UPK Services (Mexico), RFP26-0015

Oswego County Board of Cooperative Educational Services
179 County Route 64, Mexico, NY 13114
Phone: (315) 9634253
www.CiTiboces.org
www.CiTiboces.org/CooperativePurchasing
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS:
Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) Program
for the
Mexico Academy & Central School District
CiTi RFP26-0015
For educational services for the 2026-2027 school year with
renewal options for up to four (4) additional school years.
BID RESPONSE DATE: Tuesday, May 12, 2026
BID RESPONSE TIME: 1:00 p.m.
Immediately thereafter the bid response date and time a bid opening will be conducted to open all submissions. All public bid
openings hosted by The Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation (CiTi) are made available virtually via the Zoom platform.
Bidders and members of the public can join the live bid opening virtually by sending an email request in advance of the opening
date and time to: purchasing@citiboces.org. Bidders and members of the public who wish to join the bid opening inperson must
follow all visitor policy guidelines when present on CiTi property.
PROPOSAL SUBMISSION ADDRESS AND BID OPENING LOCATION:
Center for Instruction, Technology and Innovation (CiTi)
Attn: Purchasing Department
179 County Route 64
Mexico, NY 13114
Amy Rhinehart, CiTi School Purchasing Officer
purchasing@CiTiBOCES.org
(315) 9634253

Table of Contents
Purpose ................................................................................................................................ 3
Proposal Information ............................................................................................................ 4
Questions/Communications/Correspondence ........................................................................ 4
Timeline ............................................................................................................................... 5
Organization Profile .............................................................................................................. 5
Current Status ....................................................................................................................... 5
Desired Outcomes ................................................................................................................. 6
Requirements and General Specifications .......................................................................... 7-10
Proposal Response Format .............................................................................................. 11-13
Selection Process .................................................................................................................14
Conditions of RFP and Contractual Intent ......................................................................... 15-16
Ownership of Submissions ...................................................................................................16
Contract Negotiations ..........................................................................................................16
Rejection of Submission .......................................................................................................16
Cancellation or Amendment of RFP ......................................................................................16
Respondent's Cost ...............................................................................................................16
Contract Term ......................................................................................................................17
Subcontracting .....................................................................................................................17
Award ..................................................................................................................................17
Insurance .............................................................................................................................17
Fingerprinting ......................................................................................................................17
Appendix A - Non-Collusive Bidding Certification..................................................................18
Appendix B - Iran Divestment Act Certification of Compliance ..............................................19
Appendix C - RFP Questionnaire Form ..................................................................................20
Appendix D - Non-Bidder's Response Form ..........................................................................21
Appendix E - Part 151 Universal Prekindergarten Regulations (for informational purposes)
CiTi RFP26-0015 Universal Pre-Kindergarten (Mexico Academy & Central School District)
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PURPOSE
The Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation (CiTi) on behalf of the Mexico Academy & Central School
District (MACS) is seeking proposals from eligible preschool or special education preschool service providers within
the school district community to provide 2.5 hours of Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) or Integrated Pre-Kindergarten (IPK)
programs to its eligible pre-kindergarten students for 180 school days. The purpose of the UPK/IPK Program at
MACS is to plan and implement pre-kindergarten experiences that meet the developmental needs of all eligible 4-
year-old children, including those with disabilities, and their families. Priority will be given to agencies that meet
the State Education Department's requirements as they are described in Part 151 of the Regulations of the
Commissioner of Education (see Appendix E). Priority will also be given to agencies that employ New York State
early childhood certified classroom teachers.
The program is a New York State funded initiative to provide UPK/IPK opportunities for all eligible 4-year-olds
(as of December 1 of each school year) through collaboration between the school district and preschool
service providers from the community. Eligible agencies shall mean an existing provider of early education,
early-childhood programs, or community-based organization including, but not limited to, Head Start and
nursery schools that currently serve 4-year-old children. Eligible agencies will be required to implement the
curriculum required by the District. Currently, the District has implemented the Core Knowledge Language Arts
Curriculum which is aligned to the New York State Pre-Kindergarten Foundation for the Common Core
Standards. Religious organizations are permitted to apply. However, per New York State Education, religious
symbols cannot be displayed, nor can religious instruction be provided during the UPK/IPK time of the day.
