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School Meals Contract

Reading Borough Council

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

05 Oct 2026 at 12:52

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

05 Oct 2026 at 12:51

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Reading Borough Council plans to procure a school meals service for schools in Reading. The contractor will provide meals to pupils, with paid meals sold to parents and free school meals funded through schools. The service is intended to meet the needs of school governors, schools, pupils and their families. The procurement covers school-meal services (CPV 55523100), delivered in Reading. The contract’s funding model combines income collected directly from parents for paid meals with school payments for Universal Infant Free School Meals and Pupil Premium free school meals. Schools will be invoiced directly for both funded meal categories, with calculations based on pupil uptake recorded on census day.

This is at the planning stage: Reading Borough Council has set out its intention to procure, but has not issued an invitation to tender. It expects to use a competitive flexible procedure and plans one lot. The estimated contract value is £14.7 million gross. The planned service period runs from August 2028 to July 2031, with a possible extension to July 2035. The council expects to publish a future notice in December 2027. It has planned a market-engagement event for 19 October 2026 to present its strategy and draft specification and gather provider feedback; it also includes group questions and answers and networking. Booking was expected by 12 October 2026. The funding figures described are £2.61 per pupil per day for infant meals and £523.28 per pupil per year for Pupil Premium meals.

The work is likely to suit school-meals caterers able to organise and deliver a service across Reading schools, serve pupils reliably, and work with schools, governors and families. Providers should be prepared to handle both parent-paid meals and school-funded free meals, including invoicing schools for the funded categories and basing calculations on census-day uptake. The buyer’s stated aim is a service that meets the needs of all four groups: governors, schools, pupils and their families. The planned engagement is a chance for providers to comment on the proposed strategy and draft specification and to raise questions before the procurement reaches tender. The stated information identifies no particular accreditation or technical qualification as a requirement.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

School Meals Contract

Notice Description

The objectives of this project are to have successfully procured a school meals service which meets the needs of governors, schools, pupils and their families by the deadline agreed with governors and schools. Funding for this contract is made up as follows: Paid Meals: Meal price collected from parents directly by contractor. Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM): schools are allocated PS2.61 per pupil/per day and calculations are based on census day uptake. Schools are invoiced directly by the contractor. Pupil Premium Free School Meals (FSM): schools are allocated the meal price (currently PS523.28 per pupil per annum), and calculations are based on census day uptake. Schools are invoiced directly by the contractor.

Planning Information

Date: Monday 19th October 2026 Time: 9.30am – 12 noon Location: Churchend Primary Academy, Usk Road, Tilehurst Reading RG30 4HP This market engagement event is designed to introduce the strategy and aims for procurement of the next School Meals contract for Reading Schools. The contract will start in August 2028 and at this stage we are seeking feedback from providers on the proposed strategy and draft specification. There will be opportunity for a group Q&A session and networking on the day. To book a place please contact Sian Slade, School Meals Operations Manager - sian.slade@reading.gov.uk Please note that places are limited to two people per company. The closing date for booking spaces is 13:00 Monday 12th October 2026 Even if you are unable to attend, please still email to register your interest, as a summary will be shared with all interested parties after the event.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0780b7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/093791-2026
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
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

15 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

CPV Codes

15894210 - School meals

55523100 - School-meal services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£14,700,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
5 Oct 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Dec 20272 years to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Aug 2028 - 1 Aug 2031 2-3 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
Reading Borough Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
READING
Postcode
RG1 2LU
Postcode Area
Reading
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLJ South East (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLJ1 Berkshire, Buckinghamshire and Oxfordshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLJ16 Berkshire West
Delivery Location
TLJ11 Berkshire
Local Authority
Reading
Electoral Ward
Abbey
Westminster Constituency
Reading Central

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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