Food Vending Machine Services

The City of Westerville, Ohio Parks and Recreation Department is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for exclusive food vending machine services at the Westerville Community Center, which annually serves over 700,000 patrons. The procurement seeks a qualified vendor to provide a minimum of two new or like-new food vending machines equipped with dollar bill validators, PCI-compliant card readers with contactless payment capability (Apple Pay and Google Play functionality recommended), and the ability to service machines within eight hours of any service call during specified operating hours (Monday-Friday 8:00 AM-5:00 PM and Saturday-Sunday 12:00 PM-5:00 PM). The initial contract term is two years, commencing on or before July 1, 2026 and extending through June 30, 2028, with optional renewal for up to three additional one-year periods contingent upon good performance and City Council appropriation of funds. Vendors must demonstrate a minimum of three years of similar vending services experience, maintain comprehensive general liability and property damage insurance of $1,000,000 per occurrence and $2,000,000 aggregate, and comply with all applicable federal, state, and local regulations including OSHA standards. At least 50 percent of stocked products must be healthy food options, with current item pricing ranging from $1.00 to $3.00, and pricing must remain firm through June 30, 2027, with subsequent annual increases capped at three percent unless unusual operational cost or market changes justify greater adjustment by mutual agreement. Evaluation criteria include responsiveness (10 points), experience and customer service (25 points), capability (25 points), inventory selection (10 points), energy efficiency (5 points), and pricing/incentives (25 points). Key dates include a non-mandatory pre-proposal conference on April 2, 2026 at 11:00 AM EDT, a written questions deadline of April 8, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT, proposal submission deadline of April 21, 2026 at 5:00 PM EDT, evaluation and presentation phases from April 29 through May 12, 2026, contract negotiations and award anticipated May 13-22, 2026, and service commencement July 1, 2026.

The RFP documents do not identify any specific set-aside designations for disadvantaged enterprises, women-owned businesses, minority-owned businesses, or other protected classifications, suggesting this procurement is open to all qualified vendors meeting the stated requirements. No incumbent vendor or current contractor information is provided in the available documentation, indicating this may represent a new service or a change from previous arrangements. Submissions must include the completed Appendix A Questionnaire & Price Form, with optional supporting documentation and contract forms submitted through the Bonfire procurement portal. Bidders are required to execute notarized Noncollusion Affidavits certifying bid independence and a Personal Property Tax Affidavit per Ohio Revised Code Section 5719.042 addressing any delinquent personal property tax charges in Franklin and/or Delaware Counties. The successful vendor must agree to retain a minimum percentage of gross sales from all food vending machines for the City, with the specific percentage to be determined during negotiations. No specific contract value or budget range is disclosed in the procurement documents; compensation will be determined through the proposal evaluation process and subsequent contract negotiations between the City and the selected vendor.