NWSDS Kitchen Feasibility Study RFP.pdf

NWSDS | SALEM KITCHEN & MEAL PROGRAM FEASIBILITY STUDY

NorthWest Senior and Disability Services

Empowering Seniors and Adults with Disabilities by Promoting Dignity, Choice, and Independence.

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

Commercial Kitchen Feasibility Study

Issued by NorthWest Senior and Disability Services

RFP number 2026-SKFS-01

Issue date September 15, 2026

Proposal due 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, October 16, 2026

Procurement contact Gloria Kincade, contract.fiscal@nwsds.org

NorthWest Senior and Disability Services seeks an independent consultant to provide feasible, sustainable options for our commercial kitchen located in Salem, Oregon.

RFP Overview

NorthWest Senior and Disability Services (NWSDS) invites qualified consulting firms or teams to submit proposals to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study concerning NWSDS's Salem commercial kitchen and the future delivery of its Meal Program. The study will provide NWSDS with practical, comparable options and a clear implementation roadmap that supports reliable meal service, responsible stewardship of public resources, operational resilience, food safety, and long-term affordability.

The selected consultant will assess the existing kitchen at 2655 Hyacinth Street NE, Salem, Oregon; evaluate current and projected meal-program requirements; identify and compare facility and operating-model alternatives; and recommend a preferred path supported by operational, facility, financial, regulatory, workforce, logistics, risk, and transition analyses.

Procurement Schedule

Event Date

RFP issued September 15, 2026

Optional pre-proposal meeting/site visit October 1, 2026

Deadline for proposer questions October 7, 2026

NWSDS responses October 9, 2026

Proposal submission deadline 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time, October 16, 2026

Interviews, if conducted October 22, 2026

Notice of intent to award anticipated October 27, 2026

Contract start anticipated November 2, 2026

NWSDS may modify this schedule by written addendum.

NWSDS Background and Project Context

NWSDS provides services that help older adults and adults with disabilities remain nourished, connected, and independent. Its Meal Program includes congregate and home-delivered meal services supported by a network of community meal sites in Clatsop, Marion, Polk, Tillamook, and Yamhill Counties.

The program's principal production asset is an approximately 6,500 square-foot commercial kitchen located at 2655 Hyacinth Street NE in Salem. The facility is a Class C industrial

/commercial kitchen building constructed in 1989. A food-service provider currently uses the property to prepare hot and frozen meals for the NWSDS Meal Program, along with some additional meals for other organizations. Additional operating data, agreements, meal volumes, menus, equipment records, and cost information will be made available to the selected consultant as appropriate.

NWSDS seeks a decision-ready analysis that evaluates options for the future use of the Salem kitchen together with options for producing meals for the NWSDS Meal Program. The study must prioritize continuity of meal service, objectively compare all viable alternatives, and not presume that any particular leasing, contracting, production, or distribution model is preferred.

Project Objectives

• Determine the condition, capacity, suitability, and practical limitations of the Hyacinth facility and its major kitchen systems and equipment.

• Develop a reasonable range of facility and operating-model alternatives, including a status quo baseline.

• Evaluate the feasibility, estimated costs, financial implications, benefits, and risks of the following operating and facility-use models: (1) NWSDS hiring qualified staff and directly operating the Salem kitchen and meal-production operations; (2) NWSDS leasing the kitchen to one or more contracted food-service providers; (3) NWSDS entering into a kitchen-use agreement with a contracted food-service provider; and (4) using available kitchen capacity to prepare meals for other organizations.

• Compare alternatives using transparent and consistent service, facility, financial, regulatory, workforce, logistics, equity, resilience, and implementation criteria.

• Identify a preferred option and a viable secondary option, with the assumptions and tradeoffs clearly stated.

• Provide an actionable roadmap, budget framework, procurement strategy, transition plan, and decision schedule.

Scope of Services

The proposer may refine the methodology, but the proposal must address all tasks below.

NWSDS expects an iterative process with regular project-team meetings and documented decision points.

