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The Mead Educational Trust Catering Contract

THE MEAD EDUCATIONAL TRUST

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Tender

15 Oct 2026 at 16:37

UK4 - Tender Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Mead Educational Trust is seeking one contractor to manage and support catering across 16 schools in and around Leicester. This is a school catering services contract covering the Trust’s school estate; delivery is in Leicester and the surrounding area. The contractor will provide catering provision across the schools, with the Trust seeking a single organisation to take responsibility for management and support. The Trust may grow during the agreement, and additional schools may join as their existing agreements end. The opportunity is therefore relevant to catering businesses able to serve multiple school sites and manage a coordinated service across a group of schools.

The Trust invited offers through a competitive flexible procedure with two stages: supplier selection and shortlisting, followed by an invitation to tender and a further shortlist for presentations. The expression-of-interest deadline was 6 November 2026 at 12 noon. The award decision was due by 30 April 2027. The contract is scheduled to run from 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2030, with two possible 12-month extensions if agreed in writing. The stated gross value is £19.8 million. There is one lot, and the opportunity is identified as suitable for SMEs. Evaluation is weighted 70% quality and 30% finance; quality is assessed through written responses, presentations and supplier references. Bids are submitted through the Bidiful portal, in English.

This contract suits catering providers with the operational capacity to manage and support food services across 16 schools, and the ability to coordinate delivery across multiple sites in and around Leicester. The Trust is looking for a single contractor, so bidders should be equipped to take responsibility for a school-wide service rather than a single site. Quality carries most of the evaluation weighting and is assessed through written submissions, presentations and references, making relevant school catering experience and credible evidence of performance commercially important. The Trust may add schools as existing agreements expire, so suppliers able to accommodate growth across the contract would be well placed. SMEs are considered suitable to bid.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

The Mead Educational Trust Catering Contract

Notice Description

The Trust is seeking to appoint a single contractor to manage and support the catering provision across 16 schools in and around Leicester.

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The Trust may grow over the life of this agreement, other schools may join this contract when pre existing agreements end.

Renewal: 2 x 12 month extensions will be available if agreed in writing by all parties

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0788e5
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097647-2026
Current Stage
Tender
All Stages
Tender

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK4 - Tender Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Selective
Procurement Method Details
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME
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
£19,800,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£19,800,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
15 Oct 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 Aug 2027 - 31 Jul 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 MEAD EDUCATIONAL TRUST
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LEICESTER
Postcode
LE4 9DD
Postcode Area
Leicester
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLF East Midlands (England)
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLF21 Leicester
Delivery Location
TLF21 Leicester
Local Authority
Leicester
Electoral Ward
Troon
Westminster Constituency
Leicester East

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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