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Provision of Catering Services/PME/PRO/2026

THE OPEN UNIVERSITY

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

29 Oct 2026 at 16:24

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

25 May 2026 at 15:57

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Open University plans to procure catering services for its Walton Hall headquarters and campus in Milton Keynes. The service covers a café, restaurant, and meeting and hospitality catering for university academics, postgraduate students, support staff and tenant organisations. The wider university teaches up to 200,000 students, most of whom study remotely, so this requirement concerns the campus-based community rather than the full student body. Campus attendance has shifted substantially, with the busiest days currently Tuesday to Thursday and lower attendance on Mondays and Fridays. The University expects this population may grow as it leases more buildings to external organisations. The services fall within canteen and catering services (CPV 55500000).

This is at the planning stage: the University is conducting early market engagement to understand industry developments, gauge supplier interest and shape a future tender. It expects to run the tender in early 2027, with a future notice anticipated around 1 February 2027. The market questionnaire engagement milestone is dated 12 November 2026. The estimated procurement value is £7.2 million excluding VAT (£8.64 million including VAT). The planned contract period runs from 1 February 2028 to 31 January 2035, with an extension option potentially taking it to 31 January 2037. The requirement is presented as one lot. No tender invitation has been issued at this planning stage.

The planned service is intended to be financially sustainable while offering users value for money, and to keep pace with current and future food-service trends. The University is seeking creativity, quality and variety, alongside a service able to adapt staffing and service areas if needed. Suppliers should be prepared to serve a variable campus population and respond flexibly if attendance increases. The intended operating hours are 8am to 4pm, five days a week, excluding public holidays and the Christmas closure. The lot is identified as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, so suppliers of that scale may find the requirement relevant. Market engagement participation will not prevent a supplier from competing in the future procurement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Provision of Catering Services/PME/PRO/2026

Notice Description

The OU will soon be embarking on a tendering exercise for its catering services, during the early part of 2027. The OU is the largest on-line university in the UK teaching up to 200,000 students per year, it is not a typical university as most student's study part time in their own homes or in their place of work supported by locally based tutors. Walton Hall, is the headquarters of the OU, catering services provide cafe, restaurant and meeting / hospitality services to the academics, 200 post graduate students, support staff and tenant teams based at the Milton Keynes campus. Over the past 5 years the campus has undergone considerable changes in work patterns, from an original site population of over 3,500 to now operating peak days Tuesday to Thursday at 1,100, and Mondays and Fridays significantly lower. This may increase in the future years as the OU continues with its strategy to lease its buildings to external organisations. Aims and Objectives of catering services * Create a financially sustainable service to the OU, its employees and visitors. * Create a service that incorporates the latest and future trends in food service. * Create a service that maintains a high level of creativity, quality and variety (this may require some remodelling of staffing and service area) * Availability 8.00am - 4.00pm 5 days per week excluding public holidays & Christmas closure. * Offer a consistent perception of value for money to users. * Be flexible and agile in its ability to respond to changing site population in the coming years. Overview of Requirement The OU would like to hear from catering suppliers willing to participate in an Early Market Engagement exercise in the field of Catering Services. The purpose of this request is to: * Understand industry developments * Assist the OU in drafting requirements for the future procurement opportunity * Gauge the level of interest in the project from the market

Planning Information

The OU will soon be embarking on a tendering exercise for its catering services, during the early part of 2027. The OU is the largest on-line university in the UK teaching up to 200,000 students per year, it is not a typical university as most student’s study part time in their own homes or in their place of work supported by locally based tutors. Walton Hall, is the headquarters of the OU, catering services provide café, restaurant and meeting / hospitality services to the academics, 200 post graduate students, support staff and tenant teams based at the Milton Keynes campus. Over the past 5 years the campus has undergone considerable changes in work patterns, from an original site population of over 3,500 to now operating peak days Tuesday to Thursday at 1,100, and Mondays and Fridays significantly lower. This may increase in the future years as the OU continues with its strategy to lease its buildings to external organisations. Aims and Objectives of catering services Create a financially sustainable service to the OU, its employees and visitors. Create a service that incorporates the latest and future trends in food service. Create a service that maintains a high level of creativity, quality and variety (this may require some remodelling of staffing and service area) Availability 8.00am – 4.00pm 5 days per week excluding public holidays & Christmas closure. Offer a consistent perception of value for money to users. Be flexible and agile in its ability to respond to changing site population in the coming years. Participation or non-participation in this pre-procurement market engagement shall not prevent any supplier from participating in a potential procurement process in the future. Link to Preliminary Market Questionnaire, via the OU’s procurement portal:- https://in-tendhost.co.uk/openuniversity

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06a26b
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/102838-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

CPV Codes

55500000 - Canteen and catering services

55520000 - Catering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£7,200,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
29 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Feb 20273 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2028 - 31 Jan 2035 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE OPEN UNIVERSITY
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
MILTON KEYNES
Postcode
MK7 6AA
Postcode Area
Milton Keynes
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ12 Milton Keynes
Delivery Location
TLJ12 Milton Keynes
Local Authority
Milton Keynes
Electoral Ward
Monkston
Westminster Constituency
Milton Keynes Central

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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