Expired Restaurant Liquor License Excess Auction

LIQUOR CONTROL BOARD

INVITATION FOR BIDS #260380

EXPIRED RESTAURANT LIQUOR LICENSE EXCESS AUCTION

UNAVAILABLE COUNTIES

The following counties have met the annual limitation for Excess Auction Transfers. Licenses awarded during this Excess Auction CANNOT be transferred into these counties:

NONE. ALL COUNTIES REMAIN AVAILABLE AT THIS TIME.

OVERVIEW

Pursuant to section 470.3(l) of the Liquor Code, the Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board (PLCB) is holding a special auction, officially referred to as an "excess auction," for licenses that have not received bids during a previous auction. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(l). As further discussed in the Legal Specifications and Requirements section below, licenses awarded during an excess auction are also eligible for a one-time cross-county transfer. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(l)(2). Excess auction winners may request to transfer each license to another county as set forth in this Invitation for Bids #260380 (IFB) and in conformity with section 470.3 of the Pennsylvania Liquor Code. 47 P.S. 4-470.3. No more than two licenses shall be transferred into the same county, in the same calendar year, as the result of an excess auction. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(l)(5)-(6). When multiple transfer requests are received for transfers into the same county, the PLCB is required to give priority to the applicants who submitted the highest winning bid amounts for their respective licenses. Id.

ISSUING OFFICE

This IFB is issued by the PLCB, Purchasing and Contract Administration Division, Room 212, Northwest Office Building, Harrisburg, PA 17124-0001; email: . James Krammes is the Issuing Officer and the sole point of contact at the PLCB for this IFB.

LEGAL SPECIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

Pursuant to section 470.3 of the Liquor Code, 47 P.S. 4-470.3, the PLCB may auction restaurant liquor licenses that have not been renewed under section 470 of the Liquor Code, 47 P.S. 4-470; have been revoked under section 471 of the Liquor Code, 47 P.S. 4-471; or have failed to meet the safekeeping requirements under section 474.1 the Liquor Code, 47 P.S. 4-474.1. To date, the PLCB has conducted 14 regular Restaurant Liquor License Auctions under this authority.

Act 56 of 2025, which became effective on February 20, 2026, further authorized the PLCB to hold "excess auctions" for restaurant liquor licenses that were previously offered for sale by the PLCB during a regular license auction but received no qualifying bids. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(l)(1). Through an excess auction, the highest bidder for each license, or their designated assignee, shall have the right to apply to transfer and use such license at its current location, at a different location within the same municipality, or at a different location in another municipality within the same county or a different county. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(l). Thus, unlike regular license auctions conducted by the PLCB, licenses offered for sale as part of an excess auction are not subject to the typical quota limitations found in section 461 of the Liquor Code, 47 P.S. 4-461, and are instead eligible to be transferred one time for use in a different county, regardless of the original location of the licensed premises. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(l)(2).

If the Selected Bidder, or their designated assignee, wishes to transfer the license from its original location to a new location in a different municipality, they must obtain approval from the governing body of the municipality where the license will be transferred and include such municipal approval with their transfer application. If the license is to be transferred for use in a municipality in a different county, such transfer is also subject to a transfer fee of $50,000 for transfers into counties of the first through fourth classes, or $25,000 for transfers into counties of the fifth through eighth classes. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(l)(4). If the license is to be transferred for use at the current location, a different location in the same municipality, or a location in a different municipality in the same county, such transfer will not be subject to the transfer fees set forth above but remain subject to any other filing fees regularly assessed by the Bureau of Licensing when processing transfer applications. All transfer applications remain subject to PLCB review and approval. Being selected as a winning bidder for a license in an excess auction does not guarantee that the Selected Bidder, or their designated assignee, will be approved for licensure.

Pursuant to section 470.3(l) of the Liquor Code, the PLCB is prohibited from approving more than two excess auction license transfers into the same county in the same calendar year. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(l)(5)-(6). Moreover, when multiple transfer requests are received for transfers into the same county, the PLCB is required to give priority to the applicants who submitted the highest winning bid amounts for their respective licenses. Id.

If a license awarded as part of an excess auction is transferred for use in a municipality located in a different county than where it originated, the license may not be transferred from the receiving municipality in that county for a period of five years after the date the licensed premises becomes operational. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(k). Additionally, although a license that changes counties becomes transferable within the new county after five years, the Liquor Code does not provide any authority allowing such license to be subsequently transferred back into the originating county or to a different new county. Therefore, the option to transfer the license across counties is a one-time opportunity.

No bid lower than $25,000.00 shall be accepted for any license offered as part of an excess auction. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(g). The Selected Bidder shall pay to the PLCB the full bid amount as set forth in the Notice of Selection letter no later than 30 calendar days from the date of the Issuing Officer's Notice of Selection. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(h). Payment must be made by ACH debit or wire transfer. Wire transfers are subject to a $15.00 processing fee, which must accompany the full bid amount when submitted. Bank details will be provided to Selected Bidders in the Notice of Selection. The Selected Bidder for each excess auction license, or their designated assignee, must file a transfer application with the PLCB's Bureau of Licensing via PLCB+ within six months of the date of the Notice of Selection. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(i).

If a Bidder, or their designated assignee, plans to file a transfer application to use the license in a different county, it must indicate the same on its Bid Sheet at the time of bid submission. Bidders may list up to five preferred transfer counties, in order of preference, on their Bid Sheets. Selected Bidders, or their designated assignees, will not be permitted to file a transfer application for a county that was not identified on the submitted Bid Sheet for that license. If a Bidder, or their designated assignee, plans to file a transfer application to use the license in the current county and has no intention of pursuing a transfer of the license to a different county, then that must also be indicated on the Bid Sheet. Preferred transfer county designations included on submitted Bid Sheets will be used by the PLCB's Bureau of Licensing when evaluating transfer applications and determining the priority to be given to applicants when multiple transfer applications are submitted for the same counties. Failure to provide any county selection information on the Bid Sheet will result in disqualification of the Bid.

If a Bidder is awarded the right to file transfer applications for more than one license as part of the same excess auction, payment for each such license must be remitted separately, with reference made to the relevant License Auction Number (for example, License Auction # 440E). Lump sum payments for multiple licenses are not acceptable. Receipt of the full bid payment does not constitute the approval of a liquor license.

Once payment has been made, the Selected Bidder is required to send an email notification of same to . This email notification must reference the Restaurant Liquor License Number (for example, License R-12345). The Selected Bidder's receipt of payment will be confirmed by the PLCB in writing with instructions on how to file a transfer application.

If the Selected Bidder fails to remit the full bid amount within the time allotted, the Notice of Selection will be rescinded, and the next highest responsive Bidder for that license will be awarded the right to file a transfer application for the license, which right also remains conditioned upon the PLCB's timely receipt of full bid payment. Id. Failure to timely remit the full bid amount will result in forfeiture of the bid surety as further explained herein. If there are no other qualified responsive bids for the license at issue, that license will be returned to the list of excess expired licenses to be made available at future excess auctions.

Notwithstanding the above, the PLCB reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refund the bid surety upon receipt of adequate documentary evidence that the failure to comply with this application requirement was due to circumstances beyond the control of the Selected Bidder. Please note that the bid surety will be forfeited in any circumstance involving an attempt to transfer a license when such transfer is clearly prohibited by the Liquor Code or the PLCB's Regulations. By way of example only, this would include an attempt to transfer a license into a "dry" municipality. See e.g., 47 P.S. 4-472. Therefore, Bidders at all times remain responsible for exercising reasonable due diligence as to any license they are bidding on. The PLCB's decisions regarding forfeiture of bid sureties shall be final.

