Exclusive Alcohol Provider for Barber Park Center

Ada County, Idaho is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP 26046) to procure an exclusive alcohol provider for the Barber Park Education and Event Center in Boise for the period of October 1, 2026 through September 30, 2027, with optional renewal for up to four additional one-year terms. The procuring agency seeks a qualified vendor licensed in Idaho to manage and operate beer, wine, and liquor sales for approximately 75 of the facility's 115 annual events. Required qualifications include current beer, wine, and liquor-by-the-drink licenses, possession of a mobile bar, ability to operate a fully stocked bar setup, and third-party alcohol service training for all employees. Vendors must assume all operational costs including employees, equipment, uniforms, and supplies, and must obtain catering permits for each event. The evaluation criteria are based on a 100-point scale assessing RFP compliance (10 points), proposed approach and drink menu pricing (25 points), anticipated revenue to Ada County (20 points), experience and personnel qualifications (30 points), and references and service quality (15 points), with optional presentations potentially adding up to 50 additional points. Critical deadlines include a mandatory pre-proposal meeting on May 12, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. at the facility, sealed proposal submission by 4:00 p.m. on May 29, 2026 via the Ada County Bonfire Hub, public proposal opening on June 1, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. at the Ada County Courthouse, and Board consideration for award on June 9, 2026 at 9:00 a.m.

The RFP documents do not specify set-aside designations or restrictions limiting participation to particular business categories or disadvantaged enterprises. Compensation is structured as tiered revenue-sharing percentages of gross sales (less sales tax) established through the proposal process, with separate arrangements for no-host events, hosted bar events, and combined formats; vendors may propose a flat fee of $300 for hosted bars without per-drink charges but are not permitted setup fees. Vendors must remit payments to Ada County within ten days of each event and must maintain comprehensive insurance coverage including $1,000,000 liquor liability coverage, $2,000,000 commercial general liability, $1,000,000 business automobile liability, and $100,000 fidelity coverage naming Ada County as beneficiary. The RFP does not identify any incumbent vendor or current contractor, nor does it reference existing infrastructure requiring integration. While the specific award value or budget range is not disclosed in the procurement documents, the award will be determined by the vendor's proposed revenue-sharing percentages and anticipated gross sales volumes at the facility.