ANNA MARIA – The city of Anna Maria has issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a tenant to lease and operate a takeout grill and bait shop on the new City Pier.
“The city of Anna Maria requests proposals for a tenant to operate a grill and bait shop located on the historic Anna Maria City Pier which shall have a family-friendly and simple takeout style food and beverage service, with fishing bait available,” the RFP says.
Mayor Dan Murphy presented a draft version of the RFP during Friday’s emergency city commission meeting. Additional input from commissioners and potential bidders Sherman Baldwin and Brian Seymour helped produce the revised RFP posted later that day at the city website.
The RFP pertains to the city-owned bait shop building on the left side of the pier’s T-end deck area, as viewed from shore. The RFP does not seek responses to operate a full-service restaurant in the larger city-owned building to the right.
On July 30, the city commission rejected by 3-2 vote the restaurant and bait shop lease proposal for both buildings presented by Ugly Grouper LLC. The pursuit of a full-service restaurant tenant is currently on hold and may or may not be pursued in the future.
A non-mandatory pre-bid meeting will take place at city hall on Thursday, Aug. 13 at 10:30 a.m. The pre-bid meeting will provide potential bidders the opportunity to pose questions and learn more about the available space. Monday, Aug. 17 is the deadline to submit written questions. Bid proposals must be submitted prior to the public bid openings at 1 p.m. on Friday, Aug. 21.
RFP details
According to the RFP, the grill and bait shop space is approximately 300 square feet, and that is the primary area being offered for lease. As discussed Friday, the RFP also references the possible use of some additional space inside the larger pier building for cold storage, including a walk-in cooler and/or freezer.
The RFP notes the common areas outside the bait shop can be used by the tenant’s customers on a first-come, first-served basis, but those tables and benches cannot be reserved. The common area may also be used for live entertainment subject to city approval.
The RFP states the common areas must be open to the public seven days a week from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m. The grill and bait shop is expected to operate seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., but alternative hours could be considered.
During Friday’s meeting, Murphy and the commission agreed the entire pier will close at 10 p.m., or soon thereafter, and remain closed overnight – unlike the old City Pier that remained open around the clock. The commission also supported Commissioner Mark Short’s suggestion to limit the bait shop and grill tenant’s beverage sales to beer, wine and soft drinks.
The RFP offers an initial five-year lease with one five-year extension available at the tenant’s option.
The proposals will be evaluated and independently scored based in part upon the proposed annual rent; the estimated costs of tenant’s buildout and equipment; the limited food and beverage menu and prices, including bait shop offerings; the tenant’s small grill, restaurant and takeout experience; the estimated timeframe to become fully operational and references and verifiable information regarding the bidder’s financial ability to perform.
Regarding the interior buildout of the leased space, the city will provide drywall, flooring, a kitchen hood, a grease trap and interceptor, fire suppression and roughed-in electrical and plumbing, excluding fixtures.
The tenant will provide the fixtures, equipment, painting, finish work and other materials needed to complete the interior buildout – and bidders must provide the estimated cost of their improvements and equipment.
“The tenant is expected to have 45 days to complete the buildout of the grill and bait shop interiors and then open for business,” the RFP says.
The city will clean and maintain the exterior of the leased building and the common area around it. The city will also clean and maintain the public restrooms and maintain and repair the air conditioning and heating units that serve the leased area. In exchange, the tenant will reimburse the city for 10% of those actual cleaning and maintenance costs during the first year of the lease. That percentage will then be reevaluated and negotiated annually.
The tenant will also reimburse the city for 10% of the city’s actual costs to clean and maintain the rest of the pier’s common areas, including the pier platform, the approach area and the parking area. Should the city decide to employ a pier maintenance manager, the tenant may also be required to share up to 10% of the manager’s salary.
