University of Virginia Library

BACKGROUND

For several years, the University of Virginia Hospital has had a dual food service operation in confined contiguous areas. The University Food Service operated the cafeteria with support from their food center on Ivy Road and less than adequate support and production space on-site. The Hospital operated the patient food production and distribution from the main kitchen. The Replacement Hospital is scheduled to come on line with a large modern cafeteria and new methods of patient food production and distribution. These anticipated changes brought on by the Replacement Hospital along with the inefficiencies of our current setup, as well as complaints with quality and service from our cafeteria, generated a management decision to unify food production, distribution, cafeteria and catering services into a contractually provided service.

A Request for Proposal was developed and targeted at nationally recognized companies with experience in serving major teaching hospitals preferably with resources and experience in opening and operating new facilities within our current planning and budget forecasts. The University Hospital was successful in attracting the interests of seven companies that met its requirements, of which three competitive proposals were received. Negotiations with these three vendors were accomplished, and ARA was selected.