Head Start Body Start Announces Request for Proposals to Vendors

RESTON, Va.,  Jan. 26, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play (HSBS) today announced a Request for Proposals (RFP) to vendors to participate in its 2011 Preferred Vendor Catalog for its four-year, $12 million physical activity project. Funding for HSBS is provided by the Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, US Department of Health and Human Services. The purpose of HSBS is to increase physical activity, outdoor play and healthy eating among Head Start and Early Head Start children, families and staff. A major activity of HSBS is to distribute almost $8 million of the $12 million grant directly to Head Start centers nationwide in the form of grant awards up to $5,000 each to improve their outdoor play spaces. HSBS awarded 351 grants during the first grant year, 373 grants in second year, and will award upwards of 400 grants each year for the next two years (2011 and 2012). This year's Play Space RFP will be released in March 2011 and Play Space grants will be awarded in June 2011.

Playground companies, equipment manufacturers, and other creators of playground and play space-related resources are eligible to apply for inclusion on the 2011 Preferred Vendor Catalog, which will offer discounts or value-added packages of safe, developmentally appropriate equipment and materials to Head Start Play Space grant recipients. The Preferred Vendor Catalog will be made available to all Head Start centers and may be used by Head Start Play Space grant recipients who are selecting resources for their outdoor play spaces.

"Increasing the quantity and quality of physical and outdoor play for the nation's 900,000 Head Start children, their families and staff is one of our major goals," said Head Start Body Start Director Dr. Kwame M. Brown. "This is an exciting opportunity for companies who are dedicated to increasing physical activity as well as improving the connection to and accessibility to the outdoors for children."  

Vendors selected for inclusion in the Preferred Vendor Catalog will receive a press kit and will be entitled to use the official 2011 Head Start Body Start Preferred Vendor logo. The Preferred Vendor Catalog will also be identified on the HSBS Web site, recognized in the HSBS and NASPE newsletters, displayed at various HSBS exhibit booths throughout the year, and included in HSBS resources which are available to the entire early childhood community beyond the Head Start community.

To apply to become a Head Start Body Start Preferred Vendor, please see the attached RFP for a detailed explanation of the proposal process. Direct any questions about the process to [email protected]. Subject Line: Vendor PVC

Head Start Body Start National Center for Physical Development and Outdoor Play is a collaboration between the American Association for Physical Activity and Recreation (AAPAR) and the National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) and is funded by a grant from the Administration for Children and Families. Head Start Body Start aims to increase physical activity, outdoor play, and healthy eating among Head Start and Early Head Start children, families, and staff. We help Head Start and Early Head Start Centers to create healthy learning environments and promote physical activity that leads to the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of young children and reduces obesity and its associated costs.

AAHPERD, an alliance of five national associations, six district associations, and a Research Consortium, provides its members with a comprehensive and coordinated array of resources, support, and programs to help practitioners improve their skills to further the health and well-being of the American public. It is the largest organization of professionals involved in physical education, recreation, fitness, dance, health promotion and all specialties related to achieving an active, healthy lifestyle. AAHPERD serves 20,000 members and has its headquarters in Reston, Virginia, 25 miles west of Washington DC. To learn more, visit www.aahperd.org.

SOURCE American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (AAHPERD)