Implement

Private Institutions: Draft Requests for Proposals for Food Service Management Companies

This stage helps private institutions begin selecting a food service management company by providing sample RFP language designed to advance their values-based procurement goals.
  • Private Institution
  • FSMC-Operated
Implement: 
  • Private Institutions: Draft Requests for Proposals for Food Service Management Companies

Introduction

For private institutions working with a food service management company, selecting a management company is a critical step in establishing and expanding values-based procurement practices. On this page, you can:

  • Find model recommendations and alternative language for including values-based procurement principles in RFPs.
  • See examples from private institutions using RFPs to set values-based expectations and evaluation criteria for prospective management companies.

Keep In Mind:

This Toolkit focuses on highlighting and incorporating values-based procurement jwithin an RFP for a food service management company. The model recommendations and alternatives provided here are meant to be inserted within a broader, complete RFP.

Why are RFPs important for private institutions wanting to increase their values-based purchasing?

Signal Values Early

RFPs are one of your first opportunities to tell prospective management companies about your institution’s values.

Solicit Information

RFPs provide a chance to learn about a management company’s values-based procurement capabilities.

State Clear Expectations and Set Evaluation Metrics

RFPs provide a means to clearly set values-based procurement expectations for the management company and incorporate an assessment of capacity to meet those expectations in evaluation metrics.

On this page, you will find model recommendations and sample language for incorporating values-based procurement into an RFP for a management company. Clearly communicating expectations and evaluating bidders’ capacity to deliver are essential to building a strong values-based purchasing program.

Keep these key terms in mind:

  • Vendor: a producer, food hub, aggregator, or distributor selling to a management company. “Values-based vendor” refers to a vendor that meets an institution’s food purchasing guidelines or standards.
  • Management Company: a food service management company submitting a proposal in response to an RFP to manage food operations for an institution.
  • Institution: the institution conducting the RFP process and seeking a management company.

An RFP that incorporates values-based procurement should: 

  1. Signal institutional commitment.
  2. State implementation expectations.
  3. Solicit information demonstrating capacity to deliver.
  4. Set evaluation metrics. 

Guiding Activities

Signal Institutional Commitment to Values-Based Procurement

The RFP should introduce the private institution and its values to the management companies competing for its business.

Go To Activity

State Expectations for Values-Based Purchasing Implementation

Including values-based procurement expectations in the RFP makes compliance with those expectations a central part of securing the contract.

Go To Activity

Solicit Information Demonstrating Management Company’s Capacity to Deliver

An RFP can be used to gather information about a prospective management company and its ability to work with an institution to achieve its values-based procurement goals.

Go To Activity

Set Values-Based Evaluation Metrics

Including values-based evaluation criteria in RFPs enables an institution to assess responses from management companies more holistically and prioritize alignment with its values.

Go To Activity