Introduction
King County Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) is pleased to release this Request for Qualifications (RFQ) for Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT)—Strengthen the Workforce as described below. This RFQ is an opportunity to receive King County funding, including funding through the Best Starts for Kids levy (Best Starts).
This RFQ includes two scopes of work:
- ESIT Workforce Partner, and
- ESIT Career Pathways Scholarship Manager.
Interested organizations which meet the minimum qualifications are encouraged to apply to provide one or both scopes of work. Applicants who wish to apply for more than one scope of work must submit a separate application in ZoomGrants for each scope of work and answer all the relevant questions for the specific scope of work in each application.
About Early Support for Infant and Toddlers (ESIT)
ESIT promotes equitable outcomes for families with children, aged birth to three, who have developmental delays or disabilities. Eligible infants and toddlers, and their families, are entitled to individualized, quality developmental services in accordance with the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), Part C. Services include Family Resources Coordination, education, speech or motor therapies, and take place at home, childcare, and community settings.
Best Starts funding supported growth in the number of children served by ESIT by 44 percent, from 3,909 in 2015 to 5,643 children in 2019. The ESIT program experienced a sharp decrease in referrals in 2020 related to the COVID-19 pandemic, ultimately serving a total of 5,262 children that year. In 2021, a total of 5,349 children and their families were served.
Referrals for the first half of 2022, as outlined in the graph below, demonstrate that the program is growing at a fast pace. One of the federal requirements for the program is that all children and families must be served without a wait list. We anticipate a four percent annual increase in the number of children served with Best Starts funding from 2022 to 2027.
King County’s role, as an ESIT Lead Agency , includes managing system-wide initiatives, providing guidance, training, and ESIT Technical Assistance to ESIT providers, and improving quality through strategic planning and program monitoring. Currently, King County contracts with thirteen ESIT provider agencies to deliver services. About 500 staff members work in ESIT provider agencies across the county, and there is a significant shortage of qualified providers. Currently, 55% of children and families served identified as BIPOC, and typically 27-28% of families served speak more than 50 languages.
Program Purpose and Outcomes
King County’s ESIT program seeks to partner with one or two Community-Based Organizations to improve outcomes for children aged birth to three with delays or disabilities and their families by:
- Supporting the ESIT workforce in their current roles, and
- Promoting opportunities and pathways to grow and diversify the ESIT workforce.
This RFQ is rooted in King County The ESIT Logic Model was developed with guidance from families and community partners and provides a pathway for quality improvement efforts in ESIT over the next several years.
The following outcomes from the King County ESIT Logic Model are related to strengthening the ESIT workforce.
"King County ESIT will:
- Provide deliver relationship-based services centered in Equity, foundational infant mental health principles, and parent coaching.
- Develop and implement an ESIT workforce development plan that includes recruiting and maintaining a diverse and satisfied workforce through the following improvements:
- a scholarship program;
- equitable compensation;
- reasonable caseloads;
- Communities of Practice;
- professional development opportunities; and
- Reflective Consultation.
- Partner with and train agencies serving immigrants, refugees, and communities of color, and disability-specific organizations to offer cultural and linguistic supports to ESIT families.”
Together, these improvements are to strengthen equitable access to ESIT, along with quality and equitable services and outcomes for children and families.
Any Questions?
Written Questions
All RFQ documents will be uploaded through ZoomGrants.
The RFQ Lead is the point of contact for this procurement. All communication regarding the subject matter of this opportunity between the applicants and DCHS upon release of this RFQ must be through ZoomGrants Contact Admin tab above or by emailing the RFQ Lead directly as follows:
Debi Donelan
RFQ Lead
ddonelan@kingcounty.gov
Any other communication will be considered unofficial and non-binding on King County. Applicants are to rely on written statements issued by the RFQ Lead. Communication directed to parties other than the RFQ Lead on this opportunity may result in disqualification of the applicant.
Information Sessions for Live Questions & Answers
Two pre-application information session is scheduled to be held at the date and time indicated in the schedule. The location of the information sessions will be via Zoom:
Thursday September 8, 2022 from 11:00 am to 12:30 pm:
- https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/82596102164?pwd=ellSNE9XM1ZOTkthaDZoOGEvdTNzZz09
- Meeting ID: 825 9610 2164
- Passcode: 12345
- https://kingcounty.zoom.us/j/82596102164?pwd=ellSNE9XM1ZOTkthaDZoOGEvdTNzZz09
- Tuesday September 13, 2022 from 3:00 pm to 4:00 pm
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/89631116417?pwd=SDNPay93ckZRTlZnM1d5TzM2UFZxUT09
Meeting ID: 896 3111 6417
Passcode: 1234
If you need live language interpretation, please contact Debi Donelan at at ddonelan@kingcounty.gov by 5:00 pm Pacific Time on Friday September 2, 2022. Upon request, King County will provide a version of the recorded information session that is captioned or recorded with voice over in additional languages after this date.
Questions arising at the pre-application information session or in subsequent communication with the RFQ Lead will be documented and answered in written form. A copy of the questions and answers will be posted as an RFQ amendment on ZoomGrants. Applicants are responsible to check ZoomGrants for any posted amendments to this RFQ.