Gassman, J: Contracting Child Care

The Department of Defense is the single largest provider of employer-sponsored child care in the U.S. The 1989 Military Child Care Act (MCCA) is the legal authority for the military s child care system. This study explores the dynamics of child care delivery between a contractor, Camp Adventure Youth Services, a program in the Department of the Army, and their agreement to provide programs to school-age children during the summer. A detailed description of the origins of Camp Adventure, its operations and growth, all dependent on its contracts with the military is outlined. Findings suggest a good fit between Camp Adventure and military child care programs. Programs delivered by Camp Adventure appear to be well aligned with contract specifications, program goals, and the expectations of the MCCA. There is a co-dependent relationship between Camp Adventure and military child care programs with the military exerting somewhat greater leverage. This case study describes how two organizations, grounded in different cultures, with different goals, form a beneficial relationship, bounded by the regulations of policy and contracting, that meets the needs of both.