The transfer application shall be processed by the PLCB in the same manner as any other transfer application and shall be subject to the same restrictions as any other transfer application. However, none of the excess licenses being auctioned are encumbered with existing conditional licensing agreements, inherited municipal transfer restrictions, initial quota restrictions, or pending citations, fines, or suspensions. If the auctioned license was subject to any unpaid fines, unserved suspensions, liens and/or judgments accrued by the previous license holder at the time the license expired, then such fines, suspensions, liens and/or judgments are rendered null and void. Furthermore, the Selected Bidder or their designated assignee will not be required to supply any information about or secure any information from the previous license holder as part of the transfer application process. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(j).

As provided in the Liquor Code, the PLCB shall only approve the transfer of a license under this section to a municipality other than the municipality in which the expired license last operated if such transfer is first approved by the governing body of the receiving municipality. 47 P.S. 4-461(b.3), 4-470.3(i). Again, Selected Bidders are not required to transfer a license sold at an excess auction to a different municipality within the same county or another county. The license can be used at the current location, at a different location within the same municipality, or a location in another municipality in the same county or a different county, subject to the applicable fees previously set forth above. Selected Bidders are strongly encouraged to seek municipal approval as soon as possible following receipt of the Notice of Selection, as failure to do so may be grounds for forfeiture of bid surety.

A person or entity that would be precluded from acquiring a license due to prohibited interlocking business interests, or due to not being of good repute, may not apply for a license transfer and the PLCB shall reject any transfer application submitted by that person or entity. 47 P.S. 1-102, 4-404, 4-411, 4-438(c), 4-443 and 4-470.3(f); 40 Pa. Code 1.5, 5.23. Failure of a Selected Bidder to comply with these requirements results in forfeiture of the bid surety, rescission of the Notice of Selection, and the excess license will be made available for bid at a future excess auction.

Individuals or entities considering participation in this IFB are encouraged to seek private counsel experienced in Pennsylvania liquor law to ensure eligibility. Due to the potential for conflicts of interest or other appearances of impropriety, the PLCB cannot provide legal advice to Bidders; however, the following general guidance is offered.

Interlocking Business Interests. The Liquor Code prohibits a person or entity from possessing more than one class of license. 47 P.S. 4-438(c). Thus, the holder of a distributor or importing distributor license may not also hold a restaurant license. Likewise, the holder of a manufacturing license generally may not also hold a restaurant license.

There is an exception to the interlocking business prohibition that allows a holder of a restaurant license to also hold a manufacturing license, and operate as a "couplet," which is an entity that has both a manufacturer's license and a restaurant license for use at the same location. 47 P.S. 4-411, 4-438(c). Neither the Liquor Code nor the PLCB's Regulations provide interpretation of the term "same location." However, as long as both buildings are on the same deeded property and the same entity owns the entire property, a restaurant license and a manufacturing license located on that same property could be considered a couplet.

The Liquor Code's provisions on interlocking business practices generally prohibit licensees of one class from providing money or other things of value to equip or otherwise help the operation of a licensee of a different class. 47 P.S. 4-411, 4-443. Further, there are interlocking business restrictions on the leasehold and financing of property used as licensed premises such that a person or entity holding one class of license may not be interested, either directly or indirectly, in the ownership or leasehold of any property or in any mortgage against the same, for which a license of a different class is granted.

Please note, however, that section 411(e) of the Liquor Code allows any officer, director or stockholder of any hotel, restaurant or club license to own land or buildings which are leased to a holder of a retail dispenser license or a manufacturer's license. 47 P.S. 4-411(e). In addition, a person holding less than 10% ownership in a retail license is not deemed to possess a financial interest and is not subject to the provisions of this section. Id.

Furthermore, sections 411(g) and 493(11) of the Liquor Code allow a person who has an ownership interest in a manufacturer license, or an officer or manager of such licensee, to be employed at the same time by an entity that holds a hotel, restaurant, eating place or club license, so long as the person is not employed as the manager or as alcohol service personnel. 47 P.S. 4-411(g), 4-493(11).

Good Repute. The PLCB may consider criminal records of licensees and officers, directors, managers, or stockholders of licensees, because section 404 of the Liquor Code requires that licensees be persons of good repute, and the PLCB's Regulations specify that criminal convictions impact a person's reputation. 47 P.S. 4-404; 40 Pa. Code 1.5, 5.23. Section 404 further provides that the Board shall have discretion to refuse a license (including renewal thereof) to any person, corporation, partnership, or association or any officer, director, or member thereof who shall have been convicted or found guilty of a felony within a period of five years immediately preceding the date of application for said license. 47 P.S. 4-404.

Upon submission of the above information, the PLCB's Bureau of Licensing investigates and recommends to the Board whether a person with a criminal record should be permitted to serve as an officer in the organization. The ultimate decision is made by the Board at its sole discretion.

Local Option Restrictions. Section 472 of the Liquor Code gives municipalities the option of prohibiting the retail sale of both liquor and malt or brewed beverages within their borders, i.e., designating themselves as "dry" municipalities. 47 P.S. 4-472. Under this section, municipalities are permitted to prohibit the issuance of any license which falls under one of a list of specific categories, including most relevantly, restaurant liquor licenses. Id.

If a municipality has specifically opted to prohibit restaurant liquor licenses, then a Selected Bidder may not file a transfer application seeking to transfer a license into that "dry" municipality. Doing so may result in forfeiture of the Notice of Selection, as well as forfeiture of the bid surety. In order to ascertain whether a given municipality prohibits restaurant liquor licenses pursuant to section 472 of the Liquor Code, you may consult with the PLCB's Bureau of Licensing at (717)-783-8250 and/or review the information on the PLCB's website at

Collusion. The Commonwealth Procurement Code expressly prohibits bid-rigging and other forms of collusion in competitive bidding processes, including this IFB. 62 Pa. C.S.A. 4501 et seq. Violation of these provisions constitutes a third-degree felony and exposes the violator to between $50,000.00 and $1,000,000.00 in criminal fines, and imprisonment for up to three years. Alternatively, the Office of Attorney General may impose a civil penalty up to $100,000.00, and that violator would then be barred from any further business dealings with any Commonwealth agency. Id.

The PLCB is required to refer any suspected violation of the above statute to the Office of the Attorney General. As set forth with specificity below, each Bidder warrants that its bid amount has been arrived at independently, without any communication with any other Bidder or potential Bidder; that the bid amount has not been disclosed to any other Bidder or potential Bidder; and that there has been no discussion or agreement with any other Bidder or potential Bidder to submit (or refrain from submitting) a complementary or otherwise non-competitive bid.

QUESTIONS

Questions regarding this IFB must be submitted via email only, with the subject line entitled "IFB #260380 Questions" to the Issuing Officer, James Krammes, email: , no later than 12:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 7, 2026. Bidders shall not attempt to contact the Issuing Officer by any other means.

Until the results of this IFB are posted on the Department of General Services (DGS) website as set forth herein, no Bidder or agent on behalf of a Bidder shall address questions regarding this IFB to any other employee or agent of the PLCB or the Commonwealth. Violation of this requirement may constitute grounds for disqualification of the Bidder.

