NIGP 96219: Cafeteria and Restaurant Services

NIGP 96219 Cafeteria and Restaurant Services is an Item code covering food service operations, meal preparation, catering, and beverage service that state and local governments procure for institutional, facility, and public-venue settings. State and local buyers under this code are soliciting comprehensive food service operations across schools, colleges, detention facilities, airports, public libraries, parks, government buildings, and specialized venues—ranging from bulk-delivered student meals and concession stands to full-service cafeterias with menu development and dietary accommodation. Recent activity shows school districts (Vanguard Academy, New Heights Charter School, Hillsborough County, Prince George's County Public Schools, San Antonio ISD, Katy ISD, Columbia County, Delaware Technical and Community College), county and municipal governments (Collier County, Beaufort County detention and airport operations, Bergen County, Boulder County Head Start, Salt Lake County, Orange County vending), state agencies (Texas Education Agency, Florida Department of Transportation and Management Services, Massachusetts State Police Academy, Utah Division of Purchasing), and specialized entities (universities, libraries, transit authorities, performing arts venues, golf courses) issuing RFPs, RFQs, ITNs, and IFBs for food service contracts. The issuing-body mix skews toward school districts, county governments, and state agencies; repeat buyers include San Antonio ISD (multiple continuous student activities and fundraising RFPs) and Florida Department of Transportation (multiple Burns Building iterations). Geographic spread includes active procurement across Florida, Texas, California, Utah, Colorado, Massachusetts, South Carolina, Michigan, Connecticut, Delaware, Georgia, and New Jersey, with no dominant concentration in a single state or region.

Representative recent opportunities illustrate the code's scope. Texas Education Agency issued RFP 27-03 for restaurant and catering services with proposals due October 29, 2026, covering meal preparation, menu development, and culinary support across multiple locations with food safety certifications and dietary-accommodation requirements. Collier County Board of County Commissioners solicited via Invitation to Negotiate for food services at North Collier Regional Park and Sun N Fun Water Park (due March 6, 2025), requiring diverse food and beverage options, three-year terms, and local-vendor preferences worth 10 evaluation points; the contract structure shifts operational costs to the vendor while the County supplies the concession facility at $15 per square foot annually. Greater Orlando Aviation Authority issued multiple RFPs (Packages 9–14, due May 2, 2025) for food and beverage concessions across 1,107 to 22,564 square feet of airport terminal space, targeting minimum annual concession fees ranging from $240,000 to $3.27 million, with 25–30 percent ACDBE participation goals and sustainability mandates (100 percent compostable serviceware). Prince George's County Public Schools RFP PUR 27-030 (due October 14, 2026) seeks a Scratch Cooking Partner Program to transition 36 schools to from-scratch meal preparation, with 15 percent MBE goal, on-site culinary coaching, and menu standardization—demonstrating demand for specialized operational transformation services. Vanguard Academy (State of Utah Division of Purchasing, due October 13, 2026) and Beaufort County Detention Center (RFP 062226, due June 22, 2026) showcase meal-vending and institutional food-service models serving fixed student or inmate populations under USDA or state nutritional standards. These opportunities span revenue-sharing (percentage of gross sales), fixed-fee, hybrid, and cost-plus-labor structures; most require food safety certifications, liability insurance ($1–2 million general liability ranges), and worker background checks. Activity is robust and geographically distributed, with multiple solicitations posted monthly across diverse issuing bodies and venue types throughout 2026.