Middlesex Community College Vending Services RFP MCC-2026-06 Addendum 1.pdf

Middlesex Community College RFP MCC-2026-06 Vending Services

Addendum No. 1

June 16, 2026

The revisions set forth herein, whether of omission, addition, or substitution, are to be included in and form a part of the Proposal submitted. The numbers of all addenda must be entered in the space provided on the

Financial Proposal Form.

Notice to Bidders

This Addendum No. 1 has been issued to address Bidder Questions.

Bidder Questions:

1. Is MCC open to using Cashless Smart Coolers? Yes, MCC is open to using Cashless Smart Coolers. You basically tap or insert to open the cooler, which opens like a fridge. Then, you take what you want and the system charges you for the items taken. For the traditional machines Boston Health Vending uses, which accept cash and card, 95% of vends come from credit card or Apple Pay use. Therefore, we don't anticipate that switching to a cashless system will disrupt any sales momentum. Also, we have observed that the revenue per customer increases with smart coolers because customers reach for multiple products after opening the cooler and seeing all options.

o During our tour, we noticed that one of the drink machines at the Lowell campus was out of service because multiple drinks vended simultaneously and some drinks were stuck inside. A smart cooler setup eliminates issues like this as well as semi-frequent problems caused by using coins or bills (jams).

2. Are you able to share the 2024 revenue breakdown by machine? The FY24 Revenue Breakdown by machine is listed below.

Area Machine

Type Total

Henderson Hall snack $1,236.76

*Lowell-88 Middle St snack $1,318.81

Henderson Hall snack $3,313.04

North Academic Bldg snack $73.42

Lowell-33 Kearney Square snack $3,333.00

ACC Resource Bldg snack $4,678.01

Lowell-33 Kearney Square snack $3,444.94

Campus Center snack $3,264.85

Campus Center Pepsi $215.16

ACC Resource Bldg Pepsi $3,160.03

Lowell-33 Kearney Square Pepsi $2,601.56

Lowell-33 Kearney Square Pepsi $4,585.70

*Lowell-88 Middle St Pepsi $199.30

Henderson Hall Pepsi $2,226.83

Henderson Hall Pepsi $5,055.45

North Academic Bldg Pepsi $364.25

*Vending Machines are no longer at the 88 Middle Street Locations

3. Does MCC have any nutrition health standards? Yes, healthy snack options should be included.

4. RFP mentions package food products - can you share an example? With cash machines and needing to fit products into specific coil widths, there are product limitations. Smart Coolers have a tray setup that allows them to stock a wider range of products. For clarification, the term "packaged products" referenced in the RFP refers to products in their original manufacturer-sealed packaging/wrappers and not to products packaged by the vendor.

5. Are bidders permitted to utilize beverage equipment provided through beverage supplier partnerships (Pepsi, Coca-Cola, etc.) as part of their proposed solution? Bidders are permitted to utilize the beverage equipment provided though the bidders beverage supplier partnerships.

6. Would Middlesex Community College consider innovative retail technologies, such as AI-powered smart coolers, in select high-traffic locations provided all ADA, accessibility, and reporting requirements are met? The College welcomes proposals that incorporate innovative retail technologies, but final decisions regarding site locations will rest exclusively with the College

7. Is the College open to vendors proposing additional vending concepts, such as fresh food solutions, frozen novelty/ice cream vending, or other enhanced retail options where appropriate? This RFP is focused solely on the specified vending services. Proposals for additional concepts, including fresh-food or specialty vending, are outside the current scope.

8. In addition to commission percentage, will the evaluation committee consider a vendor's ability to increase overall sales performance through equipment modernization, enhanced product offerings, improved customer convenience, and innovative retail solutions? Innovation and the use of technology are components of the

College’s evaluation criteria.

9. Is the College open to a blended vending approach that utilizes both traditional vending equipment and newer retail technologies depending on the needs and traffic patterns of individual campus locations? The College is open to a blended vending approach that incorporates both traditional vending equipment and newer retail technologies, provided all proposed solutions remain within the scope of services defined in this RFP and are appropriate for the needs and traffic patterns of each campus location.

10. Would Middlesex Community College be open to a phased equipment modernization plan during the contract term, allowing the awarded vendor to introduce upgraded or alternative vending solutions based on location performance and customer demand? Yes. Middlesex Community College is open to a phased equipment-modernization plan during the contract term, as long as all proposed upgrades or alternative vending solutions remain within the scope of services defined in this RFP and are appropriate for each location’s performance and customer demand.

11. Could MCC provide FY25 sales by individual machine and/or vending location? The FY25 Revenue

Breakdown by machine is listed below.

Area Machine

Type Total

Henderson Hall Snack Right snack $ 2,478.39

Henderson Hall Snack Left snack $ 3,487.25

North Academic Bldg snack $ 354.83

Lowell- 33 Kearney Sq Snack N snack $ 1,406.73

ACC Resource Bldg snack $ 6,023.68

Lowell- 33 Kearney Sq Snack snack $ 4,567.01

Campus Center snack $ 2,080.62

Campus Center Pepsi $ 1,283.19

ACC Resource Bldg Pepsi $ 2,678.49

Henderson Hall Pepsi GF Left Pepsi $ 2,217.93

Henderson Hall Aqua GF Right Pepsi $ 2,245.07

North Academic Bldg Pepsi $ 190.58

Lowell- 33 Kearney Sq Pepsi Pepsi $ 1,530.79

Lowell- 33 Kearney Sq Lipton Pepsi $ 4,972.38

12. Could MCC provide the current commission percentage being paid by the incumbent vending contractor? 25% commission.

13. Who is the current vendor for snack and beverage vending at the Bedford and Lowell campuses? Sodexo

Operations LLC is the current vendor for snack and beverage vending.

14. Are there any existing exclusive beverage agreements, pouring rights agreements, or campus-wide beverage partnerships currently in place? If so, please identify the provider and expiration date. No. Middlesex

Community College does not have an exclusive beverage agreement, pouring-rights contract, or campus-wide beverage partnership in place at this time.

15. Could MCC provide any photos of the current vending machine. No. Middlesex Community College is not able to provide photos of the current vending machines as part of this solicitation.

16. Are utility costs (electricity and network connectivity) provided by MCC at no charge to the vending contractor The College provides electricity for vending machines without charge to the awarded vendor.

17. What is the current pricing by product category for items offered through the vending program, including snacks (chips, candy, cookies, pastries) and beverages (water, soda, juice, sports drinks, and energy drinks)? The

College does not maintain current vending-program pricing in a format that can be provided for this RFP.

18. Are student cards required to be accepted as a method of payment at the machines? If so, is there a cost for student card usage at the machines? No. MCC does not utilize student ID cards as a payment method for vending, so no card-usage costs apply.