Mobile Ice Cream Concession Bids

The Town of Chatham, Massachusetts Department of Recreation and Beaches is soliciting sealed bids for the operation of a mobile ice cream concession at six town beaches—Harding's Beach, Cockle Cove, Schoolhouse Pond, Forest Beach, Pleasant Street, and Oyster Pond—during the 2026 and 2027 beach seasons. The concessionaire will be responsible for providing all necessary equipment, personnel, and materials to sell ice cream, candy, water, and soft drinks to beachgoers during minimum operating hours of 11:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. throughout each beach season (June 19 to September 6, 2026, and June 18 to September 5, 2027). Qualified bidders must demonstrate previous ice cream concession experience with references, obtain all necessary licenses and permits at their own expense including a Food Handler's Permit from the Chatham Board of Health, and maintain comprehensive insurance coverage consisting of Worker's Compensation Insurance and a minimum $1,000,000 per occurrence/$3,000,000 aggregate Comprehensive General Liability policy. Additional requirements include maintaining equipment in good condition, prohibiting glass containers and alcoholic beverages, managing daily waste removal at their own expense, and maintaining cleanliness of the service area. Award determination will be based on the highest qualified bid, with a minimum bid of $1,000.00 per year for the combination of beaches. Sealed bids must be submitted to the Town Manager's Office at 549 Main Street, Chatham, MA 02633, marked "Mobile Ice Cream Concession Bid" by 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, April 29, 2026, with contract award expected within seven days of bid opening.

The procurement does not indicate any set-aside designations or restrictions limiting bidder eligibility to specific categories of disadvantaged enterprises or minority-owned organizations. No incumbent vendors or current contractors are identified in the solicitation materials. Payment structure requires a $200.00 deposit upon contract signing, with the balance due in two equal installments on July 1st and August 1st each year, resulting in an annual contract value of $1,000.00 minimum per year for the two-year contract term. The Town of Chatham provides designated parking for the mobile concession but assumes no liability for loss, accident, damage, injuries, or theft during the contract period. The Town reserves the right to reject any or all bids and retains the ability to terminate the contract for breach of obligations, provided the concessionaire is given five business days to correct any cited violations before termination takes effect.