4. DEVELOPING HEAD START FACILITIES

This chapter discusses finding new Head Start facilities, renovating existing facilities, and using modular and mobile facilities. It provides guidance on how to begin development, and on contract procedures.

Getting Started

The Head Start program should begin the process for acquiring or renovating facilities by completing a Head Start Design Requirements Checklist, to confirm the facilities design plan and to ensure that all necessary elements have been considered. (A sample Checklist appears at the end of this chapter.) The program may want to include licensing officials in the review of proposed renovations or development. Many licensing requirements allow for considerable discretion or interpretation, and it is often advisable to obtain a ruling before than after the fact. Next, the program should decide who will have responsibility for overseeing the project, and whether it will supervise the project directly or use a professional for this purpose. Finally, the program should secure any necessary approvals from the grantee, delegate agency, ACF Regional Office, or other agency.

After the plan is firm, and approval to proceed has been granted, the next step is to obtain the appropriate building and site licenses and permits. At this stage, the Head Start program may need to seek expert guidance from an architect or other building specialist familiar with local licensing procedures. These procedures vary from community to community, but in general, the Head Start program should do the following:

• Contact the agencies that issue the applicable licenses and permits. These may include zoning, building inspection, the fire marshal, health, and environmental protection. Facilities in some areas may have to meet other requirements, such as historic preservation covenants or environmental requirements. If the Head Start program is subject to child care licensing regulations, contact that office as well. Ask for a copy of all requirements that the planned facility will have to meet.
  
  
• Consult with the ACF Regional Office to coordinate construction or acquisition with the provision of grant funds. If the plan calls for renovations costing over $75,000, arrange for the required HHS engineering review and approval.
  
  
• Ask an architect, engineer, or qualified general contractor to determine whether the facility will meet building, fire, safety, health, and sanitation codes.
  
  
• Submit the floor and building plans to municipal or county authorities for zoning approval. If the location is not zoned to permit operation of a Head Start program, a zoning variance may be required or a public hearing may be necessary to obtain an exception from zoning regulations.
  
  
• Submit floor and building plans to the building inspector, and, if necessary, to the fire marshal. These inspectors will visit the site, and, if everything is in order, will issue a building permit.
  
  
• Contact the health department to learn if the facility meets State and local sanitation and health requirements.
  
  
• After construction or acquisition is complete; request that the building inspector and the fire marshal, if necessary, complete a final inspection and issue an occupancy permit.

If all of the necessary requirements have been met, and the facility has been approved, the program should be able to apply for a child care license, if one is required. The program should contact the child care licensing office. A staff person may visit the Head Start facility to check applicable child care requirements and to make recommendations. If all recommendations are met, the program should receive a license.

Finding New Space

There is a national shortage of quality facilities for Head Start programs. In some communities, suitable space for new facilities is not available. In many communities, however, space is available, but it must be identified. Head Start programs seeking new space should begin by searching in their service area for suitable facilities. If the programs do not succeed at this local level, they should consider expanding their search, using State and national resources to help.

Head Start programs should begin their search by identifying potential facilities in or near their target neighborhoods. The programs should first ask their facilities assessment team members, board members, Policy Council members, and others to identify potential facilities. If this approach is not successful, the should seek help from the wider community by:

• Highlighting the need for quality facilities as part of a media campaign about Head Start's achievements and program expansion
  
  
• Asking Chambers of Commerce, real estate firms, business, financial, and civic organizations to help in the search;
  
  
• Contacting schools, PTAs, religious groups, child and family support organizations, and other community groups about space that could be used by Head Start on an in-kind or leased basis;
  
  
• Approaching the local Public and Indian Housing Authority (PHA-IHA) and Resident Management Corporation (RMC) for assistance in locating facilities at public and Indian housing developments. Often the residents have children who are eligible for Head Start, but who may not be enrolled in a Head Start program. In most instances, the PHA/IHA and/or RMC can renovate space and lease it at little or no cost to the Head Start program.

If it is necessary to look further for leads to suitable facilities, Head Start programs might contact the following:

• HHS Regional Offices, which can share information about techniques other grantees have used to locate space;
  
  
• Head Start Technical Assistance Support Centers (TASCs), Resource Access Projects (RAPs), Head Start-State Collaboration Offices, and State Associations, who often provide guidance;
  
  
• Public housing authorities, which may have facilities available;
• Job Corps Centers, which can construct or renovate buildings or play grounds when Head Start programs enroll children of job Corps students.
  
  

(Chapter 6 of this manual provides information on how to contact these and other programs.)