Project initiation and data validation

• Conduct a kickoff meeting; confirm objectives, decision criteria, stakeholders, schedule, communication protocols, and data needs.

• Review available facility, equipment, contract, operating, financial, meal-volume, menu, staffing, distribution, and Meal Program information.

• Identify material data gaps and establish reasonable assumptions where complete records are unavailable.

Current-state Meal Program assessment

• Analyze historical and current meal volumes, service days, menus, production peaks, geographic service demands, routes, staffing, contractor roles, and operating costs using data supplied by NWSDS.

• Identify current bottlenecks, dependencies, service risks, capacity constraints, and opportunities to improve efficiency, quality, resilience, and participant experience.

Demand and capacity forecast

• Develop low, expected, and high planning scenarios for meal demand and production capacity over appropriate short, medium, and long-term horizons.

• State assumptions for population, program participation, service standards, menu complexity, special diets, emergency needs, and changes in funding or policy.

• Translate demand scenarios into functional requirements for production, storage, refrigeration/freezing, staging, loading, fleet access, staffing, and satellite-site support.

Hyacinth facility and equipment assessment

• Conduct an on-site assessment of the approximately 6,500-square-foot Hyacinth commercial kitchen and relevant site conditions.

• Assess functional layout, workflow, production capacity, food-safety separation, receiving, storage, warewashing, refrigeration, ventilation, plumbing, electrical service, fire/life safety, accessibility, loading, parking, security, and expansion potential at a feasibility level.

• Review available equipment inventory and condition information; identify assets that may be retained, replaced, relocated, or retired and clarify major ownership and maintenance considerations.

• Identify high-level code, permitting, licensing, environmental, zoning, and utility issues that could materially affect an option. The study is not a substitute for final design or regulatory approval.

Alternative development

• Develop and describe a practical range of alternatives. At minimum, the consultant must consider the options listed in the following section and may recommend additional or combined alternatives.

• For each alternative, define the facility concept, ownership/control model, service-provider role, meal-production approach, staffing concept, equipment needs, distribution model, meal site implications, schedule, dependencies, and primary risks.

• For any lease or contracted-operator model, evaluate exclusive and shared-use structures, rent and cost-recovery approaches, utilities, equipment use, maintenance, capital improvements, insurance, food-safety responsibility, performance standards, NWSDS priority rights, outside-customer rights, termination, and transition requirements.

• For any model serving other organizations, assess production capacity, pricing, contracting, revenue potential, cost allocation, competition, liability, funding restrictions, and protections that preserve priority and service continuity for NWSDS participants.

Financial and economic analysis

• Develop order-of-magnitude capital costs, operating costs, transition costs, lifecycle costs, and major funding assumptions for each alternative.

• Use a consistent analysis period and show cash-flow timing, inflation, escalation, contingency, useful-life, replacement, and residual-value assumptions. Include net-present-value or equivalent lifecycle comparison where appropriate.

• Test material variables through sensitivity analysis, including meal demand, labor, food, fuel, utilities, contractor pricing, construction cost, and schedule delay.

• Identify potential revenue, rent, lease, asset-disposition, grant, financing, or cost-sharing considerations without assuming availability of funds or customers not confirmed by

NWSDS.

• For self-operation, leased-kitchen, and outside-customer models, develop unit economics showing fixed and variable costs, cost per meal, break-even volume, kitchen utilization, pricing assumptions, revenue allocation, and the financial effect on the NWSDS Meal Program.

Regulatory, contracting, workforce, and risk analysis

• Identify material food-safety, health, licensing, procurement, contracting, labor, insurance, accessibility, and operational compliance considerations for each alternative.

• Evaluate workforce availability, staffing model, training, supervision, continuity, and the allocation of responsibilities between NWSDS and any service provider or facility partner.

• Compare the governance, management capacity, contracting, legal, insurance, tax, accounting, and mission implications of NWSDS self-operation, landlord/tenant arrangements, and production for outside organizations.

