CFCblog - How did we get here? The Request for proposal (RFP)

October 2024

Corporations like Aramark have been running food services at Concordia and most Universities across the country for decades because Administrators find it to be the most convenient and financially conservative option available.

While universities and colleges have the ability and (arguably) a civic duty to enhance campus-community food systems, their current practices often contribute to global food crises. Canadian higher education institutions commonly hire large multinational corporations, mainly Aramark, Chartwells-Compass, and Sodexo (referred to as “the big three"), to provide foodservices on campus. The big three attempt to gain exclusivity contracts with university administrators, who make meal plans mandatory for students in residence . Collectively, they create a captive consumer market and monopoly over campus food distribution, allowing universities to generate revenue through a profit-loss model tied to the foodservice corporation's profitability.

But another factor complexifying the path to change here in Quebec is the Request For Proposal (RFP) process. Universities often cite the RFP process to justify their inability to innovate or change the relationship they have with Food Services.

So, let’s layout the important pieces of the RFP to better understand what we’re dealing with:

WHY SHOULD YOU CARE?

RFP periods are incredibly important moments for the campus food movement. In the past they have acted as waves of student empowerment that pushed the sustainability agenda forward, increased accountability of the Administration and emancipated spaces and rights for student-controlled food initiatives and more robust food services. These effects have rippled out for multiple generations. Students and faculty have made more gains via alternative campus-community food systems.

Understanding the RFP provides strategic insight into negotiation processes at Concordia University. By using the lessons of the past RPFs, students can shape the student demands and tactics moving forward.

WHAT IS AN RFP?

The food Request for Proposal is the legal process used whenever Concordia needs to find a new external food provider to operate the food services.While these contracts are usually renewed every 4-6 years, they can vary significantly – Chartwells held theirs for an incredible 16 years. One of our key victories was pushing to shorten this duration, and we continue to advocate for shorter contracts that prioritize flexibility and student needs. However, the university is pushing for longer-term agreements, and the fight isn’t over

In Quebec any time a public body (like a university or government agency) has a contract for good services that is worth a certain amount (like over $101 100), they must publicly advertise an RFP and conduct a formal bidding process (LCOP). The RFP document outlines the contract, detailing which spaces are included, how much food must be served, and what sort of sustainability guidelines must be followed.

Anyone interested in the contract makes an official bid. Once all the bids are received, the University evaluates each one and selects its favorite option based on a matrix of criteria.

THE CONTRACT & CRITERIA CONUNDRUM

The food services contract provides the rights to operate food services in 5 spaces across both Concordia campuses. The largest parts of this contract are the 2 cafeteria spaces serving food to students in residence. The rest of the contract is composed of various small to medium size retail spaces.

Based on the previous RFP estimates, food service providers who win the food service contract at Concordia stand to make $5-7 million in revenues annually. Of this, the most significant and stable revenue stream is the mandatory meal plan that all students in residence are forced to pay into. Concordia actually receives money from the food service operator contractor - a commission is a percentage that varies depending on the operator's revenues, but usually in the millions of dollars annually. This percentage amount is not disclosed during the bidding process and remains a closely guarded secret between the University and the new food service provider once the contract is signed.

The RFP process for awarding contracts presents serious roadblocks for newer, small community-localized, and sustainable providers to compete because the process is cumbersome and heavily skewed in favour of large, entrenched multinationals whose resources allow them to quickly jump through the bureaucratic hoops of compiling an enormous complex proposal that meets stringent legal, language and bidding criteria along with offering significant financial incentives to the University.

Most public bodies use one of four decision models in choosing a bidder:

Price alone: Bid chosen to meet all requirements at the lowest possible price.

Minimal quality & price: Bid chosen for meeting all requirements relating to quality at the lowest price

Lowest adjusted price: Bid chosen based on a math formula that gives some preferential margin (max 10%) to sustainability but still the lowest price (adjusted for this margin).

Quality alone: bid chosen for the highest final score on all criteria, not for price.

At Concordia, the decision criteria seem to be the “lowest adjusted price”. While sustainability criteria in the RFP have increased notably in the last decade, those are not the most heavily weighted criteria. The bid selection process is kept quite confidential, with only one or two students, faculty or community members ever invited around the table during evaluation time.

As a result of all these factors, the dominance of unsustainable providers is perpetuated. Compounding the issue, the university's sustainability standards and priority on financial gains further entrench existing, unsustainable practices, making meaningful change even more difficult.

