Specifications include, but are not limited to: 1. Information Sessions -- the CONTRACTOR will conduct one information session in each of the following counties (one for each County): • New Castle County • Kent County • Sussex County To inform the public of: • the intent of the survey • how the survey will be conducted • what to expect • how early care and education providers can prepare should they be chosen as part of the sample • how the 75th percentile price is determined • the significance of the 75th percentile price The CONTRACTOR shall be prepared to respond to all questions from the public in regard to the market rate survey. 2. Market Rate Survey -- the CONTRACTOR will conduct a survey of all childcare providers in the state to ascertain the local childcare market price or price providers charge private pay clients based on type of care, county, age of child and unit of service. The CONTRACTOR will collaborate with Prenatal to Five Fiscal Strategies to include questions in the survey to ascertain the actual cost of care for children based on the above criteria. This will enable the state to set reimbursement rates that will more accurately reflect the cost of care rather than the prices being charged. The CONTRACTOR will provide local county as well as statewide childcare market rate pricing. Type of care includes licensed providers (centers, family child care homes and large family child care homes) and licensed exempt providers: exempt centers and school age programs. The following categories of care and categories of children are excluded from the study: • Emergency backup programs • Drop-in care programs • Programs serving only special needs children • Informal care programs (babysitting) • Summer camps • Recreation programs • Head Start programs • Early intervention programs • Employer supported centers that only serve their own employees • Church based/temple-based programs only are open to own members • Specialized programs e.g., child care programs to help teen mothers • Children served for free • Foster care children • Relative care The surveys shall include: • Family child care home and • Large family child care home survey • Questions for full time rates for up to 8 children below school age • School age care • Odd hour care • Care for special needs children The child 1-8 and school age data shall be reported as a daily rate and odd care as an hourly rate. Center/school age survey – Include questions about full time rates for infants, toddlers, preschoolers, and after school rates (care provided in the afternoon) for school age children. Also include questions about odd hour care (evening care, overnight care and weekend care) and care for special needs children. The regular care shall be reported, broken out by age categories, as a daily rate and odd hour care, broken out by age categories, as an hourly rate. Rate differentials for special needs care per county. Additionally, the survey shall include specific questions regarding the actual cost of providing care such as cost for rent, staff, professional development, etc.
