Northwest Recreation Complex Concession Operations and Associated Services

The City of Apopka is seeking proposals from qualified vendors to provide concession services at the Northwest Recreation Complex. The selected vendor must be licensed to do business in the State of Florida and perform under the laws of the State of Florida. There is no guarantee of concession sales as a result of this solicitation either expressed or implied. The initial term is for one (1) year, with the option to renew for four (4) additional one-year terms. Although cost will be a major consideration in evaluating proposals, it will not be the only consideration. Proposals will be ranked using the Proposers experience; ability to provide specified services; proposed fee structure paid to the City and the completion of the RFQ (as described in the Evaluation Methods Section of this document).

Background

The City of Apopka Northwest Recreation Complex is the city and region's premier complex for athletic events, recreational programming, and various concerts and festivals. Spanning 270 acres, the Northwest Recreation Complex consists of 12 natural turf baseball/softball fields, 16 multipurpose fields, 4 asphalt tennis courts, 3 basketball courts, 4 beach volleyball courts, a paced walking trail, 1300 seat amphitheater, two playgrounds, and an outdoor fitness pavilion. The park hosts over 75 athletic tournaments and events yearly, welcoming thousands of visitors. To enhance the experience of the park guests, the City of Apopka Parks and Recreation Department is seeking a qualified vendor/vendors to provide concession services that can provide a wide-variety of affordable, high quality concession items to the guests. The awarded vendor/vendors will have access to the 4 on-site concession stands which are conveniently located throughout the park (see Attachment A).

Project Details

• Reference ID: 2026-A-317
• Department: Parks and Recreation
• Department Head: Brian Forman (Director)

Important Dates

• Questions Due: 2026-08-08T03:59:00.000Z
• Pre-Proposal Meeting: 2026-07-31T17:00:00.000Z — Northwest Main Administration Building: 3710 Jason Dwelley Parkway Apopka,, FL 32712

Meetings & Milestones

Evaluation Criteria

• Completeness of RFP Packet (20 pts) —

  Proposer provided adequate supporting documentation to highlight their ability to serve the concession needs at the Northwest Recreation Complex. Supporting documentation may include but is not limited to the following:

  • Overview of current business operations
  • Experience of owner and key leadership staff
  • References
  • Staffing and Operations Plan
  • Proposed Menu and pricing 
  • Copies of licenses, employee training certificates, insurance and inspection information
  • Proposed financial package paid to the City
  • Additional benefits offered to the City
• Experience of the Proposer (25 pts) —

  The proposer provided an in-depth background for current business operations and all key leadership positions within the business which includes:

  • Experience in the food and beverage industry with focus on similar types of operations being requested through this RFP
  • Experience in a concession or food truck business
  • Years the current proposer has been in business
  • Highlight other successful business endeavors under the proposers management 
• Ability to meet the RFP Scope of Services (25 pts) —

  Proposer has provided adequate documentation to demonstrate their ability to meet the scope of services outlined in this RFP. Supporting documentation may include the following:

  • Adequate Operations Plan
  • Staffing Plan
  • Customer Service Philosophy and Approach
  • Demonstrated financial stability to support expected operations outlined in this RFP
  • Food and Beverage proposal is appropriate for this type of venue and clientele. 
  • Ability to consistently provide a quality product and service at an affordable cost to their customers
  • Provided valid license's, insurance requirements, and training certificates
• Yearly Financial Proposal Paid to the City (20 pts) —

  The proposer shall provide a financial proposal to the city which shall be structured in one of the following ways:

  • Flat monthly fee paid to the City.
  • Base monthly fee combined with a revenue share paid to the City
  • Revenue Share paid to the City

  *The minimum monthly fee paid to the City shall be $4,000.

  Has the proposer clearly outlined their financial proposal to include why they feel their proposal is in the best interest of the City to select. Does the financial package allow for sustainability and consistency throughout the length of the contract terms as well as allow the proposer the ability to provide quality goods and services at an affordable cost.

• Added Value to the City (10 pts) —

  The proposer shall include any additional benefits available to the City such as :

  • Ability to provide similar services at community events and concerts both at the Northwest Recreation Complex as well as other City owned properties
  • Willingness to provide group/discounted services for City organized program participants in which the order is placed in advance. (catering, end of year party packages, kids packs, etc)
  • Willingness to provide fundraising opportunities to City of Apopka Partner programs such as Apopka Little League and Apopka Pop Warner

Submission Requirements

• Bond Requirement (required) —

  By submitting a response to this solicitation, the proposer has read, understands and agrees to providing a Payment & Performance bond in the amount of 100% of the total bid price within ten (10) days from the date fo notification of award.