All questions received will be answered in writing, and all such responses shall be posted to the DGS website at as an addendum to the IFB by 3:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 14, 2026.

All questions and official responses are considered an addendum to, and part of, this IFB. The PLCB shall not be bound by any verbal information, nor shall it be bound by any written information that is not either contained within the IFB or formally issued as an addendum by the Issuing Office. The Issuing Office does not consider questions to be a protest of the specifications or of the solicitation.

Before submitting questions, please carefully review this IFB, including the Frequently Asked Questions document (FAQ) found at Attachment A. These FAQs constitute a material, substantive part of this IFB.

ADDENDA TO THE IFB

If the Issuing Office deems it necessary to revise any part of this IFB before the bid response date, the Issuing Office will post an addendum to the DGS website at . It is the Bidder's responsibility to periodically check the website for any new information or addenda to the IFB.

BID REQUIREMENTS

Each license being auctioned has been assigned a License Auction Number. Bidders may bid on one or more licenses; however, each PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to a particular license being auctioned. For example, if a Bidder wishes to bid on License Auction Numbers 440E, 442E and 446E, then the Bidder must submit three separate bid packages. Note that the License Auction Number is different than the Restaurant Liquor License Number as set forth on page two of this IFB.

Each bid package must include the required bid surety of $5,000.00 or 5% of total bid amount, whichever is greater, and the relevant PLCB Bid Sheet for each particular license, properly signed and properly sealed. Failure to include these required documents may render the bid non-responsive and may result in bid rejection. Except for indicating up to five preferred counties of transfer in order of preference or making an election not to seek a cross-county transfer, bids may not be conditioned in any manner, nor may Bidders make any changes to the PLCB Bid Sheet.

Each sealed bid package must be prominently labeled on the outside of the envelope with "IFB #260380," the License Auction Number, and the name of the bidding individual or legal entity. For example:

If you submit more than one sealed bid in a delivery package, please indicate that on the outside of the delivery package. For example, if you submit bids for three licenses via FedEx, each license bid package must be sealed and labeled, and you should also note on the outside of the FedEx envelope "contains three sealed bids." This is to streamline the bid opening process.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollar figures (example: $25,001.00). Any bid less than $25,000.00 will be rejected. 47 P.S. 4-470.3(g).

Bidders will have the opportunity to identify up to five counties they would be interested in transferring the license into. The Bidder will rank the counties, listing the most desired county first. If the bidder intends to use the license within the same municipality or transfer it for use at a location in a different municipality within the currently associated county, they must indicate that on the Bid Sheet. Failure to complete this section of the Bid Sheet will disqualify your bid.

Bids must be signed in ink by an official authorized to bind the Bidder to its provisions. Failure to sign and/or submit the PLCB Bid Sheet(s) (Attachments B #440E-449E) shall disqualify your bid(s). For this IFB, all elements of bids must remain valid for at least 240 days, including but not limited to, the bid amount.

Bids must be hand carried or mailed (U.S. Postal Service, UPS, FedEx., etc.) to:

PLCB Purchasing & Contract Administration Division

Invitation for Bid #260380

Northwest Office Building, Room 212

Harrisburg, PA 17124-0001

Faxed or emailed bids will not be accepted.

Bids must be received by the Issuing Officer on or before Monday, June 15, 2026, no later than 12:00 p.m. ET.

Please be aware that mail and packages sent to the PLCB are first screened at a separate Commonwealth facility and so delivery of mailed bids to the Issuing Officer may take longer than otherwise expected. Therefore, Bidders mailing bids should allow time to ensure timely receipt of their bid. If a delivery receipt is desired, send by U.S. Certified or Registered mail. The PLCB bears no responsibility for delayed delivery to the Issuing Officer, regardless of method selected by the Bidder.

BID SURETY

Each bid must be accompanied by a Certified Check or Cashier's Check in the amount of $5,000.00 or 5% of the total bid amount, whichever is greater, payable to the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania Liquor Control Board, as a bid surety. By way of example only, if a bid is for $25,000.00, then the bid surety required is $5,000.00. If a bid is for $200,000.00, the bid surety required is $10,000.00 (5% of $200,000.00). The bid surety of a Selected Bidder will be forfeited as liquidated damages if the Selected Bidder fails to comply with the terms of the IFB. See Specifications section above.

Failure to include a Cashier's Check or Certified Check for $5,000.00 or 5% of the total bid amount, whichever is greater, with each individual license bid may result in rejection of the bid; however, the PLCB reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to allow a supplemental bid surety to be submitted in the event that an otherwise responsive highest bid package contains an incorrect or insufficient bid surety. Any such supplemental bid surety must be received by the PLCB no later than 3:00 p.m. ET on Monday, June 15, 2026. Failure to comply with this requirement will result in rejection of the bid.

The PLCB will deposit the bid surety of the highest responsive Bidder for each license. The bid surety of the second highest Bidder for each license will only be deposited if the highest responsive Bidder fails to submit the full and timely bid payment. All other bid sureties will be returned to Non-Selected Bidders via certified mail, return receipt requested, within 30 days of the bid opening date. Bid sureties of the highest responsive Bidder and the second highest responsive Bidder for each license will be refunded by the PLCB within 30 days of the PLCB's final determination that there are no grounds for forfeiture of said surety.

By way of example only, if the highest responsive Bidder for a given license in a given county timely remits its full bid amount within the allowed 30-day period, then the bid surety of the second highest responsive Bidder for that license will be returned within thirty days of the PLCB's receipt of that bid amount. Likewise, when a timely filed transfer application is approved by the Board, the bid surety of that successful Bidder will be refunded within 30 days of the approval.

BID WITHDRAWAL

Bidders may withdraw submitted bids by notifying the Issuing Officer by email at . Withdrawal emails must be received by the Issuing Officer no later than 10:00 a.m. ET on Monday, June 15, 2026. The subject line of the email shall be entitled "License Auction Bid Withdrawal," followed by the assigned License Auction Number of the license at issue; for example, "License Auction Bid Withdrawal License #440E." If more than one license bid is to be withdrawn, the Bidder shall send an individual "License Auction Bid Withdrawal" email notification for each license bid to be withdrawn. Bid packages will be returned unopened to the Bidder for any bids withdrawn by the Bidder in conformity with this section, and the PLCB will make no claim against the bid surety for such timely withdrawn bids.

BID OPENING AND BID TABULATIONS RESULTS

The Issuing Officer or their designee shall open bids starting at 9:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in Room 113 of the Northwest Office Building, located at Capital and Forster Streets, Harrisburg, PA. Bids will be opened in sequence starting with all bids for License Auction Number 440E and continuing until all bids for all licenses have been opened. The bid opening shall be public; however, due to space constraints, it is requested that Bidders limit attendance to two persons per bidding party or entity. All attendees will be required to pass through security, and sufficient time should be allotted to ensure seating by 9:00 a.m. ET. The bid opening will not be broadcast or livestreamed. Attendance at the bid opening is optional and is not a requirement for participation in the IFB. If the bid opening is not completed by 4:00 p.m. ET on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, the PLCB reserves the right to suspend the bid opening and resume activities on the following business day. If continued into the next business day, the details of the bid opening will be announced on the PLCB's website, . Comments will not be accepted by Bidders or the general public during bid opening.

The PLCB will open and sort all bids by bid amount (from highest to lowest) for each license. A winning or Selected Bidder will be determined, based on the highest bid amount received, for each license for which eligible bids are received.

