Western Washington University has signed a contract with the Philadelphia-based company Aramark to be the new vendor for campus dining services.

The 10-year contract begins Sept. 1 and continues until Aug. 31, 2021. Aramark will provide dining services at Western’s residential dining halls, catering and retail cafes and markets.

“Aramark, as part of this contract, will be investing in our students and Western’s future in a variety of innovative ways,” Eileen Coughlin, vice president for student affairs, said in a press release. “Western students, in dining committee meetings and in other conversations, have let us know what they’d like to see in Western’s dining services program. This new partnership is responsive to student and university priorities.”

In May, Aramark was named apparent successful bidder as part of a competitive bid process with a request for proposals that was issued in November 2010. The result included proposals from two national vendors – Aramark and Sodexo, the current vendor for Western’s dining services.

Aramark provides food and facility management services in 22 countries, including 600 colleges and universities in the United States covering residential and retail dining, conference catering and concession food services.