The North Greene School District is considering a move to a food service vendor for the upcoming school year.
The North Greene School Board reviewed two different bids for proposals at their June 15th meeting for a food service company to provide breakfast, lunch, and a fresh produce program.
The Greene Prairie Press reports that the two bids were between Opaa Food Management and Organic Life, LLC. The difference between the two bids were just above $89,500. Organic Life came in with the lowest bid at $699,356.24.
Superintendent Mark Scott told the North Greene School Board that Organic Life, LLC serves schools mainly in the Chicago area while Opaa is a well-known entity in the area, with a base of operations out of Chesterfield, Missouri.
According to information revealed at the meeting, the school district pays approximately $600,000 for operating its own food service.
During the meeting, the current Illinois law required school districts to take the lowest bidder for food service. On June 29th, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill that allows food service providers that participate in any of the USDA’s child nutrition programs to be exempt from contract bidding requirements. The bill now allows school districts to make their own choice for food vendors.
At their June 15th meeting, the North Greene School Board voted to table their decision on the food service bids.