• Prepare a risk register addressing service interruption, cost, schedule, permitting, construction, vendor dependence, transportation, equipment failure, emergency response, and funding uncertainty, with recommended mitigations.

Stakeholder engagement

• Facilitate focused engagement with NWSDS leadership and staff, the current service provider, selected meal-site representatives, and other stakeholders identified by NWSDS.

• Use interviews, workshops, or other efficient methods to validate needs and options while ensuring that the consultant's analysis and recommendation remain independent.

Evaluation, recommendation, and implementation roadmap

• Apply an agreed weighted evaluation framework and clearly show how each alternative performs against each criterion.

• Recommend a preferred option and a viable secondary option; identify conditions that could change the recommendation.

• Provide an implementation roadmap with decision gates, responsible parties, procurement and contracting actions, due-diligence needs, permitting/design steps, funding actions, transition measures, and an achievable schedule.

• Provide a meal-service continuity plan for the implementation period, including contingencies for construction, relocation, provider transition, or unexpected facility interruption.

Alternatives to Be Evaluated

The alternatives below define the minimum analytical range. They are not predetermined outcomes, and the consultant may combine, refine, or add alternatives based on findings.

Alternative Minimum concept to test

Status quo baseline Evaluate a kitchen-use agreement under which a contracted food-service provider is permitted to use the facility without entering into a formal lease. Compare the cost, control, maintenance, equipment, insurance, liability, termination, and operational implications of this model with a formal lease.

NWSDS operated kitchen

NWSDS directly operates the Hyacinth kitchen, employs or manages the workforce, procures food and supplies, controls production and quality, and provides meals for its Meal Program.

Alternative Minimum concept to test

Kitchen leased to one contractor

NWSDS retains ownership and leases the kitchen and equipment to one contracted food-service provider that prepares NWSDS meals under defined service, rent, maintenance, performance, and transition terms.

Kitchen leased to multiple contractors

Evaluate a shared-lease model in which the kitchen is leased to a primary contracted food-service provider that would prepare NWSDS meals during designated periods (such as Mondays through Fridays) and other lessees are allowed to use the kitchen at other designated times (such as nights and weekends). Assess scheduling, sanitation, storage, equipment use, insurance, security, cost allocation, and NWSDS priority rights.

Kitchen to be used by other organizations

Evaluate whether available kitchen capacity could be used cost-effectively to prepare meals for other organizations. Assess potential demand, appropriate pricing, revenue and cost recovery, incremental staffing and equipment needs, liability, and protections that preserve priority service for NWSDS participants.

Hybrid model Evaluate a hybrid model in which a primary food-service provider prepares most NWSDS meals and qualified local providers prepare selected meals periodically. Compare the cost, quality, reliability, procurement, logistical, and administrative implications of this model.

Deliverables

Deliverable Minimum requirements

Project work plan and data request

Within one week after notice to proceed; includes schedule, engagement plan, decision criteria, data inventory, and assumptions log.

Current-state and needs assessment

Documents program workflow, demand scenarios, functional requirements, facility/equipment findings, risks, and data gaps.

Evaluate necessary repairs, equipment replacement, renovation, reconfiguration, or expansion of the kitchen facility to meet projected Meal Program needs.

Deliverable Minimum requirements

Alternatives technical memorandum

Defines each alternative consistently, with concept-level facility, operating, logistics, staffing, provider, schedule, and regulatory information.

Financial model Editable model with clearly labeled assumptions, capital and operating estimates, lifecycle comparison, sensitivities, and supporting notes.

Operating and revenue-model business case

Compares NWSDS self-operation, contracted-provider/tenant, and outside-customer production models, including governance, staffing, unit economics, kitchen utilization, pricing, revenue, risks, and break-even analysis.

Assessment Assess NWSDS’s organizational, staffing, human-resources, procurement, financial, compliance, and management capacity to directly operate the kitchen and meal-production activities.

Draft feasibility study Decision-ready report with executive summary, methods, findings, comparative analysis, preferred and secondary options, risk register, continuity plan, and implementation roadmap.

