The Ottawa International Airport Authority has launched two Requests for Proposals for its food and beverage and retail concessions program at Ottawa/Macdonald–Cartier International Airport (YOW). The airport will replace the majority of the concessions currently in place, as the majority of the program has been in its current configuration since the original opening of the terminal building in 2003.
Concession operators will be able to submit proposals for one, several or all available locations, and bid submissions are due December 13.
Lease terms will be between 7 and 10 years. Implementation of the new concepts will begin in summer of 2019 and finish in 2021. The airport authority has several priorities for the new program, including enhancement of a sense of place and Ottawa identity, local sourcing and a commitment to customer service and operational excellence.
The airport authority said it will conduct an outreach program with local or regional brands to educate them on the nature of airport concession operations and to facilitate their introduction to master concessionaires, with whom they may elect to form partnerships. Local operators will have the opportunity to submit brand profiles, which will be provided to RFP respondents as an “interested parties” list.
The new concessions will be incorporated into an updated terminal building layout. The main security checkpoint will be relocated to the third level near the check-in counters. The current security checkpoint will be repurposed into a central retail showcase, which will face an upgraded food court area. Several other areas of the concessions program will also receive base-building upgrades.
The RFPs are available for download on www.merx.com under the “Agencies, Crown and Private Corporations” section.