Construction and Altering Existing Space

Construction and Major Renovation: Before October 1994 only non-structural or minor structural renovations to buildings used by Head Start programs could be paid using grant funds. The Head Start Act now authorizes, in certain specified situations, use of Head Start grant funds to construct or undertake a major renovation :of Head.Start facilities. This construction and major renovation authority is in addition to the authority given to grantees in the 1992 amendments to the Head Start Act to use grant funds; also in certain specified situations, to purchase Head Start facilities. These revisions to the Head Start Act provide grantees with increased flexibility to meet their facility needs. While many grantees will continue to lease facilities or serve children in facilities donated by the community, many grantees may wish to consider taking advantage of these other options as well.

Grantees should involve their Regional Offices early on in the process of considering the merits of construction or major renovation. The early involvement of Regional Offices will be critical to assuring a smooth implementation of this process and will help minimize some of the misun derstanding and confusion that are likely inevitable in the implementation of these provisions of the Head Start Act. Procedures for applying for funds to construct or make major renovations to buildings used by Head Start programs were not yet published at the time this Manual was distributed. The following discussion is based on provisions of the Head Start Act and guidance available from the Head Start Bureau at the time of this publication. Consult your Regional Office for the most up-to-date guidance on how to apply for these funds. Before submitting an application for grant funds for construction or major renovation of a facility the grantee must show that is meets the conditions of eligibility established by the Head Start Act. A grantee proposing to construct a facility with grant funds must demonstrate either (1) that there are no suitable facilities available for lease or purchase in the grantee's proposed service area, or (2) that these are alternative facilities available for lease or purchase but they are not suitable for use as Head Start programs without major renovations, and the costs of leasing or purchasing such a facility, together with the renovation-costs necessary to make the facility suitable for Head Start, are more expensive than the cost of construct ing a facility.

Construction: The following questionnaire was designed to help grantees determine their eligibility to use grant funds to construct Head Start facilities. Use it to determine if you meet the eligibility requirements of the Head Start Act. Consult your Regional Office if you have any questions or need clarification.

Worksheet #10 - ELIGIBILITY OF FACILITIES

Major Renovation: A grantee seeking to use grant funds to undertake a major renovation of a Head Start facility must show that the renovation would be more cost-effective than the lease or purchase (including necessary renovation) of alternative facilities, or construction of a new facility, or that there are no alternative facilities available.

Grantees must submit documentation from licensed professionals in their area (such as realtors, contractors, and architects) regarding the non-availability of alternative facilities or the estimated costs of acquiring and renovating an alternative facility. Estimates of the cost of acquiring and renovating alternative facilities need not be based on detailed plans in this initial phase of establishing eligibility. However, these estimates should not differ significantly from the more detailed estimates which will be submitted with the Cost Comparison part of the application if eligibility is established.

There are four major stages in altering or renovating a Head Start facility:

1. Start-up planning and scheduling, including preliminary planning and grant approval from the Regional Office necessary for authorization and Federal funding.
   
   
2. Project design, including development of final project specifications. This step may be necessary for larger and more technically complex projects, particularly if a special review by the Office of Engineering Services is required. This step may lead to the development of an RFP (Request for Proposal) to seek contractor support through a competitive process.
   
   
3. Contract negotiations and selection. The Head Start agency should ensure that all of its essential requirements are set forth in the contract with particular attention to program design, project cost, time table for completion, and other contractor performance expectations. The Head Start Act requires that all workers employing contractors or sub-contrac tors in the-construction or renovation of Head Start facilities must be paid the prevailing wage rate for similar construction in the community as determined by the Department of Labor. Consult your ACF Regional Office for information on compliance with this requirement. (See model contract provisions under "Contracts.")
   
   
4. Project supervision to completion. Careful oversight is the major factor that will determine that the project will be accomplished on time and within budget in accordance with the contract specifications. A Head Start staff person should be identified who is responsible for quality control and project acceptance.
   
   

Mobile and Modular Facilities

Mobile and modular facilities are options for programs that have land, but not suitable buildings, available. Both types of facilities can be moved from one place to another, or be permanently placed.
Issues to be considered in planning for mobile and modular facilities include the following, (adapted with permission from Morgan Modular Buildings):

• The size of the building needed for the number of children to be served;
• The number of classrooms, staff/parent rooms, offices, restrooms, and other needed areas;
• An interior design that will be functional and meet Head Start Program Performance Standards;
• Land acquisition and zoning requirements;
• City and State licensing requirements and codes;
• Compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act;
• Outdoor space, including playgrounds, parking, and landscaping;
• Any special arrangements for safe evacuation in the event of a natural disaster;
• The projected useful life of the facility, its costs, and cost-effectiveness;
• Possible funding sources and financing arrangements;
• Ownership of the facility;
• Lease and purchase options;
• The possibility of relocation.