If the highest bid amount for any license is submitted by two or more qualified Bidders, the Issuing Officer shall notify each such Bidder of the tie via email, confirming the amount of the tie bids and the number of tied bids. The tied Bidders will each have the option to submit one best and final offer bid amount (BAFO) by responsive email to the Issuing Officer at , which email must be received by the Issuing Officer no later than 3:00 p.m. ET on the next business day. In the event of a further tie among BAFOs, the Issuing Officer will repeat the process until there is only one highest bid.

After the highest bidder and second highest bidder are determined for each license, the PLCB will further evaluate the Bid Sheets to determine which of the Selected Bidders have indicated an intention to transfer the license to a different county and to determine which Selected Bidders will receive cross-county transfer priority for the counties identified on their Bid Sheets. If multiple Selected Bidders identify the same preferred county for transfer, give it the same ranking on their Bid Sheets, and submitted the same bid amount for the underlying license, with a lesser number of excess auction calendar year transfer opportunities remaining available for that county, the Issuing Officer shall notify each Bidder via email, identifying the highest Bid amount among those Selected Bidders. Those Selected Bidders will then each have the option to submit one best and final offer bid amount (BAFO) by responsive email to the Issuing Officer at RA-LBLicenseAuction@pa.gov, which email must be received by the Issuing Officer no later than 3:00 p.m. ET on the next business day. In the event of a tie among Selected Bidders after BAFOs, the Issuing Officer will repeat the process in order to give priority to the highest bidders relative to the number of excess auction calendar year transfer opportunities remaining available for that county. Any new and higher bid amounts submitted by a Selected Bidder as part of a BAFO process will become the amount that the Selected Bidder agrees to pay for the license they bid on, regardless of the county in which it will be used.

Once all bids have been opened and finalized as set forth above, results of this IFB will be posted within two business days to the DGS website at . Any additional information will require a Right to Know request, instructions for which may be found at .

Bid results do not confer any legal or contractual rights until a formal Notice of Selection has been issued by the Issuing Officer and full bid payment has been timely received by the PLCB. The Notice of Selection does not guarantee a license will ultimately be approved by the PLCB. Notice of Selection letters will identify the Selected Bidder for each license as well as any counties for which the Selected Bidder has been determined to have cross-county transfer priority status relative to other Selected Bidders. Selected Bidders will not be permitted to file a cross-county transfer application into any county other than one for which it is determined to have cross-county transfer priority status for that specific license. If the county or counties a Selected Bidder wishes to transfer the license into is no longer available because the two-license limit has been reached, the Selected Bidder will still be able to apply to transfer the license within its original county. The Notice of Selection Letter will also include any other available counties the Selected Bidder may transfer the license into. If the Selected Bidder no longer has an interest in the license, the bid payment will not be required. Failure to timely remit the bid payment, however, will result in forfeiture of the bid surety.

EVALUATION OF CROSS-COUNTY TRANSFER REQUESTS

If a Selected Bidder, or their designated assignee, wishes to transfer the license for which it was the winning bidder into another county, it must file a transfer application with the PLCB's Bureau of Licensing and pay a separate transfer fee of $50,000 for transfers into counties of the first through fourth classes, or $25,000 for transfers into counties of the fifth through eighth classes, within six months of being issued its Notice of Selection. Selected Bidders, or their designated assignees, will not be permitted to file a transfer application for any county other than one for which it is determined to have preferred cross-county transfer status for that specific license. Upon receipt of an application, the separate transfer fee set forth above, and any required filing fees, the PLCB's Bureau of Licensing will confirm whether the applicant has cross-county transfer priority for the county identified on the application. Once that has been confirmed, the Bureau of Licensing will continue processing the transfer application in the normal course. If, however, it is determined that the applicant does not have cross-county transfer priority status for the county identified on their application, the Bureau of Licensing will reject the application as nonconforming and notify the applicant of the same. The applicant will then have the opportunity to file a new transfer application for the license to remain in the current county or be transferred to a different county for which it was determined to have cross-county transfer priority status. However, under no circumstances may a transfer application be filed more than six months after the issuance of the Notice of Selection. Failure to submit a viable transfer application within six months of the Notice of Selection may result in forfeiture of the Selected Bidder's bid surety and returning the license to the PLCB's available excess auction license inventory as previously set forth above.

REJECTION OF INVITATION FOR BID SUBMISSIONS

The PLCB reserves the unqualified right and in its sole discretion to reject any and/or all bids received in response to this IFB, to waive technical defects or any informality in bids, and to accept or reject any part of any bid if, in its sole judgment, it is in the best interest of the Commonwealth.

INCURRING COST

The PLCB is not liable for any cost incurred by anyone for any purpose relating to this IFB.

BIDDER'S REPRESENTATIONS AND WARRANTIES

By submitting its bid, each Bidder understands, represents, acknowledges, and warrants that:

All the Bidder's information and representations in the bid are material and important, and the Issuing Office may rely upon the contents of the bid in awarding the bid. The PLCB shall treat any misstatement, omission, or misrepresentation as fraudulent concealment of the true facts relating to the bid submission, punishable pursuant to 18 Pa. C.S. 4904.

If the Bidder intends to transfer the license into a different county, the Bidder may only transfer the license into a county identified on their Bid Sheet and as approved by the PLCB during the transfer application process. Should Bidder assign their right to apply to a third party, that third party shall be subject to this same requirement.

The Bidder has arrived at the price(s) and amounts in its bid independently and without consultation, communication, or agreement with any other Bidder or potential Bidder.

The Bidder has not disclosed the price(s), preferred counties of transfer, the amount of the bid, nor the approximate price(s) or amount(s) of its bid to any other firm or person who is a Bidder or potential Bidder for this IFB, and the Bidder shall not disclose any of these items on or before the bid submission deadline specified in the Calendar of Events of this IFB.

The Bidder has not attempted, nor will it attempt to induce any firm or person to refrain from submitting a bid in response to this IFB, or to submit a bid higher or lower than its bid, or to submit any intentionally high, low, or non-competitive bid or other form of complementary bid.

The Bidder makes its bid in good faith and not pursuant to any agreement or discussion with, or inducement from, any firm or person to submit a complementary or other non-competitive bid.

To the best of the knowledge of the person signing the bid for the Bidder, the Bidder, its affiliates, subsidiaries, officers, directors, and employees are not currently under investigation by any governmental agency and have not in the last three years been convicted or found liable for any act prohibited by State or federal law in any jurisdiction, involving conspiracy or collusion with respect to bidding or proposing on any public contract or license.

To the best of the knowledge of the person signing the bid for the Bidder, the Bidder has conducted appropriate due diligence and warrants that the Bidder is of good repute and, if awarded the right to file an application for a restaurant liquor license pursuant to this IFB, has no prohibited interlocking business interests in any other PLCB license. Violation of this provision will result in forfeiture of the bid surety.

To the best of the knowledge of the person signing the bid for the Bidder, the Bidder has no outstanding, delinquent obligations to the Commonwealth including, but not limited to, any state tax liability not being contested on appeal or other obligation of the Bidder that is owed to the Commonwealth.

The Selected Bidder acknowledges that selection as the highest Bidder as a result of this IFB only confers the right to file an application for the license if full bid payment is received by the PLCB within thirty days of the date of the Notice of Selection and does not guarantee a license will ultimately be approved by the Board.

Until the Selected Bidder or their designated assignee receives written notification from the PLCB that a license transfer application has been approved by the Board, the Selected Bidder shall have no legal rights, privileges, or interests in the license, in law or in equity.

