Sand Bar State Park Is Seeking Food Trucks And Ice Cream Vendors For Summer 2018!

REQUESTS FOR FOOD TRUCK AND ICE CREAM VENDORS

The Vermont Department of Forests, Parks & Recreation is seeking food truck operators and an ice cream concessionaire at Sand Bar State Park.

Introduction and Background
Sand Bar State Park hosts between 40,000-50,000 visitors each season. On peak weekend days, the park often hosts several hundred people sunbathing on the beach. Food concessions have historically operated 7 days a week from a building in the park or a seasonal trailer parked all summer in one location for the duration of the summer season.  In 2017, the State experimented with a new food concession model using various food trucks on peak weekends, mid-June to mid-August and a seasonal ice cream concession, Friday-Sunday and holidays, mid-June through Labor Day.

How it will work:

Food Trucks:  The State will make space available for one food truck (non-ice cream products) to operate in a prominent location in the park per weekend. Due to complexity of scheduling and other considerations, the State’s first preference is to contract with one food truck for the entire season.  If one vendor is not interested in committing to the entire season, the state shall negotiate and assign multiple vendors to fill the schedule outlined below. Food Trucks must commit to operate both weekend days, Saturday and Sunday.  The park gate opens for the public at 10:00 AM, however vendors may choose to arrive prior to park opening as the park becomes very congested on warm summer weekends.  Food trucks should plan to operate between 11:00 AM and 5:30 PM.  Vendors may leave their food truck overnight for vending the next day.  Sand Bar food truck days shall include:  June 16-17, 23-24, June 30 and July 1, July 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 28-29, August 4-5, 11-12, 18-19.  If vendors wish to operate additional days outside of the weekends listed above, the State will gladly provide the opportunity. 

Ice Cream:  Due to the popularity and demand for ice cream products, including scooped ice cream, soft serve and ice cream novelties, the state is seeking an ice cream vendor who can commit to operating for the entire season, from mid-June to Labor Day, at least Friday-Sunday and holidays.  If one vendor is unable to commit for the entire season, the state shall consider scheduling multiple vendors. 

The State Shall Provide:
•             A prominent place to park a food truck at Sand Bar State Park.
·                     A second prominent location for an ice cream concession with access to electricity and water.
•             Promotion on the park website.
•             Promotion within the park buildings.
•             Social media love through Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
•             A fun State Park team to work with.

Food Truck Vendors Shall Provide:
•             Tasty food that our park visitors will be psyched to eat!
•             A self-contained unit without need for grid power.  Generators are allowed, but they must be the quiet kind out of respect for our environment and park visitors.
•             Some reasonably healthy options to balance out the less healthy ones.
•             Cheerful staff who will work with our Park Staff to make this a successful venture.
•             Trash cans and recycling cans if you so choose, but not only trash cans.  It’s a pack it in, pack it out park, but the law says that if we collect trash, we must provide a recycling option as well. 
•             A  percentage of gross sales for the entire season if one vendor is selected, or nominal daily vending fee of $20 per day (multiple vendors).
•             A certificate of liability insurance naming the State as additionally insured (see Attachment C document for specifics), as well as vehicle liability and workers compensation coverage if applicable.

Ice Cream Vendors Shall Provide:
·                     Ice cream products of their choice, which may include scooped ice cream, soft serve, ice cream novelties and popsicles.
·                     Trash cans and recycling cans if you so choose, but not only trash cans.  It’s a pack it in, pack it out park, but the law says that if we collect trash, we must provide a recycling option as well.
·                     A  percentage of gross sales for the entire season if one vendor is selected, or nominal daily vending fee of $20 per day (multiple vendors)..
·                     A certificate of liability insurance naming the State as additionally insured (see Attachment C document for specifics), as well as vehicle liability and workers compensation coverage if applicable.

Preparation of Proposal
Please provide a proposal that includes your name and business name, mailing address, email, and phone number, as well as a proposed menu, including prices and biographical information, including how long you have been operating and where you have operated.  Please also include a photo of your food truck or trailer.  Additionally, please provide your date preferences and availability.  Vendors proposing to operate for the entire season must submit their proposed percentage of gross sales (commission) to provide to the State.  Proposals that are incomplete will be rejected.

Time Frame
Proposal form and attachments must be sent electronically and received by Kim Partlow, Kim.partlow@vermont.gov no later than March 31st, 2018.  The State desires to make final weekend assignments and execute contracts no later than April 30th, 2018.

Selection and scheduling of Vendors:
Will be based upon the amount of interest this request generates and the availability of vendors.  Vendors with the most availability will be given greatest preference in selection and scheduling. Vendors will be evaluated on the diversity, creativity and overall quality of their menus, the aesthetic quality of their truck, trailer or concession unit and the commission percentage provided (if applicable).  Vendors must be able to comply provisions of Attachment C to qualify for this opportunity.

Form of agreement: 
The State and all selected vendors will enter into state form contract agreements which will set rates and responsibilities. Scheduling will not be part of the contract and will be finalized as described above.

Reservation of State’s Rights:
The State Reserves the right;
•             to accept or reject any and all bids, in whole or in part, with or without cause in the best interest of the State;
•             to waive technicalities in submissions; (A technicality is a minor deviation from the requirements of an RFP that does not impact the substantive terms of the bid/RFP and can be considered without a material impact on the RFP process, etc.).
•             to make purchases outside of the awarded contracts where it is deemed in the best interest of the State; and
•             to obtain clarification or additional information.

Questions
Please direct all questions to:
Rob Peterson
Parks Regional Manager
802 279-8329

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