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RESOLUTION RETROACTIVELY APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE�S APPLICATION FOR AND ACCEPTANCE OF $375,939,525.00 IN GRANT FUNDS FROM THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES FOR THE CONTINUATION OF THE HEAD START PROGRAM (�PROGRAM�) DURING A NEW FIVE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD, AUGUST 1, 2026 TO JULY 31, 2031; AUTHORIZING THE EXPENDITURE OF SUCH GRANT FUNDS; AUTHORIZING A NON-COMPETITIVE DESIGNATED PURCHASE PURSUANT TO SECTION 2-8.1(B)(3) OF THE COUNTY CODE BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT; FURTHER AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO: (i) AWARD CONTRACT NOS. D-10669A THROUGH D-10669Q WITH SEVENTEEN HEAD START DELEGATE AGENCIES FOR THE PROVISION OF PROGRAM SERVICES FOR THE FIVE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD, AND TO EXERCISE ALL PROVISIONS SET FORTH THEREIN; (ii) APPLY FOR, ACCEPT, RECEIVE, AND EXPEND ADDITIONAL FUTURE GRANT FUNDS RELATED TO THE PROGRAM; (iii) NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE OTHER AGREEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR THE PROGRAM, AND EXERCISE ALL PROVISIONS CONTAINED THEREIN; (iv) SOLICIT, ACCEPT, AND EVALUATE NEW DELEGATE AGENCIES AS MAY BE NECESSARY FOR THE PROVISION OF PROGRAM SERVICES; AND (v) NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE ADDITIONAL AGREEMENTS OR DOCUMENTS TO SUPPORT STUDENT INTERNSHIPS WITHIN THE PROGRAM; WAIVES RESOLUTION NO. 130-06

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WHEREAS, this Board desires to accomplish the purposes outlined in the accompanying County Mayor's memorandum, a copy of which is incorporated herein by reference,

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that this Board:

Section 1. Retroactively approves and authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee�s application for, acceptance, and receipt of renewed grant funds from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the continued operation of the County�s Head Start program (�Program�), in an amount of $75,187,905.00 for the initial year of the grant, and in a total funding amount of approximately $375,939,525.00 over the five-year grant period, beginning August 1, 2026, and ending July 31, 2031.

Section 2. Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to expend the grant funds, and finds it is in the best interest of Miami-Dade County to award Contracts No. D-10669A through D-10669Q as a non-competitive designated purchase, in substantially the forms attached and made a part hereof, as Attachment 2 and 4 of the accompanying County Mayor�s memorandum, for Head Start Program Services with the current 17 delegates agencies, in a funding amount of approximately $75,187,905.00 for the initial one-year term, plus four, one-year options to renew, subject to the receipt of applicable federal funds and appropriation, pursuant to section 2-8.1(b)(3) of the Code of Miami-Dade County, by a two-thirds vote of the Board members present.

Section 3. This Board authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to: (i) execute Contract Nos. D-10669A through D-10669P in substantially similar form as Attachment 2 of the accompanying County Mayor�s memorandum, with the 16 not-for-profit delegate agencies identified in Attachment 1; (ii) execute Contract No. D-10669Q with the School Board of Miami-Dade County, in substantially similar form as Attachment 4 of the accompanying County Mayor�s memorandum; and (iii) to exercise all provisions contained therein, including amendments, extensions, renewals, termination, waiver, and other provisions, following approval for legal form and sufficiency by the Miami-Dade County Attorney�s Office, and in accordance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards, and subject to DHHS approval, as necessary, and pursuant to section 2-8.1 of the County Code and Implementing Order 3-38.

Section 4. Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to apply for, accept, receive, and expend additional future grant funds related to the Program, including, but not limited to, cost of living adjustments or Program improvement allocations, and match grant funds.