The curriculum and training are provided by the Mexico Academy & Central School District.
These school programs are tentatively scheduled to begin September 1, 2026 and end June 30, 2027. The
selection may result in multiple awards of a one-year contract with an option to renew the contracts for up to
four additional one-year periods.
MACS District Goals:
Mexico promotes continuous improvement in student achievement by:
recognizing how learning happens
implementing a high quality, well-rounded educational experience that meets the
needs of every student,
instilling the skills and confidence necessary to be successful, and
supporting the emotional and physical safety and well-being of students.
Mexico's operations and budget are intentionally structured to:
maintain safe and efficient facilities,
provide adequate resources that support our academic goals, and
reflect the financial values of the community.
Foster a collaborative school community by:
strengthening relationships among students, families, and staff through ongoing
communication,
shared decision making, and
inclusive engagement opportunities that support student success and well-being.
CiTi RFP26-0015 Universal Pre-Kindergarten (Mexico Academy & Central School District)
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PROPOSAL INFORMATION
Proposal Due Date: Proposals must be received by CiTi no later than 1:00 P.M. (Eastern Standard Time) on
Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
Vendors must submit one (1) signed original proposal, required forms/documents, and M/WBE information
(if applicable). Original hardcopy, sealed proposals must be clearly marked with the RFP number, RFP title
and bidder's name and sent to:
Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation (CiTi)
ATTN: Amy Rhinehart, School Purchasing Officer
179 County Route 64
Mexico, NY 13114
Proposals must be received by CiTi by the time and date shown above. Do not send proposal submissions to
MACS. Late proposal submissions will not be accepted. Electronic (faxed or emailed) proposal submissions
will not be accepted.
Respondents not able to submit a proposal are asked to inform CiTi of their regrets in writing. For
convenience, a 'Non-Bidder's Response Form' has been included herein (see Appendix D).
NOTE: In the event that CiTi is closed due to unforeseen circumstances, the RFP deadline will be extended
to the next business day that CiTi is open for business. The time of day will remain 1:00 p.m.
QUESTIONS/COMMUNICATIONS/CORRESPONDENCE
All questions, inquiries, communications and correspondence relative to this RFP must be submitted in
writing to CiTi and will be answered in the form of an addendum. No questions will be entertained by any
other means.
A questionnaire form has been included herein (see Appendix C). Please email questions on this form to:
Amy Rhinehart
CiTi, School Purchasing Officer
purchasing@citiboces.org
All questions must be submitted on/before 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Tuesday, April 28, 2026.
Questions received after this date and time may not be addressed.
All questions will be answered by 1:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on Wednesday, April 29, 2026.
CiTi RFP26-0015 Universal Pre-Kindergarten (Mexico Academy & Central School District)
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TIMELINE
The following timeline is subject to change by CiTi and/or MACS:
Event Date Time
Issue RFP April 17, 2026
Submit Written Questions Tuesday, April 28, 2026 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Questions Answered Wednesday, April 29, 2026 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Proposal Deadline Tuesday, May 12, 2026 1:00 p.m. (EST)
Bid Opening Tuesday, May 12, 2026 1:01 p.m. (EST)
RFP Award May 19, 2026 (at the MACS Board of Education Meeting)
Notification of Award on/after May 20, 2026
Project Start Date September 1, 2026
ORGANIZATION PROFILE
The Mexico Academy & Central School District (MACS) is a NYS public school district located in Oswego
County. The district covers an area of approximately 100 square miles and includes the towns of Hastings,
Mexico, New Haven, Palermo, Parish, Richland, Scriba and Volney.
