RFP - Request for Proposals - Restaurant Opportunity

Restaurant RFP 1

Request for Proposals
RFP 26-01
for
RESTAURANT AND BAR LEASE
RFP 2

SAN MATEO COUNTY HARBOR DISTRICT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 26-01
RESTAURANT AND BAR LEASE
_________________________________________________
TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEM PAGE
NOTICE INVITING PROPOSALS ............................................................................................... 1
1. PROPOSAL REQUEST ......................................................................................................... 1
2. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES ............................................................................................ 1
3. PROPOSAL TIME-LINE ......................................................................................................... 2
4. SUBMITTAL OF PROPOSALS .............................................................................................. 2
5. DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT ........................................................................................ 3
6. BACKGROUND ...................................................................................................................... 4
7. PROPOSAL CONTENT ......................................................................................................... 4
8. WITHDRAWAL OF PROPOSAL............................................................................................. 6
9. SELECTION CRITERIA ......................................................................................................... 7
10. SELECTION PROCESS ....................................................................................................... 8
11. LEASE AWARD ................................................................................................................... 8
12. PROTEST PROCEDURES ................................................................................................ 10
13. CONFLICT OF INTEREST ................................................................................................. 10
14. CONFIDENTIALITY ............................................................................................................ 11
15. EX PARTE COMMUNICATION .......................................................................................... 12
16. WAIVER ............................................................................................................................. 12
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment A - Proposed Monthly Rent Payments & Improvements Form
Attachment B - Site Map
Attachment C - Sample Lease Agreement
Attachment D - Acknowledgment of Addenda

SAN MATEO COUNTY HARBOR DISTRICT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 26-01
RESTAURANT AND BAR LEASE
_________________________________________________
NOTICE INVITING PROPOSALS
NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that proposals will be received in the Administration Offices of the San Mateo
County Harbor District (District) by email to info@smharbor.com, by June 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m., Pacific
Time, for the following:
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 26-01
PROPOSAL FOR: Restaurant and Bar Operations
ALSO SEE REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 26-02
PROPOSAL FOR: Open Space for Retail (may submit proposal for additional space adjacent to
Restaurant and Bar Operations)
The San Mateo County Harbor District ("District") is requesting proposals from restaurateurs with a
minimum of five (5) years' experience in the industry.
The District hereby notifies all Proposers that it is the policy of the District to ensure nondiscrimination based
on race, color, national origin, sex or any other protected status in the award and administration of lease
agreements.
Requests for modifications or clarifications of any requirement must be submitted in writing by email to:
info@smharbor.com. All such requests must be received by June 12, 2026, at 4:00 p.m., Pacific Time.
Proposals will be examined by an Evaluation Committee (consisting of two Harbor Commissioners, the
Geneal Manager and Director of Administrative Services) and reported to the San Mateo County Harbor
District Board of Harbor Commissioners within one hundred twenty (120) calendar days after the proposals
have been received. The District reserves the right to reject any and all proposals; or to waive any
irregularities or informalities in any proposal or in the proposal procedure; or to postpone the proposal
deadline for any, in its sole discretion. No Proposer may withdraw its proposal for a period of one hundred
twenty (120) calendar days after the proposal submission deadline. Each Proposer will be notified of award
of lease if an award is made.
The RFP Documents are available for download on the District's website. To download the documents, go
to the District's website home page at www.smharbor.com/open-request-for-proposals-and-bids.
Downloading RFP documents from the District's website does not imply that you are a potential proposer
nor will your name automatically appear on the District's "List of Potential Proposers." In order to be included
on the "List of Potential Proposers", the District requires that all potential Proposers send an email to
info@smharbor.com requesting that they be added to the list.
Ultimately, it is the responsibility of the Proposer to check the District's website for any Addenda
that may be issued relative to this RFP.
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If you have any issues downloading the RFP documents from the website or would like hard copies mailed
to you, please contact the District's Office by email at info@smharbor.com or by telephone at (650) 583-
4400.
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SAN MATEO COUNTY HARBOR DISTRICT
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP) 26-01
RESTAURANT AND BAR LEASE
_________________________________________________
1. PROPOSAL REQUEST
The San Mateo County Harbor District (District) is seeking Proposals from qualified
restauranteurs to operate a restaurant and bar facility. The selected operator will be responsible
for providing comprehensive food and beverage services that may include but are not limited to:
* Menu development (including consideration of local, sustainable, and seasonal offerings)
* Recruitment, hiring, training, scheduling and supervision of all staff.
