Food Distribution Services and Municpal Market Retail Operations

Economic Development Department
REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS
Municipal Grocery Market
Retail Operator & Food Distributor
Municipal Grocery Market Retail Operator - For organizations seeking to
Category A develop and operate a full-service grocery market in an Atlanta priority
community.
Food Distribution Services - For organizations seeking to supply grocery
Category B products to municipal market sites as a wholesale distributor, fulfillment
operator, or logistics partner.
Proposers may respond to Category A, Category B, or both. Category A and Category B
responses will be evaluated separately. Proposers responding to both tracks/categories must
submit a complete, standalone response for each track.
RFP Release Date July 6th 2026
Proposals Due August 7th, 2026 by 5:00 PM ET
Pre-Proposal Conference July 14, 2026 (virtual - details in Section III)
Submit To IAProcurement@investatlanta.com
Issuing Department Invest Atlanta - Economic Development
Department
Address 133 Peachtree Street NE, Suite 2300, Atlanta, GA
30303

REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
Table of Contents
Table of Contents .......................................................................................................................................... 2
1.1 About Invest Atlanta ............................................................................................................................ 4
1.2 The Atlanta Grocery & Healthy Foods Strategy .................................................................................. 4
1.3 Priority Communities ........................................................................................................................... 4
1.4 Purpose of This RFP ........................................................................................................................... 4
1.5 RFI Process Summary ........................................................................................................................ 5
2.1 Two-Track Structure............................................................................................................................ 6
2.2 Mandatory Read Before Responding .................................................................................................. 6
3.1 Timeline of Events .............................................................................................................................. 7
3.2 Submission Instructions ...................................................................................................................... 7
3.3 Questions & Inquiries .......................................................................................................................... 7
4.1 Category A Overview .......................................................................................................................... 8
4.2 Operating Model & Store Requirements ............................................................................................. 8
4.2.1 Store Format & USDA Compliance .............................................................................................. 8
4.2.2 Store Size & Format ..................................................................................................................... 8
4.2.3 Value-Add Amenities .................................................................................................................... 9
4.3 Facility & Capital Responsibilities ........................................................................................................ 9
4.4 Financial Structure & Available Incentives .......................................................................................... 9
4.4.1 Operating Agreement Structure .................................................................................................... 9
4.4.2 Available Economic Development Incentives ............................................................................. 10
4.5 Community & Food Access Requirements ....................................................................................... 10
4.6 Category A Submission Requirements ............................................................................................. 11
Part A1 - Organizational Profile.......................................................................................................... 11
Part A2 - Operating Concept & Market Plan ...................................................................................... 11
Part A3 - Development & Financial Plan ............................................................................................ 11
Part A4 - Community & Workforce Plan ............................................................................................. 12
Part A5 - Risks & Mitigation ............................................................................................................... 12
4.7 Category A Mandatory Qualifications ................................................................................................ 12
4.8 Category A Evaluation Criteria & Scoring ......................................................................................... 12
4.9 Category A Performance Expectations & KPIs ................................................................................. 13
5.1 Category B Overview ........................................................................................................................ 15
5.2 Eligible Distributor Models ................................................................................................................. 15
5.3 Scope of Distribution Services .......................................................................................................... 15
5.3.1 Product Categories ..................................................................................................................... 15
5.3.2 Delivery & Logistics .................................................................................................................... 16
5.3.3 Break-Bulk & Fulfillment Center Services ................................................................................... 16
5.3.4 Food Safety & Compliance ......................................................................................................... 16
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
5.4 Local Sourcing Requirements ........................................................................................................... 16
5.5 Technology & Data Requirements .................................................................................................... 16
5.6 Community & Workforce Obligations ................................................................................................ 17
5.7 Available Incentives - Category B ................................................................................................... 17
5.7.1 Grant Funding ............................................................................................................................ 17
5.7.2 Below-Market Lease Rates ........................................................................................................ 17
