--- title: "***Pre-Market Engagement*** BSP-24-017 Review of EA Catering Service Delivery Model" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-050401" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-050401" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050401.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050401.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY" published: "2025-04-16" --- # ***Pre-Market Engagement*** BSP-24-017 Review of EA Catering Service Delivery Model Buyer: THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-050401 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-050401) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050401.json) ## Summary The Education Authority has initiated a preliminary market engagement exercise titled "Review of EA Catering Service Delivery Model" under the tender reference BSP-24-017. This process is focused on assessing alternative models for the catering services at nursery, primary, special, and post-primary schools in Northern Ireland, excluding post-primary schools (133 locations). The industry category for this engagement is business services and consultancy, primarily related to management consultancy. Located in Belfast, Northern Ireland, the procurement stage is currently tender with the expression of interest deadline set for 12 May 2025. The engagement is not part of a formal procurement process and aims to gather market information for internal planning. Responses are accepted electronically via eTendersNI. This tender presents a unique opportunity for businesses specialising in consultancy services, particularly those with expertise in catering and food service management. Companies capable of proposing innovative solutions to address current challenges in meal production, packaging, delivery, and serving within the specified school sectors will find this engagement promising for future growth. The competitive flexible procedure used here favours businesses capable of adapting to dynamic procurement requirements and contributing valuable insights that may shape subsequent formal procurement processes. Firms in the law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing, and security sectors are particularly well-suited to compete. ## Notice ***This is a Pre-Market Engagement Exercise*** The purpose of the preliminary market engagement exercise is to inform suppliers in the current market and gain information to inform a potential future procurement. At this stage, any information gathered through this Exercise will inform internal business planning and any possible subsequent procurement process and will NOT be appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise. For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase and is not part of a formal procurement process. The EA's Catering Service in Northern Ireland is responsible for producing approximately 155,000 - 160,000 meals per day to children within nursery, primary, special, and post-primary schools. The cost of production versus the school meal charge is one of a number of challenges the service is experiencing within the current delivery model. The EA Catering service wishes to look at possible other models which will address the risks and issues currently being experienced. This exercise will not include Post Primary Schools (133 locations). The EA is seeking to establish the costs of alternative catering model which will produce meals, package, deliver and serve in the school sectors detailed. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015544-2025 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Competitive flexible procedure | | Tender suitability | Not specified | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 16 Apr 2025 | | Submission deadline | 12 May 2025 | | Future notice date | Not specified | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 28 Aug 2025 - 29 Aug 2025 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | Not specified | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Active | | Lots status | Active | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY | | Locality | BELFAST | | Post town | Northern Ireland | | Postcode | BT1 2NQ | | Country | Northern Ireland | | ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland | | ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland | | ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast | | Local authority | Belfast | | Electoral ward | Duncairn | | Westminster constituency | Belfast North | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security ### Codes - 79000000 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security - 79400000 - Business and management consultancy and related services - 79410000 - Business and management consultancy services - 79411000 - General management consultancy services ## Release History - 16 Apr 2025 at 12:07 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015544-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015544-2025 16th April 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps/home.do - https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents ## Provenance This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-050401. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-050401.json.