EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE VENDORS DURING THE VALLETTA LOCAL FOOD FESTIVAL 2024

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST FOR FOOD & BEVERAGE VENDORS DURING THE THIRD EDITION OF THE VALLETTA LOCAL FOOD FESTIVAL 2024

 

INTRODUCTION

Following the success of the First and Second Editions of the Valletta Local Food Festival, the Valletta Cultural Agency will organise the Third Edition of this Festival; a 3-day culinary event aimed at promoting local food, ingredients, local producers, and local businesses within the gastronomy field.

The Valletta Cultural Agency is cordially inviting food and beverage vendors to submit their proposals and register their interest to sell their local cuisine during the Valletta Local Food Festival.

The best proposals which will contribute quality to the festival will be selected. Chosen food and beverage vendors will have the opportunity to sell their products in a stall area selected and provided by the Agency.

The Valletta Local Food Festival is a 3-day festival aimed at promoting local food, local ingredients, local producers, and local businesses within the gastronomy field. The festival is an effort to raise awareness about the diversity and creativity within the local culinary scene, to showcase local delicacies, and to demonstrate that our local products can compete strongly with foreign ones. The festival will also have local guest chefs giving demonstrations and talks, entertainment, and live music.

Hosted at the Valletta Design Cluster, this project aims to engage the Public through several food and drink stalls, each offering their products.

The festival shall be taking place at the Valletta Design Cluster as per below schedule:

• Friday, 18^th October 2024 from 6pm to 11pm
• Saturday, 19^th October 2024 from 6pm to 11pm
• Sunday, 20^th October 2024 from 10am to 5pm.
  

In the eventuality of changes to the above-mentioned schedule, the selected applicants shall be given a two week prior notice.

 

Disclaimer:

Prospective applicants are to note that by submitting an application as specified below, they are confirming agreement to all the terms and conditions set out in this Expression of Interest.

Applicants should also note that the Agency will respect any restrictions published by the local Health Authorities on the organisation of public events.

 

GUIDELINES

• CREATION AND SALE OF DISHES/PACKAGED PRODUCTS AND BEVERAGES

Applicants must provide a proposal which includes a list of locally produced ingredients for the edible packaged products, beverages and/or dishes.

The successful applicant, as a local food / beverage manufacturer, shall provide a detailed proposal of the edible packaged products and/or dishes including ingredients, presentation, etc. These dishes can be further developed together with the Valletta Cultural Agency following signing of the contract agreement. Any amendments to the content of the proposal should also be presented to the Valletta Cultural Agency for prior approval and must be in accordance with its vision for the festival. Unless otherwise stated throughout the execution of the contract, each dish is to contain the equivalent of a starter portion and must be reasonably priced to encourage the public to purchase dishes consisting of local produce.

The Agency will provide successful applicants with a stall at the Valletta Design Cluster free of charge.

The food and beverage products and dishes offered in the stalls may include but shall not limited to, the following:

• Locally packaged products such as olive oil, ġulepp tal-ħarrub, honey, chutneys, sauces, syrups, and related products
• Meat
• Fish and seafood
• Fruits and vegetables
• Eggs
• Dairy and cheese
• Local bread and bakery
• Traditional delicacies (savoury)
• Chocolate and sweets (traditional desserts, honey rings, ħelu tal-festi, imqaret etc…)
• Locally produced vegan and vegetarian products
• Locally produced beverages

The successful applicants shall retain all income generated from sales.

 

• INSTRUCTIONS TO PROSPECTIVE APPLICANTS

• Prospective applicants are to submit a duly filled in and endorsed Application Form that includes all requested details and documents.
• Prospective applicants are to ensure that the contact name on the Application Form is that of the individual who, if successful, shall enter into an agreement with the Valletta Cultural Agency for participation during the Valletta Local Food Festival.
• By submitting the Application Form, it is understood that the applicant has read and is in agreement with the terms and conditions of this Expression of Interest and affirms all declarations. No conditions and alterations to the requirements listed in this document shall be introduced / imposed by the applicant on the Valletta Cultural Agency.
• Multiple offers may be accepted as long as separate submissions are effected.
• Collaborations with other chefs / producers are permitted, however the Applicant shall remain the sole responsible party related to this application and any subsequent communication / agreement.
• Each applicant must be at least 18 years of age at the time of application.
• Each applicant must have a valid VAT number.
• By submitting an application, prospective applicants shall be confirming that their submissions shall remain valid for a period of 90 days from the submission deadline of this Expression of Interest.