5.8 Category B Submission Requirements ............................................................................................. 17
Part B1 - Organizational Profile ......................................................................................................... 17
Part B2 - Technical Approach & Operational Plan ............................................................................. 18
Part B3 - Pricing & Cost Structure ...................................................................................................... 18
Part B4 - Local Sourcing Plan ............................................................................................................ 18
Part B5 - Community & Workforce Plan ............................................................................................. 18
Part B6 - Risks & Mitigation ............................................................................................................... 19
5.9 Category B Mandatory Qualifications ................................................................................................ 19
5.10 Category B Evaluation Criteria & Scoring ....................................................................................... 19
5.11 Category B Performance Metrics .................................................................................................... 19
5.12 Category B Reporting Requirements .............................................................................................. 20
6.1 Nature of This Solicitation ................................................................................................................. 21
6.2 No Contract Until Executed ............................................................................................................... 21
6.3 Georgia Open Records Act ............................................................................................................... 21
6.4 Conflicts of Interest ........................................................................................................................... 21
6.5 Governing Law .................................................................................................................................. 21
6.6 Equal Opportunity ............................................................................................................................. 21
6.7 Performance, Cure & Termination ..................................................................................................... 21
6.8 Incentive Award Conditions ............................................................................................................... 21
C.1 Key Themes ..................................................................................................................................... 25
Flexible Models Over Rigid Structures ................................................................................................. 25
MOQ Barrier for Small-Format Markets ................................................................................................ 25
Cold Chain Infrastructure Gaps ............................................................................................................ 25
Technology Readiness Is High ............................................................................................................. 25
Local Sourcing Requires Demand Aggregation ................................................................................... 25
Public Subsidy Enables the Business Case ......................................................................................... 25
C.2 RFI Findings Crosswalk.................................................................................................................... 25
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
SECTION I - INTRODUCTION & BACKGROUND
1.1 About Invest Atlanta
Invest Atlanta is the official economic development authority of the City of Atlanta, supporting job creation,
business growth, and equitable community development across the city. Invest Atlanta deploys capital,
incentives, and public-private partnerships to advance economic opportunity in underserved communities.
1.2 The Atlanta Grocery & Healthy Foods Strategy
Invest Atlanta is committed to expanding access to healthy, affordable food in underserved communities
citywide. As part of the City's Grocery and Healthy Foods Strategy (the "Strategy"), Invest Atlanta is
working to increase the percentage of residents living within a half mile of fresh food from 75% (2020) to
100%, with particular focus on USDA-designated Low Income, Low Access (LILA) census tracts and
neighborhoods experiencing long-term disinvestment.
The Strategy is organized around four core approaches:
* Attract Major Supermarket & Grocery Stores
* Expand, Retain & Improve Corner and Neighborhood Markets
* Support Innovative Food Access Models
* Drive Policy, Systems, and Environmental Change
1.3 Priority Communities
Invest Atlanta has designated the following neighborhoods and corridors as Priority Communities for
municipal grocery market development. Sites in or serving these communities are strongly preferred:
* Adamsville / MLK Corridor
* Downtown Atlanta
* East Campbellton
* English Avenue / Vine City
* Grove Park / Bankhead
* Lakewood / Jonesboro Corridor
* Thomasville Heights
* West Campbellton
* West Hollowell
All Priority Communities are located within or adjacent to USDA 12-mile food desert census tracts or are
disinvested neighborhoods with limited current access to fresh food retail.
1.4 Purpose of This RFP
This RFP seeks to identify and select qualified partners for two distinct but complementary roles in
Atlanta's municipal grocery market initiative:
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
Municipal Grocery Market Retail Operator: An organization that will develop
CATEGORY A and operate a full-service grocery market in a Priority Community, providing
affordable, healthy food directly to Atlanta residents.
Food Distribution Services: An organization that will supply grocery products
CATEGORY B to one or more municipal market sites through wholesale distribution, fulfillment
center operations, or last-mile logistics.
These two tracks reflect the full supply chain of a functioning municipal grocery market. Invest Atlanta
may award contracts under Category A, Category B, or both tracks. A single organization with capabilities
in both retail operations and distribution is eligible to respond to both tracks with separate submissions.
Invest Atlanta encourages Category A and Category B awardees to collaborate, but no exclusive
distribution arrangement between tracks will be mandated. Category A operators retain the right to source
from any qualified distributor.
1.5 RFI Process Summary
This RFP was informed by a Request for Information (RFI) issued in January 2026. Invest Atlanta
received responses from multiple organizations including a national cooperative grocery network, a
regional wholesale distributor with Southeast coverage, and an Atlanta-based technology-enabled
sustainable food logistics company. Key findings from that process are summarized in Appendix C and
assisted in shaping the requirements of both tracks in this RFP.
