This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Award

13 Jul 2026 at 09:32

Summary of the contracting process

Southend-on-Sea City Council has awarded a contract for catering services at Chalkwell Hall Junior School and Chalkwell Infant School, located in Southend-on-Sea, Essex. The contract was directly awarded to Harrison Catering Services Limited due to challenges in maintaining an in-house catering solution. This procurement process, completed and valued at £678,000 over a three-year period starting from 1 September 2026, was initiated to ensure the delivery of healthy and nutritious meals that meet School Food Standards. The contracting process utilised a direct award method, focusing on service continuity for the upcoming academic year. The formal award date is set for 24 July 2026.

This tender provides a substantial opportunity for growth within the catering industry, particularly for businesses specialising in educational catering services. Large-scale catering companies, capable of delivering consistent and high-quality meals across multiple locations, would be well-suited to engage with similar contracts. As the sector emphasises nutritional standards and the wellbeing of pupils, companies with a proven track record in these areas will find ample scope to demonstrate their capabilities and expand their portfolio in educational institutions across the UK.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

CHALKWELL HALL JUNIOR SCHOOL AND CHALKWELL INFANT SCHOOL CATERING SERVICE CONTRACT

Notice Description

To provide catering service for both Chalkwell Junior School and Chalkwell Infant School, Leigh-on-Sea. The catering service replaces the current arrangement of inhouse catering to further support the Schools' commitment to providing healthy, nutritious, safe, and appealing meals that contribute positively to pupils' wellbeing, educational outcomes, and overall school experience. The service is valued at PS678,000 over 3 years.

Procurement Information

Southend-on-Sea City Council is publishing this notice on behalf of Chalkwell Hall Infant School and Chalkwell Hall Junior School, maintained schools within the local authority area. The Schools require the continued provision of catering services to ensure uninterrupted delivery of school meals and compliance with School Food Standards from September 2026. Prior to seeking an external provider, the Schools undertook three separate recruitment exercises to appoint a Head Cook and maintain an in-house catering service. These recruitment exercises were unsuccessful despite reasonable attempts to recruit suitably qualified staff. The Schools also undertook market engagement with a number of catering providers, with evidence retained within the procurement file. In the absence of a viable in-house solution and to mitigate the risk of disruption to essential catering provision for pupils, the Schools determined that a direct award was necessary to secure service continuity and maintain operational delivery from the start of the academic year. This notice is published through Southend-on-Sea City Council's procurement profile because the Schools are maintained schools and do not operate a separate contracting authority publication profile. The contract relates specifically to catering services for Chalkwell Hall Infant School and Chalkwell Hall Junior School.

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06c940
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/065489-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK5 - Transparency Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
Large

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

80 - Education and training services


CPV Codes

55500000 - Canteen and catering services

80100000 - Primary education services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£542,000 £500K-£1M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
13 Jul 20262 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
13 Jul 20262 days ago
Contract Period
31 Aug 2026 - 31 Aug 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

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

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA CITY COUNCIL
Additional Buyers

HARRISON CATERING SERVICES LIMITED

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

Buyer Location

Locality
SOUTHEND-ON-SEA
Postcode
SS2 6FA
Post Town
Southend-on-Sea
Country
England

Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ14 Oxfordshire CC
Delivery Location
Not specified

Local Authority
South Oxfordshire
Electoral Ward
Thame
Westminster Constituency
Henley and Thame

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

HARRISON CATERING SERVICES

Further Information

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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