RFP-045-2600000482-2 | Study of Certified & Licensed Childcare Programs

The Auditor of Public Accounts of Kentucky has issued a solicitation for a comprehensive study on Certified and Licensed Childcare Programs, targeting the evaluation of statutory, regulatory, and administrative barriers impacting childcare services across the state, as directed by 2026 House Joint Resolution 50. The contract, identified by solicitation number RFP-045-2600000482-2, requires the contractor to analyze Kentucky’s childcare licensing and certification framework compared to peer states, assess local ordinances and zoning rules affecting access to childcare under the Certified Child Care Community Designation Program, and recommend regulatory enhancements to promote outdoor, nature-based early learning and broader use of the General Regulatory Sandbox Program. The study must include surveys and focus groups with both licensed and non-licensed providers, ensuring participation from diverse regions, income levels, faith-based and non-faith-based programs, and Kentucky All STARS rating tiers, while guaranteeing anonymity to respondents. Analysis of child-to-teacher ratios and group sizes is explicitly excluded. The final report is due by December 1, 2027, and must be submitted to the Auditor of Public Accounts, with potential post-report availability for legislative testimony through June 2028. Proposals must be submitted in three sealed parts—technical proposal, cost proposal, and proprietary information if applicable—with strict formatting requirements: no pricing included in the technical package, all cost data submitted only on the mandated Cost Proposal Form using blended hourly rates, and all digital files limited to Microsoft Word, Excel, or PDF formats without embedded links or hyperlinks. The technical proposal will be evaluated on contractor personnel experience (200 points) and capacity and resources (200 points), while the cost proposal will be reviewed as part of overall evaluation, though its exact scoring weight is unspecified. Proposals failing to adhere to the required format or demonstrating poor performance in the prior 12 months will be deemed non-responsive or ineligible. All awarded vendors must maintain commercial general liability, professional liability, and automobile liability insurance with specified minimum limits, provide a signed certificate of insurance on an ACORD form, certify against debarment and discrimination, and comply with Kentucky’s open records and venue statutes, which designate Franklin Circuit Court as the exclusive jurisdiction. The contract term runs from August 10, 2026, through June 30, 2028, with possible renewal contingent upon legislative approval and available funding. Payment is tied to actual hours worked, subject to approval, with