School committee approves Chartwells to run district food service after DESE RFP process

The Northbridge Public Schools School Committee voted to award the district’s food service management contract to Chartwells following a Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE)–structured request for proposals process.

Committee members heard a summary of the RFP evaluation during the meeting. District staff said two companies submitted proposals, Chartwells and Aramark, and both were rated “highly advantageous” under the DESE template. Under the RFP rules described to the committee, when multiple bidders receive that top technical rating the award is determined by the highest guaranteed return offered to the school food service program; Chartwells submitted the higher guaranteed return, producing roughly a $130,000 guaranteed return compared with a roughly $100,000 return from the other bidder — a spread the presenter described as “about $30,000.”

District staff told the committee the financial dynamics have shifted since the start of universal free meals for students, so the typical pattern of competing firms offering different loss/profit estimates has changed. The committee then moved and seconded approval of the recommended award and approved the contract by roll call.

The committee did not provide additional contract language or a contract number during the meeting. Staff said the RFP followed the DESE template with limited customization and that this template sets the structure for ranking technical proposals first, then comparing fee/return proposals among the top-ranked bidders.

The committee plans to finalize contract paperwork and notify families and vendors after the district’s contract-signing process is complete.