Kitchen Feasibility Study

NorthWest Senior and Disability Services (NWSDS) is requesting proposals for a comprehensive feasibility study of its commercial kitchen and meal-program delivery options, with proposals due October 16, 2026 at 5:00 p.m. Pacific Time. An optional pre-proposal meeting and site visit are scheduled for October 1, 2026. This is a consulting engagement with no stated set-asides or eligibility restrictions.

The scope requires assessment of NWSDS's approximately 6,500-square-foot Class C industrial kitchen located at 2655 Hyacinth Street NE in Salem, Oregon, built in 1989, and evaluation of a minimum of six operational alternatives: status quo kitchen-use agreement, NWSDS direct operation, kitchen leased to one contractor, kitchen leased to multiple contractors, kitchen use by other organizations, and a hybrid model. Deliverables include project work plan, current-state assessment, alternatives technical memorandum, financial model, operating and revenue business case, organizational capacity assessment, draft and final feasibility studies, executive presentation, and supporting project files. The consultant must provide decision-ready analysis encompassing current-state assessment, demand forecasting, facility and equipment evaluation, financial and lifecycle-cost modeling, regulatory and workforce analysis, stakeholder engagement, and an implementation roadmap with meal-service continuity planning. The study duration is approximately eight weeks after notice to proceed.

NWSDS will evaluate proposals on understanding and methodology (30 points), relevant firm experience (25 points), team qualifications and availability (15 points), cost and value (20 points), and schedule and quality control (10 points). The selected consultant will work as an independent contractor on a not-to-exceed fee basis with negotiated professional services agreement terms. Proposers should demonstrate experience with institutional meal programs, commercial kitchen planning, facility due diligence, meal distribution, financial modeling, and Oregon requirements. Contract start is anticipated November 2, 2026, with notice of intent to award expected October 27. Questions are due October 7, 2026, with NWSDS responses provided October 9. Interviews, if conducted, are anticipated for October 22, 2026.