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26-002 Soft Market Testing CSG (Clerkenwell) Catering Services

City, University of London

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

06 Aug 2026 at 16:28

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

City University is planning to procure catering services for its Clerkenwell campus in London. The requirement concerns the operation of the university’s current catering provision and is classified as catering services (CPV 55520000). The buyer is seeking views from businesses on their experience, organisation and suitability for delivering this type of service. The work is planned for delivery in London. The procurement is structured as one lot and is intended to support the university’s campus catering operation. Interested businesses are expected to take part in market engagement, which includes providing a brief overview of their business and may include visiting the campus, meeting the university and seeing the existing operation first-hand.

This process is at the planning stage and is a soft market testing exercise, not an invitation to tender. City University expects to publish the next notice by 1 October 2026. The planned market engagement is scheduled for completion by 22 September 2026, with questions and site visit arrangements forming part of that exercise. The procurement is for one lot, with an anticipated contract period from 1 February 2027 to 31 January 2030. The estimated gross value is £3,000,000. The requirement is above the applicable threshold. The buyer has set out its intention to procure catering services but has not yet described the final tender procedure, submission requirements or evaluation criteria.

This will suit catering operators with experience of running or supporting services in a university, education, workplace or similarly busy multi-user setting. Businesses should be prepared to explain their organisation, relevant operating experience and ability to manage an established campus catering operation. The planned engagement offers a chance to understand the site and current service directly, and to provide practical feedback before the formal procurement is developed. Suppliers with the operational capacity to deliver a substantial, multi-year catering service, and with teams able to assess an existing service and propose an effective approach, are likely to be well placed to contribute when the requirement reaches the market. No specific accreditation or qualification is identified at this stage.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

26-002 Soft Market Testing CSG (Clerkenwell) Catering Services

Notice Description

26/002 Soft Market Testing CSG (Clerkenwell) Catering Services - We are asking any interested parties to complete this soft market testing paper to give us a brief overview of your business. As part of the exercise, we will be offering the opportunity to visit the campus, meet us and see first hand the current operation. For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-london:-Catering-services./7S92CSSSZ7 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/7S92CSSSZ7 For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-London:-Catering-services./8NBD8WG2M5 To respond to this opportunity, please click here: https://www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/8NBD8WG2M5

Planning Information

Please see the Soft Market Engagement information along with questions, site visit dates.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06de54
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/074954-2026
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
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

CPV Codes

55520000 - Catering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Aug 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Oct 2026Expired
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Feb 2027 - 31 Jan 2030 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
City, University of London
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
EC1V 0HB
Postcode Area
Central London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI43 Haringey and Islington
Delivery Location
TLI31 Camden and City of London
Local Authority
Islington
Electoral Ward
Clerkenwell
Westminster Constituency
Islington South and Finsbury

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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