This open, competitive Request for Proposals (RFP) process seeks to identify providers that have the capacity and skills to deliver the identified General Strategy programming within one or more of the above listed school sites.  Applicants that seek to operate programming at a different location than the school sites listed in this RFP will not be considered.   

Out of School Time (OST) programming, delivered by community-based organizations, is part of the City of Philadelphia’s continuum of prevention programs and activities designed to contribute to the overall well-being and safety of youth through access to services that promote their healthy, physical, social, educational, and emotional development. Programming is designed for all youth, particularly those who need to be diverted from or have current or previous involvement in the child welfare system. 

General Strategy OST programs operate 5 days per week (Monday-Friday) for 3 hours each day, typically from school dismissal until 5:30 or 6:00pm and provide structured activities in the areas of social emotional learning, athletics, and/or creative and performing arts.  Elementary school programs incorporate early literacy practices, middle school programs incorporate career awareness and exposure, and high school programs incorporate career preparedness and acquisition. 

Blending the hands-on and engaging programming of OST providers with SDP priorities are key to inspiring and engaging youth. Thus, in addition to academic support and homework assistance, awardees must embed the models within their program delivery methods. These methods could include:  creative and performing arts; athletics and health; science, technology, engineering, and math; humanities; entrepreneurship; and civic engagement. The delivery method(s) must be clear in the application.    

RFP Applicant Eligibility

 To be considered for funding under this RFP, an applicant must be: 

• A private for-profit organization or private non-profit organization and cannot be a government agency. Organizations that are tax exempt under Section 501[c]3 of the Internal Revenue Code must submit a copy of their most recent IRS Determination Letter.  
• Must have at least one year or more of experience running youth development programs that serve youth and their families residing in Philadelphia’s most underserved communities. 
• Must have experience successfully completing PA DHS childcare certification at one or more locations (school- or community-based). 
• Willing and able to operate an OST program within the applied for school sites; applicants that seek to operate programming at a different location than the school sites listed in this RFP will not be considered.  This is not a funding opportunity for community-based or center-based after school programming outside of the listed school buildings. 

 Organizations awarded funding through the RFP will be required to: 

• Offer awarded OST programs to participants at no cost to families and youth attending.
• Offer program to the contracted participants for the program hours at the site identified for funding.
• Provide programming that fully complies with the City of Philadelphia’s Out-of-School Time Standard Operating Procedures while aligning with the strategy, model and site type awarded.   
• For awarded sites that serve children in K through 8^th grade under the General Strategy, the provider organization will need to secure a Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Certificate of Compliance prior to program operations.  

Key Dates

Activity	Date
RFP Release	Friday, March 20, 2026
RFP Bidder’s Conference (via Zoom)	Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at 10:00 a.m.
Deadline for Provider Questions	Wednesday, April 15, 2026
PHMC to Post Final Questions and Answer Document	Friday, April 17, 2026
Proposals Due	Monday, May4, 2026 at 5:00 p.m.
Award Notifications	By Mid-June 2026

Site Identification

This RFP seeks organizations that have the capacity to operate General OST programs within one or more of the following School District of Philadelphia schools. This RFP is only seeking organizations to operate OST programming within the school buildings listed below.  Organizations may seek to apply to operate within one, two, or all three school sites.  A separate application is required for each site the organization is seeking to serve.   

Esperanza Academy Charter School Elementary	Universal Alcorn Charter School	Roberto Clemente Middle School
201 W. Hunting Park Ave	3200 Dickinson St	122 W Erie Ave
Philadelphia, PA 19140	Philadelphia, PA 19146	Philadelphia, PA 19140

Optional Bidders Conference (via Zoom – Registration Required)

Applicants are invited to attend a virtual bidder’s conference.  During the session, the City of Philadelphia and PHMC will review information contained in the RFP and PHMC will provide an overview of the process for application submission.  There will be an opportunity to submit questions during the remote session, though not all submitted questions will be answered during the session.   

