DCY-C-2627-0075-01 Child Care Recruitment and Mentorship ProgramDCY-C-2627-0075-01 Child Care Recruitment and Mentorship Program

The State of Ohio, through the Department of Children and Youth, is soliciting proposals for the Child Care Recruitment and Mentorship Program under solicitation DCY-C-2627-0075R. The primary objective is to increase the supply of licensed child care providers in Ohio by recruiting at least 120 new providers, with a specific focus on communities with the greatest need. The selected contractor will be responsible for conducting recruitment events, providing a software platform with a customizable dashboard for business functions such as billing and enrollment, developing marketing materials, and offering professional coaching and training. The program follows a structured performance timeline from October 2026 through June 2027, with a requirement for contact lines to remain active for 12 months following the contract end date. The contract utilizes a fixed cost fee structure with a not-to-exceed payment ceiling, where invoicing is tied to the acceptance of specific deliverables by the Agency Representative. Award selection is based on a weighted scoring system, assigning 500 points for technical requirements and 100 points for cost, provided the offeror passes a mandatory gate ensuring they are not currently participating in other DCY recruitment initiatives. Stringent security and compliance requirements are in place, including NIST 800-53 moderate level baseline standards, FIPS validated encryption for data at rest and in transit, and mandatory background investigations for personnel. Additionally, the contractor must maintain comprehensive insurance coverages, including professional liability, cyber liability, and commercial general liability.