RCC Food Service RFQ Addendum 01.pdf

City of Raleigh

Request for Qualifications # 274-2026-RCPAC-16

Title: Request for Qualification for Capital Improvement Project; Food Service for the Raleigh Convention Center Expansion

Submittal Due Date and Time: September 08, 2026, not later than 4:00 PM

EST

*LATE PROPOSALS WILL NOT BE ACCEPTED*

ADDENDUM NO. 1

Issue Date: August 31, 2026

Issuing Department: Raleigh Convention Center and Performing Arts Complex

Direct all inquiries concerning this RFQ to:

Rachel Rice Special Events Planner Email: rachel.rice@raleighnc.gov mailto:rachel.rice@raleighnc.gov

Addendum 1 to RFQ # 274-2026-RCPAC-16 Request for Qualification for Capital Improvement Project; Food Service for the Raleigh Convention Center Expansion

Issue Date: August 31, 2026

To: All Proposers

This Addendum, containing the following additions, clarifications, and/or changes, is issued prior to receipt of qualification packages and does hereby become part of the original RFQ documents and supersedes the original RFQ documents in case of conflict.

Receipt of this addendum must be acknowledged by signing in the area indicated below. Please make the following additions, clarifications, and/or changes to the RFQ as listed below and sign page 4 below and return this addendum with your submittal package.

The following is included within this addendum: 1) Written questions received per the 1.3 Request for Qualification (RFQ) Timeline.

1. Written Questions received [grouped] with Responses provided:

• Please see questions with respective responses, listed in red text, attached to this Addendum

No. 1 outlined in Appendix I attached hereto. All questions received have been consolidated and grouped by topic; duplicate and related questions are answered once.

1.3 RFQ Timeline:

Provided below is a list of the anticipated schedule of events related to this solicitation. The City of Raleigh reserves the right to modify and/or adjust the following schedule to meet the needs of the project.

All times shown are Eastern Time (ET):

RFQ Process Date and time

RFQ Date August 10, 2026

Deadline for written questions

August 24, 2026, at 4:00 PM EST

City Response to Questions (anticipated) August 27, 2026

Submittal Due Date and Time

September 8, 2026, at 4:00 PM EST

Interview and/or Award Notification Allow two weeks post due date. The project contact will contact firms selected for interviewing and/or with the award notification.

Evaluation Meeting (anticipated) Week of September 28, 2026

Selection Announcement (tentative) October 2, 2026

Rachel Rice Special Events Planner Email: rachel.rice@raleighnc.gov

Sign below and return this addendum with your submittal response.

Proposer Name & Company: ___________________________ Date: ____________

Signature: ______________________________ Title: _________________________ mailto:rachel.rice@raleighnc.gov

APPENDIX I

Questions for RFQ 274-2026-RCPAC-16 Request for Qualification for Capital Improvement Project; Food Service for the Raleigh Convention Center Expansion

Written Questions Received [grouped] with Responses Provided

1. Project Type and Scope of Work

Q10. Can you confirm that no architectural scope is anticipated, that is, no walls, windows, ceilings are moving?

This RFQ is for the complete new ground-up construction as an expansion to the existing Raleigh Convention Center. It is not a renovation of the existing facility. Architectural, structural, and MEP design for the expansion is being performed by the project’s existing design team. The Consultant’s scope is as stated in Section 4.1 and does not include architectural design.

Q8. Will the selected consultant be expected to evaluate existing foodservice equipment and facilities for potential reuse, or is the expansion anticipated to include entirely new foodservice operations and equipment?

The expansion is anticipated to include entirely new food-service equipment, with operations handled by the current operator. No survey or evaluation of existing equipment for reuse is included in the scope at this time. The awarded food service firm will be notified of any changes to the plan.

2. Relationship to the Existing Convention Center Kitchen

Q13. Is the existing kitchen to remain, or will this new kitchen service the entire center?

The existing Raleigh Convention Center kitchen will remain in place and will continue to service the existing Convention Center. This RFQ is for a new ground-up expansion; the new production/catering kitchen and the associated service areas described in Section 4.1 will service the expansion.

Q14. If the existing kitchen remains, will the new kitchen operate independently of or in conjunction with the existing kitchen?

The two kitchens are anticipated to operate independently, with the existing kitchen servicing the existing Convention Center and the new kitchen servicing the expansion. Both will be operated by the Convention Center’s existing food service operator, and the new kitchen is to be programmed and sized to service the expansion on its own.