Section 5. Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to negotiate and execute additional agreements or documents necessary for the receipt and expenditure of these Head Start grant funds, and as necessary per the Head Start Program Performance Standards, so long as there is no fiscal impact to the County, following approval for legal form and sufficiency by the Miami-Dade County Attorney�s Office, and to exercise the provisions set forth in any such agreements and documents, including termination and amendment provisions, providing that any such amendments do not alter the purpose of the Program, extend the term of any such agreements beyond the Program term authorized herein, or commit County funds, other than in kind.

Section 6. Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to solicit, accept, and evaluate new applications for delegate agencies to provide Head Start services, and to negotiate and execute contracts with any new delegate agencies, in the event needed, subject to approval for legal form and sufficiency by the Miami-Dade County Attorney�s Office, and in accordance with Head Start Program Performance Standards and DHHS approval, as needed.

Section 7. Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to negotiate and execute additional agreements or documents to support student internship within the Program for colleges and universities, such as Miami-Dade College, and to assist in training staff and future teachers to meet the credentialing requirements of the HSPPS, so long as there is no fiscal impact to the County, following approval for legal form and sufficiency by the Miami-Dade County Attorney�s Office, and to exercise the provisions set forth in any such agreements and documents, including termination and amendment provisions, providing that any such amendments do not alter the purpose of the Program, extend the term of any such agreements beyond the Program term authorized herein, or commit County funds, other than in kind.

Section 8. Waives Resolution No. R-130-06, requiring agreements to be finalized and executed by all non-governmental parties, as may be required and as authorized by sections 4, 5, 6, and 7.

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Date:

To: Honorable Chairman Anthony Rodriguez
and Members, Board of County Commissioners

From: Daniella Levine Cava
Mayor

Subject: Recommendation for Retroactive Authorization of County Mayor�s Action in Applying for Renewed Grant Award with the United States Department of Health and Human Services for Head Start Program and Approval to Award Designated Purchase Contracts for Head Start Program Services Delegate Agencies

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Executive Summary
This item seeks retroactive authorization by the Board of County Commissioners (Board) for the Community Services Department�s (CSD) application to renew its grant award with United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Administration for Children and Families (ACF) Office of Head Start (OHS) for the continuation of the Head Start Program Services (�Program�). The funding period is from August 1, 2026, to July 31, 2031, and the total funding amount is approximately $375,939,525. DHHS requires a 25% non-federal share match as part of the total program costs. This requirement is met through in-kind contributions, such as use of facilities, donated goods, volunteer time, and professional services, all of which directly support program operations.

Approval of a designated purchase is being requested to award the 17 delegate agencies listed in Attachment 1, which are currently providing these services, with a new contract for Head Start Program services for the upcoming grant cycle. All of these delegate agencies have been providing Head Start services on behalf of the County since 2012. A designated purchase is in the best interest of the County in order to ensure continuity of care and stability for the children and families currently enrolled in the Program, which includes the provision of education, health, nutritional and social services. In addition, it is in the best interest of the County and the Head Start Program to contract with these delegate agencies in order to retain the significant financial investments that were made to the facilities where services are provided in the prior grant cycles, rendered to make them compliant with Head Start regulations. And in addition to facility improvements, significant investments were made toward staff credentialing and training at these sites, as well as leadership development for the directors of these programs.

Recommendation
It is recommended that the Board approve the attached resolution which:

1) Retroactively approves and authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee�s application for, acceptance, and receipt of renewed grant funds from the United States Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) for the continuation of the Miami-Dade County Head Start Program, in an amount of $75,187,905 for the initial year of the grant, and in a total funding amount of approximately $375,939,525 over the five-year grant period, beginning August 1, 2026, and ending July 31, 2031.

2) Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to expend the grant funds, and to award designated purchase contracts, Contract Nos. D-10669A through D-10669Q, Head Start Program Services, with the current seventeen Head Start delegate agencies listed in Attachment 1. Approval of a non-competitive designated purchase is being requested pursuant to Section 2-8.1(b)(3) of the Code of Miami-Dade County (Code), by two-thirds vote of the Board members present, to ensure the uninterrupted delivery of Head Start program services for the upcoming grant cycle.

3) Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to execute the contracts included in Attachment 2 , with the 16 not-for-profit delegate agencies listed in Attachment 1, and Attachment 4 with the School Board of Miami-Dade County (School Board), and to exercise all provisions of the contracts, including any amendments, extensions, renewals, termination, waiver, or other provisions, in accordance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), and subject to DHHS approval, as necessary, and pursuant to Section 2-8.1 of the County Code and Implementing Order 3-38. The contracts will be for one year, with four additional one-year options to renew. The Head Start delegate agency contracts that relate to the current Head Start grant award period are set to expire on July 31, 2026.

4) Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to apply for, accept, receive, amend, and expend additional future grant funds related to this grant program, including, but not limited to, cost of living adjustments or Program Improvement allocations from DHHS, and match grant funds.

5) Authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to negotiate and execute other agreements and documents necessary for the receipt and expenditure of these Head Start grant funds, and as necessary per the HSPPS, so long as there is no fiscal impact to the County, following review and approval for form and legal sufficiency by the County Attorney�s Office, and authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to exercise the provisions set forth in any such agreements and documents, including termination and amendment provisions, providing that any such amendments do not alter the purpose of the project, extend the term of any such agreements beyond the term authorized herein, or commit County funds, other than in kind.

6) In the event any of the 17 delegate agencies is terminated or not renewed during the grant period, or in the event additional delegate agencies are required, authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to solicit, accept, and evaluate new applications to provide Head Start services as a delegate agency, and to negotiate and execute contracts with any new delegate agencies, as is in the public and community�s best interest and welfare, and in accordance with HSPPS, and subject to DHHS approval.

7) Authorizes the County Mayor or the County Mayor�s designee to negotiate and execute additional agreements or documents to support student internship within the Head Start program with colleges and universities, such as Miami Dade College, and to assist in training staff and future teachers to meet the credentialing requirements of the HSPPS, so long as there is no fiscal impact to the County, following approval for legal form and sufficiency by the Miami-Dade County Attorney�s Office, and to exercise the provisions set forth in any such agreements and documents, including termination and amendment provisions, providing that any such amendments do not alter the purpose of the grant project, extend the term of any such agreements beyond the term authorized herein, or commit County funds, other than in kind.

8) Waives Resolution No. R-130-06 with respect to the additional agreements and documents that may arise as part of the Program and which are not yet negotiated, as explained in numbers 4, 5, 6, and 7, above.

Scope
The impact of this item is countywide in nature.

Delegated Authority
If this item is approved, the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee will have the authority set forth in the recommendation section above.

Fiscal Impact/Funding Source
There is no anticipated fiscal impact to the County�s General Fund for the provision of these services. The Head Start Program is being funded through federal grant funds from DHHS. The fiscal impact for the initial one-year term is $75,187,905. Subject to the receipt of DHHS grant funds, and should the County choose to exercise the four, one-year options to renew, the estimated cumulative value over the five-year grant period will be $375,939,525.

DHHS requires a non-federal share match of 25%, or an estimated $18,796,976 for the initial one-year term, to continue during each grant year. Under the current and expiring Head Start grant the non-federal share match has been achieved by in-kind contributions such as the value of real property, donated goods ( i.e. classroom supplies and educational materials valued at market rate), volunteer time inclusive of parents assisting in classrooms, participating in the Head Start Policy Council, or supporting events, and not federally funded professional services provided to enrolled children and their families like medical, dental, educational, or therapy services valued at the provider�s standard rate. Each delegate agency is held responsible for the required non-federal share based on the level of federal funding received to provide Head Start/Early Head Start services under the authority and oversight of the County.

The expenditure authority requested for the new grant term contracts is based on the approved budget
of the Discretionary Federal Grant awarded to the County by DHHS.

