Provision of Services for the Management and Operation of the United Nations Gift Centre and the ...

The United Nations (UN) is seeking to enter into contractual arrangements with qualified companies able to provide services for the management and operation of the United Nations Gift Centres and the option of management and operation of the Visitor's Cafe at the UN Headquarters New York. The duration of the contract will be for a period of five years or longer commencing 1 September 2014. Companies wishing to be considered should have an established reputation in the industry of providing an extensive offering of high quality gifts, souvenir items and newsstand Items. They should be currently engaged in providing this service to organizations or companies of similar size and need to be familiar with serving a multi-ethnic clientele. The UN Gift Centre provides visitors, staff members and members of delegations in New York with UN mementos, UN souvenirs, handicrafts, gifts and other souvenirs from around the world, keeping a balance of the different arts and crafts representing the cultures of all Member States of the UN. The contractor is expected to provide services for Gift Centres at two locations within UN Headquarters compound. The UN Gift Centre retail spaces will be provided as a white box and the Contractor is expected to equip the Centres with the necessary IT infrastructure, cabinetry and fixtures. The Contractor should be able to provide and promote the sale of merchandise sold in the UN Gift Centre through a mail order catalogue. The contractor should offer an lnternet sales platform for the worldwide sales of UN branded gift items, and be able to provide a Point-of-Sale System that will accept credit and debit cards in addition to cash payments. An additional option of providing coffee shop services at the Visitor's Cafe next to the main Gift Centre in the concourse of the UN General Assembly Building catering to the public may be extended to the Contractor. The Contractor should be able to operate a cafe/coffee shop type of food operation with counters and possible table service serving breakfast, lunch and snacks within this facility. Vendors are advised that this EOI does not constitute a solicitation.Vendors can select to respond either to the Gift Centre portion or to the Visitor's Cafe portion, vendors can also reply to both. The UN reserves the right to change or cancel this requirement at any time during the EOI and/or solicitation process.