive early education and care settings. This grant was formerly known as Chapter 188/Phase I Direct Services of Community Partnership for Children (CPC) Grant.
Applicable Procurement Law
Check Appropriate Box (“X”): / Type of Purchase / Applicable Laws // Executive Branch Goods and Services /
/ Goods and Services / MGL c. 7, § 22; c. 30, § 51, § 52; 801 CMR 21.00 /
/ Human and Social Services / MGL c. 7, § 22, § 22N; c. 30, § 51, § 52; 801 CMR 21.00; 808 CMR 1.00 /
/ Legal Services / MGL c. 30, § 51, § 52 and § 65; c. 7, § 22; and 801 CMR 21.01(2) (b) /
/ Grants / MGL c. 7A, § 7; St. 1986 c. 206, § 17; 815 CMR 2.00 /
Acquisition Method:
Check All Applicable (“X”): / Category // Fee-For-Service /
/ Outright Purchase /
/ Rental (not to exceed 6 months) /
/ Term Lease /
/ Tax Exempt Lease-Purchase (TELP) /
/ License /
/ Other: Renewal /
Whether Single or Multiple Contractors are Required for Contract:
Check One (“X”): // Single Contractor /
/ Multiple Contractors /
a. Estimated Number of Awards
The target maximum number of Contractors is 92; the Purchasing Department may award more or fewer contracts, if it is in the best interests of the Commonwealth to do so.
b. Adding Contractors after initial Contract Award
If, over the life of the contract, the Purchasing Department determines that additional Contractors may be added, these may be drawn from qualified companies, which responded to this Solicitation but were not awarded Contracts. If necessary to meet the requirements of the Commonwealth, the Solicitation may be reopened to obtain additional Bids.
Eligibility Requirements:
This is a renewal grant. This grant is open to vendors or their sub-recipients that received IPLE grant funds in FY 2016, provided that the FY 2016 Lead Agencies or sub-recipients continue to meet eligibility requirements outlined below.
To be eligible to apply for funding through this renewal grant:
1. Applicants must have the capacity to continue to serve preschool-aged children in EEC-licensed group and center based programs, Head Start programs and/or public preschool programs.
2. Applicants must continue to be in good standing with EEC by ensuring the satisfaction of all requirements the FY 2016 IPLE grant.
3. All programs recommended for these renewal funds must continue to have the capacity to serve preschool-aged children[1] with and without disabilities and offer inclusive preschool learning environments in the same IPLE-funded sites that served children through the FY 2016 IPLE Grant, when feasible.
4. Applicants must ensure that the program sites supported with IPLE funding will meet one (1) of the following Massachusetts Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS Participation Requirements[2]:
o A program that received IPLE-funded in FY 2016 that is recommended to continue to receive IPLE grant funds in FY 2017 must have a Center Based/School Based QRIS Application with a Status of QRIS Rating Granted at QRIS Level 1 or higher issued on or before the FY 2017 Grant Application submission date. As part of the grant application submission, the program must submit a copy of the QRIS Summary Profile as a Required Form in the Grant Application showing that the program has received QRIS Rating Granted at QRIS Level 1 or higher.
o A program that received IPLE-funded in FY 2016 that is recommended to continue to receive IPLE grant funds in FY 2017 that has not attained a QRIS Rating Granted at QRIS Level 1 or higher must submit a Continuous Quality Improvement Plan (CQIP) as a required form in the grant application. This plan must clearly state the steps that the program will take to ensure that the program will attain a QRIS Rating Granted at QRIS Level 1 or higher by or before December 1, 2016[3]
o A program, recommended for funding, that is scheduled to open as a new public preschool program site for the upcoming school year, must agree to participate in QRIS and submit the QRIS Level 1 Self-Assessment for Public School Early Education Programs and the CQIP as Required Forms in the Grant Application. This plan must clearly state the steps that the program will take to ensure that the program will have completed and submitted a Center based/School Based QRIS Application with a QRIS status of Final Submitted to EEC with a self-assessed level at Level 1 or higher by or before December 1, 2016.[4]
5. All preschool settings (classrooms and sessions) designated for funding must meet the criteria of an inclusive preschool learning environment as defined under the Required Services and be in good standing with EEC.
If an applicant proposes subcontracting some of its required services, the applicant must submit the proposed subcontracted services for any subcontractor and proposed partner as part of its grant application response. Please note that all such subcontracts must be in writing and approved by EEC prior to their execution.
A list of the FY 2017 Eligible Grantees and their maximum grant eligibility amount is listed in Appendix C: FY17 IPLE Grant Eligibility List.
Please note that EEC reserves the right to not award or withhold this grant funding from any applicant that has not fulfilled their FY 2016 IPLE's QRIS Participation and/or performance and fiscal reporting requirements.
Failure to satisfy all of the eligibility requirements of the Inclusive Preschool Learning Environments Grant may make a grantee ineligible to receive FY 2017 funding.
Expected Duration of Contract:
Subject to State and Federal budget allotment and appropriation this IPLE Renewal Grant will have a duration of one (1) year, starting on or about July 1, 2016 and ending June 30, 2017.
Contract Performance and Business Specifications:
About EEC
The work of EEC is steeped in the notion that brain building is in progress for young children in enriching environments with caring adults and meaningful and engaging interactions. The latest science shows that these early experiences actually build the architecture of the developing brain much like a house is built from the bottom up.
