73 -- Non-Alcoholic Beverage and Food Service

Description The United States Postal Service (USPS) is seeking information and interest for a company to provide non-alcoholic beverage and/or limited food service in an experimental retail arrangement within a newly designed, customer-friendly full-service postal retail outlet. The Postal Service wishes to create an environment that provides customers, including many small businesses, convenient access to a variety of business-related retail services co-located within the postal retail outlet. This postal retail facility provides a contemporary USPS environment featuring; a staffed sales area with attractive merchandising and open service counters, self-service checkouts, AV furnished conference room and lounge area. The interior retail space uses non-traditional colors, finishes, signage and casework and has a much more contemporary feel compared to traditional Post Offices. The Postal Service provides shared-use areas and internet access over a dedicated wi-fi internet connection within certain parts of the building as well as 24-hour Post Office box and self-service area. The Postal Service has dedicated space within this newly renovated retail outlet for sublease to multiple vendors who will provide complementary services to postal retail customers, many of which are small businesses, home-based businesses, or business travelers. The postal outlet is a leased facility located in the Chicago suburb of Schaumburg near the metro area's largest shopping mall. Purpose USPS is interested in exploring an environment that provides our customers convenient access to a variety of business and related retail services co-located within a postal retail facility. The future design of new, or the conversion of older, Postal retail offices may be an outcome of tests conducted at this facility. Opportunity The USPS is seeking a better understanding of the interest and capabilities of recognized national, regional, or locally owned beverage and/or food service providers to complement this experimental small business focused retail outlet. The ideal type of provider usually is categorized within the industry classifications below: US SIC Code: 5812 - Eating Places US NAICS Codes: 722211 - Limited Service Restaurants; 722213 - Snack and Non-Alcoholic Beverage Bars 722330 - Mobile Food Services Location and Hours Chicago, IL Metro Area United States Postal Service Woodfield Station 651 Mall Drive Schaumburg, IL 60173-5911 Hours of Postal Operation (open to the public) Monday - Friday: 9:00 AM - 7:00 PM except for Federal Holidays Saturday: 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM It is anticipated that beverage/food service hours will match hours of operation. Duration The lease at this Postal retail facility will be for a period of one year. The USPS seeks potential providers who can participate in the first year of the test and consider the possibility of extending their participation for a longer term. Extensions, if any, will be negotiated at a later date. United States Postal Service Provisions The USPS will provide non-exclusive use of retail space to a non-alcoholic beverage and/or food service provider whose main business fits into the above referenced areas of concentration. A negotiated lease arrangement for the first year with the USPS will be required prior to build-out activities. The term is for one year with a possible second year after which both parties may, at their choosing, negotiate a new lease arrangement for a specified term and cost. The USPS will provide facility access for additional hours than those noted above (consensus of USPS and vendor) to allow for stocking/service of vendor space. The USPS will provide approximately 330 square feet of dedicated retail space at the facility for non-alcoholic beverage and/or food services. This space adjoins the Postal retail lobby. The USPS may entertain discussion on sharing the cost of building out the beverage/food service space. The USPS will provide access to common sanitary restroom facilities, ambient lighting, power, and telecommunication services for the vendor?s on site employees; however the vendor will reimburse the USPS for costs incurred in accommodating any specialized setup at the vendor location. The USPS contemplates offering free third party wireless fidelity internet connection service (Wi-Fi Certified) for use by consumers during the test term. The USPS will also provide for building maintenance, utilities and centralized trash removal. The USPS will allow a company to utilize branding, logos, intellectual property icons or color schematics at the location with USPS approval providing that items are contained inside the leased space. At this time, the USPS does not contemplate having external retail signage that conflicts with the look and feel of the Postal Service retail location, however, it remains open to suggestions and information on how external signage could be complimentary to our present look and feel. The USPS does not seek any share of revenues for services provided or products sold during the lease term. Items USPS Will Not Support The USPS will not provide site security on behalf of an interested organization. However, the USPS does maintain its own security. The USPS will not supply furniture; casework, fixtures or operational equipment for beverage/food vendor nor will it fund equipment installation. The USPS will not provide Postal staff to operate beverage/food service. The USPS will not supply daily maintenance and housekeeping for vendor areas. The USPS will not supply an internet service provider for vendor. Liability insurance of any type for vendor employees, equipment or company-owned fixtures will not be provided by the US Postal Service and are the sole responsibility of the interested beverage/food service provider. Information Requested In your submission, please address the following: Operational Capability * Describe in detail the operational capabilities of your company at existing locations. * Describe in detail those operational capabilities that you envision can be created at this