Title
Request to Amend Contract with Teaching Strategies, LLC for Head Start Birth to Five Program (Ordinance S-49537)
Description
Request authorization for the City Manager, or his designee, to amend Contract 141887 with Teaching Strategies, LLC for the Head Start Birth to Five Program by extending the contract term through June 30, 2024, and increasing the contract amount by $90,000. The extension will provide continued use of the online child assessment tool. Further request authorization for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item. There is no impact to the General Fund.
Report
Summary
To ensure statewide consistency in early childhood assessment, the Arizona Department of Education (ADOE) mandates all early childhood programs purchase the same assessment tool. The Head Start Birth to Five Program utilizes Teaching Strategies Gold, the approved ADOE assessment tool. The early childhood assessment tool is designed to measure children's progress, appropriately plan for children's learning, implement best practices, and meet the accountability requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Improvement Act of 2004, Part B, Section 619. The City entered into a contract with Teaching Strategies, LLC on July 1, 2015, following the ADOE statewide contract.
Procurement Information
Teaching Strategies was selected through an ADOE Request for Proposal RFP-ADED 15-00004546 for a statewide Early Childhood Assessment tool to be utilized by other state agencies, political subdivisions and Head Start grantees.
The ADOE contract with Teaching Strategies expired on March 22, 2020. ADOE entered into a one-year agreement, Agreement CTR048634, with Teaching Strategies, LLC extending the contract terms through June 30, 2021, allowing time to procure a new provider. Due to the coronavirus pandemic, ADOE was unable to complete the procurement process. As such, an additional extension through June 30, 2023, with Teaching Strategies was secured by ADOE. ADOE is currently working to procure Teaching Strategies as a Sole Source; at this time, they do not have an estimated time of completion.
In accordance with Administrative Regulation 3.10, a Determination Memo citing a need to extend the City's current contract beyond the maximum option years was approved on April 10, 2020.
Contract Term
The original five-year contract began on July 1, 2015, with four one-year extension options exercised by the City Manager. Approval of this request would extend the contract through June 30, 2024.
Financial Impact
Funding in the amount of $90,000 is being added to increase the total contract value to $634,000. Funding is available from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration of Children, Youth and Families. There is no impact on the General Fund.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
City Council approved the initial contract on May 13, 2015, with Ordinance S-41702. An extension through Dec. 31, 2020, was approved on June 3, 2020, with Ordinance S-46682. An extension through June 30, 2021, was approved on Sept. 2, 2020, with Ordinance S-46899. The most recent extension through June 30, 2023, was approved with Ordinance S-47475 on April 21, 2021.
The Head Start Birth to Five Policy Council recommended approval of this item on March 13, 2023, by a vote of 21-0.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Deputy City Manager Gina Montes and the Human Services Department.