Port Pantry Operator

Waterfront and Commercial Real Estate
Division
Port Pantry Operator
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
August 24, 2026
RAMP ID #231638

August 24, 2026
Prospective Consultants:
SUBJECT: REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR PORT PANTRY OPERATOR
The City of Los Angeles Harbor Department (Harbor Department) invites the submittal of
proposals from qualified food service companies to operate its cafe for the benefit of Harbor
Department employees and visitors. These services shall commence after a contract is approved
by the Board of Harbor Commissioners.
Instructions and forms to be used in preparing the proposal are found in the information
included in the Request for Proposals (RFP).
The schedule for this RFP will be as follows:
Request for Proposals Published Monday, August 24, 2026
Site Tour Wednesday, September 9, 2026 at 10am
Questions Due Thursday, September 10, 2026 by 3pm
Response Posted Thursday, September 17, 2026
Proposals Due Thursday, September 24, 2026 by 3pm
If your firm cannot agree to the requirements exactly as set forth in this RFP, please
do not submit a proposal.
For questions regarding this RFP, please contact Tanisha Herr by email at THerr@portla.org.
Questions must be submitted by 3pm, Thursday, September 10, 2026. Responses will be posted
on the Harbor Department's website and the Regional Alliance Marketplace for Procurement
(RAMP), at www.rampla.org, on Thursday, September 17, 2026. It is the responsibility of all
proposers to review both websites for any RFP revisions or answers to questions prior to submitting
a proposal in order to ensure their proposal is complete and responsive.
In addition to providing information requested in this RFP, it should be noted that there are
administrative documents that must be submitted with the proposal. Please refer to the Business
Enterprise Programs and Contract Administrative Requirements section of this RFP. In order for
your proposal to be deemed responsive, these documents MUST be included with your
proposal.
All consultants and subconsultants must be registered on RAMP at the time proposals are
due. If selected for award, for-profit companies and corporations must comply with RAMP's
demographic reporting requirements, per the Mayor's Executive Directive 35.
Sincerely,
TRICIA J. CAREY
Director, Contracts and Purchasing Division
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION ..................................................................................................................... 5
1.1 Brief Overview of the Project ............................................................................................................ 5
1.2 The Port of Los Angeles ................................................................................................................... 5
2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION ....................................................................................................... 5
2.1 The Harbor Administration Building Port Pantry Cafe ...................................................................... 5
2.2 Historical Sales Summary ................................................................................................................. 6
2.3 Zero Waste Plan ............................................................................................................................... 6
2.4 Project Scope of Work ...................................................................................................................... 6
3. PROPOSAL REQUIREMENTS ............................................................................................. 13
3.1 Site Visit .......................................................................................................................................... 13
3.2 Proposal Questions ........................................................................................................................ 13
3.3 Proposal Submission ...................................................................................................................... 14
3.4 Evaluation Process and Selection Criteria ..................................................................................... 14
3.5 Proposal Content ............................................................................................................................ 15
3.6 Checklist for RFP Submittal Requirements .................................................................................... 20
4. STANDARD CONTRACT PROVISIONS ............................................................................... 21
4.1 Affirmative Action ............................................................................................................................ 21
4.2 Small/Very Small Business Enterprise Program and Local Business Preference Programs ........ 21
4.3 Business Tax Registration Certificate ............................................................................................. 22
4.4 Indemnity and Insurance Requirements ......................................................................................... 22
4.5 Conflict of Interest ........................................................................................................................... 26
4.6 Compliance with Applicable Laws .................................................................................................. 26
4.7 Governing Law / Venue .................................................................................................................. 27
4.8 Termination Provision ..................................................................................................................... 27
4.9 Proprietary Information ................................................................................................................... 27
4.10 Trademarks, Copyrights, and Patents ............................................................................................ 28
4.11 Confidentiality ................................................................................................................................. 28
4.12 Notices ............................................................................................................................................ 28
4.13 Termination Due to Non-Appropriation of Funds ............................................................................ 29
4.14 Taxpayer Identification Number ...................................................................................................... 29
4.15 Service Contractor Worker Retention Policy and Living Wage Policy Requirements .................... 29
4.16 Wage and Earnings Assignment Orders/Notices of Assignments ................................................. 30
4.17 Equal Benefits Policy ...................................................................................................................... 30
4.18 State Tidelands Grants ................................................................................................................... 30
4.19 Contract Solicitations Charter Section 470 (c) (12) ........................................................................ 30
4.20 Recordkeeping And Audit Rights .................................................................................................... 31
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ATTACHMENTS
Attachment 1 - Drawings and Photos of Cafe
Attachment 2 - Kitchen Equipment
Attachment 3 - Vending Machine Products and Prices
Attachment 4 - Historical Sales Summary
Attachment 5 - Coffee Equipment and Service Locations
Attachment 6 - Sample Menus
Attachment 7 - Product Recommendations for disposable food serving -ware
EXHIBITS
Exhibit A - Affirmative Action Program Provisions
Exhibit B - Operator Description Form
Exhibit C - Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC) Number
Exhibit D - Equal Benefits Ordinance
Exhibit E - RFP Selection Evaluation Form
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1. INTRODUCTION
1.1 Brief Overview of the Project
The Waterfront and Commercial Real Estate Division is soliciting proposals from
qualified consultants to provide professional food service and management of the Port
Pantry Cafe (Cafe) at the Harbor Administration Building (HAB). Food service functions
include operation of the Cafe, catering, vending machine, and coffee services at various
Harbor Department facilities.