postal facility. * Describe your company's capability to provide all necessary equipment required to offer a range of your products. * Describe any potential operational or site construction issues that may affect your ability to operate in this location. * Describe the normal staffing requirements for your company's current beverage/food service offering. What staffing requirements would be applicable at this outlet? * Describe how and when your company will ensure that the outlet will be restocked with limited storage. * Describe your waste management and removal procedures. Business Community Activity * Describe your national, regional, or local retail network. * Identify your company/franchise location(s) within a five mile radius of the Woodfield Station, 651 Mall Drive, Schaumburg IL 60173 location. * Describe your company's local community advertising or marketing activities. Would any advertising be planned for this location? Would you consider cooperative advertising with the USPS for this location? * Describe your company's preferences or necessities for street/location signage or internal lobby signage. Provide examples if applicable. Products and Services Describe in detail those beverage/food services normally provided at a company retail location. Which of these products and services would be most likely to succeed in this shared setting? Why? Mock-Up Design Could your company provide a draft architectural drawing of your standard operational layout? If not, in what time frame could a drawing(s) be provided? Do you have an appropriate sample that you can provide with this informational request? Security What are your company's normal security requirements? How will you secure your operation at this location? Compatibility with USPS Brand * What is the position of your company within the industry and please briefly describe the value that your company position would bring to USPS customers. Explain why your company would be a good match for this particular retail environment and the USPS brand. * Describe your company's ability to partner with other businesses or government agencies in providing complementary or supplemental products or services that cater to a small business clientele. Financial Capability Submit financial statements for the past two years. Describe and provide examples of your company's financial ability to administer multiple outlets, including, but not limited to, a description of the size of your company's retail network (number of locations, daily customer traffic, retail sales, etc.). Estimated Revenue(s) by Product/Service Line and Associated Letter of Intent * Can your company provide an estimate of the annual revenue stream for this location? In an effort to assist in this estimate, the USPS can provide actual retail customer transactions based on retail sales on a monthly basis for this location. Interested companies should contact Gloria Cheek to obtain this data as directed below. * Will your company provide a signed letter of intent to submit all the requested information in order to obtain the appropriate customer traffic information? Also included would be a non-disclosure agreement for the data provided. Competitive Advantage Describe the competitive advantages your company has over other companies in your industry. Include information such as your market share, business policies, any ongoing consumer marketing awareness campaigns, customer service commitments, and community goodwill. Submission Instructions Please identify the business, contact name, title, business phone, fax, e-mail and mailing address of the person at your company to whom all future correspondence from the USPS regarding this business opportunity should be addressed. Interested companies should submit 7 (seven) bound hard copies of their response package to this RFI by USPS First Class Mail service or an electronic copy utilizing the USPS Electronic Postmark (EPM) service to arrive no later than 12:00 PM EST December 16, 2007, at the following address: Gloria Cheek Manager, Retail Assets General Purpose Stored Card Initiative United States Postal Service 475 L?Enfant Plaza SW Room 2P606 Washington DC 20260-4131 gloria.d.cheek@usps.gov No faxed copies will be accepted. The limit is 10 pages and should be concise and focused by addressing each of the items listed under the section of this RFI entitled "Information Requested." Headings should correspond with the items found in this document and you should number each section and all pages. Financial statements and marketing brochures are excluded from the page count restriction. Questions regarding responses to this RFI or general questions from interested companies regarding the content, objectives or nature of this RFI may be addressed, by email only, to Gloria Cheek, at gloria.d.cheek @usps.gov by December 7. By submitting a response to this RFI, companies agree and acknowledge: * The Postal Service's evaluation and selection of companies for further discussions is a business decision and will be based upon a review of the company's response to this request for information. * The Postal Service will not provide its rationale for the selection or non-selection of a prospective business partner for further discussions with the Postal Service. However, all companies will receive a written acknowledgement as to their selection for, or removal from, further consideration. * By submitting a response to this RFI, companies agree that any selection or non-selection of a business partner by the Postal Service is final and unreviewable. * This RFI contemplates a contractual agreement to pursue a business arrangement and does not constitute a Postal Service Purchasing Manual procurement action, and is not governed by the provisions of the Postal Service's Supplying Principles and Practices or successor regulations or guidelines. DISCLAIMER The USPS reserves the right to share your information internally only, and will keep your responses confidential. This information will not be made available to any third party unless specifically requested and approved by you on a case by case basis.