Food Service Provider at the NIST Boulder Campus in Boulder, Colorado

THIS IS A SOURCES SOUGHT NOTICE ONLY. THIS IS NOT A REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS. A SOLICITATION, SPECIFICATIONS, OR DRAWINGS ARE NOT AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME. The purpose of this sources sought notice is to conduct market research to assist in determining whether to set this acquisition aside for small business, 8(a), HUBZone, service-disabled veteran-owned, or woman-owned small business concerns. Any interested small business may submit a capabilities statement demonstrating its ability to perform the requirement. The North American Industry Classification System (NAICS) for Cafeteria Food Services is 722310. The capabilities statement should conform to the instructions provided below. THE REQUIREMENT: The U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), anticipates a requirement for the provision of food services at NIST Boulder campus in Boulder, Colorado. The cafeteria service area is approximately 2,700 sq ft consisting of 1,400 sq ft of seating (approximately 100 people), 325 sq ft of serving area, 600 sq ft of cooking/kitchen, 345 sq ft of refrigeration/storage, and approximately a 1,400 sq ft outdoor dining patio. The prospective food service operator will manage and operate, independently of a federal agency, in a government owned facility with equipment and services provided. Existing cafeteria equipment includes serving lines, stoves, ovens, dishwashers, freezers, and refrigerators. Examples of services provided include utilities, telephone, janitorial, refuse pick-up, equipment maintenance, and security checks of all employees. The food service operator shall provide a variety of meals that are healthy, reasonably priced, and of interest to a majority of the 700 NIST and contract employees so as to ensure a strong customer base. The food service operator shall manage and operate all aspects of the cafeteria, including but not limited to: food purchasing, preparation and service, marketing, advertising, staffing, and maintain and repair all government furnished property. There will be no vending opportunity for this location outside of the caferteria. The operation must comply with all federal and state licensing entities, including a Hazard Analysis Plan and Safety Plan for the entire operation. NIST also requires that the food service provider have a strategy for buying green and a recycling plan. The following information is illustrative of the current food services provided and shall not limit potential operators as to their business plan. Statistically, the present food service provider serves 150 to 200 people daily. Currently the cafeteria provides two meals a day, five days a week, and 52 weeks a year, excluding federal holidays. Breakfast is served between the hours of 6:30 am and 9:30 am with lunch served between the hours of 11:00 am and 1:00 pm. Opportunities also exist for catering of conferences and special events offered on a case by case basis. Each conference or special event is a different clientele and the durations of the meetings and number of attendees vary. Dependent upon the event, the food service provider may be afforded the opportunity to provide a proposal for breakfast, morning break, lunch, and afternoon break services. Event planners are not obligated to use the NIST cafeteria for catering services. In a typical year, the NIST campus will host approximately 1,000 guests during approximately 8 conferences that vary from 2 to 6 days and 50 to 75 smaller meetings that could host up to 25 people per event. Operators shall employee, train, and supervise all personnel and furnish the food, equipment, and supplies, except for equipment provided by the Government. All employees must be citizens of the United States, resident aliens, or otherwise lawfully entitled to work in the United States. All employees must meet the appropriate security equipments of the NIST Boulder Campus. CAPABILITIES STATEMENT SUBMISSION INSTRUCTIONS Any interested small business, 8(a), HUBZone , service-disabled veteran-owned small business, or woman owned concerns shall submit its capability statement no later than Tuesday, May 10, 2011, at 12:00 p.m. Mountain Time to the following address: U.S. Department of Commerce National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Attn: Jason Gerloff 325 Broadway (MC 194) Boulder, CO 80305-3325 or Email to jgerloff@nist.gov Each submission should include the following: All businesses are invited to submit a statement of capability. Statements of capability MUST identify a minimum of two (2) contracts that provide cafeteria food service. The information provided in your company's capability statements must include business size, location, customers, and a menu with prices. Prospective operators are requested to provide the aforementioned statements of interest via email or mail (NO Faxes will be accepted) no later than May 10, 2011 to the following: jgerloff@nist.gov, or Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), Attn: Jason Gerloff, 325 Broadway (MC-194), Boulder, CO 80305. This preliminary gathering of information is for planning purposes only, and is subject to the requirements of the Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR), Provision 52.215-3 (OCT 1997), entitled Request for Information or Solicitation for Planning Purposes. The subject Sources Sought shall not be construed as a commitment by the government, nor will the government pay for, or be held liable for any information obtained.