The D.C. Council approved a new foodservice contract with SodexoMagic despite misgivings about the vendor, according to a report by the Washington Post. The $35 million contract will make SodexoMagic the largest food provider for Washington, D.C.’s public schools.
The council approved the one-year contract to secure meals for the approaching school year and avoid the need for an emergency provider. Three council members voted against the contract, citing SodexoMagic’s flawed history as a failure to improve from their former vendor.
D.C. public schools parted ways with Chartwells after settling a $19 million whistleblower lawsuit in 2015. The lawsuit accused Chartwells of fabricating invoices that the school system paid out, resulting in fallout that left the city limited time to find a new vendor.
Despite the time crunch, some council members did not see SodexoMagic as a better option. In 2010, Sodexo settled a $20 million case in New York for overcharging more than 20 school districts.
“This contract simply replaces one big flawed contractor for another big flawed contractor,” said Ward 3 Councilwoman Mary Cheh.
Councilman David Grosso encouraged other members to vote for the contract, viewing a failure to secure a vendor as a more serious problem than SodexoMagic’s record.
Students at D.C. Public Schools rely heavily upon the district’s foodservice provider. The majority of DCPS schools are listed at a high poverty level, according to public data released by the school system. All DCPS students are offered free school breakfast, an after-school snack and evening meals. In addition, 84 of DCPS’s 111 schools were certified to offer free lunch to all students for the 2015-2016 school year.
Council Chairman Phil Mendelson said there are few vendors that could provide the district’s desired food preparation needs on a large scale, making SodexoMagic the only viable option.
SodexoMagic is a partnership between Sodexo and Magic Johnson Enterprises, an investment company owned by onetime NBA star Magic Johnson. SodexoMagic could not be reached by FoodService Director for comment.