When you understand the sequence and process by which brains are built, it’s easy to understand why it’s wiser to start every child out strong. Trying to change behavior or build new skills on a weak foundation requires more work and is less effective than providing brain building interactions and environments early in life. Brain building is an investment that yields high returns, an investment in the economic prosperity of everyone in Massachusetts as the next generation will pay that back through a lifetime of productivity and responsible citizenship.
We know that children's earliest experiences are especially important because building the human brain begins even before birth; a strong foundation in early years greatly increases the chance of positive outcomes. Massachusetts estimates that as many as 135,000 children from birth to age five face one or more risk factors each day that could lead to toxic stress, with as many as 20,000 (15%) facing three or more risk factors that without intervention are likely to lead to developmental delays.[5]
EEC is focused on strengthening the system of early education and care in Massachusetts as a critical element of the education pipeline from cradle to career. The system EEC is building includes all children, not just those who are subsidized or in formal care. To that end, EEC provides services for children in Massachusetts through a mixed delivery system which includes group and center based programs, out-of-school time programs, family child care homes, public preschool programs, private preschool programs, kindergarten, and Head Start programs. EEC is also responsible for licensing over 9,000 early education and care and out-of-school time programs throughout Massachusetts and for providing financial assistance to eligible families seeking early education and care or out-of-school time programs that serve approximately 56,000 children, birth to fourteen (14) years of age, from low-income families.
EEC strives to bring together a growing community of early education and care providers, educators, academic researchers, business leaders, families and individuals to raise awareness of the critical importance of fostering the cognitive, social, and emotional development of young children. By giving a strong start to our youngest citizens we create a stronger, more prosperous future for all. Massachusetts is dedicated to increasing coordination in our system of early learning and development and aims to prepare ALL young children for school success, especially those with the highest needs.
Priorities
"Inclusion in early childhood programs refers to "including children with disabilities in early childhood programs, together with their peers without disabilities; holding high expectations and intentionally promoting participation in all learning and social activities, facilitated by individualized accommodations; and using evidence-based services and supports to foster their development (cognitive, language, communication, physical, behavioral, and social-emotional), friendships with peers, and sense of belonging. This applies to all young children with disabilities, from those with the mildest disabilities, to those with the most significant disabilities."[6]
Through this renewal grant, EEC seeks to:
· Continue to support program capacity to offer inclusive preschool learning environments in group and center based programs, Head Start programs, and public preschool programs through the provision of funding to support educators' salaries, in such settings;
· Enhance program quality by continuing to require IPLE funded programs to participate in QRIS;
· Support access to high-quality inclusive preschool learning environments for preschool-aged children with and without disabilities that are responsive to the needs of children and families; and
· Increase the number of preschool-aged children with disabilities and "high needs"[7] that are participating in high quality, inclusive preschool learning environments.
For the purposes of this grant, the defining features of a high quality, inclusive preschool learning environment are access, participation, and supports.[8]
· Access – refers to providing a wide range of activities and environments for every child by removing structural, physical, or communicative-related barriers to full participation.3
· Participation – means using a range of instructional approaches to promote engagement in play and learning activities, and a sense of belonging for every child.
· Supports – refers to broader aspects of the system such as professional development, incentives for inclusion and opportunities for communication and collaboration among families and professionals to assure high quality inclusion.
Required Services
Grantees must provide the following services with grant funds they are awarded:
I. Provide grant oversight that supports program capacity to offer high quality, inclusive preschool learning environments in group and center based programs, Head Start programs, and public preschool programs.
A. The Lead Agency, in its grant administrative and fiscal capacities, must meet all requirements as set forth below:
1. Designate a Grant Contact Person as the main point of contact between the Lead Agency and EEC.
a) The Grant Contact Person is responsible for disseminating all relevant information to the proper agencies, including Lead Agency staff, subcontracted partners and grant funded programs. The Grant Contact Person must attend all relevant EEC trainings and meetings and act as the point person to EEC for all IPLE-funded activities.
b) If the Grant Contact Person is not available year round, a designee must be identified by the Lead Agency to carry out programmatic and fiscal activities in the Grant Contact Person's absence.
2. Distribute copies of the approved grant proposal, any amended budgets, and all or some parts of this application to all subcontracted partners;
3. Verify that programs meet all requirements of the grant, including the QRIS Participation Requirements and QRIS continuous quality improvement activities;
4. Ensure accurate accounting of IPLE Grant funds, including, but not limited to tracking direct service expenditures and ensure that grant funded programs that have tuition fees use a sliding scale fee in accordance with EEC Financial Assistance policies;
5. Manage and monitor all subcontracts, and provide reimbursements in a timely fashion (preferably on a monthly basis);
6. Ensure that all Lead Agency and IPLE-funded program contact information is maintained and up to date in the IPLE Online Grant Application.
B. The Required Services may be provided by the Lead Agency and/or through subcontracts with other providers (group and center based programs, Head Start programs, and/or public preschool programs) subject to EEC approval.
1. Lead Agencies are strongly encouraged to work with subcontracted partners within their local communities to expand placement options for children with disabilities in efforts serve children with disabilities in preschool programs where they receive the majority of their early education and care services, where children without disabilities are typically served. See Appendix G for additional information.
C. The Lead Agency, in collaboration with community partners, must ensure that a system is in place to conduct preschool screenings[9] (with parental consent) for three and four year olds and for children who are of age to enter kindergarten, within the communities to be served.
1. Such screenings shall be designed to review a child's development using an evidenced-based tool that is appropriate for the child’s age and level of development, which accommodates the child’s sensory, physical, communication, cultural, linguistic, social, and emotional skills in efforts to begin to learn about each child’s individual strengths, needs, preferences, and interests.