This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

14 May 2026 at 16:35

Award

12 Nov 2025 at 15:51

Tender

13 Jun 2025 at 13:38

Summary of the contracting process

The Howard Primary School in Croydon, United Kingdom, has completed its procurement process for the catering services at its primary school. The tender, titled "Howard Primary School Catering Tender," falls under the industry category of services, specifically school catering services. The procurement process was managed by Cohesion Consulting Ltd, acting as a procurement consultant. The contract, valued at approximately £680,000 over an initial three-year period with potential extensions, began in January 2026 and is slated to run through December 2028, with renewal options extending up to 2030. The "Competitive Flexible" method was employed in this procurement, which included a procurement-specific questionnaire and an invitation to tender stages. This process adheres to the Light Touch Regime regulations and was awarded to Compass Contract Services (UK) Limited, trading as Pabulum Ltd, a large-scale supplier located in Birmingham.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses that can provide high-quality catering services, exhibit proactive management, and maintain excellent service standards. Ideal candidates for such tenders would be large-scale service providers experienced in managing school catering operations, ensuring high meal uptake and maintaining consistently high food quality. Businesses looking to expand their footprint in the educational sector, particularly those proficient in adhering to rigorous performance requirements outlined in the contract, will find this tender beneficial. By securing similar contracts, such businesses can bolster their reputation and gain substantial turnover while meeting the critical needs of educational institutions. Furthermore, companies that can demonstrate the ability to meet contract expectations may enjoy the prospect of extended tenure options.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Howard Primary School Catering Tender

Notice Description

Howard Primary School is a primary school in Croydon in the London Borough of Croydon with a student population of approximately 405 aged between 4 and 11 years of age. There is one busy main restaurant, equipped with a modern, well-maintained kitchen, serving as the hub of its catering provision. The School Office Manager, in collaboration with the Headteacher and Senior Leadership Team (SLT), is committed to enhancing the school's catering services. As part of this commitment, the school is tendering its catering contract to secure a provider that can deliver the very best service for every student at the school. The new contract will commence on 1st of August 2025 for an initial three-year term, with an option to extend for a further two years, subject to satisfactory performance and client agreement on budgets and service levels. The projected turnover for the three-year contract is expected to be circa PS680,000. This contract is designed to reward proactive management, ensuring high meal uptake, consistently high food quality and tangible contract support. The School, alongside CCL, expects the successful Contractor to reasonably guarantee their financial proposal and maintain excellent service standards. The procurement process follows a two stage 'Competitive Flexible' approach, beginning with a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) stage followed by an Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage after shortlisting. This process is managed under the Light Touch Regime, and the School reserves the right to refine the award criteria throughout. The School Office Manager and SLT has outlined key priorities for this tender, including: A TUPE-compliant bid with recommendations for service equipment, serving points, staffing levels and a bespoke food concept to drive sales and uptake. In short, the School seeks a trusted catering partner who can deliver their promises, achieve their sales targets, deliver their service enhancements in full. If bidders fail to demonstrate their ability to meet expectations, the school reserves the right to revert to an 'insourced' solution or post no award. Any investment proposals will need to be consistent with ESFA guidelines.

Lot Information

Lot LOT-0001

Renewal: The contract can be extended for 2 x 1 years or 1 x 2 years based on satisfactory performance and mutual agreement.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05489f
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/044615-2026
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
£660,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£660,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
£561,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
£561,000 £500K-£1M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
14 May 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
16 Jul 2025Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
11 Nov 20257 months ago
Contract Period
1 Jan 2026 - 31 Dec 2028 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
HOWARD PRIMARY SCHOOL
Additional Buyers

COHESION CONSULTING LTD

Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
CROYDON
Postcode
CR0 1DT
Post Town
Croydon
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ4 Kent
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ46 West Kent
Delivery Location
TLI6 Outer London - South

Local Authority
Tunbridge Wells
Electoral Ward
Park
Westminster Constituency
Tunbridge Wells

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

COMPASS CONTRACT SERVICES (UK) LIMITED TRADING AS PABULUM

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.

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