UNSPSC 50202201: Beer

UNSPSC 50202201 Beer is a Commodity code that covers the procurement and operation of beer concession services at state and local venues, including exclusive pouring rights, equipment provision, staffing, and beverage sales management at festivals, parks, and public facilities. State and local governments soliciting under this code are primarily state departments and county park authorities managing major public events and recreation areas. The Illinois Department of Agriculture has posted multiple concession opportunities for beer service at the Illinois State Fair, while Kenosha County, Wisconsin is seeking a beer garden operator for Petrifying Springs Park. These solicitations require vendors to provide all necessary infrastructure—refrigeration, point-of-sale systems, portable restrooms, and beverage equipment—while maintaining price controls and remitting a percentage of gross sales to the issuing body. Vendors must obtain state liquor licenses, dram shop insurance, and alcohol service certifications, and carry significant liability coverage ($1 million to $5 million depending on jurisdiction). Concession contracts typically run three to five years with renewal options, and are awarded based on the highest percentage return to the public entity rather than a fixed contract price.

Recent activity concentrates in Illinois and Wisconsin. The Illinois Department of Agriculture posted two Invitations for Bid in March 2026 with a March 26 response deadline: one for beer tent concession operation at six locations across the State Fair expecting 750,000 annual attendees with a minimum 13.5 percent gross sales remittance (historical 2025 sales approximately $630,372), and a second for grandstand beer concession at ticketed events with a 15 percent minimum remittance (historical 2025 sales approximately $494,124). Kenosha County issued an RFP on February 24, 2026 for beer garden operation at Petrifying Springs Park with an April 14 response deadline, requiring vendors to submit detailed business plans and site improvements at their own expense, with proposals scored on a 100-point scale weighted toward operational plan, staff qualifications, and financial return; the contract structure calls for a five-year term beginning January 1, 2027 with a 15 percent gross sales commission. Prior emergency procurements in February 2026 identified incumbent operators (American Business Club and Combined Veterans Association of Illinois) but these represent completed purchases rather than open opportunities.