* Procurement and management of all food, beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic), and
operational supplies.
* Full compliance with all applicable laws, regulations, permits, and licensing requirements.
* Facility maintenance, cleanliness, and repairs.
* Payment and management of possessory tax (i.e. property tax), all utilities and day-to-day
operational expenses.
* Delivery of high-quality customer service and fostering positive guest experiences.
* Engagement with the local community and participation in harbor-related activities.
* Implementation of marketing, branding, and promotional strategies to attract and retain
customers.
* Financial management of operations, including pricing, cost controls, and reporting as
required by the District.
* Adherence to all lease terms, performance standards, and reporting requirements
established by the District.
The duration of the lease awarded by this RFP will be open to negotiations.
2. ADDITIONAL OPPORTUNITIES
The District is issuing three separate Requests for Proposals (RFPs) for vacant spaces, including
this RFP 26-01 for Restaurant and Bar operations. The additional RFPs are as follows:
RFP 26-03 - Cafe operations, which may include a seafood market; and
RFP 26-02 - Open space for retail/cafe .
A proposer may submit proposals for any or all of the RFPs. However, a proposer may be selected
as a finalist for no more than two RFPs, and only in the following combinations:
RFP 26-01 and RFP 26-02; or
RFP 26-02 and RFP 26-03.
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A proposer may also be selected as a finalist for only one RFP (RFP 26-01, RFP 26-02, or RFP
26-03)
3. PROPOSAL TIME-LINE
Listed below is the Proposal Timeline that outlines pertinent dates of which Proposers should
make themselves aware:
June 10, 2026, at 1:00 p.m. Site Visit
June 12,2026 at 4:00 p.m. Written Questions and Requests for Modifications or
Clarifications are due
June 18, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Response to Questions and Requests for
Modifications or Clarifications posted to District
website
June 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Proposals Due
Week of July 13, 2026, times Proposer Interviews by Evaluation Committee
scheduled by District. Members
July 22 , 2026, at 10:00 a.m. Evaluation Committee to Present Recommendation
to Harbor Commission Board at Special Meeting
July 23, 2026 - August 6, 2026 Exclusive Right to Negotiate with Finalist
August 12, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Closed session of Harbor Commission Board at
Special Meeting to discuss final Price and Terms of
Payment. (Possible Report out of Closed Session)
August 19, 2026 at 10:00 a.m. Consideration of Final Lease Approval at Harbor
Commission Board meeting.
These dates are subject to revision at the District's discretion. Any such revisions will be stated in
an Addendum to this RFP or otherwise communicated to Proposers.
4. SUBMITTAL OF PROPOSALS
A. Requests for Modifications or Clarifications of the Proposal Specifications
Any requests for modifications or clarifications of the RFP shall be submitted in writing to the
District Office at info@smharbor.com by June 12, 2026 at 4:00 p.m. Any interpretation, change,
or correction of said Request for Proposal will be made by Addenda only, duly issued by the
District Office no later than June 18, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Proposers should check the District's
website at www.smharbor.com/open-request-for-proposals-and-bids for any Addenda that may
be issued relative to this RFP.
Any oral modifications of RFP requirements and conditions are void and ineffective. The District
reserves the right to reject any Proposal that contains unauthorized conditions or exceptions.
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B. Proposal Due Date
Proposers are requested to submit an electronic searchable PDF of the Proposal to the District
at info@smharbor.com. Proposals shall be submitted with "REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS (RFP)
26-01 - Restaurant and Bar" in the subject line.
Proposals must be received no later than June 26, 2026, at 4:00 p.m. Pacific Time. Proposals
received after the time and date specified will not be considered. Submission of a Proposal shall
constitute a firm offer to the District for one hundred twenty (120) calendar days from the
submission deadline for Proposals.
Each Proposed Monthly Rent Payment & Improvement Form must be signed by one or more
individuals with authority to bind the Proposer to the Proposal, as specified on the Proposed
Monthly Rent Payment & Improvements Form. All Proposals without the appropriate signature(s)
may be deemed non-responsive and may result in the rejection of the Proposal. Certified
electronic signatures are permitted.
The Evaluation Committee will review all Proposals received and several finalists may be
selected. These finalists will be invited to an oral interview. Please reserve the week of July 13,
2026, as the tentative week planned for finalist interviews by our Evaluation Committee. It
is requested that the attendees be restricted to those individuals who will have direct involvement
with the proposed services.