The person signing the bid for the Bidder does so with full legal authority to bind the Bidder to the terms of the bid.

ATTACHMENT A

IFB #260380

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

ABOUT THE LICENSES

Can you identify the owner and address of establishment of the expired licenses that are up for auction prior to the auction?

The expired licenses being auctioned are no longer owned as these licenses were non-renewed, revoked by an administrative law judge, or are no longer eligible for safekeeping. Further, a license offered in an Excess License auction is a license that was previously offered during an Expired License Auction but received no bids.

Can you provide any other information about the licenses being auctioned (Amusement permit, Sunday Sales permit, any liens etc.)?

The licenses being auctioned have previously been offered during an Expired License Auction but received no bids, as described in the Legal Specifications and Requirements section of the IFB.

Amusement permits, Sunday Sales permits, Extended Food Hours permits, Wine Expanded permits, Ready-To-Drink Cocktail permits, and Tavern Gaming licenses are examples of additional privileges of a license, each of which must be requested by the individual or entity seeking a transfer.

Once a license has become available to be auctioned, it may no longer be subject to any unpaid fines, unserved suspensions, liens, or judgments accrued by the previous license holder. Therefore, all licenses being auctioned in this IFB # 260380 are clear of all claims.

In addition, because these licenses were previously offered during an Expired License Auction, the selected bidder will have the further option to transfer the license for use at a location in a different municipality in any county, regardless of quota. However, no more than two licenses from the excess license auction shall be transferred into the same county, in the same calendar year, with priority given to the highest bid amount across all originating county bid submissions when considering transfer requests for available cross-county transfer opportunities.

When I try and look up a license being auctioned on the PLCB website, the license number R-xxxxx does not register to any license. Is this the correct license number?

The licenses being auctioned in this IFB are expired licenses, many of which predate implementation of the current license database.

Must a Bidder for one of the expired restaurant liquor licenses have a proposed premises to activate the license at the time of submitting a bid?

No; however, please note that unsuccessful commercial negotiations are generally not considered "circumstances beyond the control of the Selected Bidder" for purposes of bid surety forfeiture and thus potential Bidders are advised to conduct timely due diligence regarding their commercial plans.

Must the application for the transfer of the license (which is to be submitted within six months of the Notice of Selection) include a proposed licensed premises?

Yes. As noted, an application for transfer of the license must be filed within six months of the date of the Notice of Selection. This transfer application may be filed under prior approval, but there must be a proposed licensed premises at the time of filing. Also note the restriction against attempts to transfer a license into a "dry" municipality, which may result in forfeiture of the bid surety as outlined in Legal Specifications and Requirements section of the IFB.

Licenses sold during an Excess Auction may be transferred for use at a location in a different municipality within the same county or in another county; however, the Selected Bidder must pay any applicable transfer fees and get prior municipal approval from the receiving municipality. Please note that no more than two licenses shall be transferred into the same county, in the same calendar year, as the result of an excess auction, with priority given to the highest bidder when considering transfer requests into the same county for available cross-county transfer opportunities.

Failure to timely file a transfer application will result in forfeiture of the bid surety, rescission of the Notice of Selection, and the license will be made available for bid at a future excess auction.

May the Selected Bidder elect to place the license immediately in safekeeping?

No, the Selected Bidder may not place a license immediately in safekeeping. Upon approval of a transfer application, the Selected Bidder must make a good faith demonstration that it will operate a license as intended.

If the application must include a specific location, are there limitations as to the municipality in which it may be placed?

If the license is to be transferred to a municipality other than its original municipality, any transfer applicant must first obtain approval from the receiving municipality if the receiving municipality is at or above quota. If the license is to be transferred to a municipality in a different county, the applicant must make a written request to the PLCB and pay a transfer fee. The Bid Sheet will serve as the written request. No more than two licenses shall be transferred into the same county, in the same calendar year, as the result of an excess auction, with priority given to the highest bidder when considering transfer requests into the same county. Additionally, a license may not be transferred to a location that is "dry" for retail liquor licenses. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek such municipal approval as soon as possible following receipt of the Notice of Selection, as failure to do so may be grounds for forfeiture of bid surety.

Will the application for the license follow the same procedure as a double transfer (i.e., person-to-person and place-to-place transfer) of an existing license and, if not, what additional (or lesser) procedures will be required?

Yes, the license transfer procedure will follow the directives found in sections 403, 404, 461 and 468 of the Liquor Code. However, licenses sold during an Excess Auction can be transferred one time for use at a location in a different municipality in another county, subject to payment of the applicable transfer fee and approval of the receiving municipality. In addition, no more than two licenses shall be transferred into the same county, in the same calendar year, as the result of an excess auction, with priority given to the highest bid amount across all originating county bid submissions when considering transfer requests into the same county for available cross-county transfer opportunities.

How long after one of these licenses is acquired must it be put into use?

A transfer application must be filed within six months of the date of the Notice of Selection, after which the usual licensing investigation will commence. Once a license application is approved by the Board, a licensee commences operations. An exception to this timeline is if the transfer application is submitted on a "prior approval" basis, in which case the licensee will have six months following Board approval to become operational, unless an extension is approved. A license approved on a "prior approval" basis may not be transferred before it operates unless the transfer application is accompanied by a surcharge. The surcharge is $15,000 for licenses located in a county of the first through third class and $5,000 for licenses located in county of the fourth through eighth class.

Where can these licenses be used?

The license may be used in its originating municipality, or the Selected Bidder may seek an intermunicipal transfer. The intermunicipal transfer can be within the county which the license is currently associated, or the license can be transferred one time to a different county. The PLCB may only approve an intermunicipal transfer of an auctioned license if the transfer is first approved by the governing body of the receiving municipality. No such approval is required for transfers within the original municipality. If the applicant wishes to transfer the license to a different municipality within the original county or into a different county, the regular statutes and regulations on intermunicipal transfers would apply, as described in the Legal Specifications and Requirements section of this IFB. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek such municipal approval as soon as possible following receipt of the Notice of Selection.

Licenses sold at Excess Auctions may be transferred out of the original county subject to a transfer fee of $50,000 for counties of the first through fourth classes and $25,000 for counties of the fifth through eighth classes. The transfer fee is in addition to the bid payment.

Further, if the license is transferred to a different county than where it originated, the license may not be transferred from the receiving municipality for a period of five years after the date the license premises becomes operational. Additionally, although a license that changes counties becomes transferable within the new county after five years, the Liquor Code does not provide any authority allowing such license to be subsequently transferred back into the originating county or to a different new county. Therefore, the option to transfer the license across counties is a one-time opportunity.

Are there any restrictions on the licenses being auctioned, such as conditional licensing agreements or county quota restrictions?

No. None of licenses scheduled for this auction are encumbered with a conditional licensing agreement. None of the licenses have been transferred into a municipality within five years. Auctioned licenses are an exception to the county quota. Licenses sold at Excess Auctions may be transferred out of the original county one time subject to a transfer fee of $50,000 for counties of the first through fourth classes and $25,000 for counties of the fifth through eighth classes.

Would one be able to resell the license at any time, or will one only be able to resell after a certain period of time?

There are no time limits on the ability of a license holder to resell a license once a transfer application is approved; however, if the license is transferred to a different county than where it originated, the license may not be transferred from the receiving municipality for a period of five years after the date the license premises becomes operational.