Final feasibility study Revised accessible PDF and editable source file incorporating one consolidated set of NWSDS comments.

Executive presentation Concise presentation to NWSDS leadership and/or the Board, with responses to questions and final recommendation.

Project files Editable spreadsheets, assumptions, diagrams, presentation files, and other nonproprietary supporting materials developed for

NWSDS.

The anticipated study duration is approximately eight (8) weeks after notice to proceed.

Proposers may recommend a different schedule if it materially improves the work or better reflects data, engagement, or technical needs.

NWSDS Responsibilities

• Designate a project manager and decision-making team.

• Provide available documents and data reasonably necessary for the study, subject to confidentiality and legal restrictions.

• Coordinate access to the Hyacinth facility and selected meal sites and facilitate introductions to identified stakeholders.

• Provide timely consolidated review comments and decisions.

• Identify known budget, procurement, funding, policy, or schedule constraints relevant to the study.

Consultant Qualifications

NWSDS welcomes proposals from a single firm or multidisciplinary team. The proposed team should collectively demonstrate:

• Successful feasibility studies for institutional, public, nonprofit, senior-nutrition, health, school, correctional, commissary, or comparable high-volume meal programs.

• Commercial kitchen planning, foodservice operations, equipment, workflow, food safety, and capacity analysis expertise.

• Facility due diligence and concept-level architecture, mechanical, electrical, plumbing, fire/life-safety, accessibility, site, and cost-estimating capability appropriate to the proposed approach.

• Meal distribution, routing, fleet, cold/hot-chain, packaging, satellite-site, and service-continuity experience.

• Lifecycle financial modeling, alternatives analysis, facilitation, risk analysis, and implementation planning.

• Knowledge of Oregon requirements and local market conditions. Any regulated professional services must be performed by appropriately licensed individuals.

• Ability to communicate technical findings clearly to staff, leadership, governing bodies, and community stakeholders.

Proposal Requirements

Submit a concise proposal organized in the order below. Marketing material that does not directly address the requested information should be limited.

Section Required content

Cover letter Identify the prime consultant, authorized representative, contact information, proposed project manager, acceptance period, and any exceptions to the RFP.

Understanding and approach

Describe the consultant's understanding of NWSDS's decision, key issues, methodology, tasks, engagement approach, evaluation

Section Required content framework, and quality-control process.

Work plan and schedule

Provide tasks, milestones, meetings, deliverables, decision points, dependencies, and the proposed completion schedule.

Project team Identify roles, availability, relevant licenses, office locations, subconsultants, and the percentage of effort expected from key personnel.

Relevant experience

Provide up to five comparable projects completed within the past ten years, emphasizing commercial kitchens and meal-program operations. Include client, dates, scope, outcome, and team members who will work on this project.

References Provide three client references for comparable work, including name, title, organization, email, telephone, and project.

Cost proposal Provide a not-to-exceed fee by task and labor category, estimated hours, rates, reimbursable expenses, subconsultant costs, assumptions, and optional services. State the total not-to-exceed amount.

Conflicts and disclosures

Disclose actual or potential conflicts, including relationships with current or prospective foodservice providers, facility owners, brokers, vendors, contractors, or equipment suppliers relevant to the alternatives.

Submission Instructions and Communications

• Submit proposals electronically in searchable PDF format to contract.fiscal@nwsds.org

• The proposal must be received no later than October 16, 2026. Late submissions may be rejected.

• Direct all communications and questions concerning this RFP to Gloria Kincade via email:

contract.fiscal@nwsds.org. Proposers must not contact other NWSDS employees, Board members, evaluation-committee members, or contractors about this procurement unless authorized in writing.

• NWSDS will issue material clarifications or changes by written addendum. Proposers are responsible for acknowledging all addenda in their proposals.

• Proposal costs are the proposer's responsibility and will not be reimbursed by NWSDS.

Evaluation and Selection

NWSDS intends to select the proposal that provides the best overall value. NWSDS may evaluate written proposals, conduct interviews, request clarifications, check references, and negotiate scope, schedule, and price with one or more proposers.

