The city of Menlo Park has received three bids to run its preschool and school-age child care programs.
Pacifica-based Building Kidz, Redwood City-based Learning Adventures, and city staff members who run the city’s existing programs, have responded to a request for proposals (RFP) to operate the programs.
The three proposals will go before the Child Care RFP Committee, a nine-person task force of parents, appointed officials and child care specialists.
The committee is scheduled to review and discuss the proposals at its August 23 meeting; interview finalists September 6; and ultimately make a recommendation to the council regarding which bidder should operate the programs.
The city submitted the request for proposals to 29 Bay Area child care providers in June, after the City Council — led by council members Mickie Winkler and Lee Duboc and supported by Mayor Nicholas Jellins — directed staff to explore privatizing the programs.
Ms. Winkler and Ms. Duboc say the programs are too costly.
Council members Kelly Fergusson and Andy Cohen opposed considering privatization until the costs of the programs are better defined.
The RFP process focuses on the city’s child care programs based in the new $3.4 million Menlo Children’s Center — not those in the Belle Haven neighborhood.
Building Kidz
Vineeta Bhanderi, owner and administrator of Building Kidz, said her top priority would be to ensure “as little change as possible for children and parents” if her company wins the contract.
She added that at least half of the city’s child care teachers would be invited to keep their jobs if Building Kidz was chosen to operate the programs.
Building Kidz was established in December 2002 as a for-profit company, and operates preschool and school-age programs in Pacifica and South San Francisco, Ms. Bhanderi said. She said the company is looking to become a nonprofit organization and extend its influence in the Bay Area.
“We’re looking to reach out to more families and having [a Menlo Park site] allows us to do that,” she said.
The Child Care Coordinating Council of San Mateo County and the Community Care Licensing of San Mateo County have no records, licensing requests or contact information for the other private bidder, Learning Adventures. The city lists Teresa Brown as a contact for Learning Adventures, but there is no local phone listing for the provider.
More detailed information regarding the bidders and their plans for operating the programs is expected to be in the proposals, which have not been made available to the public.
