Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Michael P. Callagy, County Executive
Subject: Authorization of $10,000,000 to Launch the San Mateo County (SMC) Childcare Central Initiative
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing an allocation of $10,000,000 to launch the San Mateo County (SMC) Childcare Central Initiative as follows:
A) Authorizing the County Executive, or designee(s), in consultation with County Attorney, to negotiate and execute an agreement with Tootris, LLC, to establish the SMC Childcare Hub, a countywide public-facing childcare navigation technology system, for an initial three year term, in an amount not to exceed $735,000, along with two options to extend the agreement for one year per option, in an amount of $200,000 for each option, if exercised, at the sole discretion of the County Executive or designee, for a total amount not to exceed $1,135,000; and
B) Authorizing an allocation not to exceed $8,865,000 for the launch of SMC Tri-Share, a pilot multi-source provider payment program, and authorizing the County Executive, or designee(s), in consultation with County Attorney, to negotiate and execute all agreements and other documents necessary and appropriate to accomplish the purposes of this resolution.
body
BACKGROUND:
In many areas across the country, and particularly in a high-cost region such as San Mateo County, many families struggle to find and afford childcare that meets their family’s needs. Without appropriate childcare, residents, mostly women, miss out on employment and educational opportunities, or leave the region altogether, which in turn negatively impacts the economy. Concurrently, childcare providers and early childhood educators are chronically underpaid, putting further stress on the supply of quality childcare.
A 2025 assessment (Needs Assessment - Child Care Partnership Council <https://ccpc.smcoe.org/needs-assessment>) identified a shortage of 1,403 infant childcare spaces and 7,501 spaces for school-aged children (ages 5 and up) across San Mateo County. The assessment also took note of challenges that parents face when trying to find and access care, with finding affordable care (65%), ability to enroll right away (53%), and identifying a program with a desired schedule (41%) ranking highest among myriad challenges on a recent parent survey.
Over the last decade, The County has played a central role in addressing childcare needs, including supporting the San Mateo County COVID-19 Childcare Response Team and directing strategic Measure K investments toward early childhood educator development , family childcare provider support and childcare facility improvements. These efforts have been accompanied by sustained community engagement, including a series of childcare town halls hosted by Supervisors Jackie Speier and Lisa Gauthier.
Additionally, throughout calendar years 2025 and 2026, the County held an integral leadership role in the development of the San Mateo County Childcare Blueprint, launched on May 14, 2026. The Blueprint prioritizes four goals: (1) improve childcare access and affordability; (2) strengthen the childcare workforce; (3) enhance childcare facilities and (4) develop a well-funded ecosystem to support Goals 1, 2 and 3. The County has committed to serve as a “lead agency” for implementation of two key Blueprint strategies: strengthening and expanding the navigation childcare system technology and piloting programs to improve childcare affordability for families.
SMC Childcare Hub: In 2026, the County issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for a Childcare Navigation Technology System (“portal”) that would provide a countywide public-facing childcare navigation technology system to serve as a single point of access for families seeking care, childcare providers seeking to reduce unfilled openings, and County partners aiming to streamline subsidy programs and system performance. The County now seeks to establish the SMC Childcare Hub, a one-stop-shop for families seeking quality care for their children aged 0-12, encompassing both subsidized and private-pay options, that optimally will include the full range of childcare options such as center-based and family home care as well as nanny care and before and after-school options.
The County received sixteen submissions for the RFP, of which 13 met minimum qualifications. After a multi-step review process, including review by a panel of community subject matter experts and County staff, Tootris, LLC, was recommended to provide the portal services, based on its platform features, support services, and reasonable costs that best meet the County’s business criteria.
Tootris, LLC, brings significant experience in the development of childcare navigation and coordination platforms serving families, childcare providers, resource and referral agencies, employers, and public-sector partners across California and nationwide. Its platform supports real-time childcare availability, provider engagement, subsidy navigation, and public-sector reporting. Tootris clients include City of San Diego, State of North Carolina, Dallas County (Texas) and Missouri Child Care Aware.
With the implementation of the SMC Childcare Hub, a County-branded public facing portal, the County aims to offer parents and providers a seamless and coordinated system that would provide a full range of childcare options - including available slots and subsidies to identify, apply and enroll in the program that best meets their family’s needs. With this goal in mind, the County and Tootris will work to coordinate efforts with the state-designated resource and referral agency for the County (San Mateo County Child Care Coordinating Council (4Cs)) so that information will automatically be integrated into the County’s portal. However, if this capability is not achievable, the County portal will serve as a comprehensive community childcare portal in tandem to that of 4Cs.
SMC TriShare Pilot Program: Concurrent to the RFP process, the County researched opportunities to support “gap families” - households whose income exceeds eligibility thresholds for state-funded subsidies yet remains insufficient to afford available childcare options. One approach to addressing this gap, successfully implemented in other states such as Michigan, Missouri and North Carolina, is a multi-source provider payment model, commonly referred to as TriShare, whereby the cost of childcare is shared among a government agency, an employer and a qualifying employee. The County now seeks to pilot such a program locally.
Through the TriShare Pilot program, the County will offer the opportunity for local employers to support their eligible employees with childcare expenses by matching employer contributions and providing program administration.
The program will be administered through the technology platform established under the Tootris contract. Tootris will also assist with marketing and technical assistance for the program, and the County will establish eligibility and other guidelines for participation. An amendment to the contract to memorialize program design details will be negotiated and executed by the County Executive, or designee(s), in consultation with County Attorney.
DISCUSSION:
The CEO requests Board authorization to launch the SMC Childcare Central Initiative, entering into an agreement with Tootris, LLC, for a three-year term (with two options for an extension of one year each) in an amount not to exceed $1,135,000, and further authorizing an allocation of an amount not to exceed $8,865,000 for the TriShare pilot program.
Tootris will develop a childcare navigation portal serving as a single point of access for families seeking childcare, childcare providers seeking to fill openings, and subsidy agencies. The portal will include:
• A provider directory, incorporating up-to-date information sourced from state licensing records, supplemented by provider-supplied updates for non-licensing information and provider profiles);
• Family search and navigation capabilities, including advanced provider search and GIS-enabled mapping
• Eligibility determination, intake processing, subsidy routing and document management for families applying to various subsidy programs.
Tootris will also establish the administrative infrastructure for a multi-source provider payment system (e.g., TriShare), encompassing system configuration, payment administration and outreach to prospective participating employers. Tootris will further administer the County’s participation as an employer in the Trishare program on behalf of County employees.
Consolidating childcare navigation functions and multi-source provider payment system development under a single contract is warranted by the operational alignment of the underlying provider database.
The County Attorney’s Office has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provisions allowing amendment of the County fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
The SMC Childcare Central Initiative will deliver measurable benefits to San Mateo County residents by making it easier for families to locate, access, and afford quality childcare for children ages 0-12. The unified navigation portal will reduce barriers to identifying providers that meet a family’s unique needs and determining subsidy eligibility, while the SMC TriShare Pilot will extend affordability to gap families currently underserved by existing programs. Together, these efforts support workforce participation - particularly for women - and advance the County’s commitment to equity, economic mobility, and the well-being of its youngest community members.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The agreement will be for an initial three-year term, with an option to extend up to two additional years. The amount of the agreement, including any extended term, is not to exceed $1,135,000. The amount allocated to the SMC TriShare pilot will not exceed $8,865,000.
The total not to exceed amount to launch the SMC Childcare Central Initiative - including the SMC Childcare Hub and SMC Tri-Share programs - is $10,000,000. Funding will come from the General Fund/Non-Departmental Services and will be included in the FY 2026-27 Adopted Budget.