By Emma Murphy, Oklahoma Voice
OKLAHOMA CITY — An Oklahoma state agency is accepting proposals to open a five-story child care facility at a building near the Capitol that would “offer priority for admission, at all times, to children of State of Oklahoma employees.”
The Oklahoma Office of Management and Enterprise Services is investing over $45 million legislatively appropriated dollars into renovating a building on the Capitol Complex, located at 2409 N. Kelley Ave., which will be turned into a facility for 250 children, from infants to 5-year olds. Proposals are being accepted through Feb. 20.
This comes as Oklahoma, which is considered a child care desert, faces a shortage of qualified workers and lawmakers continue to grapple with finding solutions.
The Legislature originally began planning for the project in 2023, appropriating money to OMES “to accept transfer of the Kelley Building and Kelley Annex owned by the Department of Human Services and renovate the facilities for lease to a public operator as a day care facility,” according to the bill language.
The appropriation does not pay for day-to-day expenses of the child care facility, only renovations.
Bonnie Campo, a spokesperson for OMES, said in a statement that a vendor that was previously awarded the contract withdrew in November for “financial reasons.”
Demolition is complete at the Kelley Building and Annex, Campo said, but work continues on the annex mechanical, electrical and framing systems.
“When completed, the main building will serve as office space for state agencies, and the annex will serve as a day care facility for state employees,” she said in a statement. “All renovation is scheduled to be completed by August 2026. However, opening the facility is contingent on selecting an operator.”
The building currently houses the Child Support Enforcement Division, which will be moved, Campo said.
OMES would be charged with renovating the building, providing fencing for an outdoor playground area, building maintenance, utilities, lawn care, pest control and other related services, according to the request for proposals.
The operator of the proposed child care facility would be responsible for hiring and paying employees and the other day-to-day expenses of running a child care center.
They would also need to provide interior furnishings, liability insurance, equipment for both an indoor and outdoor play area, janitorial services, and other similar responsibilities.
Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, said he wasn’t aware of OMES’ request for proposals as of Wednesday morning. Pae is the vice chair of the House Committee on Children, Youth and Family Services.
“When it comes to state employees, specifically, they do a lot of tremendous work to keep operations functioning and oftentimes they’re not paid as competitively as they ought to be, compared to their peers and other industries,” he said. “So we want to make sure that they’re taken care of.”
The cost of child care has grown nationwide and COVID-era subsidies in Oklahoma have been cut, raising costs for families across the state. Some providers have voiced their concerns about how the loss of subsidies could lead to more child care centers closing their doors.
“I think in the current economy, if we’re going to truly maximize our potential as a state, to meet our workforce needs, we have to address child care,” he said.
