Active SLED Opportunity · OHIO · CITY OF CLEVELAND
AI Summary
The City of Cleveland seeks qualified operators for the New Eastside Market, a revitalized city-owned retail and community space offering fresh food retail, shared commercial kitchens, wellness services, and nutrition education. Proposals should demonstrate community impact, quality service, sustainability, and relevant experience.
The New Eastside Market (“Market”) is a city-owned retail facility situated at the intersection of East 105th Street and St. Clair Avenue in the Glenville neighborhood. Originally established as a public market that operated until 2007, the facility underwent a significant revitalization and reopened in 2019 as a city-owned, independently operated grocery store. The 19,620-square-foot building features food retail space, commercial and demonstration kitchens, clinic space, and office space.
The City of Cleveland is seeking proposals from qualified operators (“Respondents”) for the Market. The City welcomes creative proposals from Respondents. Examples of Respondents include, but are not limited to, organizations, cooperatives, and partnerships. The selected partners (“Operators”) will be responsible for carrying out the vision for the Market.
Our vision for the next phase of the Market is threefold:
1. Public Access to Fresh and Nutritious Food: The primary goal is to provide a consistent and affordable supply of fresh produce, proteins, and dairy, ensuring that residents have a full-service food retail experience. This focuses on creating a welcoming retail environment that prioritizes food sovereignty and community well-being.
2. Economic Empowerment through a Shared-Use Kitchen: Beyond retail, the professional-grade shared kitchen will function as an incubator for Cleveland's food entrepreneurs, providing the infrastructure and resources needed to launch and grow local food businesses. This supports food business owners in building sustainable livelihoods while strengthening the local economy.
3. Wellness Services and Education: The Market also includes a wellness space for accessible health services, alongside a dedicated demonstration kitchen and community space where residents can participate in hands-on cooking classes and nutrition education. Together, these spaces promote health, food literacy, and well-being.
| Event | Date | Location |
|---|---|---|
| Site Visit | 2026-06-30T16:00:00.000Z | 10505 St. Clair Avenue, Cleveland, Ohio 44108 |
Community Impact & Engagement evaluates the extent to which the Respondent's proposal is rooted in the needs and priorities of Cleveland residents. This includes demonstrated partnerships with community organizations, plans for meaningful community input in ongoing operations, commitments to workforce development and local hiring, and collaboration with Cleveland-based small businesses. Examples include, but are not limited to, community advisory boards and profit-sharing models.
Quality & Accessibility evaluates the Respondent's plan to deliver high-quality operations that are genuinely accessible to the surrounding community. This includes pricing strategies that reflect local economic realities, product sourcing that prioritizes local and culturally relevant offerings, hours of operation and physical accessibility, and a demonstrated track record of equitable service delivery.
Sustainable Maintenance and Operations evaluates the long-term viability and responsibility of the Respondent's operational approach. This includes environmental sustainability practices, financial sustainability planning, thoroughness of the maintenance plan, and innovation in operations that reduces community burden while increasing community benefit.
Qualifications & Experience evaluates the relevant history, with particular recognition given to operators with experience serving underrepresented communities, operating in similar neighborhood contexts, or building businesses from within the Cleveland community.
To be considered responsive, responsible, and eligible for award or for selection as an Operator, Respondents must confirm all questions in the respective section in the affirmative to pass.
Does the Respondent agree to meet the below requirements for Full-Service Grocer operations?
Provide at least 40 percent of retail space for perishable goods that include dairy, fresh produce, fresh meats, poultry, fish, and frozen foods.
Provide at least 10 percent of retail space for fresh produce.
Agree to accept and actively promote federal and state nutrition assistance programs, including SNAP/EBT and WIC, as well as local nutrition incentive programs like Produce Perks.
When available, commit to sourcing inventory from local urban farms, producers, and food businesses within Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, or Ohio.
Ensure that the fresh produce and grocery selection reflects the diverse culinary needs and cultural preferences of the local community.
Prioritize the hiring of Glenville residents for all positions and provide living-wage compensation.
Does the Respondent agree to meet the below requirements for Commercial Kitchen operations?
Provide a fully equipped, health-department-certified commercial kitchen available for shared use by local food entrepreneurs.
Offer dedicated hours and affordable hourly rates for vendors to scale their production and meet regulatory requirements for retail sale.
Prioritize the use of the kitchen for processing and value-added production of goods sourced from local urban farms and producers.
Commit to partnering with local organizations to provide culinary job training and certification opportunities (e.g., ServSafe) for neighborhood residents.
Does the Respondent agree to meet the below requirements for Demonstration Kitchen operations?
Host regular public programming, including healthy cooking demonstrations and nutrition classes.
Partner with nutritionists, dietitians, community health workers, and culinary educators to develop and deliver curriculum relevant to the local community.
Prioritize free or low-cost programming for residents with particular attention to youth, seniors, and families.
Does the Respondent agree to meet the below requirements for Wellness Space operations?
Provide a clean, accessible, and welcoming space available for health services, screenings, and community wellness programming.
Partner with healthcare providers, community health workers, and social service organizations to offer regular on-site services health screenings, referrals and benefits enrollment information.
Host programming that addresses the health priorities of the surrounding community.
Prioritize free or low-cost services and ensure the space is accessible to residents regardless of insurance status or ability to pay.
If Selected as a Qualified Contractor, does the Respondent agree to show intent to lease and intent to operate for a period no less than 2 years?
Does the Respondent agree that the designated Operators will be responsible for all permits, approvals, and site improvements?
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
Please download the below documents, complete, and upload.
INSTRUCTIONS: Pursuant to Codified Ordinance Sec. 181.36, the information requested on this page must be supplied by all contractors and any subcontractors having more than a fifty percent (50%) interest in the proposed contract prior to any contract being awarded by the City of Cleveland. Any contractor or subcontractor who is deemed to have made a false statement shall be declared to have acted in default of its contract and shall be subject to the remedies for default contained in its contract. For failure to cure such a default, the contractor or subcontractor shall be automatically excluded from bidding for the supply of any goods or services for use by the City for a period of two (2) years.
SLED stands for State, Local, and Education. These are solicitations issued by state governments, counties, cities, school districts, utilities, and higher education institutions — as opposed to federal agencies.
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