In the past, some Head Start programs, have considered mobile or modular buildings as temporary structures, and justified their acquisition as expedient, short-term and low-cost solutions to space crises. However, mobile and modular facilities can cost more than $100,000, and improvements in technology and design mean that these facilities can last 20 years or more. In addition, recent changes to the Head Start law give grantees authority to purchase modular buildings over time, making the purchase of these facilities more feasible for grantees who do not have sufficient resources for "outright" purchase.

Head Start programs planning to use mobile or modular facilities should allow time for comparative shopping and a formal competitive bid and contracting process. The following steps are a guide:

• Develop facilities specifications, including "set up" needs, requirements, expenses, zoning requirements, and any local government restrictions;
• Identify possible vendors. Consider local, regional, and national companies, and contact the resources in Chapter 6 of this manual;
• Contact vendors to obtain planning information. Ask for information about the firm and its previous experience with Head Start or other early childhood facilities, for references, and for photos and drawings of other early facilities the vendor has developed;
• Conduct competitive bidding. Have explicit written requirements for the facility; clear contract specifications, including the work to be done; the target date for completion; criteria for accepting the facility as satisfactory, and any penalties for failure to accomplish the work on time and in an acceptable condition; and contract evaluation criteria that emphasize both the quality of the facility and the cost. The bidding should be publicly advertised and suitable vendors invited to respond.
• Select a contractor and begin the project. Workwith the contractor to ensure that the work is done in accordance with the Head Start program's needs and the contract specifications.

Contracts

A contract will be required for the purchase, construction, or renovation of a Head Start facility. The Head Start program should consult its attorney for assistance in drawing up the contract.

The following is a sampling of contract conditions which illustrate the kind of information which should be negotiated with the contractor:

• Work shall begin on or around (specify date) and will be completed by (specify date) barring inclement weather or site conditions that could result in unacceptable work in the joint opinion of the contractor and the Head Start representative.
  
  
• The contractor agrees to supply the Head Start agency with a certificate of insurance (covering comprehensive general liability and workmen's compensation) prior to commencement of work.
  
  
• The contractor agrees to work with the Head Start representative to help protect Head Start's interest by identifying conditions of the that might result in an unacceptable finished product.
  
  
• The contractor shall be responsible for equipment and tools and will keep all materials within the secured area of the construction site.
  
  
• The contractor agrees to keep the site clear and clean of debris daily and to take away all debris and leftover stock upon completion of the project.
  
  
• All work performed by the contractor shall be conducted in a professional and expeditious manner, be of good quality in accordance with generally accepted standards in the industry, and be acceptable to the Head Start representative.
  
  
• The work shall be warranted for labor and any materials for a period of 1 - year after completion of the project. The warranty shall cover all labor and materials supplied by the contractor. The contractor, upon receipt a certified letter from the Head Start agency indicating faulty workmanship or material, shall correct such deficiencies within 10 calendar days. Any health or safety defects affecting Head Start participants or staff shall be corrected with 24 hours. In the event the contractor shall fail to make the necessary corrections, repairs, adjustments, or other work made necessary by its faulty materials or workmanship within 10 days, the Head Start agency may take any necessary corrective action and charge the contractor the cost thereby incurred.
  
  
• Any extra work beyond that in the contract shall be approved in writing (specifying the cost) by both the contractor and the authorized representative of the Head Start agency in order for the contractor to proceed with the work and be paid the agreed upon amount when the project is completed and accepted.
  
  
• The contractor agrees to the following conditions regarding completion of the project and acceptability of the work: (specify).
  
  
• The contractor agrees to the following in the event the project is not completed by the date specified in the contract: (specify).
  
  
• The Head Start agency will retain (specify percentage, usually 10-25%) of the project budget for 30 days after substantial completion of the contract and acceptance by the Head Start representative; this amount shall be paid upon receipt of a release of liens from the contractor.
  
  
• For construction and renovation contracts, the contractor and all sub contractors agree to pay all laborers and mechanics employed by them wages at not less than those prevailing in similar construction in the locality, as determined by the Secretary of Labor pursuant to the Davis Bacon Act.
  

Worksheet #11 - HEAD START DESIGN REQUIREMENTS CHECKLIST



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