A food fight is simmering in the Chartiers Valley School District, but in this case the participants are school directors, not students.

The beef, which appears to have divided the school board, is over who will get the food service management contract for 2008-09 with an option to continue for four years.

Vying for the job are Nutrition Inc. of West Newton, which has been the district's food service manager since 1990, and Metz & Associates, of Dallas, Luzerne County, with a local office in Sewickley.

Nutrition Inc. serves 100 school districts in Pennsylvania and Ohio, including the Allegheny Intermediate Unit. Metz & Associates has 50 districts, including Bethel Park, Elizabeth-Forward, North Allegheny and Hampton.

Each would supply the district with management that would supervise Chartiers Valley's cafeteria operation and its employees. Director of Finance Nick Morelli said Chartiers Valley annually spends about $1.3 million to run the cafeterias in its four schools.

Board President Patti Figorski explained at the July 8 meeting that requests for food service management proposals went out May 22 and were opened June 16.

In its proposal, Metz showed the district would profit by $15,383 for 2008-2009, and Nutrition Inc. showed a net loss of $45,000 for the same period. Because Nutrition Inc. three days later submitted a break-even counter-proposal, school officials last week gave Metz a chance to submit another offer. It showed a $30,383 profit for next year.

Both firms indicated their counter-proposals were based on giving up part of their management fees for 2008-09.

"Throughout this whole thing there have been a lot of questions that board members have had," said Mrs. Figorski, a registered dietician, in bringing up the unsettled matter at the start of last week's business. She said the proposals specified that the district did not want to raise lunch prices.

Mrs. Figorski initiated last week's questioning by asking why Nutrition Inc.'s cost for a full lunch -- not the student price -- is $1.35, compared to $1.10 for Metz. Nutrition Inc. representatives blamed the difference on the district's well-used food court and tiered lunch program in which students can substitute an item for an additional 50 cents. They also vowed to crack down on student food theft.

"We know what the food cost is at Chartiers Valley. We don't want to lose the account," said Ross McClintock, Nutrition Inc. regional vice president.

"Your second bid should have been your first if we meant that much to you," responded Director Bridget Kelly.

Director Herb Ohliger wondered how to justify Nutrition Inc.'s higher cost to taxpayers.

"It really comes down to me to be an issue of cost. The numbers are the numbers," he said.

He went on to say later that there have been some quality and performance issues with Nutrition Inc., including an incident at the primary school in which pupils were given peanuts, a known allergen, for a snack. The error was discovered by district staff prior to distribution. However, Mr. Ohliger also credited the company with taking some steps to correct identified problems.

Several school administrators suggested there had been some issues with insufficient food quantities, and one of them thought Metz offered more comprehensive menus and a better wellness program. Both companies supply breakfast programs, too, with one district staffer noting Nutrition Inc.'s program was successful.

To help assess the food service proposals, Mr. Morelli set up a committee of six principals and administrators who independently used a point system developed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education to rate such bids. Of a possible 600 points on the first proposals, Metz scored 564 and Nutrition, Inc. 413.

Director Beth McIntyre objected to the district's use of the point system, saying it shouldn't have been employed with only two bidders.

"That's like targeted selection," agreed Director Mary Lou Petronsky.

Visibly unhappy with last week's discussion, Director Tom Galluze said later that a more important story is that officials were able to avoid a millage hike for the next school year. He said directors "would look at the proposals presented by both companies and, as a board, we'll make the decision of which company will provide the best service to Chartiers Valley."

The board's next meeting is July 29.