Freedom of Information Requests

At public universities, the general public has the right to see documents pertaining to the relationship between the university and the campus food service company, including but not limited to, the contract between the two entites.  These documents can be obtained by making a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request. 

At private universities, unfortunately, you do not have this right, but we've found that administrators may be inclined to provide tuition paying students with some information upon request.  For both public and private schools, persistence may be required.

Take a look at our sample FOIA, and also, here are a few steps that will help your FOIA request be successful.

Step 1: Find your state's freedom of information law.

Step 2: Find the name and contact information of your university's purchasing/procurement director (usually available on your school's website).

Step 3: Identify Key Documents (such as the contract, profit/loss statements, RFPs)

Step 4: Draft a letter requesting documents.

Step 5: Contact your school's procurement office (by sending a letter and/or by email/phone).

Good luck!  If you have FOIA questions or problems, let us know and we might be able to help you.