NHFPL_Infographic_v2_(no_specific_placeholder).pdf
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- Attached to
- Cafe Partner
- Solicitation number
- 2026-RFP-CNH-337
- Issued by
- New Haven County, Connecticut
About this file
This is a Request for Proposals infographic issued by the New Haven Free Public Library (NHFPL), a municipal department of the City of New Haven, Connecticut, for the operation of a cafe at the Ives Memorial Library located at 133 Elm Street. The RFP invites for-profit and not-for-profit food and beverage entrepreneurs to propose concepts for a 1,904 square foot cafe space with seating plus a 750 square foot kitchen and approximately 975 square foot patio. The cafe must operate Monday through Thursday from 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM and Friday through Saturday from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Proposers must submit a four-part proposal addressing business information, cafe concept and menu (minimum 10 items), financial proposal, and required compliance documents via the City's OpenGov procurement platform. Two free public information sessions are scheduled for April 21, 2026 at 6:00 PM and April 25, 2026 at 2:00 PM at the library location, with bilingual support available. The submission deadline is specified in the full RFP packet available on newhavenct.gov under the Purchasing Division Solicitations section.
Proposers must propose both a base monthly rent and a revenue percentage share, with 12-month financial projections required using a provided template. The evaluation criteria weight financial viability and business plan at 25%, community rootedness and mission alignment at 25%, cafe concept and menu quality at 20%, operational capacity at 15%, and community engagement vision at 15%. The library provides at no cost a fully equipped kitchen with espresso machine, refrigeration, and sink; WiFi; maintenance; NHFPL marketing support; catering rights of first refusal for library events; and access to a Business Librarian and free tax assistance resources. Proposers must demonstrate compliance with City of New Haven Board of Health code requirements, maintain certificate of insurance, obtain a Connecticut Food Service Permit, and submit required non-discrimination and contractor disclosure forms. No specific deadline date is provided in the infographic, though applicants are directed to the full RFP packet for complete submission details.
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N E W H A V E N F R E E P U B L I C L I B R A R Y — I V E S M A I N B R A N C H
Café at the Library — How to Apply Request for Proposals · Open to all New Haven food and beverage entrepreneurs
Location: 133 Elm Street, New Haven CT Space: 1,904 sq ft (café + seating) + 750 sq ft kitchen Base Rent: $1,200/mo (you propose)
Hours: Mon–Thu 10am–8pm · Fri–Sat 10am–5pm
H O W T O S U B M I T Y O U R B I D — S T E P B Y S T E P
Register on OpenGov
Create a free account on the City's procurement platform — required to access and submit the RFP.
procurement.opengov.com/signup
Find and download the RFP
Search "NHFPL Café" under active solicitations. Download the full packet including all addenda.
newhavenct.gov → Purchasing Division → Solicitations
Attend the free info session
NHFPL staff and Yale SOM consultants walk through every section and answer your questions in person. See dates below.
Prepare your proposal (4 parts)
About your business · Your concept & menu · Financial proposal · Required compliance documents
Submit via OpenGov before the deadline
Upload your complete proposal. The portal closes at the stated deadline — no late submissions accepted.
R F P A T A G L A N C E — W H A T E A C H S E C T I O N C O V E R S
§1 Dates &
Submission
Key milestones, deadline, how and where to submit on
OpenGov
§2 The Space 1,904 sq ft total (café + seating) + 750 sq ft kitchen; ~975 sq ft patio; equipment list (Addendum A); floor plan
(Addendum B)
§3 Requirements Minimum hours, food standards, community commitment, insurance and permit requirements
§4 Financial Terms Base rent (you propose), revenue % (you propose), what the library provides free of charge
§5 Evaluation Financial viability & business plan 25% · Community rootedness & mission alignment 25% · Café concept & menu quality 20% · Operational capacity 15% · Community engagement vision 15%
§6 How to Apply Four-part proposal: your business, your concept, financial proposal, compliance documents
§7 Legal Terms Equal opportunity requirements, non-discrimination, City of New Haven standard contract terms
W H A T Y O U N E E D T O A P P L Y
Don't have a business yet? You can still apply — describe your intent and timeline.
NHFPL's Business Librarian offers free support before you submit.
W H A T T H E L I B R A R Y P R O V I D E S — A T N O C O S T T O Y O U
F R E E P U B L I C I N F O S E S S I O N S — C O M E L E A R N M O R E
NHFPL staff and Yale SOM consultants walk through the RFP and answer every question in person. Both sessions cover the same content — attend whichever works for you.
S E S S I O N 1
April 21, 2026 Tuesday · 6:00 PM
Ives Main Library
133 Elm Street
S E S S I O N 2
April 25, 2026 Saturday · 2:00 PM
Ives Main Library
133 Elm Street
RSVP link and updates on OpenGov. Free and open to all — walk-ins welcome. Bilingual support available upon request.
W H Y T H I S O P P O R T U N I T Y W O R K S
~800 daily visitors — built-in customer base from day one
More affordable than Yale & downtown commercial leases
Previous vendor expanded to multiple locations after NHFPL
Part of New Haven's Startup City growth initiative
Submit on OpenGov: newhavenct.gov → Purchasing Division → Solicitations Questions: can be submitted via OpenGov Info & updates: OpenGov
Business concept + sample menu (10+ items)
• Proposed base rent and revenue % share
12-month financial projections
(template: Addendum C)
• Staffing plan — # of employees, hiring approach
Business entity docs or intent to form• Certificate of insurance or letter of insurability
CT Food Service Permit or application proof
• Compliance forms (Addendum D):
non-discrimination, contractor disclosure & acknowledgment page
Fully equipped kitchen (espresso machine, refrigeration, sink)
• Business Librarian + free tax assistance resources
Catering rights of first refusal for all library events
• WiFi, maintenance, and NHFPL marketing support
File details come from the government source that posted it. Updated .