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The Compass Partnership of Schools - Catering Services

THE COMPASS PARTNERSHIP OF SCHOOLS

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

10 Aug 2026 at 14:56

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

12 Dec 2025 at 17:38

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

06 Jun 2025 at 09:54

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Compass Partnership of Schools procured a full daily school catering service for its schools. The successful contractor is responsible for lunch provision on every school day for pupils and staff, using the schools’ dining areas, serveries and other outlets available to pupils. The outsourced service covers 5,483 pupils, including 1,946 entitled to universal infant free school meals and 1,611 receiving free school meals. The requirement is school catering services (CPV 55524000), delivered across the Trust’s school sites in London. The Trust sought a service that would increase uptake, introduce appealing menu ideas and initiatives, and support continuous improvement through a close working relationship between the schools and catering contractor.

The procurement is complete and the contract was awarded to Compass Contract Services on 12 December 2025. It used a selective competitive flexible procedure, with a staged process of qualification, invitation to tender, presentations, assessment and award. One Trust-wide lot was used, rather than dividing the requirement, to support consistency, manageable contract oversight and value for money. Evaluation placed 90% on quality and 10% on price. Five valid final-stage bids were recorded, including one from an SME. The contract was signed on 14 February 2026 for £11,221,709 gross, covering 14 February 2026 to 13 February 2029, with two possible 12-month extensions to a maximum end date of 13 February 2031.

This award indicates demand for a substantial, Trust-wide outsourced school catering operation, suited to established caterers with the capacity to serve thousands of pupils and staff consistently across multiple school sites. Credible competitors would need strong daily school-food delivery, reliable mobilisation and contract-management resources, and the ability to operate dining rooms, serveries and pupil-facing outlets. The requirement also favours providers able to manage TUPE obligations and work with staff covered by the Local Government Pension Scheme, including 24 catering employees. Quality was the dominant evaluation consideration, so evidence of improving meal uptake, developing attractive and innovative menus, engaging pupils and staff, and continuously improving service performance would be important. The competitive field included large providers and an SME.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Compass Partnership of Schools - Catering Services

Notice Description

The Compass Partnership of Schools is currently out to tender for the provision of a full daily catering service. The services at the Trust schools are outsourced. The Contractor will be responsible for the provision of a full school food catering service for the pupils and staff at the Trust schools. This will consist of full lunch service for each school day at all sites. The catering facilities at the school include the main dining areas and servery. All outlets are available to all pupils. Across the Trust there are currently 5483 pupils on roll for the academic year 2024/25. Of this figure, 1946 pupils are entitled to UIFSM and a further 1611 to Free School Meals. TUPE is expected to apply, details of which can be found in the tender documentation. Some members of the catering team (24 employees) are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme and all details are in the tender documentation. The Trust is keen to further increase uptake and continue the good work already in place for catering. It wishes to do so by working closely with the successful contractor in developing and continuously improving the service and partnership during the period of the contract and by introducing innovative and creative ideas as submitted in the tender process and ongoing. The Trust is aware that there are always opportunities to improve and modernise. They are interested in ensuring that the caterers provide the best possible service, introducing new menu ideas and initiatives so that pupils are all eating and utilising the service regularly.

Lot Information

Lot LOT-0001

Renewal: The duration detailed above includes the initial term of 3 years as well as the 2 optional contract extension periods of 12 months each.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05441e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/075803-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

CPV Codes

55524000 - School catering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£8,125,972 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£8,125,972 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£11,221,709 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
£11,221,709 £10M-£100M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Aug 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
12 Dec 20259 months ago
Contract Period
14 Feb 2026 - 13 Feb 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
2027-06-06

Notice Status

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

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE COMPASS PARTNERSHIP OF SCHOOLS
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SE9 2JB
Postcode Area
South East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI5 Outer London - East and North East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI51 Bexley and Greenwich
Delivery Location
TLI London
Local Authority
Greenwich
Electoral Ward
Eltham Town & Avery Hill
Westminster Constituency
Eltham and Chislehurst

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Compass Contract Services (UK) Ltd

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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