C. Proposal Forms and Sample Documents
The following documents are included in this RFP. Attachments A and D must be completed and
submitted with the Proposal.
Attachment A - Proposed Monthly Rent Payments & Improvements Form
Attachment B - Site Map
Attachment C - Sample Lease Agreement
Attachment D - Acknowledgement of Addenda
5. DESCRIPTION OF THE DISTRICT
The San Mateo County Harbor District (District) was established, in 1933, by a Resolution of the
Board of Supervisors, who established the entire area of the County of San Mateo as the District's
boundaries. The District has three locations as follows:
Pillar Point Harbor (PPH) is a well-protected working harbor known for its active commercial,
recreational, and fishing opportunities. One of the hallmarks of the harbor is its direct fishers-to-
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public seafood sales that not only provides stable prices for fishers but also a fantastic market
and tourism experience for visitors. PPH enjoys both an inner and outer breakwater, making it
one of the safest harbors in the United States, and hosts 394 berths.
The District took over operation of Oyster Point Marina and Park (OPM) from the City of South
San Francisco in 1977. This recreational marina currently has 408 berths, onshore facilities, and
partners with other business/agencies to provide ferryboat service to the East Bay, dining cruises,
and marine educational programs.
The District's administrative staff have offices at 504 Avenue Alhambra in El Granada. The
Administrative office building is owned by the District.
The District is governed by a five-member Board of Harbor Commissioners who are elected for
staggered four-year terms. District revenues are approximately $17.0 million including operating
revenue of $4.8 million (land and sea/bay rents and fees) and non-operating revenue of $12.2
million which is primarily from property tax. The District employs approximately 42 full-time staff
members. Additional information can be found on the District's website at www.smharbor.com.
6. BACKGROUND
The District owns a multi-tenant building that is currently split into five separate spaces. Two of
the five spaces are leased out- one to a retail surf store and board rentals and another to a sport
fishing and tackle business. The District is now issuing three separate RFP's for the remaining
vacant spaces including this RFP for a Restaurant and Bar. In addition, there are two other RFP's
being issued as follows: 1) a cafe that may include a seafood market (RFP-03), and 2) open space
for proposed use (RFP 26-02).
The three vacant spaces were recently under one lease and leasehold improvements were
completed by the last lessee to allow internal access to all three spaces. The new leaseholder
will be responsible for removing the access points to the adjacent space to restore separation.
The District recently built an ADA compliant restroom which is part of the leased space of the
Restaurant and Bar. As shown in Attachment B, the Premises are approximately 2,302 square
feet inside and 650 square feet outside.
7. PROPOSAL CONTENT
To achieve a uniform review process and obtain the maximum degree of comparability, it is
required that Proposals conform to the following basic format. The successful Proposer is
expected to provide services as outlined in this RFP, and Proposer shall prepare its response to
fully address its ability to satisfy these components. Although the District is not specifying a page
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limit, clarity and conciseness are essential and will be considered during Proposal evaluation. All
Proposals shall have six or seven sections as follows:
A. Cover Letter
The signed cover letter should be on letterhead clearly stating the company's/individual's name,
business address, telephone, and email address.
The following information should be provided:
* Introduction and summarization of qualifications.
* If a company or group, the name(s) of authorized principals with authority to negotiate and
contractually bind the company.
* A statement that binds the Proposer to the proposed Business Plan and Rent &
Improvement Proposal for one hundred and twenty (120) calendar days beginning
June 26, 2026.
* Confirm acceptance of or indicate exceptions to the Sample Lease Agreement
(Attachment C). See Subsection 11.B.
* Indicate whether there are any conflicts of interest that would limit the Proposer's ability to
provide the requested services. See Section 13.
B. Business Concept
Proposers must provide a restaurant and bar concept statement, menu overview, operations plan
including staffing and hours of operation, and marketing and community engagement plan.
C. Proposer's Qualifications and Experience
* Proposers must have at least five years of experience providing management/ownership of a
restaurant and bar.
The following information should be included in the Proposal:
1) A brief description of the Proposer's qualifications. This description must include a summary
of the experience working in a restaurant and bar operation, in what capacity, and the time
frame of experience.
2) The names of key personnel who would be directly engaged in the performance of the
operations and key investors/owners. For each of these individuals, please submit:
a) A description of their qualifications and background, and the number of years of
experience in restaurant management/ownership.
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