Description
St Mary’s Catholic Primary School is tendering its catering services, aiming to commence the
contract on 1st September 2026 with the first day of service on 3rd September 2026. The School
requires a ‘delivered-in hot’ service as there is no production kitchen on site.
The School is seeking to appoint a catering partner capable of delivering a high-quality, reliable and
engaging meal service that supports the wellbeing of all pupils. The initial contract duration will be
three years, commencing on 1st September 2026, with the option to extend for a further two years
(1+1), subject to satisfactory performance, mutual agreement on budgets and continued service
excellence.
The estimated annual contract value is approximately £77,131, equating to an estimated total
contract value of approximately £231,393 over three years.
The primary objective of this contract is to enhance the catering provision, maximising meal uptake
and Free School Meal (FSM) participation through strong operational management, consistently
high-quality food and a proactive, supportive partnership approach. The School and Cohesion
Consulting Ltd (CCL) expect the successful Contractor to reasonably guarantee their financial
proposal, demonstrating value for money while maintaining excellent standards of service delivery.
The School’s vision, as outlined by the Headteacher, is centred on providing an ambitious, inclusive
and supportive environment where every child can thrive. This ethos should be reflected within the
catering provision, ensuring that lunchtime is a positive, engaging and inclusive experience for all
pupils.
As part of this tender exercise, bidders are expected to focus on:
• Presenting a bespoke food offer that is nutritionally balanced, appealing to pupils
and designed to maximise uptake
• Demonstration how they will drive participation, improve the dining experience
and support the School’s wider objectives.
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In essence, the School needs to be convinced the successful Contractor can deliver on their
promises, achieve sales targets, implement service enhancements effectively and provide reliable
day-to-day operational support.
The School reserves the right not to award the contract, including the option to consider an
insourced solution, should submissions fail to meet the required standard.
This procurement is being conducted in line with the principles of the Procurement Act 2023. The
School is adopting a single-stage competitive tendering process, whereby all interested bidders are
invited to submit a full tender response.
To express interest in the tender and access all contract documents (which are available free of
charge), kindly register on https://in-tendhost.co.uk/cohesionconsulting/aspx/Home, if you
haven’t already, and declare your interest in the opportunity.