Closed
Retail Catering Services for State Library Victoria
Tender ID: 591667
Tender Details
Organisation:
Tender #:
SLV2025-010
Status:
Closed
Publish Date:
7 August 2025
Closing Date:
11 September 2025
Closing Time:
12:00 PM (Australia/Victoria)
Tender Description
This RFT provides information relevant to the delivery of Retail Food & Beverage Services at the Library (Tulk La Trobe Street Café, Russell Street Kiosk and Forecourt). The information within the RFT has been provided to be as accurate as possible at the time of drafting, but should not be relied upon solely. Tenderers must make every effort to understand the Library, Library operations, Library By-Laws, market conditions and any other economic or physical environmental impacts to form their own opinion of the opportunity presented to them and the commercial values that may be represented.
Additionally, conditions imposed through Public Library operations may restrict some activities of the Service provision. Tenderers must reflect in their Response that it is well informed of the Library’s operations so that:- The Service Provider shall not interrupt or detrimentally affect the Library’s operations and services to the public
- The Service Provider shall not detrimentally affect the safety and security of the Stat Collection
- The Service Provider must not do anything to disturb the Library’s tenants or cause them financial loss due to interruption of operations.
Specific operational requirements are set out in the Café Operations Manual (Part D) and Tender Specification (Part B) herein. The Library is seeking Responses to this Request for Tender (RFT) SLV2025-010 for the provision of Retail Catering Services (La Trobe Street Café, Russell Street Kiosk and Library Forecourt) and is seeking to appoint a single Service Provider.
The Library partners with Perfectly Paired Group as its Catering Consultant, with the firm serving as trusted Procurement Advisors to support strategic catering initiatives.
The initial term of the Retail Food & Beverage Services Agreement is 5 + 2 + 2 years. Proposals with a longer-term arrangement will also be considered, subject to alignment with the operator's Capital Expenditure (CapEx) investment proposal.
The Agreement is anticipated to commence on or around 7 February 2026.
Tender Documentation for Download
| Part A | Conditions of Tendering |
| Part B | Specification & Response |
| Part C | Proposed Agreement – Pending – ETA 5pm Monday 11 August |
| Part D | Café Operations Manual – Pending – ETA 5pm Monday 11 August |
| Part E | Ethical Employment Response |
| Part F | Financial Offer Worksheet |
*Part C & D will be circulated to registered tenderers.
The Opportunity: Retail Catering Partnership with State Library Victoria
State Library Victoria (SLV) invites proposals for the management of its flagship retail food and beverage offering at La Trobe Street Café, currently operating under the Mr Tulk brand (owned by the incumbent operator). Tenderers are encouraged to propose fresh branding, concepts, and fit-outs to refresh and redefine the space.Located at one of Melbourne’s busiest intersections, La Trobe Street Café offers an iconic opportunity with exceptional foot traffic from commuters, students, professionals, and tourists. The venue combines indoor seating, an expansive terrace, and a unique setting within the historic State Library, creating an inviting environment for visitors.
Additionally, the successful operator will have the chance to activate other spaces such as the Russell Street Kiosk, Library Forecourts and Information Centre, providing exciting opportunities for dynamic retail food and beverage concepts.
Key Highlights:
- Prime Location: Located near Melbourne Central and the State Library Victoria Train Station, the café enjoys high foot traffic from commuters, tourists, and locals.
- High Visitor Numbers: The Library is on track to reach 3 million visitors annually by 2026, providing substantial exposure.
- Growth Potential: Opportunity to extend trading hours and introduce innovative food and beverage activations across various Library spaces.
- Cultural & Iconic Venue: A prestigious venue, part of Creative Victoria, attracting a broad audience, making it ideal for showcasing creative hospitality.
- Substantial Footprint: A significant back-of-house area, commercial kitchen and outdoor terraces for year-round activation.
- Negotiable Contract: 5+2+2 term with potential negotiation, subject to CapEx investment.
Procurement Process
Submission Deadline: All proposals must be received by12.00pm Wednesday 5 March 2025. Late submissions will not be considered, in line with fairness and equal opportunity principles.
Submission Process:
Submit your proposal via https://www.tenders.vic.gov.au/
Submission Portal:
As a Victoria Government Venue, the Library uses Tenders Victoria to manage its procurement process.
It is highly recommended that Tenderers do not leave file uploads to the last minute, as the system can be glitchy. It is also recommended that Tenderers review all of Tenders Victoria’s guidelines around File Sizes to ensure submissions may be uploaded properly.
Submission Format:
- Document Type: Submit all proposals in PDF format to ensure document consistency and accessibility across devices.
- File Naming Convention: Use this format: [CompanyName]_[ProposalName]_[Date] (e.g., "FreshBites_CateringProposal_011224.pdf").
- File Size Limit: Each file must not exceed 10 MB to ensure smooth upload and download processes.
Tender Structure:
- Cover Letter: Include a cover page with your company’s name, contact information, and proposal title.
- Response to all Selection Criteria: Address each question and criterion in the order outlined. Use clear headers to organise responses, enhancing readability and navigation.
File Layout and Design:
- Clarity and Formatting: Use clean, professional formatting. Recommended fonts are Arial, Calibri, or Times New Roman (minimum size 11pt).
- Images and Visuals: Visuals are encouraged to illustrate key points but should be embedded within the PDF. Supporting information such as mood boards or menus may also be included as clearly labelled attachments.
- Word Count: Concise and clear responses are preferred. Each selection criteria has a word count requirement.
Q&A Process: All queries regarding this tender must be submitted exclusively through the TendersVic portal. Responses to questions will be provided up until 5:00 pm on Wednesday, 26 February 2025. All proponents will receive answers to queries in writing via email, with an intended response time of within 48 hours of the query being submitted.
Contact Details:
Email: procurement@slv.vic.gov.au
Please note that all correspondence for this tender is managed through the Tender Portal
Procurement Timelines
The following Table outlines the proposed timetable for the RFT process.
| RFT Go Live | Thursday, 7 August 2025 |
| Nomination of attendees for mandatory walk through - 5.00pm | Monday, 11 August 2025 |
| Retail Caterer's Walk through and briefing – 3.00pm | Tuesday, 12 August 2025 |
| Q&A Closes - 5.00pm | Thursday, 4 September 2025 |
| Assessment Phase | 12-19 September 2025 |
| Notification to shortlisted retail caterers | Friday, 19 September 2025 |
| Shortlisted retail caterer presentations and menu tastings. | W/C 29 September 2025 |
| Contract negotiations with preferred operator | W/C 6 October 2025 |
| Contract Executed | W/C 20 October 2025 |
| Contract commences | Saturday, 7 February 2026 |
Timelines are indicative only and may be subject to change.
Retail Caterer’s Walk Through and Briefing:
Walk-through attendance is not mandatory however there will be no other opportunity during the procurement phase to view the retail back of house areas. Please note that questions will not be taken during the Retail Caterer’s Walk Through and Briefing (questions can be submitted through the Tender portal).
Please register your attendance by 5.00pm Monday 11 August 2025 via the Portal - strictly three (3) attendees per company.