With increased telecommuting, more feds and contractors are eating their chips and candy at home during the COVID-19 pandemic and this in turn has driven down vending machine proceeds at the Department of Energy’s Savannah River Site in South Carolina, according to a recent procurement notice.
In the notice initially posted Jan. 27 on the federal procurement website (SAM.gov), Fluor-led Savannah River Nuclear Solutions, which manages the 310-square-mile federal complex near the Georgia state line, issued a request for information (RFI) seeking expressions of interest from companies capable of providing Snack and Drink Vending Services.
The prime contractor is upfront about the fact snack sales have plummeted during the pandemic. “Snack sales are approximately $60K [$60,000] per year with reduced staffing,” according to the RFI. “Sales were $80K per year prior to personnel telecommuting due to Covid 19.” That’s a 25% decrease.
Currently there are 30 snack machines owned and repaired by the snack vendor, according to the RFI. There are 60 drink machines owned and repaired by Coke. The Coke sales data is “unavailable” according to the notice.
The prime contractor is seeking a new vendor for snacks and drinks in May, prior to the June expiration of the current vendor deal. Before then, however, DOE is moving away from “maximum telework” and intends to have more people back physically in their office and pre-pandemic workstations by mid-March. Returning employees will find current vending prices range from $1.00 for chips to $1.50 candy and pastries. Drink costs are $1.50 per drink.
Vending machine firms should file their information packets, including brands they can provide such as Coke or Pepsi, by 5 p.m. Eastern Time on Feb. 24. Email submissions should be sent to Barbara McCarty at [email protected].
“[A]ssessments by the Food Committee will result in a Question and Answer virtual meeting for the finalists before a selection is determined,” according to the notice.
