072723 - Estes Valley Childcare Needs Assessment and Strategic Plan

The Town of Estes Park (Town) is seeking a qualified Consultant through this Request for Proposals (RFP) to design and conduct a Childcare Needs Assessment and produce a Childcare Strategic Plan to address the identified needs. The last Childcare Needs Assessment, which did not include a strategic plan, was conducted in 2017 with a final report delivered in February 2018. Since that time, the Estes Valley has experienced demographic shifts and, importantly for the purposes of development of a Strategic Plan, there is a new revenue source dedicated toward addressing local childcare issues (as well as workforce housing). These are important considerations for the development of a new needs assessment.
Project Purpose and Objectives

• Identify and retain a professional services consultant through a solicitation that is open and competitive for affirmative steps to include minority and women owned businesses.
• The consultant shall provide a statistically valid analysis of the current and projected need for childcare in the Estes Valley. This shall include need for children of all ages throughout the year, including during the school/academic year and the summer, as well as out-of-school times during the school year (i.e. after school care, care on teacher work days, etc.). It shall consider the needs of diverse individuals, families and communities, especially from a socio-economic standpoint and through a lens of cultural competency. Define the gap between the current and projected childcare needs and the number of spaces available for all age groups. Outline future trends and forecast childcare needs based on available information and data.
• The consultant shall develop an actionable Strategic Plan with detailed options and recommendations for using 6E funds to address the identified gaps/needs, as well as objective measures/metrics of success.