The duration of the agreement awarded as a result of this RFP is expected to be three
years from the date of execution of the agreement.
1.2 The Port of Los Angeles
The Port of Los Angeles is America's Port(R), the nation's premier gateway for
international commerce and the busiest seaport in the Western Hemisphere. Located in San
Pedro Bay, 25 miles south of downtown Los Angeles, the Port encompasses 7,500 acres of
land and water along 43 miles of waterfront.
The Port features both passenger and cargo terminals, including cruise, container,
automobile, breakbulk, dry and liquid bulk, and warehouse facilities that manage billions of
dollars' worth of cargo each year. One of the world's busiest seaports and leading gateway
for international trade in North America, the Port of Los Angeles has ranked as the number
one container port in the United States each year since 2000. In 2025, the Port handled a
total of 10.2 million container units.
The Port of Los Angeles is a department of the City of Los Angeles (also known as
the Los Angeles Harbor Department) and is governed by the Los Angeles Board of Harbor
Commissioners, a panel appointed by the Mayor of Los Angeles. Although the Port is a City
department, it is not supported by City taxes. Operating as a landlord port with more than
200 leaseholders, the Port instead generates its revenues from leasing and shipping service
fees. The Port's jurisdiction is limited to the Harbor District, which includes property in San
Pedro, Wilmington, and Terminal Island.
2. PROJECT DESCRIPTION
2.1 The Harbor Administration Building Port Pantry Cafe
The Harbor Administration Building (HAB) is located at 425 S. Palos Verdes Street in
San Pedro, California. The HAB is the workplace of approximately 424 of the 900 full-time
City employees (not including Consultants and City Attorneys) who work for the Harbor
Department. In addition, visitors regularly convene at the HAB for board meetings, special
events, and consultations. Visitors to the HAB are required to be screened by Harbor
Department Security, which includes presenting a form of identification, signing in, and
passing through a metal detector.
The Harbor Department environment is dynamic and the employee count at the HAB
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fluctuates. The Harbor Department makes no guarantee that the number of employees
located at the HAB will remain at current levels. Therefore, the Operator should be able to
adjust operations as needed to service various population levels and be able to market the
Cafe to other governmental employees in the surrounding area.
The Cafe contains approximately 3,300 square feet of space capable of
accommodating a maximum of 85 people. The Cafe includes appliances, tables, and chairs
which are suitable for operating a first class cafe (See Attachment 1). Other features include
an outdoor grill, a salad bar, soda fountain, and a coffee station (See Attachment 2).
2.2 Historical Sales Summary
Historical annual sales are provided by the current Operator (See Attachment 3). The
Harbor Department has not verified these reported annual sales and makes no guarantee
as to the accuracy or reliability of the historical sales data. Availability of this data shall in
no way relieve a proposer from the responsibility of determining for itself the business
potential of the opportunities outlined in this RFP.
2.3 Zero Waste Plan
The City of Los Angeles Harbor Department is accelerating its commitment to a
cleaner, more sustainable future by pursuing its zero waste goals - cutting waste at the
source (e.g. single-use items), expanding organics recycling, and ensuring that all remaining
wastes are recycled or reused. In November 2025, the Harbor Department formally adopted
its Zero Waste Plan (ZWP), a comprehensive roadmap that outlines the strategies and
actions needed to eliminate waste across Harbor Department-owned facilities. The full plan
is available at https://portoflosangeles.org/environment/sustainability/zero-waste.
2.4 Project Scope of Work
Operator shall provide food services at various Harbor Department facilities for the
benefit of Harbor Department employees and visitors as set forth below. Services shall
include, but are not limited to, (1) operating a full-service Cafe at the HAB; (2) providing
non-exclusive catering services for special events and meetings as required; (3) providing
vending machines; and (4) providing coffee and tea services.