Department Allocation Funding Source Budgeted Contract Manager
CSD $75,187,905 Discretionary Federal Grant FY 2025�2026 Adopted Budget, Volume 3, Page 150, Operating Expenses, Contractual Services Maria T. Riestra-Quintero
Total $75,187,905

Track Record/Monitor
Pearl Bethel of the Strategic Procurement Department (SPD) is the Procurement Contracting Manager. CSD�s Assistant Director, Dr. Maria T. Riestra-Quintero, the Program Manager, will be responsible for administering and monitoring the Head Start Program.

Awarded Vendors
Under the current and expiring Head Start grant, there are 17 delegate agencies, comprised of 16 not-for-profit vendors and the School Board. These are being recommended for award under the County�s new Head Start grant period, 2026-2031. Refer to Attachment 1 for a list of the providers and their locations.

Background
Since 1965, the Community Services Department (CSD), or a predecessor agency, has been providing comprehensive child development and family services through the federally funded Head Start Program to low income (100 percent of the federal poverty level) and preschool children three to five years of age. In 1990, the Department received additional grant funds from DHHS to administer the Early Head Start Program for pregnant women and children up to the age of three years old. Two more Early Head Start Child Care Partnership grants were awarded to the County in 2014 and 2019 to serve 792 additional infants and toddlers. Currently, the County�s Head Start and Early Head Start Program, through the three grants awarded, is federally funded to serve 6,310 preschool and 1,238 infant and toddler children and their families countywide through contracts with 17 delegate agencies and 11 community-based childcare partners.

The County applied for a new non-competitive baseline grant application to DHHS on May 1, 2026, with the beginning of the County�s new five-year grant cycle for its Head Start base grant with adjustments to funding and enrollment levels based on a Change in Scope application that is pending review by DHHS.

This item is being presented as a designated purchase as competition for these services would not be practical at this time since Head Start guidelines encourage retaining and fostering delegate agencies
that are performing in accordance to HSPPS. All of the awarded 17 delegate agencies, which are currently performing in accordance with the HSPPS, were previously approved by DHHS for the provision of Head Start and are included as part of the new base application. Proceeding with the current awarded 17 contracts will ensure the County continues delivering uninterrupted education, health, nutritional and social services to low-income families and allows for further return on investments made in communities, facilities and staff. Therefore, it is in the County�s best interest to approve the award of the designated purchase pursuant to Section 2-8.1(b)(3) of the County Code to authorize the 17 delegate agencies to continue providing Head Start Program services.

In the event any of these 17 delegate agencies fails to meet one or more of the requirements of the grant or fails to demonstrate the ability to implement the requirements of the grant, it is further recommended that the Board authorize the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to select new delegate agencies and to negotiate and execute contracts with any new delegate agencies, subject to DHHS approval, as necessary, and Board ratification.

Some of the delegate agencies are operating in County facilities or on County properties, or are slated to in the near future, based on a redevelopment of the facility with HS funds. A separate Board item relating to these lease agreements will be forthcoming.

Due Diligence
Pursuant to Resolution No. R-187-12, due diligence was conducted in accordance with SPD�s Procurement Guidelines to determine vendor responsibility, including verifying corporate status and that there are no performance and compliance issues through various vendor responsibility lists and a keyword internet search. The lists that were referenced included convicted vendors, debarred vendors, delinquent contractors, suspended vendors, and federal excluded parties. There were no adverse findings relating to vendor responsibility.

Applicability of Ordinances and Contract Measures
� The two percent User Access Program does not apply.
� The Small Business Enterprise measures and Local Preference are not applicable.
� The Living Wage Ordinance does not apply.

Attachments:
1. Vendors Recommended for Award
2. Head Start Program Services � Sample Contract
3. Contract Nos. D-10669A through D-10669P� Executed Signature Pages
4. Contract D-10669q � School Board of Miami-Dade County
5. HS/EHS enrollment data as of April 10, 2026


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Arnold Palmer
Chief of Public Safety