Further, please note that any such "sale" only grants the right to file a transfer application, which must then be investigated and approved by the Board as in the normal course. Note also that a Selected Bidder may assign its right to apply for a transfer of the license to another eligible individual or entity. If so, then the third party is limited to the original county or transfer county identified in the Notice of Selection Letter and cannot apply to transfer the license to any other county.

Is this the correct type of license for an event center, such as a hall rental for parties, weddings, etc.?

As noted in the IFB, the PLCB cannot provide legal advice to individual bidders, and consultation with private counsel experienced in Pennsylvania liquor law is strongly encouraged. Please also note that "restaurant" is defined in section 102 of the Pennsylvania Liquor Code.

Would one be able to sell six-packs of beer, wine, etc. for takeout with a restaurant license?

A restaurant license authorizes the license holder to sell limited quantities of beer to go.

Restaurant license holders can apply for a wine expanded permit which authorizes the sale of limited quantities of wine to go. Additional information about wine expanded permits can be found by visiting .

Restaurant license holders can also apply for a Ready-To-Drink Cocktail permit, which authorizes the sale of limited quantities of ready-to-drink cocktails to go. Additional information about Ready-To-Drink Cocktail permits can be found by visiting https://www.pa.gov/agencies/lcb/shop-wine-spirits/wholesale-wine-and-spirits-sales/ready-to-drink-cocktails.html

Can a current restaurant licensee own more than one license?

Generally, a holder of a restaurant license may apply for additional restaurant licenses; however, due to the potential for conflicts of interest or other appearances of impropriety, the PLCB cannot provide legal advice to Bidders. As noted in the IFB and throughout the FAQ, individuals or entities considering participation are encouraged to seek private counsel experienced in Pennsylvania liquor law to ensure eligibility.

ABOUT THE AUCTION PROCESS

A. Who Can Bid

Can I bid as an individual person, or does it have to be under a corporation?

Bidders may be individuals or entities, and no specific corporate structure is required for purposes of bidding.

If I have a prohibited interlocking business interest (I own a beer distributor or importing distributor license) but I intend to assign the license to someone else who does not have a prohibited interlocking business interest and is of good repute, can I be selected if my bid is the highest?

No, individuals or entities having prohibited interlocking business interests or who are not of good repute are not eligible to participate in the auction. Please carefully review the Bidder's Representations and Warranties section of the IFB, also noting the bid surety forfeiture provisions. You are encouraged to seek private counsel experienced in Pennsylvania liquor law to assist you.

If there are two R licenses available, can one individual or entity bid and win both licenses?

Yes. Each license being auctioned has been assigned a unique License Auction Number, and Bidders may bid on one or more licenses if separate bid packages are submitted for each license. Each PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to a particular license.

Must the Selected Bidder be identical to the name of the applicant for transfer? For instance, if the winning bid is submitted by an individual, can that individual form an entity (LLC or corporation) and submit the transfer application in the name of that new entity?

The Selected Bidder of a license auction may assign its rights to another individual or entity, including a corporate entity, which may then file the transfer application. For purposes of the bid surety, the Selected Bidder retains legal responsibility for all elements of the auction, including but not limited to the prohibitions against application by an individual or entity having an interlocking business interest or by an individual or entity that is not of good repute.

The bid surety will be forfeited if the Selected Bidder or their designated assignee has an interlocking business interest, is not of good repute or if there is an attempt to transfer the license when the Liquor Code or PLCB's Regulations clearly prohibit the transaction, such as transferring into a municipality that is "dry" for restaurant liquor licenses pursuant to section 472 of the Liquor Code. Furthermore, the Selected Bidder retains legal responsibility for the timeliness of the filing of the transfer application by their designated assignee, such that the bid surety will be forfeited if the designated assignee fails to timely file an application for transfer.

Does the entity or person who bids on the license need to be the entity or person who becomes the licensee?

No. The right to file a transfer application may be assigned by the Selected Bidder to another qualified individual or entity; however, the Selected Bidder retains all obligations for timely payment of the bid amount and for timely filing of the transfer application.

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B. How to Bid

How do I let the PLCB know which county I want to transfer the license to?

The Bid Sheet has a mandatory section which requires the bidder to list, in ranked order, up to five counties they would want to transfer the license to. If the bidder does not intend to transfer the license for use in a different county, then the original county must be listed in this section. If the section is left blank, the bid will be considered nonresponsive and will be disqualified.

Does the bid surety check need to be a cashier's check, or can it be a personal or business check?

Each bid must be accompanied by a Certified Check or Cashier's Check as described in the Bid Surety section of the IFB. Certified checks and cashier's checks are generally available from banks and other financial institutions. No personal or business checks will be accepted. Bidders are encouraged to consult with private counsel and/or financial advisors.

Do I need to register as a bidder prior to submitting a bid package?

If you are referring to registering as a supplier through PLCB's Oracle Supplier Portal, the answer is no. Supplier Registration is not a requirement of this IFB.

Can I submit more than one bid on a single license?

Yes, however, all bids will be opened for each license being auctioned and only the highest bid by each Bidder will be considered. For example, if a Bidder submits two or more bids on one license, all bids by that Bidder for that license that are lower than the highest bid by that Bidder for that license are immediately rendered null and void. Bidders may designate up to five counties they want to transfer each license into.

If I submit more than one bid for a single license and my bids are the highest and the second highest for that license, which amount do I have to pay?

The Selected Bidder must remit the full amount of the highest bid within thirty days of the date of the Notice of Selection. All bids by a Bidder for a license that are lower than the highest bid by that Bidder for that license are immediately rendered null and void. Therefore, there is no practical advantage in submitting multiple bids on one license.

What are the mandatory bid requirements that, if not followed, will result in disqualification of a bid?

A bid must be timely received, properly signed, and must contain the appropriate PLCB Bid Sheet for the license at issue, along with a bid surety check. The PLCB Bid Sheet must clearly indicate the county or counties the bidder intends to transfer the license during the application process.

How do you determine whether a bid that is mailed is timely received - is it based on the postmark date?

As set forth in this IFB, bids must be in the possession of the Issuing Officer no later than 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, June 15, 2026. Please be aware that mail and packages sent to the PLCB are first screened at a separate Commonwealth facility and so delivery to the Issuing Officer may take longer than otherwise expected. The postmark date is irrelevant, as is the date of "posting" to the U.S. Postal Service or any other mail carrier or delivery service. To be clear, the legal principle of "the mailbox rule" is not applicable to this IFB. Bidders are encouraged to submit bids in a manner and on a timeline that will ensure receipt by the Issuing Officer on or before the deadline of 12:00 p.m. ET on Monday, June 15, 2026.

If I am bidding on more than one license, can I submit copies of one bid surety check in each envelope?

No. Each bid package must include the relevant PLCB Bid Sheet and a bid surety check of $5,000.00 or 5% of the total bid amount, whichever is greater, that is specific to that license being auctioned. Therefore, if a Bidder is bidding on three licenses, then there must be three LABELED bid packages, each of which contains an original certified check or cashier's check in the appropriate amount. Failure to include the appropriate bid surety may result in rejection of the bid.

Is it acceptable to submit a variable bid? For example, the bid I submit states that it is $3,000.00 more than what the next highest qualified, but only up to a maximum bid amount of $100,000.00.

No. Variable bids are not acceptable and will be rejected. As set forth in this IFB, bids must be in whole dollar figures, must be no less than $25,000.00, and bids must be submitted on the official Bid Sheets that are part of the IFB.