MACS serves approximately 2,066 students in pre-kindergarten through grade 12. The district operates five
(5) school buildings - three (3) elementary schools for students in pre-kindergarten through grade 5; one (1)
middle school for students in grades 5 through 8; and one (1) high school for students in grades 9 through
12. MACS currently employs approximately 550 employees.
The approved district budget for the current, 2025-2026, school year is $68,393,706.
The district website is: www.mexicocsd.org
CURRENT STATUS
During the 2025-2026 school year, the district's Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK) program enrolled 108
students.
CiTi RFP26-0015 Universal Pre-Kindergarten (Mexico Academy & Central School District)
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DESIRED OUTCOMES
The Mexico Academy & Central School District will be able to continue to provide high quality UPK programs
to eligible 4-year-old residents. According to the New York State Education Guidelines for UPK, the following
special requirements must be addressed in the application:
Applicants are required to show how children with disabilities will be included in and
integrated into the program.
Applicants are required to show how services will be provided for children and their parents
with limited English proficiency.
Applicants are required to show how ethnic and cultural diversity are recognized and
respected, and how the school climate promotes cohesiveness based on shared multicultural
values.
Applicants must show how the UPK Program they design will provide academic continuity
with the early elementary grades.
Applicants are required to list parent participation activities available to UPK families.
Class Size and Adult-Child Ratio:
The nature and needs of young children require consistent care and attention. The
younger the child is, the smaller the group is and the lower the adult-child ratio should
be. To stay in compliance with IPK programming a certified general education teacher,
certified special education teacher and a certified teaching assistant must work
together in the integrated pre-kindergarten classroom.
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REQUIREMENTS AND GENERAL SPECIFICATIONS
In Section #2 of the Proposal Response Format Section (page 11), please include, at a minimum, a response
to the following seven (7) statements in narrative form using the headings and numbers below to
correspond with your responses:
I. Program Design and Integration
The program design must provide a description of the scope of services that includes Program Structure,
Instructional Plan, Pedagogy, Professional Development and Family Involvement strategies.
The narrative should reflect:
Goals for implementing a high-quality UPK/IPK program as described in the RFP.
An instructional plan that clearly articulates alignment to District's adopted curriculum.
Currently, the District uses the Core Knowledge Language Arts Curriculum and the New York
State Next Generation Standards. The standards cover five domains of development:
approaches to learning; physical development and health; social and emotional learning;
communication, language, and literacy (including approaches to communication and English
Language Arts and literacy); and cognition and knowledge of the world (including
mathematics, science, social studies, the arts and technology). Following is a link to the Core
Knowledge Language Arts Curriculum and the New York State Pre-Kindergarten Foundation
for the Common Core Standards:
EngageNY Resources
NYS PreK Foundation for the Common Core
Resource Guides for School Success: The Prekindergarten Early Learning Standards
(nysed.gov)
CiTi RFP26-0015 Universal Pre-Kindergarten (Mexico Academy & Central School District)
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Describe curricular content that builds on children's interests and fascinations related to
science, social studies, literacy, and mathematics goals as detailed in the New York State
Pre-Kindergarten Foundation for the Common Core Standards.
Describe ability to provide special education integrated services, as needed.
Describe the ability to provide appropriate instruction to English Language Learners (ELL).
Describe all family involvement activities.
Describe instructional strategies that demonstrate how young children learn and develop,
such as:
Engages children in experiences which challenge their capabilities and
accommodate learning styles.
Promotes instructional practices that allow sufficient time for exploration,
investigation, and reflection on learning.
Enables children to apply concepts and skills across disciplines and provides
opportunities for children to work independently or in small groups.
Emphasizes hands on, inquiry-based learning experiences.
Offers alternative instructional approaches that respond to children's
individual needs and that build upon their strengths.
Promotes developmentally appropriate instructional practices that
acknowledge and celebrate diversity.
Fosters learning activities which are meaningful and relevant to children.