 

 

• APPLICATION TIMETABLE

Expression of Interest for participation opens on	15/07/2024
Clarification requests may be submitted via email by not later than	04/09/2024 at 12:00 hours
Deadline for clarification responses as issued by the Valletta Cultural Agency	05/09/2024 at 12:00 hours
Applications are to be submitted via email by not later than	06/09/2024 at 12:00 hours (GMT+2/CEST)

 

The deadline for submission of applications is Friday 6th September 2024 at 12:00 hours (GMT+2/CEST).  Applications are to be submitted via email to applications@vca.gov.mt.

Late or incomplete applications will not be considered. Nonetheless, the Valletta Cultural Agency reserves the right to extend the deadline for the submission of Application at its own discretion.

An opening schedule shall be affixed on the notice board of the Valletta Cultural Agency in the sequence of how applications are received based on the time stamp on the email.

 

• SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS

Applicants are to fill in and submit the Application Form included in Annex I of this Expression of Interest.

As part of the Application Form, each applicant is to submit the following information and documentation:

SECTION A: Applicant’s Details

SECTION B: Collaborators’ Details (if applicable)

SECTION C: Proposal

SECTION D: Declaration

SECTION E: Checklist and Additional Documentation

 

N.B. Should one or more of the listed requirements or fields be missing or incomplete, the submitted application shall be immediately disqualified and will not be considered.

Note 1: Applicants are to submit the relevant documents in PDF format via email or file transfer links (e.g. wetransfer.com). Links to cloud storage systems such as Google Drive or One Drive will not be considered.

 

 

• SELECTION AND EVALUATION

2.5.1 Selection Guidelines

Each application will be treated in strict confidence by the Evaluation Committee. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to select and/or reject any or all the submitted applications at its discretion. Should none of the applicants be considered satisfactory in line with the vision of the festival and requirements of this Expression of Interest, the Contracting Authority reserves the right to assign the designated stalls to other economic operators (who may or may not have been necessarily involved in this Expression of Interest).

The Contracting Authority also reserves the right to put some applications on a reserve list and contact them at a later date. In this case, no alterations to the contents of the applications as submitted by the respective economic operator shall be entertained. If the Contracting Authority contacts such applicants after the 90 day validity period of the offer, such applicants may rediscuss the contents of their proposal with the Contracting Authority.

The Selection Process shall be based on the following criteria:

• The applicant is to be a local food / beverage manufacturer.
• The Agency is seeking food and beverage vendors who can contribute to a celebration of local produce and creativity during the Valletta Local Food Festival; an event dedicated to the uniqueness of Maltese gastronomy through the promotion of genuine local and creative food, and drinks. This is to be reflected in the contents of the application, proposal and supporting documentation submitted by the applicants.
• The Valletta Cultural Agency shall determine which are the most suited applicants at its discretion and in line with the vision it has of the Valletta Food Festival 2024 depending on the concept proposed by the applicants.

Agreements will be entered into with applicants whose proposals best reflect the vision that the Valletta Cultural Agency has for this Festival. Should more than one applicant propose the same concept, the spaces may be awarded by the Valletta Cultural Agency on a first-come-first-served basis according to the timestamp of the email submitted containing the application form and related documents.

 

Evaluation Grid

The prospective participant to submit the following documentation as part of their submission. Points shall be allocated based on the criteria listed adjacent to the points. The criteria marked as  mandatory require the submission of a compulsory document thus a response to each criterion is to be provided for the technical compliance of the submission.

Any information regarding third parties is to be greyed out in line with the GDPR Criteria Maximum points: 100 1.     Proposed Dishes/Packaged Products/Beverages a.     Provide a proposal of a minimum of 3 different dishes/packaged products including pricelist Or   b.     Provide a proposal of more than 3 different dishes/packaged products including pricelist       10 points     or   15 points Mandatory 2.     Ingredients: Provide a list of all ingredients which shall be used for the preparation of the dishes and/or product.       15 points Mandatory 3.     All products used are to be locally produced. A declaration confirming this requirement is to be submitted. 10 points Mandatory 4.     Provide a reasonable pricelist of all the products which are being proposed to feature and be sold in the festival. 15 points Mandatory 5.     Confirm that prospective applicant shall be in possession of a valid Food Handlers Certificate, if applicable 10 points Optional 6.     The prospective participant has all the necessary permits and licenses to sell/trade. A declaration confirming this requirement is to be submitted outlining all relevant and valid permits / licences in hand.  A copy of the permits / licences are required at contract signing stage. 10 points Mandatory 7.     The prospective participant has to be available throughout the 3 days of the festival. A declaration confirming this requirement is to be submitted.   5 points     Mandatory 8.     The prospective participant will adhere to all the terms and conditions. A declaration confirming this requirement is to be submitted. 5 points Mandatory 9.     Provide photos and visuals of the proposed dishes/packaged products. Maximum of 15 points (points shall be allocated based on artistic merit) Mandatory

