VENDING MACHINE SERVICES RFP

1.0 INTRODUCTION
1.1 Purpose of Procurement
The White County Board of Commissioners, Parks & Recreation Department, is
requesting sealed proposals from qualified vending machine operators to provide, install,
service, and maintain vending machines at multiple White County Parks & Recreation
facilities. This is a non-transactional agreement - no commission or revenue share is
expected by White County. Machines are provided solely for the convenience and benefit
of the community.
* Recreation Center at Yonah Preserve
* Yonah Preserve Trailhead Pavilion
* Tesnatee Gap Athletic Complex
* Main Park Pavilion
* Yonah Preserve Playground/Splashpad Pavilion
The selected vendor will be responsible for all aspects of vending machine placement, stocking,
maintenance, and repair at no cost to the County. White County will provide designated space and
reasonable access to electrical connections at each location.
1.2 Proposal Certification
Pursuant to the provisions of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated 50-5- 67(a), White
County certifies that the use of competitive sealed proposals will be practical or advantageous
to the County in completing the acquisition described in this document.
The owner shall have the right to waive any informality, irregularity, or insufficiency in the
proposal procedure and in any proposal or proposals received, and to accept the proposal which,
in the Owner's sole judgment, is in the Owner's own best interest. The Owner shall have the right
to accept any proposal.
1.3 Schedule of Events
The Request for Proposals shall be governed by the following schedule:
DATE ACTIVITY
April 24, 2026 Release of RFP
May 8, 2026, 12:00pm EST Deadline for written questions to Purchasing
Assistant
May 12, 2026, 5:00pm EST Answers to written questions and
addenda posted to website
May 22, 2026 3:00pm EST Proposals Due
1.4 Restrictions on Communications
From the issue date of this RFP until a vendor is selected and the award is announced,

contractors are not allowed to communicate about this project with any County staff or
elected officials except: 1) through the Purchasing Assistant named herein, 2) at Pre-
Proposal meeting (if applicable to RFP) or 3) as provided by existing work agreement(s).
The County reserves the right to reject the submittal of any vendor violating this provision.
1.5 Pre-Proposal Meeting & Site Visit
There is no pre-proposal meeting scheduled for this proposal. A site visit can be scheduled by
contacting:
Kim McEntire, Director of Parks & Recreation
mcentire@whitecountyga.gov
706-809-8538 - call/text
1.6 Questions & Addenda
All questions concerning this RFP MUST BE SUBMITTED IN WRITING, (email
is preferred but fax and mail may also be used) to the Purchasing Assistant no later
than 12:00PM, May 8, 2026.
Misti Lane, Purchasing Assistant
White County Board of Commissioners
1235 Helen Highway
Cleveland, GA 30528
mlane@whitecountyga.gov
Fax: 706-865-1324
No response to inquiries, other than written, will be binding upon the County. White
County reserves the right to issue written addenda to any inquiries that alter the scope of
the RFP. Addenda shall be posted to the county website, www.whitecountyga.gov
under the Bids/RPFs page no later than 5:00 PM, May 12, 2026. A signed copy of any
addenda shall accompany submitted proposals. Vendors are advised to check the
website for addenda before submitting their proposals.
1.7 Contract Term
The contract between the County and the vendor shall become effective upon signing
and shall remain in force until end of contract term or until notice of termination, in
writing, is given by the other party as provided herein.
White County reserves the right to terminate contract, with 30 days written notice, for
any violations in the terms of this agreement, rules, laws or unreconciled issues arising
as a result of this agreement. Vendor agrees to provide 30 days written notice and
complete any ongoing activity period if Vendor chooses to opt out of an agreement
with the County.