Overview
Operator shall bear the responsibility for the daily management and operation
of the Cafe and all personnel providing catering, vending machines, and coffee services
as follows:
1. City shall have no direct supervision of or obligation to the employees of
Operator. Any communication of employee matters shall be through the designated
representatives of Operator and the Harbor Department. Operator shall operate upon
its own credit.
2. Operator shall develop and manage the Cafe so that the potential for
increased capacity and sales is realized.
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3. Operator shall offer quality food and snacks at reasonable prices to maximize
the patronage of the Cafe by employees and visitors.
4. Operator shall offer catering services for meetings and events at the HAB or
offsite, such as employee appreciation events, as well as Harbor Department marketing
and customer meetings.
5. Operator shall provide vending machines for the convenience and necessity
of Harbor Department employees and visitors.
6. Operator shall provide coffee services and equipment at various Harbor
Department facilities for Harbor Department employees and visitors.
7. Operator's on-site management shall review their annual operating and
marketing/outreach plans as well as quality assessment reports.
Program Development
Operator shall provide food and beverages in the Cafe, catering functions, vending
machines, and coffee services as needed. Specifically, Operator's offerings shall:
* Be creative to maximize sales;
* Offer uncompromising high-quality food and selection;
* Maximize value to the employees and visitors of the Harbor Department;
* Have customer services standards on par with first class industry
comparable-; and
* Make the Cafe a must visit destination.
Operator's Responsibilities
Operator shall operate the Cafe as follows:
1. Cafe Personnel - All personnel hired to provide any and all services of the Cafe
shall be neat, clean, and appropriately dressed at all times; and said personnel shall
conduct themselves in a compatible manner with all personnel of the City. Patrons of the
Cafe have limited time for meals and should not be waiting in long lines for food. A sufficient
number of staff persons should be assigned to the Cafe at all times during breakfast and
lunch service hours, and a minimum of one staff person assigned at all times during snack
service hours.
2. Menu Development - Operator shall create an inviting and diverse mix of food
selections to maximize sales and provide a profitable operation. Operator shall provide all
food items, snacks and beverages on its regular menu (see Attachment 6) as well as two
hot food entrees on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays and at least one hot entree
on Mondays and Fridays. Food choices must also include healthy and vegetarian options.
Weekly menus must be posted on the Harbor Department's intranet site, iPOLA, no later
than the Friday before.
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3. Facility Operation - Operator shall take full charge of the facility's operation and
all startup expenses including, but not limited to, sufficient labor, management and staff
support, staff training, food procurement, and all operating supplies, utensils and cleaning
products.
4. Maintenance of Kitchen Area - Operator shall be responsible for ordinary and
ongoing operating requirements including daily custodial services in kitchen area, cleaning
all food service preparation areas, emergency cleanups of floors, and wiping down tables
and chairs throughout the day as needed in the dining area. Operator shall place paper,
food scraps, bottles, cans, paper cups and similar refuse in receptacles which will be
provided by the City near the areas where operations are placed.
5. Maintenance of Kitchen Equipment - Operator shall be responsible for the
cleaning and upkeep of all kitchen and food service equipment.
6. Permits/Licenses - Operator shall procure all required licenses and permits
necessary to operate the Cafe and must ensure continued validity of these licenses
and permits throughout the term of the Agreement.
7. High Standards in Cafeteria - Operator shall maintain an "A" rating from the Los
Angeles County Health Department in all Cafe operations, food preparation, serving and
seating areas.
8. Housekeeping and Sanitation - Operator shall maintain high standards in general
housekeeping and sanitation in food preparation, storage, serving areas and dining
room including walls, ceilings, floors and seats.
9. Removal of Trash - Operator shall be responsible for maintaining a clean trash
area within the Cafe premises. Operator shall be responsible for contracting with food
waste oil collection agency to empty grease barrel on a regular basis. Operator shall
separate and properly dispose of waste into trash, organics, and recyclables bins, to be
provided by the Harbor Department. The Harbor Department will provide training to Operator
for waste separation. Operator shall provide necessary documentation to the Harbor
Department Environmental Management Division regarding waste diversion practices, as
needed.
10. Serve Safe Certification - Operator must have one staff person on duty at all
times that is Serve Safe Certified.
11. Safety Requirements - Operator must meet all workplace safety requirements
under Cal-OSHA.
12. Good Food Purchasing Program - Operator must comply with the City's Good
Food Purchasing Program. For information on the Good Food Purchasing Program, please
refer to http://goodfoodla.org.
