New Haven committee backs three-year EMS Link contract for school meal tracking
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Summary
The finance committee recommended a three-year, competitively procured contract with EMS Link LLC to provide point-of-service software that New Haven Public Schools uses to track meals and claim state reimbursements; the total listed in supporting materials was $146,893.50 per year for three years.
The New Haven Board of Alders Finance Committee on Sept. 8 recommended authorizing a three-year contract for EMS Link LLC to supply point-of-service (POS) software that New Haven Public Schools uses to record meals, track inventory and submit monthly reimbursement claims to the state. The committee heard from the school food services director and questioned the procurement and cost savings.
Committee members said the agreement was competitively procured. Barry Hill, director of food services for New Haven Public Schools, described the software as the system the district uses “to claim our meals, and we keep track of that,” adding it is the main way the district documents reimbursable meals and inventory. A committee member said the procurement produced two bidders and that EMS Link was the lower-cost vendor.
The committee reviewed cost details included in supporting materials. The package referenced a three-year total of $146,893.50 (appearing in the public packet) for the contract period. Committee members asked whether software updates, help desk access and an individual consultant support were included; Hill said the vendor provides updates, quick response times and a dedicated consultant.
No public witnesses spoke on the item. Committee members noted they had received and reviewed a PDF copy of the contract in advance and found it in order. The committee moved the item favorably to the full Board of Alders; members also discussed adding the contract amount to the published order for the full board’s consideration.
The order before the committee referenced the Board of Alders’ LM20250476, the multi-year order authorizing execution of the agreement. Any final contract will be subject to the city’s standard procurement and contracting processes and to the form of the agreement in the supporting materials.
Looking ahead, the item will proceed to the full Board of Alders; a committee member requested that the administration include the dollar amount on the order at second reading so the board has the contract figure explicitly stated.