3. Design Status and Documents Available to the Consultant

Q6. Can you provide an update on the current phase of the project design? Specifically, what level of architectural and engineering design has been completed, and what design documents will be available to the selected foodservice consultant at project kickoff?

The project is currently at the 50% CD phase, and the selected food service consultant will be provided with the same, along with all available details of the current stage, at the project kickoff.

Q1. The proposal outlines an overall gross total square footage of 322,646 consisting of meeting rooms, flex halls, admin, and other spaces, but wanting to see if there are any preliminary conceptual plans or breakdowns for the square footage numbers by area to help me understand size and scope for the foodservice portion, in order for me to price the project. Specifically square footages to tie to these below mentioned areas. 4.1 General Scope: The Consultant shall furnish all professional services, labor, and deliverables necessary to program, design, engineer, specify, and coordinate the procurement and installation of all commercial foodservice equipment and service areas for the facility. This includes, at minimum, the main production/catering kitchen, banquet and ware washing areas, ballroom and meeting-room service pantries, concessions and portable service points, cafe/retail and coffee outlets, bars and beverage service, receiving/dock and dry/refrigerated storage, and back-of-house support spaces (Offices, break areas, chemical and cart storage) A breakdown of gross square footage by the areas listed in Section 4.1 is contained in the current 50% CD documentation and will be furnished to the selected proposers invited to bid.

This procurement is conducted under the Mini-Brooks Act. Price is not a selection factor and no fee proposal is required with the qualifications submittal. Fee will be negotiated with the top-ranked firm following selection, at which point the full document set will be available to support that negotiation.

Proposers should respond to the scope described in Section 4.1 and are not expected to price the work as part of this submittal.

Q2. Will a proposed foodservice equipment list or program be provided?

The foodservice program developed to date will be provided to the selected consultant at project kickoff, along with all other available documentation at the 50% CD stage.

Q3. What is the area (SF) of each areas affected, or can floorplans showing existing MEP and foodservice equipment be provided?

All project plans, including floor plans showing MEP and foodservice equipment, will be furnished to the selected proposer upon award and provided at project kickoff.

Q4. What is the maximum number of people that will be served simultaneously?

Design capacities for the ballroom, meeting rooms, and banquet service areas are established in the current design documentation and will be provided to the selected consultant at project kickoff.

4. Foodservice Operator

Q5. Has a contract foodservice operator and/or exclusive caterer been selected for the expanded convention center? If so, who is the operator, and what level of involvement have they had in programming and design to date?

Raleigh Convention Center’s existing food service operator will continue to operate for the expanded convention center as well, and they have been involved in the programming and design to date. The operator will be a coordinating party for the selected consultant throughout design and equipment procurement.

5. Schedule, Selection, and Onboarding

Q7. The RFQ indicates an anticipated construction start in November 2026 with an approximately 36-month duration. Can you confirm that this schedule remains current and provide the anticipated timeline for consultant onboarding and key design milestones?

Correct, the information provided in the RFQ indicating an anticipated construction start in November 2026 with an approximately 36-month duration remains current, and the consultant onboarding will take place immediately after the tentative selection date of October 2nd, 2026. Food service design milestones will be established with the selected consultant at project kickoff and sequenced against the project’s existing design and construction schedule.

6. Consultant Scope and Team Coordination Q12. Is it expected that the foodservice equipment designer would partner with an existing engineering/architectural design team, or is a new MEP engineer expected to partner with the foodservice designer in the RFQ response?

The project currently has an engineering/architectural design team, and the awarded food service firm will coordinate with and work alongside the existing project team. Proposers are not expected to include an MEP engineer in their team for this RFQ.

Q11. How many site visits with site-observation reports are desired during construction.

Proposers should describe the site visit and observation reporting frequency they consider appropriate for the scope described in Section 4.1. The final number of construction-phase site visits and written observation reports will be established during scope and fee negotiation with the selected firm.

7. Eligibility, Conflict of Interest, and Procurement Phase Participation Q9. Is there any conflict of interest with us doing the design and procurement for the project? If there is, we would prefer involvement at equipment procurement rather then design. Some government projects forbid the design company to participate in the construction/procurement phase. I did not find that statement in the conflicts section, but worth asking the question in advance. If we are restricted, we would want to pursue the procurement work only.

The City does not impose any project-specific eligibility or independence restrictions solely because of a firm’s current or prior involvement with the project. However, to preserve the integrity of the procurement process and avoid potential conflicts of interest, firms shall not rely on work previously performed for this project as part of their qualifications, and such prior involvement will not be considered in the evaluation or award of this RFQ.