• Addendum, Questions and Answers (required) —

  I have read all posted addendum, questions and answers for this project.

• Statement of Capabilities/Letter of Interest (required) —

  Provide a statement that addresses why the specific proposer would be in the best posture to deliver the requested services. Please upload all documents pertaining to Statement of Capabilities/Letter of Interest.

• Company Overview and Key Leadership Staff (required) —

  Please upload all documents pertaining to company overview and key leadership staff to include the following:

  1. Company name, contact person, address, phone number, and email

  2.  Description of experience operating concessions or food service'

  3.  Key Concession contract currently held by the vendor

• Operational Plan (required) —

  Please provide an overview of operational plan, to include Staffing Plan, Proposed Menu and Pricing and Cleaning and Sanitation Plan.

• Financial Proposal (required) —

  Please provide an overview of the Financial Proposal, to include how the proposal will allow both the City and proposer to be successful in the partnership. 

• Additional Services and Offerings to the City (required) —

  Please provide an overview of additional services offered to the City. 

• Reference Form (required) —

  Proposer shall submit business references (number as required in this solicitation document) with the following information:

  Company Name
  Address
  Business Phone Number
  Contact Person
  Email Address

  (Note: please list those clients/customers in which a similar type of scope of work/service was provided)

  Please reference qualifications. If you are submitting based on qualifications via the license holder or project manager, you will submit two of these forms with your bid (one for the Contractor and the other for the qualifier).

• Respondents Certification (required) —

  I have carefully examined the Invitation To Bid.

  I hereby propose to furnish the goods and services specified in the Bid. I agree that my submittal will remain firm for a period of up to at least one-hundred-twenty (120) days in order to allow the City adequate time to evaluate/review the submittals.

  I certify that all information contained in this submittal is truthful. I further certify that I am duly authorized to provide this submittal on behalf of the firm as its act and deed and that the firm is ready, willing and able to perform if awarded the contract.

  I further certify, under oath, that this submittal is made without prior understanding, agreement, connection, discussion, or collusion with any other person, firm or corporation tendering a submittal for the same service; that no officer, employee, or agent of the City of Apopka or any other respondent is interested in said submittal; and that the undersigned executed this Respondent’s Certification with full knowledge and understanding of the matters therein contained and was duly authorized to do so.

• Business Category (required) —

  Please select one of the following:

• Business Entity Affidavit (required) —

  I, being an authorized representative submitting a proposal on behalf of my organization, being first duly sworn state: The full legal name and business address of the person(s) or entity contracting or transacting business with the City of Apopka(“City”) are (Post Office addresses are not acceptable), as follows:

  1. Federal Employer Identification Number (If none, Social Security Number)
  2. Name of Entity, Individual, Partners or Corporation

  3. Doing Business As (If same as above, leave blank)

  4. Street Address, Suite (if applicable), City, State, Zip Code

• Sunbiz.org Registered name & Business Tax Receipt (required) —

  Please provide your registered name and business tax receipt number.

• Licenses and Certifications —

  Please upload any licenses and/or certifications, if applicable.

• Minority/Women Business Enterprise Certification (required) —

  In an effort to increase the number of qualified Minority/Women Business Enterprise (M/WBE) Contractors, is your firm a Certified M/WBE?

• M/WBE Certification Upload —

  If you responded YES to question 10, please upload your M/WBE certification here.

• Drug Free Workplace Certification (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Human Trafficking Affidavit (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• E-Verify Certification Statement (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload. If you are not registered with E-Verify, please register and upload proof of E-Verify registration Employers (e-verify.gov) .  se download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Americans with Disabilities Act (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete and have notarized. An online notarization option will be provided for you when responding.

• Ownership Disclosure Affidavit (required) —

  1. If the contract or business transaction is with a corporation, the full legal name and business address shall be provided for each officer and director and each stockholder who holds directly or indirectly five percent (5%) or more of the corporation’s stock. If the contract or business transaction is with a trust, the full legal name and address shall be provided for each trustee and each beneficiary. All such names and addresses are (Post Office addresses are not acceptable), as follows:

  Full Legal Name
  Address
  Ownership Percentage

  2. The full legal names and business address of any other individual (other than subcontractors, material men, suppliers, laborers, or lenders) who have, or will have, any interest (legal, equitable, beneficial or otherwise) in the contract or business transaction with the City are (Post Office addresses are not acceptable).

• Conflict or Non-Conflict of Interest Statement (required) —

  Select one.

