Food and Beverage Vending Services

Central Carolina Community College in North Carolina is requesting proposals for comprehensive food and beverage vending services through RFP 86-2026-008, with vendors able to bid on traditional vending machines (Model 1), automated Grab-and-Go micromarkets (Model 2), or a combined offering across multiple campus locations. The College currently operates 33 vending machine locations across nine campus facilities serving Lee, Harnett, and Chatham counties. Awarded vendors will be responsible for furnishing, installing, stocking, and servicing all equipment; providing modern cashless payment options compliant with PCI DSS standards; offering fresh and healthy product selections; and maintaining high service levels with 95% uptime and 4-hour response times for major failures. Evaluation criteria include product quality and variety, vendor reputation and financial stability, cost competitiveness, commission rates, additional incentives, and administrative efficiency. Eligible vendors must demonstrate at least five years of experience providing similar services to comparable institutions, provide three customer references preferably including a higher education client, and certify financial stability; all vendor personnel require background checks at vendor expense. The proposal submission deadline is April 10, 2026 at 3:00 PM ET via the North Carolina eVP portal, with public opening at 3:15 PM ET the same day. Written questions must be submitted by April 1, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET, with written responses provided by April 3, 2026 at 5:00 PM ET. The College will identify up to three recommended proposals for Board consideration by July 19, 2026, with contract commencement no later than August 5, 2026 and full equipment installation and operational status required by August 14, 2026.

The procurement encourages Historically Underutilized Business (HUB) participation with a 10% utilization goal for diverse subcontractors, though no specific set-asides are identified for disadvantaged enterprises. Equipment must meet ENERGY STAR standards and include telemetry and remote monitoring capabilities. The contract term commences no later than August 5, 2026 and concludes no later than August 4, 2031, with a maximum five-year term, and may be terminated for convenience with 90 days' written notice. If performance is satisfactory, the Board of Trustees may waive future competitive solicitations and negotiate directly with the incumbent vendor for renewal. Vendors must propose pricing in three components: retail product pricing aligned with local market rates, flat commission percentages based on gross sales with optional tiered structures, and additional incentives with assigned dollar values, with commissions due monthly by the 15th of each month subject to a 5% late penalty. The RFP does not specify an incumbent vendor, current contractor equipment details, or explicit budget ranges, though the College reserves the right to award a single vendor for all services or separate awards for each model based on proposal merit and competitive evaluation.