Project Information

Bid Title

Hoover Public Library Request for Proposals - Operation of Library Cafe

Issuing Agency

City of Hoover

Location

Alabama

Published Date

Oct 22, 2025

Closing Date

Dec 5, 2025

Government Level

State & Local

Status

Closed

Original Source

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Bid Documents

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Project Description

Bid Title:	Hoover Public Library Request for Proposals - Operation of Library Cafe
Category:	Request For Proposals
Status:	Open

Description: HOOVER PUBLIC LIBRARY REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR OPERATION OF LIBRARY CAFÉ IN THE LIBRARY PLAZA The Hoover Public Library (“Library”) is requesting proposals for the operation of a café in the Library Plaza. Sealed proposals for the operation of the café will be received by the Library from the date this notice until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5, 2025.  Proposals should be delivered either by mail or hand delivery to Hoover Public Library, ATTN: Amanda Borden – Library Director, 200 Municipal Drive, Hoover, AL 35216.  The outside of all proposals should be marked with the following language: “PROPOSAL FOR OPERATION OF LIBRARY CAFÉ IN THE LIBRARY PLAZA.”  No proposals submitted by facsimile or after the deadline will be accepted. An OPTIONAL meeting to answer any questions regarding this request for proposals and to tour the café area will be held at the Hoover Public Library at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November 5, 2025, in the Library Plaza. Amanda Borden should be contacted at 205-444-7812 or For security reasons, you must enable JavaScript to view this E-mail address. to register for this meeting. If you are unable to attend this tour, you can contact Amanda Borden at the above email address with questions or to schedule a time to tour the café area, provided there is schedule availability. The Library’s mission is to be “more than a library” by serving as a central community gathering space. We are seeking a café vendor who understands and supports this mission, with an emphasis on providing high-quality service and fostering a welcoming environment. The Library has designated space available for café operations and is seeking a vendor with a clear vision for its use. Proposals that include innovative approaches to enhancing the café’s role in community engagement and overall patron experience will be given strong consideration. Approximately 400,000 patrons visited the Library from October 1, 2024, through September 30, 2025.  The Library has a staff of 100 employees. The Library intends that the café provide its patrons and employees with high quality fare at good value. The Library will provide the café operator space which includes a kitchen and required utilities.  A list of all equipment provided by the Library is listed in the “General Provisions Related to Operation of Library Café” section of this proposal. The successful proposal will be selected based on criteria in the “Evaluation Process” section of the proposal. The Proposal Instructions should be read carefully.  Each proposal submission should respond to all information requested in the Proposal Instructions. A proposal may be rejected by the Library if the Proposal Instructions are not followed. The Library reserves the right to waive any formality in any proposal, to reject any or all proposals, and/or to select the café operator in any manner consistent with the law deemed in the best interest of the Library.  The Library also reserves the right to enter into any agreement as a result of this Request for Proposals. Amanda Borden Library Director October 22, 2025 Publication Date/Time: 10/22/2025 4:35 PM Closing Date/Time: 12/5/2025 5:00 PM Submittal Information: Attn: Amanda Borden - Library Director, Hoover Public Library Bid Opening Information: 5:00 pm CT on 12/5/2025 Pre-bid Meeting: 11/5/2025 at 10:00 am CT Contact Person: Amanda Borden Library Director 205.444.7812 amanda.borden@hooverlibrary.org Download Available: Yes - See link below Related Documents: RFP Operation of Library Cafe

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HOOVER PUBLIC LIBRARY

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

OPERATION OF LIBRARY CAFE

The Hoover Public Library (“Library”) is requesting proposals for the operation of a café in the

Library Plaza. Sealed proposals for the operation of the café will be received by the Library from

the date this notice until 5:00 p.m. on Friday, December 5, 2025. Proposals should be delivered

either by mail or hand delivery to Hoover Public Library, ATTN: Amanda Borden – Library

Director, 200 Municipal Drive, Hoover, AL 35216. The outside of all proposals should be marked

with the following language: “PROPOSAL FOR OPERATION OF LIBRARY CAFÉ IN THE LIBRARY

PLAZA.” No proposals submitted by facsimile or after the deadline will be accepted.

An optional meeting to answer any questions regarding this request for proposals and to tour

the café area will be held at the Hoover Public Library at 10:00 a.m. on Wednesday, November

5, 2025, in the Library Plaza. Amanda Borden should be contacted at 205-444-7812 or

amanda.borden@hooverlibrary.org to register for this meeting. If you are unable to attend this

tour, you can contact Amanda Borden at the above email address with questions or to schedule

a time to tour the café area, provided there is schedule availability.

The Library’s mission is to be “more than a library” by serving as a central community gathering

space. We are seeking a café vendor who understands and supports this mission, with an

emphasis on providing high-quality service and fostering a welcoming environment. The Library

has designated space available for café operations and is seeking a vendor with a clear vision for

its use. Proposals that include innovative approaches to enhancing the café’s role in community

engagement and overall patron experience will be given strong consideration.

Approximately 400,000 patrons visited the Library from October 1, 2024, through September

30, 2025. The Library has a staff of 100 employees. The Library intends that the café provide its

patrons and employees with high quality fare at good value. The Library will provide the café

operator space which includes a kitchen and required utilities. A list of all equipment provided

by the Library is listed in the “General Provisions Related to Operation of Library Café” section

of this proposal. The successful proposal will be selected based on criteria in the “Evaluation

Process” section of the proposal.

The Proposal Instructions should be read carefully. Each proposal submission should respond to

all information requested in the Proposal Instructions. A proposal may be rejected by the Library

if the Proposal Instructions are not followed.

