Shippensburg University as an agency of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is required to conduct a competitively bid process for supplies and services when the base amount is $21,000.00 and greater under the Commonwealth Procurement Code. This process includes developing a Request for Proposal (RFP); Public Notice to Bidders; Receipt of Proposals; Evaluation of Proposals; Discussion with responsible offerors and revisions of proposals; Selection for Negotiation; and Contract Negotiation.

Such was the process used to determine the expiring dining services contract. Based on the results of the evaluation of the submitted proposals including cost, we have decided to partner with Aramark Education Services, LLC for the management of our dining services. Aramark is a respected professional services partner to hundreds of campuses across North America, as well as healthcare institutions, school districts, stadiums and arenas, and businesses around the world.

In choosing our new dining services partner, we gave consideration to the impact on the university, our community, and our employees. Our goal was to  create value, enhance the student experience, and elevate the quality of the dining program. With the new partnership, students can expect to experience:

  • Cutting-edge technology platforms enabling convenient options that improve speed of service with the introduction of mobile ordering, self-order and pay kiosks, and cashier-less checkout
  • Meal plan flexibility, with expanded meal options at all retail locations
  • Extended hours for new food venue in Big Red’s Snack Shack
  • “Create Kitchen,” a teaching kitchen that enables students to receive cooking instruction and make meals themselves
  • Continued usage of Kriner Dining Room for one year

Aramark has a long and respected history of providing high-quality campus services at more than 550 colleges and universities throughout the United States. It is our understanding that Aramark will be meeting with current Chartwell employees in anticipation of some of those employees joining Aramark in its service to the campus community. We look forward to the collaborative work of the respective human resources departments in the interest of effecting a seamless and efficient transition of our campus dining services.

Over the next several months, dining services will be making many enhancements on campus in preparation for Fall Semester 2020 and beyond.  We will keep you informed about important matters during this period of transition.

We will be scheduling virtual meetings over the next few weeks with student groups to provide more information about this new partnership and the changes coming to Ship dining! In addition, we will survey students in the next few weeks to help Aramark learn more about your interests for campus dining.

Please join us in welcoming our new partners to the Ship Community.

Sincerely,

Dr. B. Donta Truss, Sr. Vice President of Enrollment Management, Student Affairs and Student Success

Dr. Scott Barton, Sr. Vice President of Administration and Finance