Students attending ASU's Downtown Phoenix campus in fall 2006 will eat at a "global cafe" with food provided by Sodexho, administrators announced Friday.
Sodexho, the largest food-management company in North America, also provides food services for the Tempe campus, but its contract is up for renewal in July 2007.
The cafe has not been built yet, but it will be about 1,200 square feet and will be located in the University Center, on 411 N. Central Ave., said Patrick Panetta, assistant director of the University Real Estate Development Office.
Sodexho proposed that the cafe have a global atmosphere fit for the busy life of a Downtown student, he said.
"The atmosphere and menu will be tailored to the guest who is in a hurry," Panetta said. "It will have the ambience of a trendy bistro with current and global tastes but will stay within a budget."
The proposal broke the cafe down into three parts -- a coffeehouse, a deli and a market, he said.
The coffeehouse would allow students to relax and would play music; the deli would offer paninis, salads and chili; and the market would offer things like sushi and yogurt, Panetta said.
"[The market] will have prepackaged foods so you can take it with you," he said.
Though the cafe is divided in three parts, it will remain in the same facility and will be available to anyone -- not just students, Panetta added.
Lorie Sheppard, a senior buyer in University business services, said ASU had to place a request for formal proposals because of the size of the project.
The University received three proposals, but one did not place a bid, Sheppard said. The two proposals in consideration were from Sodexho and S&H Enterprises, she said.
Panetta said Sodexho won the bid because the company presented the most complete proposal.
"Sodexho had the most complete proposal as far as financial data as a proposed design and for proposed menus," he said.
Exact prices of the facility and menu items are not yet available because the cafe is still in the planning stages, he added.
Sheppard said the contract with Sodexho is for three years and allows the company the option to renew for two additional one-year periods.
Reach the reporter at tara.brite@asu.edu.
