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The Maplesden Noakes School - Catering Services

The Maplesden Noakes School

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Award

06 Aug 2026 at 14:38

UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Award

28 May 2026 at 10:14

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

10 Feb 2026 at 14:05

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

09 Feb 2026 at 12:05

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Maplesden Noakes School in Maidstone, Kent, appointed a provider for its school catering services. The requirement covers food and catering across a co-educational secondary school and sixth form with 1,413 pupils and 190 teaching and support staff. Services include breakfast, morning break, lunchtime and after-school provision during the academic year, together with hospitality services when requested. The school sought fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared on site, flexible menus suited to its pupils, and a balanced and healthy offer that would be popular with students. The service also includes staff management and development, marketing and engagement, and potentially interaction with the school’s cloud-based digital signage.

This procurement has been awarded following a two-stage Competitive Flexible Procedure. Five bids reached the final stage. The single lot was evaluated on 65% quality and 35% price, with a minimum 60% score required at the selection stage. Culinera Limited was awarded the contract on 28 May 2026, with a contract value of £2,609,655 excluding VAT (£3,131,586 including VAT). The contract was signed on 31 July 2026 and runs from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2029, with an option to extend for up to two further years, to 31 July 2031. The arrangement is a guaranteed performance contract; hospitality requirements are billed separately. The award followed a standstill period ending on 8 June 2026.

This award demonstrates established demand from a large secondary school and sixth-form catering operation, including daily meal services and additional hospitality. Suppliers well placed for a future requirement would need to manage an on-site, tightly controlled catering service at pupil and staff scale, using fresh local ingredients and producing healthy menus that reflect students’ needs and preferences. Evidence of strong contract management, staff leadership, development and retention would be important, alongside effective marketing and engagement with the school community. Relevant operators should be able to work collaboratively with school leadership, introduce practical service improvements and value-adding ideas, and potentially support cloud-based digital signage. The requirement was suitable for SMEs and VCSEs, while credible providers would need £5 million employer and public liability insurance and annual turnover of at least £1 million.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The Maplesden Noakes School - Catering Services

Notice Description

The Maplesden Noakes School is a coeducational secondary school and sixth form with academy status, located in Maidstone, Kent, England. At Maplesden, we know we take on a weighty responsibility when you entrust your child to us. Education at Maplesden includes a commitment to helping every child reach their full potential in all their courses, but we believe it goes well beyond this too. Our goal and Just Cause at Maplesden is To Provide the Best Curriculum and Experience for all, and the Best Start to an Exciting Future Further information regarding the School can be obtained here: https://www.maplesden.kent.sch.uk/ Tender information: The successful tenderer will be required to provide excellent catering services to The Maplesden Noakes School, which has 1413 pupils of which 28% are pupil premium, and 190 teaching and support staff. The contract term being tendered is for three years, 1st August 2026 - 31st July 2029. There is an option for a further extension period for up to two additional years to 31st July 2031. The contract offers an excellent opportunity to review and propose enhancements to the current catering services at the School. This includes but is not limited to; breakfast, morning break, lunchtime and after school services, over the academic year, plus hospitality services upon request. The school is keen to secure a high quality catering service including fresh locally sourced ingredients prepared on site, with a menu design that is flexible to suit the requirements of the school's specific students. The school requires a balanced, healthy offer that is popular with its students. Maplesden Noakes is proud of its 'family ethos' and expects both a tightly managed service and a management style delivered by the successful contractor that supports, encourages and develops the catering staff. Strong marketing and engagement initiative are sought and the capability to manage or interact with the school's cloud-based digital signage would be welcomed. The school is not obliged to accept the lowest price submitted for this tender, rather the school is keen to secure 'best value' from this contract and to deliver 'best value' to its students. Innovative and creative ideas as to how the services can be developed and value added, will be welcomed. The school seeks a contractor that is keen to work in partnership and who will deliver to its highest abilities, at all times. Competitive Flexible Procedure This procurement will be run under the Competitive Flexible Procedure. This will follow a two stage approach, with stage 1 being the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ). Here a minimum of 5 candidates (or less, in the event less than 5 meet the minimum criteria) and a maximum of 10 candidates, will progress to stage 2. Any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement and a minimum score of 60% must be achieved. Selected tenderers will then be invited to stage 2, the Invitation To Tender (ITT). Here, the evaluation of tender response will be set as 35% price and 65% quality. Value of contract: The annual value of the current contract is PS391,000 (the total sales including fsm, in the last contract year) Therefore the value of this contract is PS1,955,000 The contract shall be a guaranteed performance contract with any hospitality requirements billed separately. The tender process will be run under a two stage Competitive Flexible procedure. Additional requirements and information: *The school has a minimum requirement for a contractor's employers' liability and public liability insurances of PS5 million *The minimum annual turnover that your company must have achieved to be considered for this opportunity is PS1 million *There are not any incumbent catering staff currently within the Local Government Pension Scheme *The catering services are currently contracted to Impact Food group *Capital investment would be welcomed. *Please note that the successful tenderer will be required to pay the RIVA tender fee for this project directly to RIVA, upon their contract award. The client reserves the right not to appoint in conclusion of this project.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: There is an option for a further extension period for up to two additional years to 31st July 2031.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-064b02
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074812-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK7 - Contract Details Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
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
£1,955,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£1,955,000 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
£2,609,655 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
£2,609,655 £1M-£10M

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Aug 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
28 May 20264 months ago
Contract Period
1 Aug 2026 - 31 Jul 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
The Maplesden Noakes School
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MAIDSTONE
Postcode
ME16 0TJ
Postcode Area
Rochester
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
Maidstone
Electoral Ward
Allington & Bridge
Westminster Constituency
Maidstone and Malling

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Culinera Limited

Further Information

Notice Documents

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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