Tender

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

The FitzWimarc School - Catering Tender

The FitzWimarc School

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

28 Jul 2026 at 13:19

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The FitzWimarc School in Rayleigh, Essex is procuring school catering services for its mixed comprehensive school of approximately 1,770 pupils and 230 teaching and support staff. The service will cover breakfast, morning break, lunchtime and after-school catering throughout the academic year, together with hospitality services when requested. The school wants fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared on site and menus that can adapt to its pupils’ needs, including nutritious food supporting sporting, extracurricular and training activities. The kitchen and dining hall are in a modern building and are excluded from the school rebuilding programme. The catering provider will need to manage the service closely, support and develop catering staff, and adapt provision while the Sixth Form servery moves to temporary facilities and then a new building.

The procurement has reached tender: the buyer invited offers through a two-stage Competitive Flexible Procedure. Stage one is a Procurement Specific Questionnaire, with candidates needing at least 60% to progress; between five and ten candidates will then be invited to stage two, the Invitation to Tender. The single lot is evaluated 65% on quality and 35% on price. Expressions of interest and enquiries were due by 4 September 2026 at 12:00. The contract is scheduled for 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2030, with an option to extend by up to two years to 31 August 2032. Its estimated value is £3,361,925 excluding VAT, or £4,034,310 including VAT; the current annual value is £672,385. The contract is a guaranteed performance arrangement, with hospitality billed separately.

This opportunity suits established school, education or institutional catering operators able to deliver a high-volume service for a large secondary school. Suppliers should demonstrate the operational capacity to provide several daily food services, hospitality on request and nutritious menus prepared with fresh, locally sourced ingredients. The requirement favours providers that can work collaboratively with the school, introduce practical service improvements and add value rather than compete on price alone. Flexibility will be important during a multi-year redevelopment, including maintaining service quality while the Sixth Form servery relocates twice. Applicants must have achieved at least £1 million annual turnover and hold employers’ liability and public liability insurance of at least £5 million. The opportunity is identified as suitable for SMEs and voluntary, community or social enterprises.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

The FitzWimarc School - Catering Tender

Notice Description

The FitzWimarc School is a mixed comprehensive of approximately 1800 pupils. It has served the town of Rayleigh for 90 years and has a long tradition of excellence in education. The school has consistently achieved examination results that have been well above national averages. The FitzWimarc School is extremely proud of its excellent reputation, not only within the town of Rayleigh but across the county of Essex. Our vision is to be ambitious for every student, ensuring that each individual has the opportunity to achieve their full potential. High standards of behaviour are underpinned by our core values of respect, responsibility and resilience. Further information regarding the School can be obtained here: https://www.fitzwimarc.com/ Tender information: The successful tenderer will be required to provide excellent catering services to The FitzWimarc School, which has 1770 pupils of which approximately 12% are eligible for free school meals, and 230 teaching and support staff. The contract term being tendered is for three years, 1st September 2027 - 31st August 2030. There is an option for a further extension period for up to two additional years to 31st August 2032. The school has been selected by the Department for Education (DfE) to participate in the School Rebuilding Programme, with construction works scheduled to commence in October 2026 and continue over a five-year period. The school kitchen and dining hall are excluded from the programme scope, as they are housed within a modern building completed in 2021 and already benefit from extensive contemporary facilities. During the redevelopment, the Sixth Form servery will relocate to a temporary facility before moving into a new permanent building in 2030. Throughout this period, flexibility and adaptability will be essential to ensure that our Sixth Form students continue to receive a high-quality catering offer that supports their wellbeing and academic success. 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 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. The school has an outstanding reputation for sporting excellence, competing successfully at both regional and national levels. To support this high level of participation, students need convenient access to nutritious, high-quality food throughout the day, providing the energy required for the wide range of extracurricular clubs, training sessions, and sporting activities on offer. 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 PS672,385 Therefore the value of this contract is PS3,361,925 The contract shall be a guaranteed performance contract with any hospitality requirements billed separately. 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 Accent Catering *The client reserves the right not to appoint in conclusion of this project. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Essex:-School-catering-services./MB89FN873Q To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/MB89FN873Q

Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: There is an option for a further extension period for up to two additional years to 31st August 2032.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06d537
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/071210-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

CPV Codes

55524000 - School catering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,361,925 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
£3,361,925 £1M-£10M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
28 Jul 20261 months ago
Submission Deadline
4 Sep 20262 days to go
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Sep 2027 - 31 Aug 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Active
Lots Status
Active
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
The FitzWimarc 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
ESSEX
Postcode
SS6 8EB
Postcode Area
Southend-on-Sea
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLH East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLH3 Essex
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLH37 Essex Thames Gateway
Delivery Location
TLH3 Essex
Local Authority
Rochford
Electoral Ward
Wheatley
Westminster Constituency
Rayleigh and Wickford

Further Information

Notice Documents

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.

Loading OCDS record...