Single Source Procurement: Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings (EWPHCCS) Farm to Preschool Additional Expansion

Pursuant to New York State Finance Law § 163.10(b), The New York State Department of Health is presenting the following summary of relevant circumstances, and material and substantial reasons why a competitive procurement was not feasible.

Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings (EWPHCCS) is a multi-component Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program-Education (SNAP-Ed) intervention that targets parents and their preschool children who are enrolled in child care centers participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). EWPHCCS focuses on improving the nutrition and physical activity behaviors of preschool children and their parents and influencing the food and activity practices in child care centers serving a low-income population.

In FFY 2013, a single source waiver was approved to amend contract C027140 with Capital District Child Care Coordinating Council, Inc (CDCCCC) to conduct a Farm to Preschool pilot project. The project entailed weekly produce deliveries by farmers to three child care centers. Parents, child care staff and community residents were able to purchase produce and participate in nutrition education classes and food demonstrations. SNAP purchases were also processed. To further support the project each child care center created a small outdoor garden.

In FFY 2014, a second single source wavier was approved to amend contracts C027138 with Child Care Council of Nassau, Inc. (Nassau), C027140 (CDCCCC), and C027142 with Child Care Council, Inc (the Council) to provide additional funding for continuation and implementation of Farm to Preschool projects. The Division of Nutrition would like to further expand the number of Farm to Preschool sites in FFY 2015 and FFY 2016 for these three existing contractors.

With the continued success of Farm to Preschool, the NYS Department of Health requested additional SNAP-Ed funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) to expand the Farm to Preschool project. The additional funds will be added to contracts C027138 (Nassau), C027140 (CDCCCC) and C027142 (the Council) during FFY 2015 and FFY 2016 to increase the number of Farm to Preschool sites within their geographic locations. C027141 with ProAction of Steuben & Yates, Inc. (Steuben &Yates) elected to implement the Farm to Preschool project in FFY 2016 which will expand the project statewide. All contractors were selected under a competitive Request for Applications in 2011 and are in good standing with the Department of Health. All current upstate EWPHCCS contractors who choose to participate in the Farm to Preschool Project are receiving funds from this request.

The Department of Health will include Farm to Preschool in the next EWPHCCS competitive Request for Applications.

Procurement / Program Name Eat Well Play Hard in Child Care Settings (EWPHCCS) Farm to Preschool Additional Expansion
Contractor Name(s) Multiple – Please see attached.
Contract Period 10/1/2014 – 9/30/2016
Contract Number(s) C027138, C027140 - C027142