USA. United Airlines and OTG have released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for speciality retail and passenger amenity concessions at Houston George Bush Intercontinental Airport. The RFP encompasses five units in Terminal E, where OTG manages the concessions programme. The move is part of an ambitious commercial transformation of United’s Houston terminals.
Each of the five concessions can be bid on separately but several can be bundled together in one proposal. Joint ventures are permitted and there is a goal of 35% minority (ACDBE) participation. The expected award date is around 5 June, and stores should open by 1 March 2018.
Two of the units will be new, with the others currently occupied by Bluwire, Brookstone and Johnston & Murphy.
Contracts run for either seven or ten years, with a year one Minimum Annual Guarantee of US$180,000.
OTG and United said they aimed to developed “a one-of-a-kind, world-class retail programme” at the terminal. Key factors in the evaluation will include:
*Strong national and international brand representation, including popular Houston brands
*Appealing store designs
*Expanded brand, merchandise and service offer
*In-store promotions and seasonal events
*Integration with technology including United Mileage Plus redemption and OTG tablet platform integration for store and gate sales and marketing
*Balanced merchandise mix
*Passenger amenities to complement the programme
Candidates, said the partners, should present concepts that deliver a “unique, creative and customer-focused programme”.
Proposals are due on 21 April and a pre-proposal meeting and tour is scheduled for 1 March.
United is the largest airline at Houston Intercontinental, with 16.1 million passengers in 2016. Terminal E handled 5.5 million travellers last year, a mix of domestic and international.
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