Concessions Refresh Program

Being an award-winning airport means keeping the experience at IND fresh and meaningful for both leisure and business travelers alike. The Concession Refresh Program is intended to attract authentic retailers and food & beverage providers to the airport, as a means of showcasing local foods, beverages and brands that directly represent the Hoosier experience as permitted by law. A primary goal of the Concessions Refresh Program is to meet and exceed a traveler’s expectations, and to specifically ensure the IND Concessions Program recognizes expectations of the “traveler of the future,” including products, services and offerings reflective of Indy’s top food, beverage and retail brands.

The current Concessions Program consists of 56 individual retail spaces of which 53 are currently leased. 40 food & beverage, specialty retail and news & convenience concessions locations are expiring at the end of 2018, with four more locations set to expire at the end of 2020. The Indianapolis Airport Authority (IAA) has released a Request For Information (RFI) Public Solicitation for future Concessions opportunities at IND. A key mission through this RFI solicitation process is to develop a Concessions Program to meet the needs and to remain relevant for today's travelers. 

Information on opportunities is posted on PlanetBids

In the solicitation, there will be a preferred qualifications section along with a listing and placement of concessions packages that the IAA is seeking through this process. 

Please reference the preferred qualifications section listed in the solicitation, when available on PlanetBids.

The IAA may take up to 180 days after the due date of the proposal to make a decision. Respondents that are selected will be notified by the IAA for next steps. The IAA will not make a public announcement until all contracts are negotiated and executed by both proposer and IAA Board.

If awarded a contract the IAA will require a performance bond or security deposit. Specific information on this performance bond or security deposit can be found in the sample concession agreement which is an exhibit in the solicitation.

All communication will go through the IAA Procurement Department. Sign up for the IAA's online solicitation management system. The solicitation was issued on April 16, 2018. It's free to register and view open solicitations. 

IND served over 8.7 million total business and leisure travelers in 2017 and averages 145 daily flights, seasonally and year-round, to 51 nonstop destinations, which breaks both the passenger count record and the record for number of nonstop flights in the history of IND. The annual passenger count is projected to remain consistent with conservative increases of passenger traffic in future years. 

Additional expenses include the follow:

• Common use fee (this includes loading dock delivery services)
• Utilities and maintenance
• Badging and Parking
•  Insurance fees
• Any and all additional fees

 Specific fees are listed in the sample Concession Agreement.

All opportunities in a concession solicitation process are offered either as a single location or multiple locations known as a “package.”

The term could vary, but in most cases the length of the agreement is 10 years, with a  a mid-term refurbishment requirement half way through the term.

This varies based on concessions offerings, however the typical range of store hours of operation is from 4:30 am – 9:00 pm. The airport is open 365 days a year and concessions locations are expecting to be open every day as well. The store hours of operation may be adjusted periodically based on flight schedules.

An Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) is a for-profit business that is majority owned by an individual who is socially and economically disadvantaged.

To learn more about ACDBE and how to qualify, visit the IND Supplier Diversity Program. 

No, ACDBE certification is not required to operate a concession at IND. If a proposer is seeking ACDBE credit to meet an ACDBE goal, the ACDBE firm must be certified through the Indiana Department of Transportation (INDOT)  at the time of proposal submission. A certification letter must be included with the proposal submission.