Childcare Navigation Technology Platform

The vendor required to provide childcare navigation technology solution will be integrated with existing childcare resource and referral supports and be accompanied by robust community outreach and engagement, as well as marketing and branding.
- The platform would also assist in families' understanding and navigation of a myriad of programs and subsidies to make childcare free or more affordable (including state programs such as alternative payment program and state preschool program, federal head start and early head start, and as yet-to-be-established local subsidies), as well as opportunities to streamline the subsidy application and verification process.
- Childcare navigation technology platform - estimated number of users
•    Low estimate: approximately 400 providers (including large childcare centers and licensed family childcare homes) that currently accept subsidies.
•    High estimate: 1000 providers to include the above plus other licensed providers
o    Non-licensed programs, such as transitional kindergarten and after school, are not included in this phase of the project, though it may be desirable for these entities to be included in future expansion efforts which would increase the number of providers
•    Approximately 30 of these totals are “subsidy verification agencies,” meaning providers who currently independently verify income and other personal information from families to render them eligible for the specific subsidy.
1. Families
•    Low estimate: up to 9,000 families who are currently estimated to be eligible for existing subsidies, based on income and family size, and also are currently seeking care.
•    High estimate: up to 24,000 families to include the above plus families who are not currently eligible for existing subsidy programs and may pay market rate for childcare
•    Not all users would be searching for childcare at the same time
- Childcare navigation technology platform - minimum components
1. Provider directory
•    Basic information about all licensed providers available from publicly available state data (e.g., from mychildcareplan.org) 
•    Providers should have secure access to update their own profiles across multiple fields, including photos, videos and other means to distinguish themselves, independently (and/or with assistance from a local system administrator)
2. Advance search:
•    Families and users should be able to search for providers via multiple filters (e.g., location, hours, ages, served, pricing, language, etc.) 
•    Families and users should be able to identify and interact with specific geographic locations using a map-based interface (this will require GIS-based mapping capabilities) 
•    Families and users should be able to send inquiries to, and communicate directly with, childcare providers 
•    Families and users should be able to do all of the above in multiple languages (at minimum english, Spanish and simplified Chinese)
3. Eligibility
•    families should be able to complete a single form with basic demographic and income information that will be universally accepted whether by one subsidy verification agency (i.e., as part of a “centralized eligibility list” system) or by numerous subsidy verification agencies (data integration may be necessary).
4. Secure document management:
•    Families should be able to securely upload their documents
•    Subsidy verification agencies must have the capability to either download documents manually or receive them such that they are automatically uploaded to their internal systems.

- Contract Period/Term: 2 years
- Pre-Proposal Meeting (Non-Mandatory) Date: January 9, 2026
- Questions/Inquires Deadline: January 12, 2026