Food Service Program SUNY Rockland/Rockland Community College

The County of Rockland Department of General Services is issuing Request for Proposal RFP-RCC-2026-002 on behalf of SUNY Rockland/Rockland Community College to procure comprehensive food service management operations for the college campus. The procurement encompasses four primary service areas: main cafeteria operations, Hawk's Nest coffee cafe and grab-and-go venue, campus-wide catering services, and fieldhouse/event concessions. The selected contractor must possess a minimum of five years of experience operating comprehensive food service programs in higher education settings, specifically within community college or commuter campus environments with demonstrated expertise in multi-venue operations and subsidized or revenue-sharing financial models. Proposers must submit detailed financial proposals including three-year pro formas for each service venue, sample menus with pricing, and transparent accounting of all revenue sources and expense categories, with proposals required to address operational sustainability within a capped annual subsidy structure, cultural inclusivity including kosher and halal options, and sustainability initiatives with local sourcing. A mandatory in-person pre-proposal meeting and facility walkthrough is scheduled for March 30, 2026, at 10:00 AM at Rockland Community College's Cultural Arts Center in Suffern, New York, with the written question deadline set for April 2, 2026, at 3:00 PM and the proposal submission deadline of April 9, 2026, at 3:00 PM through the County's Bonfire Portal. Evaluation criteria are weighted as follows: technical approach (250 points), financial model and operational viability (300 points), on-site leadership and staffing (100 points), experience and performance history (100 points), customer experience and innovation (100 points), sustainability and cultural inclusion (50 points), and cost proposal net financial impact (100 points). The resulting contract will establish an initial three-year term with options to renew for two additional one-year periods.

The solicitation does not indicate any set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, though contractors responding to this SUNY-administered contract must comply with the State University's Affirmative Action Clauses, which apply to contracts exceeding $25,000 and require submission of an Equal Employment Opportunity policy statement, Staffing Plan documentation, Minority and Women-Owned Business Enterprise (MWBE) Utilization Plans, and quarterly workforce compliance reporting. All offerors must complete and submit compliance forms including the Affirmation with respect to State Finance Law 139-j and 139-k and the Disclosure and Certification form regarding any prior determinations of non-responsibility or contract terminations by governmental entities within the previous four years. The contractor must maintain appropriate insurance coverage as specified in the contract documents, comply with New York State workers' compensation and disability benefit requirements, employ a qualified on-site Food Service Manager with ServSafe certification, and maintain complete records for six years following contract completion. The contract is subject to non-appropriation of County funds, with payment terms and specific insurance requirements detailed in the contract schedules; no specific dollar value or budget range is disclosed in the available RFP materials, though the contract contemplates a subsidy structure with capped annual payments and will be administered jointly by the College and the County.