2019 Farm to Preschool and OST RFQ
The Youth and Family Empowerment (YFE) Division of the City of Seattle Human Services Department (HSD) is seeking applications from agencies interested in supporting food procurement, food equity, and connections between Washington State farmers and Seattle public preschools and before and after school programs serving low-income children and families in Seattle.
This Farm to Preschool and Out-of-School Time (OST) RFQ is focused on building an equitable food system between farmers and preschool and before- and after-school programs. This RFQ will fund a lead agency that will support farmers (producers) to sell, and preschool and before- and after-school programs (consumers) to buy affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food and build long-term relationships. This lead agency will focus on two bodies of work:
- Food Procurement: Assist participating preschools and OST programs in purchasing affordable, nutritious, culturally appropriate food from local farmers, farmers of color, and immigrant and refugee farmers.
- 2020 Program Design Process: The selected agency will convene and facilitate a group of stakeholders for the program's 2020 Farm to Preschool and OST design process, in partnership with HSD YFE. With funding from Seattle's Sweetened Beverage Tax (SBT), the 2020 design process will gather community input from Farm to Preschool and OST participants to create a sustainable, community-centered, program model to implement in 2021 and beyond.
Approximately $233,612.00 is available through this RFQ. HSD intends to fund one (1) applicant. Initial awards will be made for the period of January 1, 2020 to December 31, 2020. While it is the City's intention to renew agreements resulting from this funding opportunity on an annual basis through the 2023 calendar year, future funding will be contingent upon performance and funding availability.
The City of Seattle Human Services Department seeks to contract with a lead agency to help ensure the result of HSD's Farm to Preschool and Out-of-School Time investment results is that all people living in Seattle can meet their basic needs.
If you have any questions about the 2019 Farm to Preschool and OST RFQ please contact the RFQ Coordinator: Jules.Posadas@Seattle.gov or ((206) 684-5296.