The Library reserves the right to waive any formality in any proposal, to reject any or all

proposals, and/or to select the café operator in any manner consistent with the law deemed in

the best interest of the Library. The Library also reserves the right to enter into any agreement

as a result of this Request for Proposals.

Amanda Borden, Library Director

10/21/2025

I. GENERAL INFORMATION ABOUT THE PROPOSAL PROCESS

A. INSTRUCTIONS FOR SUBMITTAL OF PROPOSALS

1. All proposal responses must be typed or written in ink. No faxed responses

will be accepted. Submitted proposals should be in strict compliance with

the requirements of the Request for Proposals and these Proposal

Instructions.

2. All proposals shall be sealed and the outside envelope of all proposals

should be marked with the following language: “PROPOSAL FOR

OPERATION OF LIBRARY CAFÉ IN THE LIBRARY PLAZA”.

3. Late proposals will not be opened.

4. The Library reserves the right to waive any formality or irregularity in any

proposal submitted, and to reject any or all proposals and to select an

operator of the café in any manner consistent with the law deemed in the

best interest of the Library. Further, the Library also reserves the right not

to enter into any agreement as a result of the Request for Proposals.

5. Operators submitting a proposal are expected to thoroughly examine and

be familiar with the proposal instructions and terms and conditions.

B. METHOD OF AWARD

1. The Library may select the operator of the café in any manner that is in the

best interest of the Library. The successful proposal shall be deemed as

having been selected upon the vote or resolution of the Hoover Public

Library Board (“Library Board”).

2. The operator selected by the Library Board to operate the café must, when

requested by the Library’s representative, enter into a written contract

with the Library within thirty (30) calendar days after presentation to the

operator for signature. In the case of such operator’s refusal or failure to

enter into a contract within thirty (30) calendar days of its receipt of formal

notice of selection, the Library may select another operator.

C. EVALUATION PROCESS

The Library Board has determined that in order to select the most advantageous

proposal to operate the café at the Library, comparative judgments of various

factors will be necessary. The food offered needs to be of high quality, with good

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HOOVER PUBLIC LIBRARY, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

OPERATION OF LIBRARY CAFÉ

variety and good value. In addition, the successful proposal will be one whose

business plan for operation of the café demonstrates a thoughtful and realistic

projection of the associated revenue and expenses. The Library staff will also

evaluate the business and catering and/or restaurant background of each

proposal to determine that the operator can successfully provide the services

expected. Each operator that submits a proposal which qualifies will be

interviewed by an evaluation committee (“Committee”), and prepared samples of

proposed menu selections must be presented for evaluation by the Committee.

Proposals submitted will be evaluated using the following process:

1. Initial Evaluation

a. An initial evaluation of each proposal submitted will be conducted

by Library staff.

b. Proposals will be evaluated based on the comparative criteria with

each criterion being rated on the following scale:

1 point – Not advantageous

3 points – Advantageous

5 points – Highly Advantageous

c. The comparative criteria that each proposal will be evaluated upon

is as follows:

i. The proposed menu will be evaluated on its variety, quality,

and cost. Menus that demonstrate a broad selection of

items, high quality offerings, and reasonable pricing will be

considered highly advantageous. Menus that provide a

reasonable variety and quality of items at a reasonable cost

will be considered advantageous. Menus that lack variety,

demonstrate poor quality, or include items priced at a level

inconsistent with reasonable market rates will be

considered not advantageous.

ii. The vision for the café, including the proposed menu, food

presentation, and overall aesthetic, will be evaluated as

part of the selection process. Proposals that demonstrate a

strong alignment with the Library’s mission as a welcoming

community gathering space and that present food and

beverages in a visually appealing, high-quality manner will

be considered highly advantageous. Proposals that show

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HOOVER PUBLIC LIBRARY, REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS

OPERATION OF LIBRARY CAFÉ

general alignment with the Library’s mission and provide a

reasonable level of quality and visual appeal will be

considered advantageous. Proposals that lack alignment

with the Library’s mission, or present food and beverages in

a manner that is of poor quality or inconsistent with the

Library environment, will be considered not advantageous.

iii. Operators or on-site managers with more than two (2)

years of experience in the food service industry will be

considered highly advantageous. At least one (1) year of

such experience will be considered advantageous. Less than

one (1) year of such experience will be considered not

advantageous.

iv. Operators with an on-site manager (including the operator

if applicable), who has successfully completed at least one

accredited food safety course or program will be rated

advantageous. Proposals with an on-site manager who has

completed additional food safety, and other food

management and/or food preparation courses will be rated

highly advantageous. Proposals with an on-site manager

who has not successfully completed a food safety course or

program will be rated not advantageous.

v. The proposed Cleaning and Maintenance Schedule will be

evaluated for compliance with all state health, sanitation

and safety standards and to determine whether it will lead

to the preservation of the Library provided space and

equipment in good working order. If the Schedule contains

basic health and sanitation practices and meets all safety

standards, the proposal will be rated advantageous. If the

Schedule does not contain sufficient safety standards or

basic health and sanitation practices, then the proposal will

be rated not advantageous.

vi. The proposed Business Operations Plan shall be evaluated

for financial adequacy and adequacy of service. Those Plans

presenting an exceptional degree of service, while making

sense financially and showing that the necessary capital is

available, will be rated highly advantageous. If the Plan

shows that the necessary start-up capital is available and

will provide appropriate service for the library's patrons,

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Commodity Codes

• NAICS 541611Administrative Management and General Management Consulting Services

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