The bidder’s conference session will be offered via Zoom as follows: 

• Date: Wednesday, April 8, 2026 
• Session Time: 10:00 a.m.   
• Registration is required in advance of the Bidders Conference through this link: https://phmc-org.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_I62oU9JnTnaRjeYqRUACMg
• A recording of the bidder’s conference session will be available by April 9th via  https://outofschooltimerfp.secure-platform.com/site/page/biddersconference/biddersconferencerecording  

Submit a Question about the RFP

Interested applicants are encouraged to submit questions regarding this RFP. All questions must be submitted by April 15, 2026 at 5pm through cognitoforms.com/PHMC1/FY26RFPEDEYAlcornEsperanzaClementeQuestionSubmissionForm

The RFP question submission window has now closed. Responses to all questions submitted prior to the deadline are posted: https://outofschooltimerfp.secure-platform.com/site/page/faq/currentfaq

Application Process

Submissions must be made via the web-based application, found at www.philaOCFost.org, by Monday, May 4^th, 2026 at 5:00PM.  No late submissions will be accepted.  The web-based application will prohibit proposal submission after the deadline.  

PHMC strongly recommends that applicants submit well in advance of the deadline. PHMC also recommends that applicants begin their submission as early in the application period as possible – applicants can save their work and return at a later date.  Please expect the system to operate more slowly closer to the submission deadline, as more users will be logged in simultaneously. 

The online submission process will include: 

• All applications must be submitted via  https://outofschooltimerfp.secure-platform.com/ 
• The application link can also be found on www.philaOCFost.org beginning March 20, 2026
• Follow the prompts to register and create a login on the site. Register by clicking either “My Account” at the top of the page, or by selecting “Start Application.” You’ll be automatically redirected to enter your information to create a new account. 
•  Organizations may have multiple user logins. Collaboration on applications is available by selecting “Manage Collaborators” after initiating the application. Only one user may be editing an application at any given time. Only “Primary Collaborators” can finalize and submit applications. 

Once the applicant organization account is established and the user is able to log in, the application process can be started.   

The application contains: 

• Fillable Items 
• Narrative Items 
• Items for Uploading 

Important Details

• Applicants will submit one application for each physical location at which they are seeking to provide services.   
• Applicants can submit applications for more than one site 
• Each application submitted for a site will be reviewed and scored individually and as such, organizations may not be awarded for all sites for which applications were submitted.  Applicant organizations should not consider their requests for multiple sites to be linked or considered as an expansion of an existing program or site. 
• Applications in response to this RFP will only be accepted via the approved online platform (see instructions below). 
• To be considered in the review period, each application must be complete, inclusive of responses to all application questions, required document uploads and other required information. 
• Applications must be submitted via the online platform by the submission deadline.  No exceptions will be made.  

Required Documents

Applicants must upload the required attachments in the web-based application.  Please note that some items are only required for specific types of applications/applicants.  It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that relevant documents are included with the application.  Failure to include required attachments or providing incomplete or inaccurate documents may result in a lower score for the application. 

If partnered with a fiscal sponsor, applicants will be asked to upload a copy of their fiscal sponsorship agreement and all required attachments below should be for the fiscal sponsor unless otherwise specified. 

• Two most recently completed Fiscal Year budgets 
• Most recent audited financial statement 
• Most recent income statement (Profit Loss) for entire organization 
• Most recent Balance Sheet (Assets/Liabilities) for entire organization 
• List of current Board Members or Owners for for-profit entities 
• Organizations applying with a fiscal sponsor must include this information for both their own organization and their fiscal sponsor. 
• Tax identification letter (501c3 letter) from the IRS for non-profit organization, if applicable  
• Pennsylvania Department of Human Services Certificate of Compliance (for General Out-of-School Time providers serving Elementary and/or Middle School youth) if available 
• Minority, Women, Disabled Owned Business Enterprise Certificate (MWDSBE), if applicable 
• Signed attestation from the Board/Owners detailing the organization’s long-term commitment to providing high quality Out-of-School Time programming  
• Organizations applying with a fiscal sponsor must include this from the application organization; it is not required from the fiscal sponsor. 
• Organizational Chart 
• Organizations applying with a fiscal sponsor must include this information for both their own organization and the fiscal sponsor. 
• City of Philadelphia Tax & Regulator Status and Clearance Statement 

Download a pdf of the full RFP HERE

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