Ottawa Airport handled 4.62 million passengers in 2024, an increase of +12.7% year-on-year. Credit: VisualArtStudio/ Shutterstock.com

Ottawa International Airport Authority has released a request for proposals (RFP) for a duty free boutique concession at Canada’s Ottawa Macdonald-Cartier International Airport (YOW).

The RFP concerns two specific concession locations, an international store and a second trans-border store situated within the post-security area of the Passenger Terminal Building (PTB).

The deadline for submissions is 14:00 (local time) on 1 May, with a preliminary award announcement due on 16 May.

Further to the conclusion of contract negotiations, the concession is set to commence on 1 August.

The lease term is six years with an option of a four-year extension, with the successful bidder required to pay monthly rent equal to the greater of the percentage fees or MAG. The first-year MAG is set at CAD 350,000/US$245,300.

In addition to the MAG, proponents are being offered the option to include within financial proposals a percentage rent offer composed of one or more percentage rates, product categories and thresholds of gross revenue.

Where proposed, percentage rent will be factored into the authority’s evaluation of financial proposals.

Relocated international store

The selected party will initially occupy the current international store location and will be tasked with concurrently designing and building a new footprint directly across from the current location to be occupied for the balance of the term until completion.

A slightly reconfigured trans-border store will operate in its present location.

The airport authority has scheduled an information session due to take place at 13:00 (local time) on 27 March. This is mandatory for all proponents.

Documents seen by this publication read: “The Authority is seeking a duty free concession operator that is capable of offering an exciting, diverse and unique product range to international travellers who are eligible to make duty free purchases. The duty free concession will be operated from one location in the International holdroom (“International Store”) and a second location in the Trans-Border holdroom within the PTB (‘Trans-Border Store’).”

The current duty free concessionaire is 3Sixty Duty Free.

Ottawa Airport handled 4.62 million passengers in 2024, an increase of 12.7% year-on-year.

Those seeking further information should contact the following: [email protected]