1.8 Bonds
Proposal Bonds Not Required
Payment Bonds Not Required
Performance Bonds Not Required
Information regarding bonds to be furnished (if required) is stated in the 6.0 Terms and
Conditions section of this proposal document, 6.28 "Proposal Bonds, Performance and
Payment Bonds."
1.9 Exception to RFP
Each contractor shall be deemed to agree to comply with all terms, conditions,
specifications, and requirements of this RFP. An "exception" is defined as the
Proposer's inability or unwillingness to meet a term, condition, specification, or
requirement in the manner specified in the proposal. All exceptions taken must be
identified and explained in writing in your RFP and must specifically reference the
relevant section(s) of this RFP. If the Proposer provides an alternate solution when
taking an exception to the requirement, the benefits of this alternative solution and
impact, if any, on any part of the remainder of the Proposer's solution must be
explained in detail.
The County welcomes innovative suggestions and recommendations from Proposers
that will ensure a 100% successful service approach.
2.0 SCOPE OF WORK
The White County Board of Commissioners, Parks & Recreation Department, is requesting
proposals from qualified vending machine operators to provide, install, service, and maintain
vending machines at multiple White County Parks & Recreation facilities. This is a non-
transactional agreement - no commission or revenue share is expected by White County.
Machines are provided solely for the convenience and benefit of the community.
The selected vendor will be responsible for all aspects of vending machine placement, stocking,
maintenance, and repair at no cost to the County. White County will provide designated space and
reasonable access to electrical connections at each location.
2.1 SERVICE LOCATIONS
Vending machine services are requested at the following White County Parks & Recreation
facilities. Proposers shall specify, for each location, the recommended number of machines, the
type of each machine (beverage, snack, combination, etc.), and the proposed placement rationale
based on anticipated visitor volume and facility use.

Facility Proposed # of Proposed Machine Notes
Machines Type(s)
Recreation Center @ Yonah Preserve To be proposed by To be proposed by
vendor vendor
T-Gap Athletic Complex To be proposed by To be proposed by See Section 2.5
vendor vendor
Yonah Preserve Trailhead Pavilion To be proposed by To be proposed by
vendor vendor
Main Park Pavilion To be proposed by To be proposed by See Section 2.5
vendor vendor
Yonah Preserve To be proposed by To be proposed by
Playground/Splashpad Pavilion vendor vendor
2.2 MACHINE REQUIREMENTS
All vending machines provided under this agreement shall meet the following minimum
requirements:
* Machines must be new or fully refurbished, in clean, attractive, and fully operational condition at
the time of installation.
* Machines must accept multiple payment methods, including cash, credit/debit card, and
contactless/mobile payment (e.g., Apple Pay, Google Pay).
* Refrigerated beverage machines must maintain appropriate temperatures at all times.
* All machines must have clearly displayed customer service contact information for malfunctions
or refund requests.
2.3 PRODUCT & PRICING REQUIREMENTS
Proposers shall submit a proposed product list for each machine type at each location. The
following guidelines apply:
* Product offerings should reflect the nature of each facility and its typical user population
(e.g. athletic facilities should include sports drinks, water, and healthy snack options;
playground/splashpad areas should include child-appropriate offerings).
* A minimum of 25% of products offered in each machine should consist of healthier
options (e.g. water, low-sugar beverages, nuts, granola bars, fruit snacks).
* All products must be commercially packaged and within manufacturer-established
expiration dates at all times.
* Product pricing shall be reasonable and clearly displayed on the machine. Any proposed
price changes must be communicated to White County Parks & Recreation in writing a
minimum of 30 days in advance.
* Proposers shall indicate the initial pricing for all products in their submission.
2.4 COORDINATION WITH CONCESSIONS CONTRACTOR
White County Parks & Recreation operates a concessions contractor at certain facilities during
scheduled events and activities. At locations where the County's concessions contractor is actively
operating during a County-sanctioned event, the vendor agrees to the following:

* Vending machines at the affected location(s) shall be rendered unavailable to the public for the
duration of the concessions contractor's operation. White County Parks & Recreation staff will
place signage over the vending machines indicating they are temporarily unavailable.
* The vendor shall not be penalized or compensated for downtime resulting from concessions
operations.
This provision primarily applies to the T-Gap Athletic Complex and the Main Park Pavilion,
though White County reserves the right to apply this policy at any facility location as needed. The
County will make reasonable efforts to notify the vendor of scheduled events in advance.
2.5 INSTALLATION & PLACEMENT
The vendor shall be responsible for all aspects of machine delivery, installation, and setup. The
following apply:
* All machine placement locations within each facility must be approved by White County Parks
& Recreation prior to installation.
* The vendor is responsible for all costs associated with delivery, installation, leveling, securing,
and electrical connection of machines.
* Machines must be installed without causing damage to County property. Any damage caused
during installation, servicing, or removal shall be repaired at the vendor's expense.
* Machines must not obstruct pedestrian pathways, emergency exits, or ADA-accessible routes.
* The vendor must obtain all necessary permits required for installation, if applicable.
2.6 SERVICING & MAINTENANCE
The vendor shall be solely responsible for all ongoing maintenance, servicing, and repair of all
machines. The following standards shall apply:
* Machines shall be restocked on a regular schedule sufficient to prevent extended out-of-stock
conditions. Proposers shall indicate their proposed service frequency for each location.
* Machines shall be cleaned, sanitized, and maintained in a neat and professional appearance at all
times.
* Any machine that is out of service, malfunctioning, or not accepting payment shall be repaired or
replaced within 48 hours of notification by the County.
* The vendor shall provide a dedicated point of contact and a customer service phone number for
malfunctions or consumer refund requests.
* Expired or damaged product shall be removed and replaced immediately upon discovery.
* The vendor shall remove any machine that has been out of service for more than 7 consecutive
days and replace it with an operational unit within 5 business days.
2.7 CONTRACT TERM & RENEWAL

The initial contract term shall be for a period of one (1) year from the date of execution, with the
option to renew for up to two (2) additional one-year terms upon mutual written agreement of both
parties. White County reserves the right to terminate the agreement with 30 days written notice as
outlined in the Terms and Conditions section of this RFP.
2.8 REMOVAL OF MACHINES
Upon expiration or termination of the contract, the vendor shall remove all machines from County
property within 15 business days at no cost to the County. Any machines not removed within this
timeframe may be removed by the County at the vendor's expense.
3.0 MANDATORY REQUIREMENTS
This section identifies all mandatory requirements which must be present in the proposal before
further consideration will be given.
3.1 Proposal Requirements
a. A transmittal letter that states the Proposal is submitted in response to Parks and
Recreation Vending Machine Services RFP Project# 2026-RFP-PR04242026.
Letter must be signed by a person authorized to enter into a contractual agreement
on behalf of the submitting firm. Name, title, email address and phone number
shall be included for a contact person.
b. Completed Pricing Proposal that addresses all elements of the Scope of Work referenced
in Section 2 of this RFP, sealed in a separate envelope/package.
c. Qualifications Information requested in Section 4 of this RFP.
d. Evidence of Insurance.
e. Bidder's Certification (Appendix A)
f. E-Verify Affidavit (Appendix B)
g. Signed Contract (Appendix C)
h. Signed Addendum (if any)
3.2 Pricing Proposal
The Pricing Proposal must be signed by an authorized individual/officer of the firm along with
company name and address and printed name of authorized individual/officer. The pricing proposal
should include an all-inclusive maximum price and is to contain all direct and indirect costs
including out of pocket expenses such as travel, lodging, etc.
The Pricing Proposal must be submitted as a separate, sealed envelope/package.

4.0 QUALIFICATIONS INFORMATION
Qualifications information together shall not exceed 20 pages. Provide the following qualifications
information:
a. Business location and officers of the firm (company background)
b. Provide financial information that would allow proposal evaluators to ascertain the
financial stability of the Proposer.
i. If a public company, include a recap of the most recent audited financial report.
ii. If a private company, provide a recap of the most recent internal financial
statement; and a letter, on the financial institution's letterhead, stating financial
stability.
c. Business Litigation
i. Disclose any involvement by the organization or any officer or principal in any
material business litigation within the last five (5) years. The disclosure will
include an explanation, as well as the current status and/or disposition.
d. Resumes of key personnel proposed to participate in the project including education
background and employment history.
e. A list of relevant work performed for public entities within the last five (5) years, including
contact names and telephone numbers (maximum 5).
f. Copies of manufacturer installer certificates (if applicable to RFP). Contractors must be
certified resellers of the products they provide and install.
g. Logistics Plan. Proposers shall submit a brief description of proposed site management
logistics including the following items:
i. Approach, planning and implementation of project
ii. Contractor's onsite staffing, number of personnel and their primary duties.
iii. Space requirements for on-site materials storage.
iv. List of proposed subcontractors.
h. As the above items are to be considered in selection of the Contractor, submission of this
information shall be binding on the Contractor and shall not be changed without agreement
in writing from the Owner.
5.0 PROPOSAL SUBMISSION AND EVALUATION
5.1 Process for Submitting Proposals
5.1.1 Preparation of Proposal
Each proposal should be prepared simply and economically, avoiding the
use of elaborate promotional materials beyond those sufficient to provide
a complete presentation. If supplemental materials are a necessary part of
the technical proposal, the Contractor should reference these materials in
the technical proposal, identifying the document(s) and citing the
appropriate section and page(s) to be reviewed.
5.1.2 Packaging of Proposal
Mark the outside of the shipping package as follows:
Parks and Recreation Vending Machine Services RFP
Project# 2026-RFP-PR04242026
FAILURE TO PROPERLY LABEL THE OUTSIDE OF THE SHIPPING
CONTAINER MAY RESULT IN DISQUALIFICATION.
Inside the shipping container, the proposal in response to this RFP must be
divided into two separate and appropriately labeled and sealed packages - a
Qualifications Proposal and a Pricing Proposal. The inner packages shall be