Emphasizes critical analysis.
Acknowledges social emotional development as a cornerstone of the early
childhood experience.
Describe continuity and transition activities that support the children and
families.
II. Qualifications of Provider
In this section, you will show evidence that the human, organizational, technical, and professional
resources can support meeting the program's goals and student learning and emotional needs. This
section of the Proposal should include, but is not limited to:
Eligible agencies shall mean an existing provider of early-childhood programs, center or
community-based organization including, but not limited to, Head Start and nursery school
that currently serves 4-year-old children.
Provide a description of instructional oversight, including the liaison to MACS. If the
submitting applicant is an umbrella organization for other service providers, submit the
applicant's name and the names of other organizations that fall under umbrella organization.
Up-to-date resumes of key personnel who will be directly responsible for the UPK/IPK
Program; for example, Teacher(s), Teacher Assistant(s), etc. and where required, reference to
appropriate licenses and/or certificates.
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III. Curriculum
Awarded agencies will be required to implement the adopted curriculum. Currently, MACS uses the
Core Knowledge Language Arts Curriculum, EngageNY Modules for Mathematics, and the New York
State Next Generation Standards. The curriculum and training are provided by MACS. See page 7 for
appropriate links.
IV. Assessment, Attendance, and Data Collection
Provide a narrative that includes the following:
Demonstrate the ability to document and maintain student records.
Describe the agency's current attendance procedures, responsible staff, and systems. Please
note: if awarded a contract, the agency must maintain daily attendance in the database
designated by MACS.
Describe any assessment instruments that have been used to measure student development
and/or learning that your agency has used and the procedures, systems, and any staff
responsible for recording these measures. Please note: if awarded a contract, the agency
must participate in any required assessment measures requested by MACS.
V. Logistics/Operation
Please include in the response narrative the following:
Hours of operation will be the same for the UPK/IPK program as MACS and will be 2.5 hours in
length from Monday - Friday. There will be two sessions during the day (one morning session
and one afternoon session).
The program will follow the MACS district calendar with an equivalent of 180 days of
instruction and will follow the district's professional development days, both district and site
specific.
Describe the physical space of the proposed classroom, i.e. windows, bathroom and sink
facilities, floor location, description of floor, i.e. carpet or tile, etc. Attach a floor plan for the
proposed facility, as well as information regarding:
Floor location;
30 square feet per child of usable classroom space;
Process and procedures for keeping the facility secure and maintained;
Zoning usage;
Sanitation facility;
Current building use.
NOTE: MACS does not have space within any of its buildings that would be available for
lease. Also, the Center for Instruction, Technology & Innovation which is located within the
MACS district does not have space available for lease.
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VI. Demonstrated Effectiveness
Providers shall include a narrative describing evidence of prior success that is detailed and directly
related to meeting the program's goals and student learning and emotional needs. The narrative shall
include the following:
Details of the agency's background and experience in providing at least 12 months of UPK
prior to submission of this proposal, including a description of awards, recognition, accolades
and quality assessment results, if applicable.
Any experience working with public schools, such as after-school programs, parent activities,
professional development activities, etc.
As applicable to your agency's program:
List any and all NYS Office of Children and Family Services notice(s) of violation issued
in the past two years classified as "imminent" or "serious" and any Cease-and-Desist
Notices or Suspensions Notices and any Revocation Decision(s).
Provide proof of NAEYC accreditation.
Submit copies of any previous program evaluations.
VII. Implementation Plan
Include your agency's implementation plan and timeline if awarded a contract from this RFP. Describe
your plan for recruitment, start-up needs, classroom preparation, hiring, etc. Any agency awarded a
contract from this RFP must be able to provide the UPK/IPK program on the first day of school usually
the day after Labor Day (this date is tentative and won't be finalized until the MACS BOE approves the
2026-2027 school year calendar). Your agency should also include a plan that will address the potential
of pandemic related restrictions and closures.
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