School’s Food Contract Criticized
By Joe Robertson, The Kansas City Star, Mo.
Feb. 23–The Kansas City school board awarded a multimillion-dollar contract Wednesday night to privatize school food service despite accusations that the bidding process was unfair.
Chartwells, a division of the Compass Group, won the contract over Sodexho USA.
The agreement guarantees that the district will reap some $500,000 in revenue next year for a program that the district said has been losing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Both bidders are multibillion-dollar corporations. But it was the local vendors behind Sodexho’s proposal — several aligned with the Black Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas City — who criticized the board majority’s desire to go with Chartwells’ $7.8 million proposal.
“This was a bad decision,” said Black Chamber President A. Marie Young. “They did not vote in the best fiscal interest of the community.”
Both companies’ bids exceeded the minority-owned business participation requirements. Both agreed to use the district’s staff of more than 300 food service employees. Both promised culinary arts programs and other academic incentives.
Sodexho offered a lower contract price and more revenue to the district, while Chartwells offered more investment in equipment.
The private corporations have predicted they can make revenue without cutting jobs by more efficient bulk purchases of foods and by marketing services to get more children to eat in school.
The district’s 14 management jobs in food service, however, could be affected.
A 6-3 majority approved the district’s proposal to hire Chartwells. Board President David Smith, who voted with the majority, said the board was satisfied that the district had given both bidders fair consideration and had followed policy.
“We are expecting a top-quality food program for our students,” he said.
Young and Sodexho officials have complained that they think the district gave Chartwells opportunities not given to Sodexho to improve its bid.
The district says both companies were given the same chance to adjust their bids.
Board members Claude Harris, Duane Kelly and Marilyn Simmons voted against the proposal.
Simmons complained that the district had bungled the process and did not give fair consideration to Sodexho, which she said had contracted with more businesses in the school district community to support its services.
“I’m trying to understand when are we going to respect small businesses?” Simmons said. “When are we going to respect the taxpayers?”
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To reach Joe Robertson, call (816) 234-4789 or send e-mail to jrobertson@kcstar.com .
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