Town of Bluffton Sealed Solicitation
Title: Locally Owned, Curriculum-Based Childcare Operator - RFP
Deadline: 5/29/2024 2:00 PM (UTC-05:00) Eastern Time (US & Canada)
Status: Awarded
Solicitation Number: 2024-48
Description: The Town of Bluffton, South Carolina (Town) is seeking proposals from parties interested in providing a locally owned, curriculum-based childcare at competitive rental rates in a new Town-owned facility in the Buckwalter Commerce Park. The anticipated schedule is:
• Preliminary day care facility design has recently been completed (see attached prelim site plan)
• Day care proposals due end of April, 2024
• Interviews conducted by the beginning of May, 2024
• Final determination by the end of June, 2024
• Building is estimated to be completed by August 2025; assume childcare operations commence August, 2025
Documents:
| Documents as of 3/22/2024 |
|---|
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PLANHOLDERS:
| Date | Company Name |
|---|---|
| 3/23/2024 12:14:57 AM | PWXPress |
| 3/25/2024 1:31:17 PM | Open Minds |
| 3/26/2024 5:00:46 AM | alisha pvt ltd |
| 3/26/2024 11:45:53 AM | Learning Care Group |
| 3/27/2024 6:17:27 AM | SevenOutsource |
| 3/28/2024 1:16:06 AM | School Wholesale Supplies LLC |
| 4/8/2024 2:46:32 PM | Cross Schools |
| 4/8/2024 4:12:30 PM | Shoreline Construction |
| 4/13/2024 6:43:14 AM | Dodge Data & Analytics |
| 4/17/2024 12:21:50 PM | BlacQuity |
| 4/24/2024 4:58:10 PM | Tir.Na.Nog Child Play Care |
| 5/1/2024 9:31:25 AM | Classy Couriers, LLC |
| 5/2/2024 4:53:49 AM | MS Moving Services |
| 5/2/2024 1:51:17 PM | Kids College LLC |
| 5/13/2024 1:38:12 PM | Apex Exteriors LLC |
| 5/15/2024 3:38:18 PM | Bright Beginnings Academy |
| 5/15/2024 10:39:20 PM | AG Ltd |
| 5/16/2024 10:37:29 PM | Exquisite Renovations LLC |
| 5/20/2024 11:44:07 AM | Beaufort-Jasper YMCA of the Lowcountry |
| 5/22/2024 8:04:08 PM | The Savvy Apple Preschool |
| 5/24/2024 2:42:10 PM | The Children's Center |
Addition 1
Posted: 4/24/2024
Type of Addition: Addendum 1
Overview: Extends date to submit proposals until May 29, 2024 at 2:00 pm.
Deadline: 5/29/2024 2:00 PM
Documents:
Addition 2
Posted: 4/26/2024
Type of Addition: Addendum 2
Overview: Addendum 2 adds a public meeting at the Don Ryan Center on 5/13 from 6 - 8 pm. Attendance is NOT mandatory. It also answers all submitted questions.
Pre-Bid Meeting Details: The public meeting will be held at The Don Ryan Center for Innovation, 7 Venture Drive, #100, Buckwalter Commerce Park, Bluffton, SC 29910. The meeting will be held Monday, May 13 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
Documents:
Addition 3
Posted: 5/2/2024
Type of Addition: Addendum 3
Overview: For those who cannot attend the public meeting in person, Addendum 3 provides a Microsoft Teams link.
Documents:
Addition 4
Posted: 5/15/2024
Type of Addition: Addendum 4
Overview: Provides more questions and answers that were discussed at the public meeting. Proposers -- do not forget to acknowledge Addenda 1 through 4 on your Signatory Sheets when you PDF and upload your submittals.
Documents:
Addition 5
Posted: 5/31/2024
Type of Addition: In Review
Question 1
Posted: 4/8/2024
Question: Will the playgrounds be built by the town as well?
Response: Please see Q&A addendum.
Question 2
Posted: 4/8/2024
Question: How much is the monthly rent?
Response: Please see Q&A addendum.
Question 3
Posted: 4/8/2024
Question: How many restrooms are built within the space?
Response: Please see Q&A addendum.
