Small Business
Businesses of all sizes and types can land here! Whether you’re a smaller-scale enterprise, a medium-sized business, a franchisee of national or other brands, an Airport Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE), a or a local establishment, you have a place in our solicitation process alongside Prime Concessionaires.
Your unique offerings, services, and products within specific concession categories are valuable additions to our airport’s vibrant atmosphere. Join us in shaping an exceptional experience for our travelers and community alike.
Best Bites and Brands
The goal of our Best Bites and Brands of Reno-Tahoe campaign is to encourage more local entrepreneurs and minority owned businesses, to learn more about our concessions opportunities and airport operations. RNO is undergoing a large transformation and in addition to new space available in our future concourses, several locations in the existing terminal both pre- and post-security will be available. In addition to a mix of regional and national brands and products, RNO is focused on incorporating local restaurant concepts and products to establish a stronger connection with our community, providing a diverse array of choices for our passengers.
The Future of RNO is More
RNO is undergoing our MoreRNO Infrastructure Program which will, by replacing the existing concourses with two larger and modernized concourses, add an additional 40% of concessions space to the airport.
That means there will be more opportunities for concessions partnerships to introduce passengers to the local flavors and products of our region, leaving them with a lasting positive impression of Reno-Tahoe.
Bring Your Business to RNO
Meet & Greets and Program Events
Operating at an airport often requires significant investments in capital and labor. Prime Concessionaire agreements are used to help streamline business operations and allow for economies of scale. If you are interested in discussing the possibility of your brand or business being part of the RNO concessions program, we would like to help connect you to the potential operators that may be submitting proposals.
Explore our program timeline for Meet & Greet events and key dates to remember.
Form a Partnership
Partnerships take many forms during the concessions process, but it often starts with finding and building a partnership that works. We have many successful examples of what these partnerships look like – take locally loved pizza restaurant, Wild Garlic, for example. The brand, cousin to the Blind Onion restaurant, was formed specifically to come into the airport. The garlic-inspired pizza has been successfully operated by SSP America for over 10 years as a brand license.
Find What Works for You
Vino Volo and Verdi Market are renowned for offering a distinct dining and retail experience, which includes collaborations with local bites and brands like House of Bread, Hub Coffee Roasters, and Tahoe Heartbeat, among others. This type of partnership allows local and small business to feature their products with minimal risk, while giving travelers a sense of place and taste of our region’s specialties.
Key Factors to Keep in Mind
Operating in an airport offers the benefit of a large, captive, and constantly changing customer base; however, it is also brings unique aspects to consider. Here are a few things you should know:
Operational Costs
Operational costs are likely going to be higher at the airport than traditional operations due to things like required hours of operations, security badging, and parking. Although you can charge more at the airport, there’s a street pricing plus 10% cap on products sold at RNO to ensure pricing remains fair and reasonable for the traveling public.
Tenant Improvement Process
We want your brand to shine, and the space to feel uniquely yours. You have opportunities for airport concession location buildouts and improvements; however, all plans are subject to approval by the RTAA through our Tenant Improvement Permit process and must adhere to the Airport Improvement Guidelines.
TSA Regulations
Airport operations are regulated by Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and include many security measures like extensive employee background checks and security training before badges are issued and inspection of all products being sold at the airport. With safety as the top priority, RNO has extensive Rules and Regulations which all airport users and operators should be familiar with.
What is ACDBE?
The Airport Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (ACDBE) Program is a federal initiative applicable to airports that receive federal funding through FAA grants. Designed to ensure fairness, the program provides opportunities for small businesses owned and controlled by socially and economically disadvantaged individuals to compete for concession contracts, whether as operators or suppliers. It is important to note that the program is race and gender conscious.
For businesses considering participation, it is strongly advised to register under ACDBE promptly to meet deadlines for our solicitations process in 2025. Registration involves several steps and can take roughly eight (8) weeks to complete.
| Qualifying Groups Must hold at least 51% ownership of the firm | Same Qualifying Groups as DBE Certification: – African American males & females – Native American males & females – Pacific Islander males & females – Asian males & females – Hispanic males & females – Anglo females |
| U.S. Citizenship | Owner(s) must be U.S. Citizen or lawfully admitted permanent resident(s) |
| Personal Net Worth (PNW) | Owner’s personal net worth cannot exceed $1320,000 (excluding ownership interest in the applicant business and the primary residence) |
| SBA Guidelines Requirement | Business gross receipts cannon exceed $56.4 million dollars per year |
| Control and Expertise | Owners must have the experience, expertise and control of the day-to-day operations of the firm |
| Operational for Profit | Copies of three (3) completed or in progress jobs, contracts, proposals or bids |
Business Diversity at RNO
Learn more about federal support and the different diversity certifications for your business. Visit our Business Diversity page for the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority program goals and guidelines for the Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (DBE), Airport Concession Disadvantaged Business Enterprise Program (ACDBE), Emerging Small Business Certification Program (ESB) and Nevada Uniform Certification Program (NUCP).
Stay Up-To-Date
Stay informed about available opportunities for you and your partnerships by registering today. The airport is owned and operated by the Reno-Tahoe Airport Authority (RTAA) and utilizes Nevada’s online bid management system, NGEM. To receive formal notifications of opportunities at RNO, all vendors should register with NGEM.
Let’s Connect
Interested in learning more about concessions opportunities at RNO? Fill out our Business Engagement Form to connect with our team. We will help you along the way and ensure you create partnerships to bring your business here!
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