Kitchen Operator – Request for Qualifications
New Orleans Business Alliance (NOLABA) has launched a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) in our efforts to facilitate the search for an Operator for a publicly-supported FDA kitchen that fosters and supports innovation, entrepreneurship, and equity for food manufacturing and third-party sale.
The goal is to accelerate the commercialization of our entrepreneurs’ concepts and provide more than just rentable kitchen space. The project envisions the FDA kitchen as a place to provide technical assistance, packaging/marketing help, cooperative purchasing, and product development, as well as meet the needs of food entrepreneurs within the market.
The Business Alliance will work to facilitate a partnership between the Operator, the owner(s) of a facility and potential investors to support buildout and operations of the kitchen with a goal of establishing a FDA kitchen that meets the needs of current and future New Orleans food entrepreneurs.
NOLABA reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to waive administrative informalities contained in any proposal. Issuance of this RFQ in no way constitutes a commitment by NOLBA to award a contract. NOLABA reserves the right to accept and reject any or all proposals, or to cancel this RFQ if in the best interest of NOLABA to do so. NOLABA also reserves the right to refuse to enter into an agreement with a proposer after selection if the parties cannot agree on the terms of the contract.
The Kitchen Operator RFQ can be viewed at NOLABA.org. All applications are due by Monday, April 13th, 2020 at 5:00 pm CDT. A conference call for questions will be held Thursday, March 19th at 2:00 pm CDT. Questions should be directed to Louis David (ldavid@nolaba.org) or Norman Barnum (nbarnum@nolaba.org).
