Award

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Catering purchasing service (including a products management system)

University of York

This public procurement record has 7 releases in its history.

Award

23 Sep 2026 at 14:44

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

08 May 2026 at 10:15

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

13 Feb 2026 at 10:06

UK4 - Tender Notice
PlanningUpdate

14 Aug 2025 at 11:29

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

04 Aug 2025 at 16:15

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

04 Aug 2025 at 16:12

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

21 May 2025 at 11:08

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The University of York has procured a catering purchasing service, including a catering products management system, to support food and drink provision across its restaurants, cafés and student accommodation outlets. The service covers purchasing from defining business needs and specifications through to contract and supplier relationship management, including supplier management, annual price reviews and compliance with public procurement and University financial rules. The system is to support menu and recipe management, stock and inventory, procurement and financial administration, including summary billing. The University operates more than 10 restaurants and cafés across its campuses; most are at Heslington, with outlets at Fairfax House and York city centre’s Guildhall. The work is delivered in York. It combines purchasing and supplier-management services with software and catering products.

The procurement is complete and awarded following an open procedure. Pelican Procurement Services Limited, trading as Avendra International, was selected; the contract was signed on 25 August 2026. The award date was 8 April 2026. The awarded value is £20 million including VAT, an estimate of maximum catering spend if the full term and extensions are used. The initial contract period runs from 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2029, with optional extensions of three years and then two years, potentially extending the term to 31 August 2034. There was one lot. Two valid bids were received. Evaluation weighted technical quality at 85% and commercial cost at 15%.

This award demonstrates demand from a large university catering operation for an integrated purchasing and stock-management service, rather than software alone. A credible competitor would need to manage the full purchasing cycle, from defining requirements and writing specifications to supplier and contract management, price reviews and regulatory compliance. The solution also needs to bring together menu and recipe management, inventory, procurement and financial administration, including consolidated billing. The selected provider is a procurement-services business, indicating that capability in catering supply chains and purchasing is central alongside the technology. Suppliers should be able to deliver a customer-focused service across multiple campus and off-campus food outlets, maintain reliable system and service-desk availability, and provide ongoing supplier management. The evaluation placed substantially greater emphasis on technical quality than price, so demonstrable service and system performance would be important.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Catering purchasing service (including a products management system)

Notice Description

The University has over 10 restaurants and cafes across out campuses that serve a range of food and drink options to staff, students and the general public (https://www.york.ac.uk/eat-drink-shop/eat-drink/outlets/), there are also outlets servicing student accommodation. Most of these outlets are on the two main campuses at Heslington with two off-campus locations at Fairfax House and in the city centre at the Guildhall York. The Supplier is to provide a catering purchasing service (including a products management system) which maximises value for money whilst delivering an integrated, customer-focused service. A catering purchasing service will be provided that covers all stages of the procurement process from defining business needs and developing specifications through to contract and supplier relationship management. The service will cover the above contracting activity and management of suppliers including annual price reviews and adherence to public procurement regulation and University financial regulations. A catering and stock management system is to be provided which includes menu and recipe management, inventory and procurement and financial administration including summary billing. The tender process has concluded, and a Supplier selected to fully deliver the service. For clarity, the total value stated in this notice is an estimate of the maximum value of spend on catering at the University if the full term of the contract including extensions is enacted (PS20,000,000 inc VAT).

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: 3 year initial term + 3 year + 2 year optional extensions

Planning Information

The University of York has issued a market engagement questionnaire to seek feedback from the Catering Purchasing Service and Catering Products Management system market to help it to shape its strategy prior to advertising its tender. The questionnaire can be accessed through the In-tend e-procurement portal on the following link (https://in-tendhost.co.uk/york/aspx/Home) until 17:00 Monday 1st September 2025 The aim of this Preliminary Market Engagement (PME) is twofold, firstly to notify the market of the University's requirements, and for the University to obtain detailed feedback from potential suppliers who can deliver the requirements to the University. The University intends to utilise the information collected from this engagement questionnaire to develop a procurement strategy to take to market to procure and secure a supplier to meet its requirements. It is hoped that shaping and refining the procurement strategy will result in an awareness of the University's requirements within the marketplace, and that early engagement with suppliers will enable the University to achieve its objectives. This engagement process shall therefore be of benefit to both the University and potential bidders. This document asks questions on areas where the University is keen to receive feedback. These are not considered exhaustive, and respondents are invited to raise other areas they believe are relevant. Parties wishing to take part in this engagement process are asked to complete the questionnaire and return by upload to the In-tend e-procurement portal (https://in-tendhost.co.uk/york/aspx/Home) by 17:00 Monday 1st September 2025.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-051a1e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/090198-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Framework
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

48 - Software package and information systems

79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

CPV Codes

48100000 - Industry specific software package

79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£20,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£20,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£20,000,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£20,000,000 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Sep 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
23 Mar 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
1 Sep 2025Expired
Award Date
8 Apr 20266 months ago
Contract Period
1 Sep 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
University of York
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
YORK
Postcode
YO10 5DD
Postcode Area
York
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLE Yorkshire and The Humber
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLE2 North Yorkshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLE21 York
Delivery Location
TLE21 York
Local Authority
York
Electoral Ward
Hull Road
Westminster Constituency
York Central

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Pelican Procurement Services

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...