Gillette Castle Concession Building

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) is issuing a Request for Proposal (RFP) to procure food and beverage concession services at Gillette Castle State Park in East Haddam, Middlesex County. The concessionaire will operate a concession building serving approximately 100,000 annual day-use visitors and must provide light fare including breakfast sandwiches, hot dogs, hamburgers, sandwiches, snacks, ice cream, and beverages, with healthy options preferred; alcoholic beverages, tobacco products, glass containers, and intoxicating items are prohibited. Minimum qualifications include two or more years of experience operating food and beverage concession services and a valid food service license from a Connecticut health district or department, while preferred qualifications include three or more years of experience, prior operation at national, state, or municipal park venues, and familiarity with Connecticut. The concessionaire must operate a minimum schedule including weekends and holidays from Memorial Day through Labor Day (10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.), weekdays in July and August (11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.), and additional weekend operations through fall holidays, with menu subject to DEEP approval. A mandatory site visit is scheduled for March 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. EST; the deadline for written questions is March 20, 2026, with answers released on March 27, 2026; and proposals must be submitted electronically through CTSource by April 7, 2026, at 11:59 p.m. EST. The selected vendor will enter into a three-year contract with optional extensions of up to three additional years in one-year increments without further competition, with contract negotiations and execution expected to begin in April 2026.

All vendors are eligible to respond to this procurement, with no specific set-asides or restrictions identified for disadvantaged enterprises or other organizational designations. The concessionaire bears all operational costs including personnel, equipment, supplies, utilities, insurance, permits, licenses, maintenance, pest control, and refuse disposal, and must maintain commercial general liability insurance of at least $1,000,000, automobile liability of at least $1,000,000, workers' compensation coverage, and fire liability coverage with the State named as additional insured. The compensation structure consists of an annual fixed rent of $5,000 plus a percentage of gross annual revenue, with the specific revenue percentage to be proposed by the respondent and evaluated during contract negotiations; however, no estimated total contract value or budget range is provided in the solicitation documents. The RFP does not identify any incumbent vendors, current contractors, or existing infrastructure requiring integration. One award is anticipated from this procurement.