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Food and Catering Supplies for Ark Schools Across the UK.

Ark

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

31 Jul 2026 at 09:26

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

29 Apr 2026 at 17:06

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Ark is procuring food and catering supplies for the kitchens of 32 academies across its schools in London, Birmingham, Hastings and Portsmouth. The requirement covers grocery and provisions, frozen goods, butchery, fruit and vegetables, chilled products, and non-food catering supplies including disposable items and cleaning products. Ark is the buying organisation, with ISCC Group Purchasing Trading as Procure acting as procurement manager and agent for supplier contracting, ordering and consolidated invoicing. This is a goods procurement covering the supply and distribution of food, catering consumables and associated products to multiple academy locations. Each category was structured as a separate requirement intended to be supplied by a single supplier.

The procurement used an above-threshold open competitive flexible procedure with selection and shortlisting followed by invitations to tender. It has reached award stage: awards were dated 29 July 2026. Michael I Holdsworth Limited was selected for grocery and provisions, frozen goods, butchery and chilled goods at £19,500,000 gross; Valimex Limited was selected for fruit and vegetables at £3,000,000 gross; and Nivek Catering Supplies Limited was selected for non-food items at £1,500,000 gross. The awards are pending, with a standstill ending on 12 August 2026 and signature scheduled for 30 August 2026. Contract delivery is planned from 31 August 2026 to 31 July 2029, with one 24-month extension available, potentially to 31 July 2031.

This procurement demonstrates substantial, multi-site demand for food distribution and catering supplies across academy kitchens. Relevant suppliers would need capability in one or more specialist supply areas, including ambient grocery, frozen products, butchery, chilled goods, fresh produce, disposable catering supplies or cleaning products. The evaluation placed 40% on whole-life cost and 60% on quality-related factors, including product specification, quality assurance, social value, service delivery, statutory performance and key performance indicators, and ordering and invoicing systems. Credible competitors would therefore need reliable supply and delivery across London, Birmingham, Hastings and Portsmouth, demonstrable quality controls, performance reporting, suitable ordering and invoicing technology, and references evidencing successful service. Each requirement was suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Food and Catering Supplies for Ark Schools Across the UK.

Notice Description

Ark Schools Multi Academy Trust ("Ark Schools") is seeking to appoint a number of suppliers for the provision of food products, catering consumables and associated goods to 32 Ark academies (London, Birmingham, Hastings and Portsmouth). The contract will be managed by ISCC Purchasing Ltd trading as Procure ("ISCC Procure"), acting as procurement manager and agent for supplier contracting, ordering and consolidated invoicing.

Lot Information

Grocery and Provisions

Single supplier to provide Grocery & Provisions to 32 of the Ark academies operated kitchens across London, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Hastings

Renewal: 1 x 24 month extension is available subject to agreement in writing by all parties

Frozen Goods

Single supplier to provide Frozen goods to 32 of the Ark academies operated kitchens across London, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Hastings

Renewal: 1 x 24 month

Butchery

Single supplier to provide Butchery to 32 of the Ark academies operated kitchens across London, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Hastings.

Renewal: 1 x 24 month

Fruit and Vegetable

Single supplier to provide fruit and Vegetables to 32 of the Ark academies operated kitchens across London, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Hastings.

Renewal: 1 x 24 month

Chilled

Single supplier to provide Chilled items to 32 of the Ark academies operated kitchens across London, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Hastings.

Renewal: 1 x 24 month

Non- Food

Single supplier to provide Non-Food items to 32 of the Ark academies operated kitchens across London, Birmingham, Portsmouth and Hastings.

Renewal: 1 x 24 month

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-068e77
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/072484-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

15 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

39 - Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products

CPV Codes

15000000 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

15110000 - Meat

15112000 - Poultry

15113000 - Pork

15130000 - Meat products

15300000 - Fruit, vegetables and related products

15500000 - Dairy products

15800000 - Miscellaneous food products

15890000 - Miscellaneous food products and dried goods

39222100 - Disposable catering supplies

39830000 - Cleaning products

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£25,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£25,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£24,000,000 £10M-£100M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
31 Jul 20263 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
12 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
29 Jul 20264 weeks ago
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 31 Jul 2029 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
Ark
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
W12 7TF
Postcode Area
West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI33 Kensington & Chelsea and Hammersmith & Fulham
Delivery Location
TLG31 Birmingham, TLI London, TLJ South East (England), TLJ2 Surrey, East and West Sussex, TLJ31 Portsmouth
Local Authority
Hammersmith and Fulham
Electoral Ward
White City
Westminster Constituency
Hammersmith and Chiswick

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

MICHAEL I HOLDSWORTH LIMITED

NIVEK CATERING SUPPLIES LIMITED

Valimex Limited

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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