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Leighton Middle School

Leighton Middle School

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

10 Oct 2026 at 11:24

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
TenderUpdate

15 Jul 2026 at 08:18

UK4 - Tender Notice
Tender

20 Jun 2026 at 23:54

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Leighton Middle School is procuring a school meals catering service for pupils and staff at its school in Leighton Buzzard. The appointed catering partner is expected to provide fresh, appealing and nutritious food through a retail-led service, creating a modern dining experience pupils choose to use. The service must meet the School Food Standards and include strong day-to-day operations, customer service and allergen management. The school seeks commercially sustainable catering delivered through a fully commercial, self-financing model, with branding and merchandising that reflect current high-street trends. The scope is school catering rather than a general food supply contract: the provider is to run the dining offer and create a welcoming, efficient, pupil-focused environment.

The procurement is complete and Caterlink was selected for the single school catering contract. The award was made on 7 October 2026, at a value of £600,000. The contract period is 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2029, with provision for two 12-month extensions, potentially extending to 31 December 2031. The tender used an open procedure. Six bids were received, with one reaching the final stage. Evaluation weighted quality, integrity and management at 68% and finances at 32%, balancing quality, innovation and value. The contract covers one lot, and small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises were considered suitable to participate.

For suppliers assessing this buyer’s future school catering requirement, the award indicates demand for a partner able to operate a financially self-sustaining dining service, not simply deliver meals. Credible competitors will need a track record in commercially sustainable school catering, with the operational capacity to serve pupils and staff reliably and maintain excellent customer service. The successful offer was expected to provide fresh, nutritious food in an appealing, pupil-focused setting, comply with the School Food Standards and manage allergens robustly. Strong branding and merchandising, a retail-led approach informed by high-street trends, and the ability to improve the service continuously are relevant capabilities. The evaluation placed greater emphasis on quality, integrity and management than on financial factors, so operational and service quality will matter alongside a sound commercial model.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Leighton Middle School

Notice Description

Leighton Middle School is seeking an experienced and innovative Catering Partner to deliver a high?quality food service that meets the needs of pupils and staff. The Catering Partner will operate a fully commercial, self?financing catering model who will a provide a vibrant, modern dining experience that pupils actively choose to engage with. The successful partner will offer fresh, appealing, and nutritious food, delivered through a retail?led service style that reflects current high?street trends while remaining fully compliant with the School Food Standards. The School expects strong operational performance, excellent customer service, robust allergen management, and a commitment to continuous improvement. This opportunity requires a provider with proven expertise in delivering commercially sustainable school catering, strong branding and merchandising, and the ability to create a welcoming, efficient, and pupil?focused dining environment. The contract will be awarded to the bidder offering the Most Advantageous Tender (MAT), balancing quality, innovation, and value.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: Extensions allowed: Yes (2 x 12 months)

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06b998
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/095875-2026
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
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

15 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

CPV Codes

15894210 - School meals

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£570,000 £500K-£1M
Lots Value
£570,000 £500K-£1M
Awards Value
£600,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
10 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
14 Aug 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
7 Oct 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
1 Jan 2027 - 31 Dec 2029 3-4 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
Leighton Middle 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
LEIGHTON BUZZARD
Postcode
LU7 1EX
Postcode Area
Luton
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH2 Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH25 Central Bedfordshire
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Central Bedfordshire
Electoral Ward
Leighton-Linslade South
Westminster Constituency
Dunstable and Leighton Buzzard

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Caterlink

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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