May I use my own bid sheet to submit my bid?

No. Failure to submit bids on the official PLCB Bid Sheets that are part of this IFB constitutes grounds for disqualification of the bid.

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C. Bid Opening

What happens at a bid opening?

Bids will have been presorted by License Auction Number, and the bid tabulation sheet will have been prepopulated with the names of the Bidders in alphabetical order. This information will be gleaned from the labeling information required per the IFB (IFB #260380, License Auction Number, and name of bidding individual or entity). Any bid packages having illegible or unclear labeling will be opened first and the license being bid on will be identified. That bid package will then be placed at the bottom of the group of bids for that particular license and the bid information will be entered in the spreadsheet when the bids for that license are opened and recorded. The bid tabulation sheet will be projected so that all in attendance may see it. Attendance at the bid opening is not required.

Except as noted above regarding unclearly labeled bids, all bids received for License Auction Number 440E will be opened in alphabetical order. The Issuing Officer and/or their designee will open each envelope, verify that the PLCB Bid Sheet and bid surety is contained therein, and then the Issuing Officer or their designee will enter the bid amount into the bid tabulation sheet. This process will be repeated for each license being auctioned.

The bid tabulation sheet will be sorted from highest to lowest for each license once all bids for that license have been opened. This will also be projected so that all in attendance may see it. Bids will not be compared to each other during bid opening. Bids are NOT validated at the bid opening, licenses are NOT awarded at the bid opening, and questions are NOT entertained from the audience at the bid opening.

If necessary, the bid opening may be suspended for meal breaks or continued for a second day. If continued a second day, the details of the bid opening will be announced on the PLCB's website, . After bids are validated and Notice of Selection letters are sent to each Selected Bidder, which is expected to be within a few days of the end of the bid opening, a public listing of the winning auction results will be posted on the PLCB's website and also on the DGS website at searchable by "Bid Number" 260380.

31. What happens if multiple bidders want to transfer a license into the same county?

After the highest bidder and second highest bidder are determined for each license, the PLCB will further evaluate the Bid Sheets to determine which of the Selected Bidders have indicated an intention to transfer the license to a different county and to determine which Selected Bidders will receive cross-county transfer priority for the counties identified on their Bid Sheets. If multiple Selected Bidders identify the same preferred county for transfer and give it the same ranking on their Bid Sheets, with a lesser number of excess auction calendar year transfer opportunities remaining available for that county, the Issuing Officer shall notify each Bidder via email, identifying the highest Bid amount among those Selected Bidders. Those Selected Bidders will then each have the option to submit one best and final offer bid amount (BAFO) by responsive email to the Issuing Officer at RA-LBLicenseAuction@pa.gov, which email must be received by the Issuing Officer no later than 3:00 p.m. ET on the next business day. In the event of a tie among Selected Bidders after BAFOs, the Issuing Officer will repeat the process in order to give priority to the highest bidders relative to the number of excess auction calendar year transfer opportunities remaining available for that county. Any new and higher bid amounts submitted by a Selected Bidder as part of a BAFO process will become the amount that the Selected Bidder agrees to pay for the license they bid on, regardless of the county in which it will be used.

Notice of Selection letters will identify the Selected Bidder for each license as well as any counties for which the Selected Bidder has been determined to have cross-county transfer priority status relative to other Selected Bidders. Selected Bidders will not be permitted to file a cross-county transfer application into any county other than one for which it is determined to have cross-county transfer priority status for that specific license.

What happens if I am the highest bidder for a license, but other bidders who want to transfer a license into the same county as I do have submitted higher bids?

If the county or counties the Selected Bidder wishes to transfer the license into are no longer available, then the Selected Bidder will not be able to apply to transfer the license into such county or counties. The Notice of Selection letter will state which county or counties the Selected Bidder has earned cross-county transfer priority status for based on their submitted bid amount. If the Selected Bidder does not receive cross-county transfer priority status for any of their preferred counties, the Selected Bidder will be able to apply to transfer that license within the original county. The Selected Bidder will also be able to transfer the license into any other available county as indicated in the Notice of Selection letter.

How will the second highest bidder for each license be determined?

The second highest bidder for each license will be determined using the same process used to determine the highest bidders for each license as set forth in the IFB.

Will the bid opening be livestreamed?

No. The bid opening will not be livestreamed, broadcast, or video recorded in any manner. The purpose of the bid opening is solely to publicly open each bid, to verify what is contained in each envelope, and to document bids received.

Will there be an opportunity to ask questions at the bid opening?

No. The purpose of the bid opening is solely to publicly open each bid, to verify what is contained in each envelope, and to document bids received. The question period closes at 12:00 p.m. ET on Thursday, May 7, 2026, and the bid opening is not an interactive event. No Bidder or agent on behalf of a Bidder shall address questions regarding this IFB to any other employee or agent of the PLCB or the Commonwealth. Violation of this requirement may constitute grounds for disqualification of the Bidder.

How can I know who else is bidding?

Bids are sealed and will be opened publicly. Except as to those precluded from participation by virtue of having a prohibited interlocking business interest or being of ill repute, the only criteria for participating in the auction as a Bidder is the timely submission of a bid package for each license sought, including the appropriately signed PLCB Bid Sheet for each license and bid surety for each license. The highest qualified Bidder for each license will receive a Notice of Selection letter and all winning results will be publicly posted.

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D. Next Steps

Will all bid surety checks be cashed, or will Non-Selected Bidders' checks be returned?

All bid surety checks for the highest responsive bid for each license will be deposited into the PLCB's account. If a Bidder fails to timely remit the full bid amount, the second highest responsive Bidder's bid surety will then be deposited into the PLCB's account, and a Notice of Selection will be sent. Bid sureties will be returned to Non-Selected Bidders within thirty days of the finalization of bid tabulation.

If I receive a Notice of Selection, do I remit the full amount that I bid, or do I reduce my payment by the bid surety submitted with my bid package?

The bid amount to be paid within thirty days of the date of the Notice of Selection is the full bid amount and is not to be reduced by the amount of the bid surety. For example, if the winning bid amount is $100,000.00, then the full $100,000.00 is due and payable. Furthermore, if you choose to submit your payment via wire transfer, then your payment would be $100,015.00, to include the $15.00 wire transfer processing fee.

The bid surety is a wholly separate payment. The purpose of the bid surety is to demonstrate the Bidder's intent to follow through with their/its bid. It also serves as liquidated damages to the PLCB if the Selected Bidder fails to comply with the bid requirements. To be clear, the bid amount due following a Notice of Selection must be for the full bid amount and must not be reduced by the amount of the bid surety.

Does my bid payment include the transfer application fee if I transfer the license to a different county?

No. If the bidder intends to transfer the license for use in another county, the application will be subject to an additional transfer fee. That fee will be a wholly separate payment, and the bid amount must not be reduced by the amount of the transfer fee.

If I am the Selected Bidder for one or more licenses, can I decide to drop my bid for any or all the licenses?

As set forth in this IFB, bids may not be conditioned in any manner and bids must remain valid for at least 240 days. Once selected, a Bidder's failure to proceed will result in rescission of the Notice of Selection and forfeiture of the bid surety.

If I am notified by the Issuing Officer that I am tied with another Bidder or Bidders for the highest bid on a license or with regard to a request to transfer a license for use in a different county, am I required to submit a higher bid amount, or can I drop out?

