Catering – On and Off Campus

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Policy Number:

UW-3049

Old Policy Number:

PPP 10

Responsible Office:

Purchasing Services, Division of Business Services

University Policy

Rationale/​Purpose:

The decision to have food at a UW event, either on or off campus, presents a number of concerns, including the safe and proper handling of the food, as well as business concerns regarding purchasing and accounting processes and whether the provider has adequate insurance in place. The University has established the following policies as best practices as a precaution against the risk of food-borne illness.

Definitions:

Vendor catering

An off-campus catering vendor provides food service for University sponsored programs on property owned or leased by the University, is both licensed and insured, and prepares, transports, set outs and/or serves the food. An insurance certificate with high-risk insurance limits is required.

Catering does NOT include: Food purchased and prepared by University staff or prepared food (pre-packaged box lunches, sandwiches, cheese trays, pizza, cookies, fruit or similar items) purchased from a licensed restaurant and/or catering operation and served by university staff on property owned or leased by the University. Prepared food may be delivered by the vendor or picked up at the vendor’s site by university staff.

Policy:

1. You Will Need an Insurance Certificate:

   • If you hire a Caterer to provide and serve food or if you hire a restaurant to serve food at a location other than their restaurant. Prior to the event, the Certificate must be forwarded to Risk Management for approval.

2. You Will Not Need an Insurance Certificate:

   • If the meal will be provided and served in a restaurant.
   • If the meal is being provided and served by the hotel kitchen staff or by the hotel caterer where the event/meeting is being held.

3. High Risk Insurance Coverage Requirements:

   • A Certificate of Insurance must be filed with the Office of Risk Management before the purchase order is issued or invoice paid. Please forward to Risk Management at 21 N park St Ste 6214, Madison, WI 53715, or by fax to 608-262-9082.

4.  Additional Insured:

   • The contractor shall add the “Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System, its officers, employees and agents” as an additional insured under the commercial general, automobile and liquor (when applicable) liability policies.

Procedure:

1. On Campus Catering:

   • When you are holding an event or a meeting on property owned or leased by the University and food will be served, departments must contact Wisconsin Union Catering and University Housing Catering to ascertain whether they can cater the event.
   • If neither the Union nor Housing is available to provide the catering, then the department has approval to contact a vendor for the event. The department must provide documentation that verifies both the Union and Housing are not available to provide the service.
   • All vendors who perform catering services on campus must have a City of Madison Catering License, and provide, prior to the event, a current insurance certificate with high-risk insurance limits, which must be forwarded to Risk Management for approval.
   • All Purchasing Services and Business Services policies apply to vendor provided catered events. Purchasing Services has Contract Signatory Authority. Departments do not have the authority to sign contracts. Contracts should be forwarded to Purchasing Services for approval. 

2. Off Campus Catering:

   • When you are holding an event or a meeting in a hotel, restaurant, community hall, or in another rental location off campus, and you will be serving food, you may be required to have the provider show proof of insurance.
   • All Purchasing Services and Business Services policies apply to vendor provided catered events. Purchasing Services has Contract Signatory Authority. Departments do not have the authority to sign contracts. Contracts should be forwarded to Purchasing Services for approval.
   • Note: Purchasing the ingredients for a meal, prepared by an individual who is not a licensed restaurant and/or catering operation, is not reimbursable through the University, since there is no way to determine the qualifications of the cook nor the sanitation of the kitchen. Events held in private homes must utilize prepackaged foods, a licensed restaurant, and/or catering operation.

Policy Administration

Approval Authority:

Assistant Vice Chancellor & Controller

Policy Manager:

Director of Purchasing Services

Contact:

Purchasing Services -- Purchasing Services, purch@bussvc.wisc.edu, (608) 262-1526

Revised Dates:

08-16-2014

Retrieved:

04-23-2024 10:32:03