• Public Entity Crimes Statement (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete and have notarized. An online notarization option will be provided for you when responding.

• Trench Safety Act (required) —

  Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.

• Litigation Statement (required) —

  Select one and respond to the next question.

  Failure to check the appropriate option may result in disqualification of your proposal. Likewise, failure to provide documentation of a possible conflict of interest, or a summary of past litigation, may result in disqualification of your proposal.

• Litigation History (required) —

  Specify all judgments entered against the firm by any State or Federal courts in the past five (5) years. List all civil and administrative proceedings in the past five (5) years, in which the firm has represented a party adverse to the City of Apopka. List all suits, complaints, or disciplinary actions filed against the firm by any client the Florida Bar and/or other State or Federal agency.

  Applicants should provide information on any history of litigation arbitration, or mediation resulting from contracts executed in the last ten years or currently under execution.

  Please provide a response for each for the last ten years:

  1. Year
  2. Award FOR or AGAINST Applicant or Pending
  3. Name of Client Owner, PUrchaser, Sub-consultant Cause of Litigation, and Matter in Dispute
  4. Diputed Amount (current value, US$)

  If no litigation has taken place on any projects in the last five (5) years, please type "N/A".

• Complaints/Disciplinary Actions: (required) —

  Please identify if any complaints or disciplinary actions have been filed against the firm/contractor within the last 5 years to the Florida Bar/State/Federal or any other applicable regulatory agencies (such as DBPR, SEC, Licensing).

• Acknowledgement (required) —

  The PROPOSER acknowledges and understands that the information contained in response to this Qualification Statement shall be relied upon by CITY in awarding the contract and such information is warranted by PROPOSER to be true. The discovery of any omission or misstatement that materially affects the PROPOSER’S qualifications to perform under the contract shall cause the CITY to reject the Bid, and if after the award, to cancel and terminate the award and/or contract.

• Signature Page (required) —

  The undersigned attests to his (her, their) authority to submit this Submittal and to bind the firm(s) herein named to perform as per agreement. Further, by signature, the undersigned attests to the following:

  1. The Proposer is financially solvent and sufficiently experienced and competent to perform all of the work required of the Proposer in the Contract;
  2. The facts stated in the Proposer’s response pursuant to Request for Submittals, instructions to Proposer and Specifications are true and correct in all respects;
  3. The Proposer has read and complied with, and submits their proposal agreeing to all of the requirements, terms and conditions as set forth in the Request for Proposals.
  4. The Proposer warrants all materials supplied by it are delivered to the CITY of Apopka, Florida, free from any security interest, and other lien, and that the Proposer is a lawful owner having the right to supply the same and will defend the conveyance to the CITY of Apopka, Florida, against all persons claiming the whole or any part thereof.
  5. Proposer understands that if a team is short listed and selected to make oral presentations to the selection committee and/or CITY, only the team members evaluated in the written submissions may present at the oral presentations. Any changes to the team at the oral presentations will result in that team’s disqualification.
  6. The undersigned certifies that if the firm is selected by the City the firm will negotiate in good faith to establish an agreement.
  7. Proposer understands that all information listed above may be checked by the City of Apopka and Proposer authorizes all entities or persons listed above to answer all questions. Proposer hereby indemnifies the City of Apopka and the persons and entitles listed above and holds them harmless from any claim arising from such authorization or the exercise thereof, including the dissemination of information pursuant thereto.
• Bond Requirement (required) —

  Is there a bond requirement for this project?

• Pre-Proposal Meeting (required) —

  What type of pre-proposal meeting will be held for this project?

• Type of Project (required) —

  Will this solicitation be for a construction project?

• Years of Experience (required) —

  If this is a construction project, please share the number of years of experience required to be eligible to submit a response for this project.

  Use the following format:
  three (3) years

  If this is not a construction project, please type "N/A".

• Term of Contract (required) —

  Please select the term of contract for this project.

• Initial Term (required) —

  What is the inital term of this contract?

  Use the following format:
  two (2) years OR fifteen (15) business days

• Renewal Term (required) —

  What is the renewal term of the contract resulting from this solicitation?

  Use the following format:
  four (4)

  If there will not be renewals for this project, please type "N/A".

• Do you require Pollution Insurance? (required) —

  Pollution Insurance is usually required for our construction services. However if you are unsure if it should be a requirement, please reach out to Kristi Funke in our Risk Division.

• Do you require Professional Liability Insurance? (required) —

  Professional Liability Insurance is usually required for Professional Services (Auditors/Engineers). However if you are unsure if it should be a requirement, please reach out to Kristi Funke in our Risk Division.