Question 4
Posted: 4/15/2024
Question: 1.Does the Town of Bluffton have a projection for how many children they are expecting for the curriculum-based childcare in the town-owned facility? What ages does the town expect “childcare” to include? 2.While the RFP states the solicitation will result in a five-year lease agreement to be negotiated separately, it also states the town will offer “competitive rental rates” (also states "below-market rent") for the facility. Is there any “range” the town may provide under "competitive rental rates" or "below-market rent" so the business plan presented in the proposal may take this into account? 3. Will it be the selected proposer’s entire responsibility for expenses to provide all necessary furniture, furnishings, utilities, etc., for the facility or will there be some consideration or allowance for furnishings since the term of the contract is 5 years? 4.Regarding the high-level sliding scale of tuition based on market conditions, could the town be more specific as to how the sliding scale would be established based on any specific family income numbers, or is the town looking for the submission to provide this? Since it is presumed that some town employees would be using the service, it would be helpful to have some scale on this information in a proposal (response) to the RFP. Furthermore, the RFP states. 5. Are there specific classrooms allocated to specific age groups? For example on the site plan there is a classroom with a size of 304 sq. ft. is there a specific age targeted for this classroom based on specific needs of changing tables etc. 6. Due to not having an operational business at this time I am not able to obtain my MBE/DBE however I have an application as well as a contact that I will be working with to receive my certificate. If this is presented will there be an option for points in this category?
Response: Please see Q&A addendum.
Posted: 4/24/2024
Type of Addition: Addendum 1
Overview: Extends date to submit proposals until May 29, 2024 at 2:00 pm.
Deadline: 5/29/2024 2:00 PM
Documents:
Posted: 4/26/2024
Type of Addition: Addendum 2
Overview: Addendum 2 adds a public meeting at the Don Ryan Center on 5/13 from 6 - 8 pm. Attendance is NOT mandatory. It also answers all submitted questions.
Pre-Bid Meeting Details: The public meeting will be held at The Don Ryan Center for Innovation, 7 Venture Drive, #100, Buckwalter Commerce Park, Bluffton, SC 29910. The meeting will be held Monday, May 13 from 6:00 pm – 8:00 pm.
Documents:
Posted: 5/2/2024
Type of Addition: Addendum 3
Overview: For those who cannot attend the public meeting in person, Addendum 3 provides a Microsoft Teams link.
Documents:
Posted: 5/15/2024
Type of Addition: Addendum 4
Overview: Provides more questions and answers that were discussed at the public meeting. Proposers -- do not forget to acknowledge Addenda 1 through 4 on your Signatory Sheets when you PDF and upload your submittals.
Documents:
Posted: 5/31/2024
Type of Addition: In Review
Posted: 4/8/2024
Question: Will the playgrounds be built by the town as well?
Response: Please see Q&A addendum.
Posted: 4/8/2024
Question: How much is the monthly rent?
Response: Please see Q&A addendum.
Posted: 4/8/2024
Question: How many restrooms are built within the space?
Response: Please see Q&A addendum.
Posted: 4/15/2024
Question: 1.Does the Town of Bluffton have a projection for how many children they are expecting for the curriculum-based childcare in the town-owned facility? What ages does the town expect “childcare” to include? 2.While the RFP states the solicitation will result in a five-year lease agreement to be negotiated separately, it also states the town will offer “competitive rental rates” (also states "below-market rent") for the facility. Is there any “range” the town may provide under "competitive rental rates" or "below-market rent" so the business plan presented in the proposal may take this into account? 3. Will it be the selected proposer’s entire responsibility for expenses to provide all necessary furniture, furnishings, utilities, etc., for the facility or will there be some consideration or allowance for furnishings since the term of the contract is 5 years? 4.Regarding the high-level sliding scale of tuition based on market conditions, could the town be more specific as to how the sliding scale would be established based on any specific family income numbers, or is the town looking for the submission to provide this? Since it is presumed that some town employees would be using the service, it would be helpful to have some scale on this information in a proposal (response) to the RFP. Furthermore, the RFP states. 5. Are there specific classrooms allocated to specific age groups? For example on the site plan there is a classroom with a size of 304 sq. ft. is there a specific age targeted for this classroom based on specific needs of changing tables etc. 6. Due to not having an operational business at this time I am not able to obtain my MBE/DBE however I have an application as well as a contact that I will be working with to receive my certificate. If this is presented will there be an option for points in this category?
Response: Please see Q&A addendum.