Quality, affordability new criteria in state land pre-school tenders

SINGAPORE - From this month, a revised tender evaluation process will be used to evaluate bids by child care and kindergarten operators for state-owned properties.

With the new process, a joint effort by the Early Childhood Development Agency (ECDA) and the Singapore Land Authority (SLA), the quality and affordability of the programmes to be offered by operators bidding for State-owned properties will be taken into account.

Currently, the criteria used when evaluating bids include among others, the tendered price, proposed uses, track record and financial health of the bidder.

The new initiative complements the revised tender evaluation process for commercial child care centres in HDB premises introduced in July 2013, which also takes into account the affordability and quality of these programmes.

Senior Minister of State for Ministry of Law and Education, Ms Indranee Rajah said, "This change will allow the Government to assess operators' bids more holistically. It will encourage pre-school operators to focus on quality and affordability of programmes, which will be to the benefit of our pre-school children and their parents."

The first three state properties to come under the revised tender process are located at 511 East Coast Road, 60 Sengkang East Way and 240 Outram Road. They will be put out for tender for child care or kindergarten use on Tue, Nov 5.