M-17-26 Food Service and Vending Services

Bristol Community College, an agency of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts located in Bristol County, is seeking proposals for comprehensive Food Service and Vending Services under procurement M-17-26. The scope of services includes cafeteria operations (Cafe and Hawks Nest), catering services, and vending machine management across four campus locations in Fall River, Attleboro, New Bedford, and Taunton. The Cafe must operate Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. year-round, while Hawks Nest operates Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. and Fridays from 7:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. during fall and spring semesters; catering services must be available twelve months per year. The vendor must provide all staffing, food preparation, equipment maintenance, permits, and licenses while the College provides space, utilities, equipment, and waste disposal. Required qualifications include comprehensive liability insurance of at least $1,000,000 (with a $5,000,000 umbrella policy), worker's compensation coverage, criminal background checks on all employees conducted at vendor expense, and compliance with all federal, state, and local health and sanitation regulations. Evaluation criteria include food quality and menus (25 points), menu innovation (20 points), pricing (20 points), safety and sanitation (15 points), green initiatives (10 points), and familiarity with Transact software (10 points), with compliance as a pass/fail requirement. An optional bidders' conference is scheduled for May 11, 2026, with proposals due by 2:00 p.m. on May 28, 2026, and contract award anticipated by June 8, 2026.

The solicitation documents do not explicitly identify any set-aside designations, disadvantaged enterprise restrictions, or incumbent vendor information in the available materials. The contract is anticipated to be a three-year term through June 30, 2029, with renewal possible for an additional three years contingent upon performance and funding. Recent annual sales history demonstrates the financial scope of operations: cafeteria sales of $228,269.52 (FY26 year-to-date), Hawks Nest sales of $40,795.50, catering revenue of $415,953.04, and vending machine sales of $2,416.15, with current vending operations generating annual sales between $11,654 and $12,780 across 23 machines. The vendor must establish a commission structure based on gross sales (excluding applicable taxes) and clearly articulate the total sales required to break even and eliminate the need for monthly subsidies. The College operates on an academic calendar with full-term operations from September 8 through December 21, 2026, and January 25 through May 17, 2027, with overlapping summer sessions, indicating year-round staffing and operational planning requirements. Bristol Community College reserves the right to reject all proposals or award to multiple vendors for different service components based on best value determination, and vendors must demonstrate familiarity with existing Transact software systems for integration purposes.