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
SECTION II - HOW TO USE THIS RFP
2.1 Two-Track Structure
This RFP is organized into two tracks/categories. Each track has its own scope of work, submission
requirements, evaluation criteria, and scoring. Read this section carefully before preparing your response.
CATEGORY A - Retail Operator CATEGORY B - Food Distributor
Who should respond Grocery operators, market developers, Food distributors, wholesale suppliers,
cooperative retailers, or community- fulfillment center operators, or last-mile
based food enterprises seeking to logistics providers seeking to supply
open and operate a municipal grocery municipal grocery market sites.
market.
What you will be selected to do Develop and operate a full-service Supply fresh, frozen, dry, and specialty
grocery store in a Priority Community, grocery products to municipal market
including all buildout, staffing, sites on a scheduled, recurring basis.
merchandising, and day-to-day
operations.
Contract type Operating Agreement (up to 5 years or Distribution Services Contract (3-year
term of applicable lease) initial term with renewal options)
Can one org respond to both? Yes - submit a complete, standalone Yes - submit a complete, standalone
response for each track. Proposals will response for each track.
be evaluated independently.
Key incentives available Low-interest loans, TAD funding, Grant funding (infrastructure, fleet,
Opportunity Zone incentives, C-PACE technology, workforce); subsidized
financing, technical assistance, site lease rates for warehouse/cold
selection support, permitting storage.
assistance.
Primary scoring emphasis Grocery operations experience, Pricing transparency, food safety
financial capacity, community compliance, community hiring,
alignment, pricing strategy. operational capacity.
2.2 Mandatory Read Before Responding
Proposers responding to Category A must read Sections I, II, III, IV (Category A), VI, VII, and Appendices
A and B.
Proposers responding to Category B must read Sections I, II, III, V (Category B), VI, VII, and Appendices
A and C.
Proposers responding to both tracks must read all sections and appendices.
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
SECTION III - GENERAL INFORMATION & TIMELINE
3.1 Timeline of Events
Date Milestone / Action
July 6th 2026 RFP Released to Market
July 14th 2026 @ 1pm EST Pre-Proposal Conference - virtual, open to all interested proposers (both tracks).
Attendance strongly encouraged. Invest Atlanta will present the program vision,
answer questions, and clarify track
requirements.
Microsoft Teams meeting
Join:
https://teams.microsoft.com/meet/25239018006510?p=isYNXR1XFrGlwnZVe6
Meeting ID: 252 390 180 065 10
Passcode: T74oJ9bh
Need help? | System reference
Dial in by phone
+1 470-571-3959,,361859599# United States, Atlanta
Find a local number
Phone conference ID: 361 859 599#
July 17th, 2026 Deadline for Written Questions - 5:00 PM ET. Submit to
IAprocurement@investatlanta.com. Subject line must read: 'RFP Response -
[Category A], [Category B], or [Category A & B] - [Organization Name]'
July 23rd, 2026 Invest Atlanta Issues Addenda & Responses to Written Questions
August 6th, 2026
* Proposals Due - 5:00 PM ET. Submit in PDF via email to
IAProcurement@investatlanta.com. Subject line must read: 'RFP
Response: [Category A], [Category B], or [Category A & B] -
[Organization Name]'
.
August 2026 Evaluation Committee Review (both tracks)
August 2026 Shortlisted Proposer Presentations / Site Visits (if required)
August/September 2026 Notice of Intent to Award (Category A and/or Category B)
October - December 2026 Contract Negotiation & Finalization
December 2026 Contract Execution & Onboarding Begins
Q1 2027 Target: Phase 1 Municipal Market Operations Launch
Note: All dates are target dates subject to change. Changes will be posted as addenda at
www.investatlanta.com.
3.2 Submission Instructions
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
All proposals must be submitted electronically in PDF format by 5:00 PM ET on August 6th, 2026 to
IAprocurement@investatlanta.com.
* Subject line must read: 'RFP Response: [Category A], [Category B], or [Category A & B] -
[Organization Name]'
* Category A and Category B responses must be submitted as separate PDF attachments, even if
submitted in one email.
* Each PDF must begin with the completed Proposal Cover Sheet (Appendix A).