 

Pass mark:          60

Total marks:        100

 

TERMS AND CONDITIONS

PRODUCTS AND STALLS

• Only locally manufactured and produced products are to be sold and used in the food preparation of the dishes;
• Successful applicants are to attend a preparatory briefing session at the Valletta Design Cluster in Valletta (time and date to be confirmed in due course by the Agency);
• Successful applicants are to participate on all Festival dates, specifically on the 18^th, 19^th and 20^th October 2024 between 6:00pm and 11:00pm on Friday and Saturday; and between 10:00am and 5:00pm on Sunday;
• Successful applicants are to produce and make available the culinary dish/es and / or drink/s agreed upon with the Valletta Cultural Agency on all the Festival dates. Any changes to the culinary dish/es and / or drink/s proposed, including the pricing, need to be approved beforehand by the Agency to ensure adherence to the Project’s concept;
• Successful applicants are to provide all the ingredients necessary to prepare the dish/es and / or drink/s proposed and approved by the Agency;
• Successful applicants are to provide their own equipment to prepare the dishes and / or drink/s, unless the use of the kitchen at the Valletta Design Cluster is requested and approved. Should selected applicants make use of the Valletta Design Cluster kitchens and equipment, they will need to agree to be responsible for the equipment made available, to return all equipment at the end of each cooking session clean and in good condition, and to report any malfunction to the Valletta Design Cluster team immediately;
• The successful applicants must comply to the Valletta Cultural Agency Environmental Policy;
• The successful applicants shall retain all income generated from sales. No financial compensation shall be requested by the Agency for the provision of this service.
• The selected applicants shall have all the necessary insurance policies including public liability; which covers any form of risks including damage, loss, bodily harm, death in relation to third parties. The Contracting Authority shall not be involved in any legal dispute as result of the economic operator(s)’ operations in connection with event. A copy of a valid public liability insurance policy shall be submitted to the Contracting Authority upon contract endorsement. In addition, it is recommended that the selected economic operator possesses adequate insurance coverage to cater for any loss, damage or theft of equipment which is valid throughout the entire duration of the contract; a copy of which may be requested at contract implementation stage. The Valletta Cultural Agency shall not be held liable or be involved in any dispute or litigation related to the loss, damage or theft of any equipment left unattended by the selected economic operator(s) onsite.
• Fees

No application fees apply.

• Setup and Dismantling

• A setup and dismantling schedule of the Valletta Local Food festival will be provided to successful applicants together with the contract agreement and must be adhered to.
• The successful applicants shall provide their own equipment. Should selected applicants need to make use of Valletta Design Cluster equipment, they will need to agree to be responsible for the equipment made available, to return all equipment at the end of each day in good condition, and to report any malfunction to the Valletta Design Cluster team immediately;
• Electricity supply will be provided by the Agency for the operation.

 

• PERMITS AND LICENSES
• The selected economic operators shall conform to local Health and Safety regulations, the regulations and legislation of the Maltese catering industry, any licenses and permits necessary to be eligible to sell/trade and the VAT Department. All food and beverages for sale must conform to the local sanitary regulations set by authorities and the successful applicants must have all the necessary (valid) licenses and permits so as to sell the product. Such permits may be requested at any time by the Contracting Authority.
• The selected economic operators shall be in possession of a valid Food Handlers Certificate if applicable.
• The selected applicants selling alcohol must be in possession of a valid Licence for selling alcohol and all sales are the responsibility of the applicant;
• The selected applicants must be in possession of all necessary licences and permits to sell/trade upon submission of the application. (Such permits may be requested by the Agency upon signing of the Contract;
• All food and beverages for sale must conform to local sanitary regulations set by the authorities;
• All those serving / handling food and drinks shall wear the necessary protective clothing, disposable gloves and any other form of protective hygienic gear;
• All items for sale must conform to local regulations and legislation;
• If the selected economic operator(s) is caught breaking any regulation, he/she may be requested by the Contracting Authority and/or other competent local authorities to close the stall and discontinue the sales with immediate effect. The economic operator(s) will not be entitled to any compensation and shall be liable to settle any fines incurred by the competent local authorities. Any fines incurred or Court proceedings resulting from such actions shall be entirely borne by / be the responsibility of the economic operator(s). In addition, any request for reimbursement shall not be entertained.
• All Maltese Laws relevant to the activity are to be observed in their entirety by the selected economic operator(s);

The Agency will not be liable for any action or fines incurred as a result of non-compliance with local regulations.

Please download the application form by clicking the button below.