Carbon County is reviewing bids for a new three-year contract for prison meals.

During the commissioners’ last meeting, the board opened two bids for food service at the correctional facility through the PennBid website.

The low bid came from Trinity Service Group, which submitted a bid for $1,486,134 for the three years. Current food provider Aramark Correctional Services LLC submitted a bid of $1,548,220.50. The bids are based on serving 151,000 meals annually.

Following the bid opening, the board tabled the two bids for further review and will be either awarded or rejected this Thursday during the commissioners’ meeting.

The current contract expires on May 31.

Both companies have been familiar with the county correctional facility, each having held the food services contract previously.

In 2022, Aramark was awarded the contract over Trinity, even though it was the second lowest bidder, because of Trinity’s noncompliance with some of the bid specifications.

Shortly after Aramark took over the food service, Warden James Youngkin reported to the prison board that inmates had commented on the improvement in the food being served.

One requirement for this round of bidding was a taste testing of several meals that would be prepared for inmates prior to the bids being opened.