639500 - FY27 RFP #FWBPCCP27001 for Expanding Iowa Early Childhood Continuum of Care
Funding Opportunity Details
Early Intervention and Support
Final Application Deadline: Jan 28, 2026 4:00 PM
Status Closed
Posted Date Dec 18, 2025 7:42 AM
Award Amount RangeNo Limit - $100,000.00
Project Dates 07/01/2026 - 06/30/2029
Award Announcement Date 03/05/2026
Categorical Area
Recurring Opportunity
Program Officer John McMullen
Phone (515) 416-8565 x
Description
It is the responsibility of the Applicant to review all Attachments listed below for additional details regarding this Funding Opportunity.
The issuance of this Funding Opportunity in no way constitutes a commitment by Iowa HHS to award a contract.
Excerpts from the RFP:
Purpose
The purpose of this Request for Proposal (RFP) # FWBPCCP27001 is to solicit applications that will enable the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services (referred to as Agency) to select the most qualified applicants to provide Building Solutions and Expanding the Early Childhood Continuum of Care grants to a Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program (SWVPP) and a Licensed Child Care Center, to collaborate in providing a full-day of care. A full day of care would be inclusive of SWVPP preschool time and Child Care setting time for Eligible Children.
Iowa spends over $91 million annually for a SWVPP and at 67% participation, Iowa currently ranks fifth in the nation for access to four-year-old preschool. While preschool is widely available, some working families cannot participate if the program only covers a portion of the day or requires mid-day transportation to Child Care. This Request for Proposal is a solution that meets demands of parents' busy lives, one that allows their children to benefit from the SWVPP and have access to Child Care. The partnership approach outlined in this RFP leverages existing capacity and preserves our state’s Child Care infrastructure.
Schedule of Important Dates (All times and dates listed are local Iowa time.)
The following dates are set forth for informational purposes. The Agency reserves the right to change them.
EVENT
DATE
RFP Issued
October 15, 2025
Applicant’s Conference
October 29, 2025 at 1pm https://www.zoomgov.com/j/1609048360
Written Questions and Responses
Round 1 Questions Due:
Responses Posted By:
November 18, 2025
November 25, 2025
Final Questions Due:
Responses Posted By:
December 9, 2025
December 16, 2025
Applications Due
January 28, 2026 by 4:00 PM Local Iowa Time
Post Notice of Intent to Award
On or about March 5, 2026
Attachments
| Description | File Name | Type | Size | Upload Date |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| A- Expanding the Early Childhood Continuum of Care-FWBPCCP27001 | A- Expanding the Early Childhood Continuum of Care-FWBPCCP27001.pdf | 454 KB | 10/14/2025 03:57 PM | |
| B. HHS Application Instructions Guidance | B. HHS Application Instructions_Guidance New IG.pdf | 2 MB | 09/30/2025 02:12 PM | |
| C. RFP FWBPCCP27001 Sample Draft Contract | C. RFP FWBPCCP27001 Sample Draft Contract .pdf | 342 KB | 10/14/2025 03:57 PM | |
| D- RFPFWBPCCP27001 Draft Application Score Tool | D- RFPFWBPCCP27001 Draft Application Score Tool .pdf | 202 KB | 10/14/2025 03:58 PM |
Website links
| Description | Link |
|---|---|
| A. IowaGrants Registration and Login Instructions | https://dom.iowa.gov/state-government/grant-management |
| B. General Terms and Contingent Terms | https://hhs.iowa.gov/initiatives/contract-terms |
| C. Iowa Code § 1C.2. | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/1c.pdf |
| D. Child Care as defined in Iowa Code 237A.1 | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/237A.1.pdf |
| E. child shall be considered to be of compulsory attendance age as provided in section 299.1A, subsection 3 | https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/code/299.1a.pdf |
| F. Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children (IowaAEYC) | https://iowaaeyc.org/ |
| G. T.E.A.C.H. | https://iowaaeyc.org/programs/teach/ |
| H. WAGE$ | https://iowaaeyc.org/programs/wages/ |
| Submitted Date | Question | Answer |
|---|---|---|
| Oct 17, 2025 8:33 AM | Good morning - In reading the RFP for the Expanding the Early Childhood Continuum of Care Grant, I noted the following: Applicants may not serve as both the SWVPP and Licensed Child Care Center roles to receive an award. The Martensdale-St. Marys Community School District operates the SWVPP and then a Daycare center through HHS. Both are under the heading of the School District. Would you please address our eligibility given this statement and our situation? Thank you. Bill Watson Superintendent | The applying organization and the partner organization must be two different legal entities. Both organizations may be providing services in the same building or in different buildings. |
| Oct 22, 2025 10:45 AM | *Is this application (through Iowa Grants) written by the school or the partner? Do the same rules apply regarding the community partner? (ie: still falls under District oversight, must continue to meet the same rules, etc.) *In the past, if a community partner had requested, the District could approve or deny that request. Is that still the case? | Either the SWVPP entity or the community partner entity may be the lead in the application. Both parties need to agree on the proposed workplan and the terms of the partnership. |
| Nov 5, 2025 2:43 PM | - Can pre-school centers that are not state approved voluntary pre-school centers be partnered with? | No. One of the partners must be a Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program (SWVPP). |
| Nov 10, 2025 3:04 PM | Can a district partner with a community partner where UPK and child are are provided in the community partner location? | Yes. If the SWVPP and the child care partner are different legal entities. |
| Nov 13, 2025 11:33 AM | We have a daycare, Seymour CSD Earlychild Center located in our school, it is its own business, we offer wrap around care, Friday care and summer care. Seymour School offers the State Wide Voluntary Preschool Program. Are we eligible to apply for this grant. | Yes. Since the child care facility and the SWVPP are two separate entities, you are eligible. |
| Nov 18, 2025 3:15 PM | Hello, will certain areas or partnership types receive priority consideration (e.g., rural areas)? | No. The proposals will be scored by the reviewers and the highest scored proposals will be funded. |
| Nov 21, 2025 2:34 PM | Hello, is it correct that funds may be used toward teacher compensation for the Licensed Child Care provider and/or the SWVPP partner, regardless of which one serves as the Lead Entity? My apologies if this is a duplicate question; it's unclear whether the system accepted it previously. Thank you. | Funds may be used toward teacher compensation for the child care staff and/or for transportation. |
| Nov 26, 2025 3:26 PM | Do we have to reapply for the continuum of care grant if we applied for the last round and the application is still under review? Or do we need to apply again for the next round? | There are no applications under review from the last RFP. This is a new opportunity. If you don’t currently have a Continuum of Care contract, you can apply for this one. |
| Dec 9, 2025 4:32 PM | Are there limitations on which child care staff positions may be included in the project budget? | Staff salaries for the direct care of the children, transportation, and a 5% administrative/indirect cost are allowed. |
| Dec 9, 2025 4:42 PM | If a school district serves as the Lead Entity, would the portion of the budget that goes toward the child care center be included only under Subcontracts? | If the school district contracts with the child care center, that would be considered a subcontract of this contract. |
| Dec 9, 2025 4:59 PM | Is it correct that wage increases and parity are encouraged via participation in TEACH and WAGE$, but that specific rates are not required? | It is required that the applicant have a relationship with T.E.A.C.H. And WAGE$ for those teachers who are interested in participating. |