As set forth in this IFB, tied Bidders will have the option to submit one best and final offer (BAFO). As bids must be unconditioned and must be valid for at least 240 days, a bidder cannot "drop out." If a tied Bidder elects not to submit a higher bid in response to the BAFO opportunity, then that bidder's bid amount will remain as originally submitted.

What happens if both the highest Bidder and the second highest Bidder fail to pay the bid amount-does it go to the third highest Bidder or is the license put back in the inventory of excess licenses to be auctioned later?

The license will not go to the third highest bidder. The license will be put back into the inventory of excess expired licenses to be auctioned later, and both Bidders will forfeit their bid surety.

In what situations would I forfeit my bid surety?

The bid surety of a Selected Bidder will be forfeited as liquidated damages if the Selected Bidder fails to comply with the terms of this IFB. The following scenarios serve as some examples where the bid surety of a Selected Bidder will be forfeited as liquidated damages. Failure to timely remit the full bid amount will result in forfeiture of the bid surety. If a person or entity that would be precluded from acquiring a license due to prohibited interlocking business interests or due to not being of good repute, bids for a license and is selected, this will result in forfeiture of the bid surety. Failure to timely file a transfer application may result in forfeiture of the bid surety. Applying to transfer a license when the Liquor Code or PLCB's Regulations clearly prohibits the transaction (for example, trying to transfer a license into a dry municipality) will result in forfeiture of the bid surety.

Notwithstanding the above-noted provisions, the PLCB reserves the right, at its sole discretion, to refund the bid surety upon receipt of adequate documentary evidence that the failure to comply with this application requirement was due to circumstances beyond the control of the Selected Bidder. The PLCB's decisions in such instances shall be final. See also Frequently Asked Question/Answer #4 above.

In what situations would I forfeit my full bid payment?

There is no legal mechanism for the PLCB to retain bid payments. In the event there is no such approval, the full bid amount and any associated transfer fees will be refunded, less any outstanding bid surety amounts.

What is the time frame during which the license can be taken out of safekeeping?

The licenses are not currently in safekeeping. A transfer application must be filed by the Selected Bidder or their designated assignee within six months of the date of the Notice of Selection.

If the Selected Bidder is intending to file for an intermunicipal transfer to a location outside the municipality for which the license was issued, yet is then denied the municipal approval or is unable to obtain the municipal approval prior to the six-month deadline to file for the transfer with the PLCB, may an extension of the six-month period for filing with the PLCB be granted by the PLCB for the Selected Bidder to obtain a municipal transfer or is the six-month period absolute?

The transfer application period is not extendable. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek such municipal approval as soon as possible following receipt of the Notice of Selection. It is also noted that there is a nearly two-month period between the posting of this IFB and the bid submission deadline during which time it is assumed that potential Bidders are undertaking due diligence regarding their commercial plans. However, so long as the Bidder is still within the window of six months, the Bidder may initiate a second application for the original county only. The bidder will not be able to transfer the license to another county. In other words, Bidders are bidding for the opportunity to transfer the license to another county once, but may have the opportunity to submit two applications (one in the county of transfer and one in the original county).

Are there any provisions to allow the Selected Bidder to submit the PLCB transfer application without submitting a municipal approval along with the application under such circumstances until the municipal approval is obtained or otherwise?

Only if the license is to be used in its originating municipality. Otherwise, municipal approval must be presented along with the transfer application, unless the receiving municipality is below the municipal quota. Applicants are strongly encouraged to seek such municipal approval as soon as possible following receipt of the Notice of Selection.

Can a Selected Bidder assign or sell their/its bid to another unrelated party? For instance, the Selected Bidder is a broker, or speculator, who submits a winning bid of $150,000.00. The Selected Bidder then sells the bid and right to file a transfer (like with a Sheriff's Sale) to another party for $175,000.00, and that party then files the transfer with the PLCB.

Yes, this is permissible if the Bidder and third-party entity remain in compliance with the conditions set forth in this IFB. The third-party entity will only be able to apply for the license in the original county or a transfer county the Bidder initially indicated. In other words, the opportunity to transfer the license into a county of the Bidder's choosing transfers with the sale.

What are the guidelines around selling a license? Am I correct in assuming a license that I own can be readily sold to another individual/corporation? Or are there restrictions around this?

You are encouraged to seek private counsel experienced in Pennsylvania liquor law to assist you with your business plans. By way of general information, sales of liquor licenses are private sales, and the PLCB is not involved in setting license prices. There are restrictions on who may hold a liquor license, as specified in the Liquor Code.

May the Selected Bidder assign the right to apply for transfer of the license to an entity of which he is the sole principal, to an entity in which he is one of a group of other principals, or to a person or entity in which he has no ownership interest?

Except as to those precluded by virtue of having a prohibited interlocking business interest or being of ill repute, there are no restrictions on who may bid for a license in this IFB. Selected Bidders are permitted to assign rights to file a transfer application; however, there are qualification requirements that must be met by the designated assignee that is applying for the transfer.

Are interlocking business interests and ill repute the only reasons that the PLCB will reject a transfer application submitted for an auctioned license?

No. The application will be processed in the same manner as any other transfer application and shall be subject to the same restrictions as any other transfer application.

When will the Bidders who do not secure the winning bid be told the amount of the winning bid? It is public information, correct?

All bids will be opened in a public meeting scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m. ET on Wednesday, June 17, 2026, in Room 113 of the PLCB's Northwest Office Building in Harrisburg, PA. Bidder names and bid amounts for each license being auctioned will be publicly screened in Room 113 as bids are opened. Once all bids have been validated and Notices of Selection have been issued, winning results of the IFB will be posted within two business days on the PLCB website, , and on the DGS website at searchable by "Bid Number" 260380.

When will the next auction be held? Is there any idea of how many auctions will happen over the next year or so, and how many will be released?

The PLCB has sole discretion to set the dates, times, and other conditions for the auctioning of licenses. Excess Auctions will occur on dates to be determined by the PLCB and must take place at least once per calendar year. The PLCB will post notice of each auction, including a listing of all the licenses that are available for that auction, several weeks prior to the auction date. Historically to date, license auction IFBs have been provided approximately two months from the date of posting to the bid submission deadline. Future excess auctions will have different numbers and may be conducted via a different method.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #440E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #441E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #442E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #443E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #444E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #445E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #446E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #447E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #448E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.

ATTACHMENT B

IFB #260380 PLCB BID SHEET

LICENSE AUCTION #449E

Intending to be bound and in conformity with all provisions of the IFB, the undersigned Bidder hereby bids the following bid amount for the stated expired restaurant liquor license:

Notes:

Print this PLCB Bid Sheet and submit with required bid surety in sealed and labeled envelope per instructions.

Bid amounts must be in whole dollars and must be no less than $25,000.00.

Only one bid amount may be entered on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

Preferred County of Transfer section must be completed. If a county transfer will not be requested, please indicate that in the "Notes" section above.

This PLCB Bid Sheet is specific to and applicable only for the license listed on this PLCB Bid Sheet.

By signing this PLCB Bid Sheet, Bidder explicitly accepts the terms and conditions of the IFB #260380, including but not limited to the provisions relating to potential forfeiture of the bid surety. Furthermore, Bidder hereby swears or affirms that the representations and warranties contained in Bidder's IFB response are true and correct to the best of Bidder's information, knowledge, and belief, and this statement is being made pursuant to the penalties of 18 Pa. C.S. 4903 regarding false swearing to authorities.