Award

The Norton Knatchbull School

THE NORTON KNATCHBULL SCHOOL CATERING TENDER

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

28 Oct 2025 at 19:18

Tender

22 Nov 2024 at 13:57

Summary of the contracting process

The procurement process for The Norton Knatchbull School in Ashford, Kent, involves tendering for school catering services. This procedure is managed by the school itself, with the aid of Cohesion Consulting, and is categorized under 'services' with the CPV code 55524000. The contract is set to commence on 1st August 2025, with an initial duration of three years and a potential extension of two additional years, contingent upon performance and mutual agreement of terms. The selective procurement process is undertaken using a restricted procedure with a two-stage approach consisting of a Selection Questionnaire (SQ) followed by an Invitation to Tender (ITT), highlighting a proactive and selective method to ensure high service quality and satisfaction.

This tender presents significant business growth opportunities for catering companies, particularly those experienced in educational settings and capable of delivering high-quality food services. It is particularly suited for businesses that excel in proactive management, as the contract incentivizes increased sales and free school meal uptake through superior service delivery. Given the selective nature of this procurement, businesses that can commit to maintaining exceptional standards and are adept at navigating the legal frameworks associated with public sector contracts will find this opportunity well aligned with their capabilities. The awarded contract is valued at £1,250,000, providing a substantial revenue stream for the successful bidder, currently held by the SME supplier Culinera, indicating potential for similar enterprises to engage successfully in such tenders.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Norton Knatchbull School

Notice Description

The Norton Knatchbull School is a popular and highly regarded selective secondary school for boys in Ashford, Kent. The school admits a growing number of girls into its Sixth Form. It has 1290 students aged between 11 and 18 years of age and is supported by a team of 120 teaching and support staff. There is one busy main restaurant with a modern, well-equipped kitchen as well as an additional serving area adjacent to the restaurant.The School Management Team is developing the services to reflect the high aspirations of the Headteacher and SLT; they are tendering their catering services to deliver the very best service for every student at the school. The contract will commence on 1st of August 2025 for an initial three years, with an option to extend for a further two years subject to client satisfaction and client agreement on budgets and service levels. This contract will reward maximising sales and FSM uptake through pro-active management, consistently high food quality and tang

Lot Information

Lot 1

The Norton Knatchbull School is a popular and highly regarded selective secondary school for boys in Ashford, Kent. The school admits a growing number of girls into its Sixth Form. It has 1290 students aged between 11 and 18 years of age and is supported by a team of 120 teaching and support staff. There is one busy main restaurant with a modern, well-equipped kitchen as well as an additional serving area adjacent to the restaurant.The School Management Team is developing the services to reflect the high aspirations of the Headteacher and SLT; they are tendering their catering services to deliver the very best service for every student at the school. The contract will commence on 1st of August 2025 for an initial three years, with an option to extend for a further two years subject to client satisfaction and client agreement on budgets and service levels. This contract will reward maximising sales and FSM uptake through pro-active management, consistently high food quality and tangible contract support. The School and CCL expect the successful Contractor to reasonably guarantee their financial proposal and maintain excellent standards.The School use a two stage 'restricted' process under the Light Touch Regime, beginning with a Selection Questionnaire (SQ) stage followed by an Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage after shortlisting.

Renewal: The contract tenure is for an initial three year term and there is an option for both parties to extending the contract for another two years subject to performance and mutual agreement.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-04be09
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/069183-2025
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Restricted procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services


CPV Codes

55524000 - School catering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£1,050,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,050,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
£1,250,000 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Oct 20252 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
7 Jan 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
28 Oct 20252 weeks ago
Contract Period
Not specified - Not specified
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Cancelled
Awards Status
Active
Contracts Status
Active

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE NORTON KNATCHBULL SCHOOL CATERING TENDER
Contact Name
Procurement Team at Cohesion
Contact Email
info@cohesionconsulting.co.uk
Contact Phone
+44 1892251001

Buyer Location

Locality
ASHFORD
Postcode
TN24 0QJ
Post Town
Tonbridge
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ4 Kent
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ45 Mid Kent
Delivery Location
TLJ4 Kent

Local Authority
Ashford
Electoral Ward
Furley
Westminster Constituency
Ashford

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

CULINERA

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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