labeled with the submitting firm's name.
1. The contents of the sealed, inner package labeled "Qualifications Proposal"
will include an original and two (2) copies of each of the following:
* Transmittal letter referenced under Section 3.1 of this RFP
* Bidder's Certification (Appendix A)
* E-Verify Affidavit (Appendix B)
* Signed Contract (Appendix C)
* All qualifications information referenced under Section 4 of this RFP
* Proof of Insurance
* Signed Addendum (if any)
* Required information referenced in Section 2 of this RFP
2. The contents of the sealed, inner package labeled "Pricing Proposal" will
Include an original and two (2) copies of each of the following:
* Completed Pricing Proposal
Do not include price information of any kind in the Qualifications Proposal
5.1.3 Submission of Proposals
Proposals will be received by the White County Board of Commissioners
Purchasing Assistant until 3:00 PM on May 22, 2026. The original and two (2)
copies must be mailed, hand-delivered, or express mailed to:
Misti Lane, Purchasing Assistant
White County Board of Commissioners
1235 Helen Highway
Cleveland GA 30528
Any submission received after the due date and time will not be evaluated.
NOTE: Many express mail services do not guarantee overnight delivery times to
White County. Any proposal received after 3:00 PM on May 22, 2026, will not be
opened.
5.2 Evaluation Process
The evaluation of proposals received on or before the due date and time will be
conducted as follows:
5.2.1 Administrative Review
The proposals will be reviewed by the Purchasing Assistant for the following
administrative requirements:
1. Submitted by deadline
2. Separately sealed Qualifications Proposal and Pricing Proposal
3. All required documents have been submitted
4. Qualifications Proposal does not include any pricing information
5. All documents requiring an original signature have been signed and are
included

5.2.2 Mandatory Requirements Review
Proposals which pass the administrative review will be reviewed to ensure
all Mandatory Requirements identified in Section 3.0 are addressed
satisfactorily.
5.2.3 Qualifications Proposal Evaluation
Proposals which pass the Mandatory Requirements Review will then be evaluated,
by a review committee, based on the qualification factors. Qualifications
information will be scored as follows and may receive a maximum of one hundred
(100) points.
Company Background 15
Personnel Qualifications 20
Relevant Work 25
Project Approach 25
Pricing 15
Total Points 100
5.2.4 Pricing Proposal Evaluation
The Pricing Proposals from bidders not eliminated during the qualification
proposal evaluation will then be reviewed by a committee to determine which
proposal results are most beneficial to the County.
5.2.5 Oral Presentations
The County reserves the right to invite Proposers to present their qualifications.
5.2.6 Selection of Proposal
Upon completion of the evaluation process, White County will select the proposal
that is in the best interest of White County.
5.3 Rejection of Proposals/Cancellation of RFP
White County reserves the right to reject any or all submissions, to waive any irregularity or
informality in a submission, and to accept or reject any item or combination of items, when to do
so would be to the advantage of the County. It is also within the right of the County to reject
submissions that do not contain all elements and information requested in this document. The
County reserves the right to cancel this RFP at any time. The County will not be liable for any
cost/losses incurred by the Contractors throughout this process.
6.0 TERMS AND CONDITIONS
See Section 1.0 Introduction and Section 2.0 Scope of Work for submission
requirements specific to this Request for Proposal.
6.1 RFP Amendments
The County reserves the right to amend the RFP prior to the proposal due date. All