Countywide Vending Services

Milwaukee County is seeking comprehensive vending services through a Request for Proposal (RFP-2025-009) for Countywide Vending Services, targeting vendors capable of providing traditional vending machines and micro-market solutions across approximately 50 locations in 10 county facilities. The six-year contract requires the selected vendor to furnish, install, service, maintain, and operate vending equipment, with a focus on delivering diverse product offerings including 25-35% healthy options. Key requirements include implementing cashless and ADA-compliant payment systems, maintaining 95% product availability, and ensuring 98% equipment uptime. The procurement timeline includes a pre-proposal conference on July 18, 2025, proposal submissions due by August 8, 2025, preliminary evaluations from August 11-15, detailed scoring from August 18-29, potential vendor interviews during the week of September 1st, and an anticipated notice of intent to award around September 15, 2025. Proposals will be evaluated across multiple criteria including technical capabilities, customer service, equipment specifications, product offerings, pricing, and commitment to racial equity, with a total possible evaluation of 1,000 points.

The RFP emphasizes racial equity and offers unique bonus point opportunities for Targeted Business Enterprise (TBE) participation, with vendors able to earn 100 bonus points for utilizing certified TBE firms or being a certified TBE firm, and 50 bonus points for using diverse non-certified firms. Minimum vendor qualifications include demonstrating three years of experience providing full-service vending to government or institutional clients, with three references from similar service engagements within the past three years. While there is no mandatory TBE participation goal, the county strongly encourages diverse business involvement. The historical vending contract was an informal arrangement originally estimated at $10,000 annually, but current sales data indicates potential for significant growth, with combined vending and micro-market sales increasing from $566,541 in 2023-2024 to $696,894 in 2024-2025. The total estimated contract value is approximately $4,640,000.00, with the vendor expected to operate on a profit and loss basis and provide commission payments to the county, making this an attractive opportunity for vending service providers committed to innovation and equity.