CASE IN POINT: In 2015, the CFC, the CSU and student activists put in significant effort to prepare a student-led bid for Concordia’s food service contract. The main goal was to offer an alternative to large multinational corporations like Chartwells, Sodexo, and Aramark by creating a more sustainable and locally focused food system at the university. The CFC and CSU had been working for months to bring together various local cafés, restaurants, and co-operatives. However, the complexity of the bidding process and the extensive requirements outlined in the 800-page Request for Proposals (RFP) made it difficult for smaller players to qualify. The CFC's efforts ultimately fell through when a potential key partner, COOPSCO—a cooperative that operates in many Quebec universities and CEGEPs—backed out of the project at the last minute due to lack of preparation and staffing issues. The experience left many activists frustrated, as it highlighted the structural barriers that make it difficult for smaller, local, and student-run businesses to compete with large corporations in such processes.

SO WHEN’S THE NEXT ONE?

The current food service contract allows the University to extend the end date by up to 2 years. Therefore it is set to expire on one of these dates:

May 31st 2026

May 31st 2027

May 31st 2028

Currently, the Concordia administration openly suggests there is no reason not to extend the contract with Aramark. They purport that the student satisfaction ratings are high and that they have a great relationship with Aramark, which is meeting all of the contract obligations.

Concordia has a checkered history with this process, here are the major highlights:

LESSONS FROM THE PAST RFP PROCESS

During the past RFP processes, many students and faculty members were involved in advocating for changes to the food system. These include members of the FAWG, the RFP selection committee, the University Board of Governors of Concordia (BOG) as well as people who tried to organize a bid coming from a consortium of local food organizations.

Participants were interviewed in person by Gabriel Velasco and were asked about their involvement in the RFP process, what demands they advocated for, and whether or not these demands were successful. Participants also provided insights for future students who are interested in getting involved in creating meaningful change during the next RFP process.

Core demands have been made by the participants during the 2015 and 2021 RFP negotiations. The image below displays these demands and situates them on a spectrum from successful to unsuccessful.

Advocates made significant wins in increasing sustainability benchmarks, reducing the operational revenue criteria down from $5 million, emancipating spaces, and minimizing exclusivity for the vendor. But there is still significant room for progress.

WHAT CAN WE DO NOW?

The future of Concordia's food system is in our hands, together we can transform it!

The CSU and several other student associations are officially endorsing key demands to the Administration to improve the food system at ConU:

End Exclusive Contracts with Multinational Corporations:

The student body demands the termination of exclusive food service contracts with multinational corporations like Aramark. These contracts limit competition and often result in higher prices and lower quality food options. By ending these exclusivity agreements, Concordia can open the door to local, community-based food providers who prioritize sustainability and student health

Support, Enhance and Incubate Local Food Initiatives:

Concordia must commit to supporting and anchoring food initiatives that enhance community wealth, such as the New Food Enterprise (NFE) as well as the many student-led food initiatives on campus. These initiatives provide affordable, healthy, and environmentally sustainable food options while fostering a circular economy and sense of community. Concordia must fulfill its role as anchor institution by increasing annual funding, space & equipment resources, research and institutional support for these programs will ensure their growth and success.

Implement a Holistic Food Policy that Includes Strong Commitments to Social, and Environmental Justice:

The university must review and adopt a comprehensive, holistic food policy in reference to the National Student Food Charter and centered around social and environmental justice, including local and organic produce, reducing food waste, implementing environmentally friendly practices and creating meaningful, secure employment. The development and steering of this policy should center student groups, faculty, and local food stakeholders to ensure it meets the community's needs and aligns with best practices in food sovereignty. The Food policy should be reviewed and revised on a biannual basis.

To break out of this cycle, we need to fundamentally rethink how food contracts are awarded and redefine what makes a campus food system truly sustainable. It’s time to push for shorter, transparent contracts that prioritize community values over corporate profits. Understanding and challenging the RFP process is just the beginning—but it’s a powerful step toward reclaiming control over our campus food system.

Ready to shake things up? Here are some ways you can make some noise and help shift the power:

✅ Vote in the upcoming referendum to tell your Union and the Admin you deserve more from them!

✅ Sign the petition for the Future of Food Service referendum question

✅ Want to get more involved? Join the FedUp Concordia campaign

✅ Want to be part of the solution? Attend our upcoming World Cafe (details coming soon)

✅STAY INFORMED Join the CFC mailing list