* Maximum file size: 125 MB per PDF. Contact the issuing officer if larger files are needed.
* Late submissions will not be accepted.
3.3 Questions & Inquiries
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
All questions must be submitted in writing to IAprocurement@investatlanta.com July17, 2026 at 5:00 PM
ET. Questions received after that date will not receive a response. Oral responses to questions shall not
be binding. Do not contact Invest Atlanta staff directly.
SECTION IV - CATEGORY A: MUNICIPAL GROCERY MARKET RETAIL
OPERATOR
This section applies only to organizations responding as a Municipal Grocery
CATEGORY A Market Retail Operator. If you are responding to Category B only, proceed to
Section V.
4.1 Category A Overview
Invest Atlanta seeks a qualified retail operator to develop and operate a full-service municipal grocery
market in one of Atlanta's designated Priority Communities. The selected operator will be responsible for
the complete development and day-to-day operations of the market, including physical buildout, staffing,
merchandising, customer programming, and ongoing financial management.
The market is envisioned as a community-centered destination offering healthy, affordable food to
residents of a Priority Community. Beyond basic grocery retail, amenities such as in-store cafes, prepared
food, and community programming space are viewed favorably and will be scored accordingly.
4.2 Operating Model & Store Requirements
4.2.1 Store Format & USDA Compliance
The municipal grocery market must meet the definition of a food retail store under 7 U.S.C. 2012, as
follows: an establishment that sells food for home preparation and consumption and either (a) offers for
sale, on a continuous basis, a variety of at least 7 foods in each of the 4 staple food categories -
including perishable foods in at least 3 of those categories - or (b) has over 50% of total sales in staple
foods.
The four staple food categories are:
* Meat, poultry, or fish
* Bread or cereals
* Vegetables or fruits
* Dairy products
The store must accept Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP/EBT) benefits, Women,
Infants, and Children (WIC) program benefits, and Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)
benefits from the date of opening. Enrollment in all applicable benefit programs prior to opening is a
mandatory requirement.
4.2.2 Store Size & Format
The municipal grocery market should be a full-service grocery store. Proposed store formats should fall
within the following parameters:
* Target footprint: 15,000 - 25,000 square feet of retail floor space
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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS - Municipal Grocery Market: Retail Operator & Food Distributor
* Full-service format: produce, dairy, meat/seafood, frozen, dry grocery, and health/wellness
sections
* Inventory alignment with the 2020 HHS Dietary Guidelines for Americans
* Minimum operating hours that ensure access for working residents (specific hours to be
negotiated per operating agreement)
4.2.3 Value-Add Amenities
The following amenities are not required but will be scored favorably under the Innovation & Community
Value criterion (Section 4.8):
* In-store cafe or coffee shop
* Prepared and hot food options
* Community programming space (e.g., nutrition education, cooking demonstrations)
* Local vendor marketplace or pop-up vendor space
* In-store dining area
Operators proposing value-add amenities must describe the operating model for each (owner-operator,
in-house, license agreement, vendor agreement, or other structure).
4.3 Facility & Capital Responsibilities
The selected operator is responsible for all aspects of store development and operations. This is not a
turnkey facility arrangement. Responsibilities include:
* Store development: site preparation, buildout, fixtures, equipment installation, and all applicable
permitting.
* Refrigeration and equipment: procurement, installation, maintenance, and replacement.
* Utilities: all utility costs associated with store operations.
* Security: store security systems, personnel, and protocols.
* Janitorial and sanitation: all cleaning and sanitation services.
* Waste management: all solid waste, recycling, and organic waste disposal.
Invest Atlanta's role is to facilitate access to financial incentives and provide non-financial support, not to
manage or fund ongoing operations. Proposed development and operating models must demonstrate
long-term financial viability without reliance on ongoing public subsidy.
4.4 Financial Structure & Available Incentives
4.4.1 Operating Agreement Structure
The selected operator will enter into an Operating Agreement with Invest Atlanta. The agreement may
incorporate one or more of the following structures:
* Lease agreement (fixed rent, percentage rent, or hybrid) - for sites where Invest Atlanta or a city
affiliate controls the property
* Management agreement - for city-owned market facilities
* Operating agreement - for privately sited markets where the operator controls the property
* Revenue-sharing arrangements tied to program milestones
* Operating subsidy tied to food access metrics and benefit program acceptance
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