13. Minimum Operational Hours - Operator shall provide breakfast service from 7:00
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am - 10:30 am; lunch service from 11:00 am - 1:30 pm; and snacks, beverages,
sandwiches and pre-prepared items from 7:00 am - 3:00 pm, Monday through Friday,
except City holidays. Any adjustment in hours must be approved by the Executive Director
of the Harbor Department or Designee.
14. Sales Equipment - Operator shall provide all point of sales equipment for
efficient cash and debit/credit transactions.
15. Wares - Operator shall provide and maintain sufficient stock of small wares
used for food and beverage sales. Operator shall purchase and pay for all operational
supplies and services utilized in the Cafe. Operator shall purchase high quality and
environmentally responsible products for the intended use per applicable Harbor
Department policy, local ordinances and state regulations. City also reserves the right,
at its expense, to audit this information. Operator shall work with and provide necessary
documentation to the Harbor Department's Environmental Management Division (EMD)
regarding procurement of foodware and foodware accessories, as needed. Operator shall
utilize reusable foodware and accessories for dine-in meal service or in-house HAB events,
when feasible. The Harbor Department has a variety of restaurant quality dishes, flatware,
glasses, and trays that may be used by the Operator. The Port Pantry does not currently
have a dishwasher; however, the Harbor Department may elect to install a dishwasher
during the contract period.
16. Laundry and Uniforms - Operator shall provide uniforms for Cafe staff including
costs of laundry and uniform service.
17. Statements and Records - Operator shall submit monthly gross sales statements
to the Harbor Department for each accounting period and maintain books and records for
gross sales in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles pursuant to
established business practices. In addition, the gross sales statements shall include the
number of patrons served during breakfast and lunch. The Harbor Department, at its
expense, reserves the right to audit all sales records and seek remedy for inaccurate or
fraudulent records. Operator shall retain all such records for the term of the Agreement.
18. End-of-Fiscal Year Statement - Operator shall certify its end-of-fiscal year
profit/loss statements for submission to the Harbor Department.
19. Operational Plan - Operator shall designate a key manager who will meet
with the Harbor Department on a quarterly basis to present an Operating and
Marketing/Outreach Plan, as well as to review external Quality Assessments (JD
Powers or equal) on customer service, food quality and operating standards.
20. Eco-Friendly Products - Operator shall purchase high quality and
environmentally responsible disposable products used for food and beverage services
per applicable Harbor Department policy, local ordinances and state regulations.
Recommendations for compostable and environmentally responsible disposable products
for to-go items are provided in Attachment 7. Standards of compostable products may
change due to the Harbor Department's contracted waste hauler's requirements.
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City's Responsibilities
City shall be responsible for the following:
1. City shall provide the Cafe as shown in Attachment 1 - Drawings and Photos
of Cafe.
2. City shall provide the kitchen equipment as described in Attachment 2. The City
shall replace equipment provided as City deems necessary. City shall also be responsible,
at its expense, for maintaining the kitchen equipment under a preventative maintenance
contract and program. However, selected Operator shall be responsible for adequate
upkeep and cleaning of equipment.
3. City shall provide electricity, water, and gas utilities.
4. City shall be responsible for all building maintenance services for all facilities
including the structure, floors, ceilings and membranes, and maintenance of the utility
systems to the building. City shall promptly make all facility repairs and replacements
it deems necessary, and shall be responsible for compliance with all federal, state, and
local laws and regulations with respect to the facilities it provides under the Agreement.
Operator shall notify City within ten (10) calendar days if such work is required and shall
notify City immediately during an emergency.
5. City shall be responsible, at its expense, for maintaining air conditioning,
heat, and such utility services as are reasonably required for the efficient operation of
the Cafe facility. City shall facilitate and coordinate the scheduling of these services.
City shall be responsible, at its sole expense, to clean and maintain the kitchen
ductwork, plenum chambers and rood fans.
6. City shall be responsible for contracting with trash collection agency to provide
waterproof dumpster, three-waste stream bins, and schedule collection on a regular
basis.
7. City shall be responsible for contracting for proper removal and disposal of oil
interceptor tank.
8. City shall provide a personal computer workstation, e-mail access, and
photocopier access for the management of the food service program only.
9. City shall provide local telephone service and internet service for the office
and the lines required for point of sales equipment.
10. City shall provide the Operator's employees with identification badges,
permitting access to and from the HAB and other facilities to which the performance
of their duties requires they have access.
11. City shall provide nightly cleaning of the dining and patio dining areas.
12. City shall provide nightly vacuuming of the service and dining carpeted areas, if
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