“We’re thrilled to be at Augsburg,” said president and COO, Rick Sorel. “This is our largest account, and we are excited about the sense of partnership we see here.”

Though they didn’t officially begin operations at Augsburg until June 1, Sorel and other members of the A’viands team have been on campus regularly in the past weeks preparing for the transition.

Sorel said A’viands is committed to providing variety, ethnically diverse food choices, and organic and locally grown foods. He added that they will also strive to support the community by providing internships and working to maintain Augsburg’s Campus Kitchens program.

A’viands offers a comprehensive wellness program called “Fit Choices 4 Life.” The program includes signage for healthy options on the daily menu, table tents, a nutritional education center, and a wellness challenge. They also plan to present periodic complimentary healthful cooking classes for the community.

In addition to new signage, Augsburg could see other changes in the main dining area including the removal of a wall and redesign of the serving area. While there will be new faces on campus, A’viands is retaining 45 of the previous Sodexo staff, so we’re sure to see our favorite people at lunch time.

The company plans to set up a web site with a blog, menus, catering options, and to provide an opportunity for campus community members to give feedback. Augsburg’s kitchen will also be used as a test market for new menu ideas.

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Their first duty will be to shape how Augsburg explains its food needs to potential vendors. This explanation to service providers will take the form of a Request for Proposal (RFP), a document that is typically the first step in alerting contractors of an institution’s demand for services. Interested vendors will reply to the RFP, and the committee will review their responses. Once the field has been narrowed, the committee will taste-test samples from providers, visit other campuses to compare services, and interview the finalists. Taking all this information into consideration, the committee will then choose the best candidate to provide food services for Augsburg.

According to Kevin Myren, CFO and Vice President of Finance and Administration, “It appears that quite some time has passed since our current food service contract has been thoroughly evaluated — routinely evaluating this contract, as well as the provision of all services on our campus, is sound business practice.”

It is anticipated that Sodexho, Augsburg’s current food service provider, will also respond to the RFP and will be evaluated along with other possible vendors.

If you have questions about the committee or the RFP process, contact Kevin Myren at myren@augsburg.edu

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