Criterion Points

Understanding, methodology, and work plan 30

Relevant firm experience and demonstrated results 25

Qualifications, roles, and availability of proposed team 15

Cost, transparency, and overall value 20

Schedule, capacity, and quality-control approach 10

Total 100

In accordance with ORS 279A.120, if two or more proposals are otherwise equal in price, fitness, availability, and quality, NWSDS will give preference to a proposer whose services will be performed in Oregon.

NWSDS may consider interviews and reference checks as confirmation of written scores or may assign separate interview scores if stated before interviews. NWSDS may reject a proposal that omits material information, contains significant exceptions, presents an actual conflict that cannot be mitigated, or is not responsive to the RFP.

Anticipated Contract Terms

• The selected proposer will enter into a written professional-services agreement with NWSDS. Work may begin only after execution and written notice to proceed.

• Compensation is expected to be on a not-to-exceed basis tied to an approved scope, schedule, and deliverables. Invoices must provide sufficient task and progress detail.

• The consultant must maintain insurance and provide certificates meeting NWSDS requirements before work begins.

• The consultant will be an independent contractor and will be responsible for its personnel, taxes, permits, professional services, and subconsultants.

• Work products produced specifically for NWSDS under the contract, including editable models and supporting files, will be provided to NWSDS subject to negotiated rights in pre-existing proprietary tools.

• The consultant must protect confidential or exempt information and comply with applicable records-retention, public-records, privacy, and data-security requirements.

• No replacement of key personnel or material subconsultant may occur without prior NWSDS approval.

• The final agreement may include termination, indemnification, audit, nondiscrimination, accessibility, funding-contingency, and other standard NWSDS provisions, together with applicable federal or state requirements.

Reservation of Rights

To the extent permitted by applicable law and NWSDS policy, NWSDS reserves the right to amend, suspend, cancel, or reissue this RFP; reject any or all proposals; waive immaterial irregularities; seek clarification; request revised proposals; verify information; negotiate with one or more proposers; and award all, part, or none of the requested work. Issuance of this RFP does not obligate NWSDS to award a contract or pay proposal-preparation costs.

Proposals may be subject to disclosure under Oregon public-records law. Proposers should clearly identify information they believe is exempt and provide the legal basis for the claimed exemption. NWSDS will determine disclosure obligations and does not guarantee that marked material will be withheld.

Appendix A - Current Facility

The following summary is provided for proposal planning. The selected consultant must validate material facts and should not rely on the summary as a substitute for fieldwork, operating data, or due diligence.

Hyacinth facility Current information

Address 2655 Hyacinth Street NE, Salem, Oregon 97301

Use Centralized commercial kitchen supporting the NWSDS Meal Program

Approximate area 6,500 rentable square feet

Ownership NWSDS

Building context Class C industrial/commercial kitchen; built in 1989

Current operating context

One food-services provider uses the facility to prepare hot and frozen meals for NWSDS and other organizations.

Appendix B - Information NWSDS Anticipates Providing

• Available maintenance records, utility information, and equipment inventories for the Hyacinth facility.

• Available meal counts, menus, production schedules and meal program information.

• Available staffing, service-provider, facility-use, cost, budget, funding, and contract information relevant to the study.

• Access for an agreed number of site visits and staff interviews.

• NWSDS policies, strategic priorities, and known constraints relevant to facility ownership, contracting, procurement, funding, accessibility, and continuity of service.

NWSDS does not represent that every listed item exists or is complete. Proposers should include an approach for working efficiently with imperfect or incomplete data.

Appendix C - Proposal Certification

Information Proposer response

Proposer legal name

Business address

Authorized representative

Email and telephone

Oregon business registry number, if applicable

Total not-to-exceed fee $

Proposal valid through

The undersigned certifies that the information in the proposal is accurate; the signer is authorized to bind the proposer; the proposer has disclosed actual or potential conflicts; and the proposer agrees to perform the work in accordance with its proposal and the final negotiated contract.

Authorized signature Date

Printed name and title