Provision of Food and Beverage Services across UNECA Headquarters, including Cafeteria, Conference Catering, Café/Bistro and Delegate Hospitality Outlets

Tender summary

1. OBJECTIVE AND DISCLAIMER This Request for Information (RFI) is issued solely for information and planning purposes to conduct market research. It does not constitute a solicitation or a commitment to implement a procurement process, nor does it bind the United Nations (UN) or the Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) to issue a contract or pay for any costs incurred in the preparation or submission of responses. The primary objective of this RFI is to evaluate market capabilities, determine commercial viability, and obtain industry feedback on the most appropriate operational and procurement structure for UNECA’s food and beverage services. UNECA is considering different models, including a single integrated operator, separate lots, or a hybrid structure under which some services may be bundled while others may be operated separately by specialized providers. Information provided will be treated as strictly confidential and used exclusively for internal UN planning 2. BACKGROUND AND CURRENT FOOTPRINT UNECA serves a highly diverse international ecosystem at its headquarters in Addis Ababa. The daily consumer base fluctuates dynamically and comprises: • High-level VIPs, diplomats, conference dignitaries. • International conference delegates and summit participants (ranging from small working groups to summits with over 1,500 attendees). • UN staff members (ECA as well as 22 UN-agencies operating from the ECA campus). • External contractors, technical crews, and facility support staff. Physical & Kitchen Infrastructure The selected operator will be expected to manage a multi-location, multi-concept food and beverage footprint consisting of: • Two (2) Industrial Kitchens: Full-fledged, heavy-duty production and preparation hubs capable of large-scale banquet preparation, high-volume conference meal generation, and simultaneous site-wide supply. • Three (3) Small-Scale Outlets with Kitchens: Specialized service nodes capable of independent finishing and localized, fast-turnaround cooking. • For market research purposes, vendors are requested to note that not all services may necessarily be procured or operated under a single contract. UNECA is particularly interested in understanding which services should be bundled together for operational reasons, and which services could be separated into distinct lots to attract specialized operators and improve service quality, commercial viability and accountability. • UNECA is seeking market feedback on whether the UNCC cafeteria and conference/event catering services should be combined under one lot due to their reliance on common kitchen infrastructure, or whether alternative arrangements may provide operational, commercial, or service-quality advantages. 3. PROPOSED OPERATIONAL & SERVICE CONCEPT UNECA intends to introduce an agile, multi-tier service model capable of catering to different price points, cultural diets, and operational hours simultaneously. UNECA CATERING ECOSYSTEM: - UNCC Cafeteria and Conference Catering: High-Volume buffet lanches, delegate coffee breaks, cocktail reception Africa Hall + Africa Hall Visitor Centre: Mixed service (buffet lunch, fast food & snack, restaurant), deligate coffe breaks, fresh juice & breakfast continuous operations, cocktail receptions Express Café/Press Bar Services: fast food and snack focus, Fresh Juice and breakfast Delegates Bar/ Premium Bistro-Lounge: premium restaurant , continuous operations The desired programmatic concepts include: • UNCC Cafeteria and Conference/Event Catering: Provision of daily cafeteria services, staff dining and large-scale conference/event catering supported by the UNCC kitchen infrastructure. This may include delegate lunches, buffet service, synchronized coffee/tea breaks, receptions, cocktail arrangements, and special event catering, while ensuring that regular daily services for staff and other campus users are not disrupted during major conferences. • Africa Hall and Africa Hall Visitor C

What to check before bidding

• Issued by UN Secretariat.
• Located in Ethiopia.
• Source notice RFIUNECA24544 on UNGM.
• Notice published 9 Jul 2026; Tenqual indexed it 10 Jul 2026.
• Deadline listed as 17 Jul 2026.
• Source documents portal identified.
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