Event Operator Services for 1680 Lexington Avenue Event Space RFP

Economic Development Corporation

Published: Jun 17, 2026

Updated: Jun 21, 2026

Source: nyc_cityrecord

About This Opportunity

This is a supplies contract in the culture and heritage and urban development and housing sectors, with a focus on Arts. Located in United States, North America, this opportunity is open to firms and consortiums. Proposals must be submitted before August 7, 2026.

Published through NYC City Record, a national government procurement portal. Public procurement tenders follow the country's national bidding regulations and may have specific eligibility and documentation requirements for the supply of goods in the culture and heritage sector. Supply contracts typically require bidders to demonstrate product compliance with technical specifications, delivery capacity, and relevant certifications. Interested parties should review the full documentation on the original source before submitting their proposal.

Description

New York City Economic Development Corporation (NYCEDC) invites qualified nonprofit organizations and cultural operators to submit proposals (Request for Proposals: or RFP) for the operation, management, and programming of the event and theater space (approximately 8,283 square feet) located at 1680 Lexington Avenue (106th Street), Manhattan, New York (the 'Event Space'), as more particularly described herein and in the RFP. NYCEDC anticipates that the services will include all aspects of event space activation, community engagement, programming, and financial management of the Event Space.NYCEDC is engaged in strengthening arts, culture, and civic life in East Harlem and upper Manhattan. The Event Space at 1680 Lexington Avenue a landmarked, five-story building constructed in 1879 and home to longstanding cultural tenants including Taller Boricua, Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, and Los Pleneros de la 21 serves as a critical community anchor for the surrounding neighborhood. NYCEDC believes no community should lack access to high-quality cultural programming and civic space, and is accordingly seeking to identify a mission-aligned Event Space Operator (the 'Selected Operator') to activate the Event Space through sustained, community-driven programming, deep local stakeholder engagement, and sound financial management. NYCEDC seeks an Operator capable of developing and executing a culturally resonant programming calendar, establishing a financially sustainable operating model, and coordinating seamlessly with NYCEDC throughout a multi-phase $10.3 million capital improvement program commencing June 2026.NYCEDC plans to select an Event Space Operator on the basis of factors stated in the RFP, which include, but are not limited to: the completeness and quality of the overall response and its consistency with the RFP's stated goals; the respondent's readiness and demonstrated vision for activating and programming the Event Space in alignment with the cultural and community mission of 1680 Lexington Avenue; the respondent's financial capacity and financial impact, including current financial health, ability to secure earned revenue and philanthropic funding, and long-term viability of operations through the multi-phase $10.3 million capital improvement program; and the respondent's demonstrated experience operating nonprofit cultural or community spaces, engaging local communities, and providing culturally relevant programming reflective of East Harlem and upper Manhattan.It is the policy of NYCEDC to comply with all federal, state and City laws and regulations which prohibit unlawful discrimination because of race, creed, color, national origin, sex, age, disability, marital status and other protected category and to take affirmative action in working with contracting parties to ensure certified Minority and Women-owned Business Enterprises (MWBEs) share in the economic opportunities generated by NYCEDCs projects and initiatives. Please refer to the Equal Employment and Affirmative Compliance for Non-Construction Contracts Appendix 8 of the RFP.This project has Minority and Women Owned Business Enterprise (M/WBE) participation goals, and all respondents will be required to submit an M/WBE Participation Proposal with their response. To learn more about NYCEDCs M/WBE program, visit http://edc.nyc/opportunity-mwdbe. For the list of companies who have been certified with the New York City Department of Small Business Services as M/WBE, please go to the https://sbsconnect.nyc.gov/certification-directory-search/.NYCEDC established the Contract Financing Loan Fund programs for Minority, Women and Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (M/W/DBE) interested in working on public construction projects. Contract Financing Loan Fund facilitates financing for short-term mobilization needs such as insurance, labor, supplies and equipment. Bidders/subcontractors are strongly encouraged to visit the NYCEDC website at http://edc.nyc/opportunity-mwdbe to learn more about the program.An optional informational session will be held on Monday, July 6, 2026 at 10 A.M. at 1680 Lexington Avenue, New York, NY 10029. Those who wish to attend should RSVP by using the RSVP web form available at edc.nyc/RFPs on or before June 29, 2026.Respondents may submit questions and/or request clarifications from NYCEDC no later than 5pm on Friday, July 17, 2026. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP should be directed to the Q&A web form available at edc.nyc/RFPs. Answers to all questions will be posted by Thursday, July 30, 2026. Questions regarding the subject matter of this RFP will not be accepted after 5pm on Friday, July 17, 2026, however, technical questions pertaining to downloading and submitting proposals to this RFP may be directed to RFPREQUEST@edc.nyc on or before 4PM on Friday, August 7, 2026.Detailed submission guidelines and requirements are outlined in the RFP, available as of Wednesday, June 17, 2026. To download a copy of the solicitation documents please visit https://edc.nyc/rfps. RESPONSES ARE DUE NO LATER THAN 4PM on Friday, August 7, 2026. Please click the link in the Deadlines section of this projects web page (which can be found on https://edc.nyc/rfps) to electronically upload a proposal for this solicitation. Please upload your response as a .zip file with your company name and the title of this project. Agency: Economic Development Corporation Category: Goods and Services Selection Method: Request for Proposals PIN: 11281

Data provenance

This notice is sourced from NYC City Record and was originally published on June 17, 2026. Last refreshed 3 days ago. BidsFactory mirrors official procurement notices and links back to the source for full legal text.

About Economic Development Corporation

Economic Development Corporation has issued 266 procurement notices on BidsFactory, including 19 currently open and 1 awarded contracts. Activity concentrates in Construction & Civil Works, Information & Communication Technology, and Architecture & Engineering Services. All notices are published for United States. Notices are distributed via NYC City Record and NYC Open Data. Most recent publication: June 17, 2026.

Frequently asked questions about this tender

How can I submit a bid?

Visit NYC City Record to access the full notice, required documents, and submission instructions provided by the contracting authority.

When does this tender close?

The submission deadline is August 7, 2026. You have 44 days left to prepare and submit your proposal to the contracting authority.

Who is the contracting authority?

This notice was issued by Economic Development Corporation in United States. The authority is responsible for evaluating bids, awarding the contract, and managing performance.

What type of contract is this?

This is a Supplies contract in the Culture, Heritage & Tourism sector. The classification helps bidders match the opportunity to their qualifications and registered scope of supply.

Where will the contract be performed?

The contract is for delivery in United States. Foreign bidders should review local registration, taxation, and any in-country presence requirements before submitting.