--- title: "EA Catering Accredited Training" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0518d3" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0518d3" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0518d3.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0518d3.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Tender" buyer: "THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY" published: "2025-05-22" --- # EA Catering Accredited Training Buyer: THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY Current stage: Tender OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0518d3 [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0518d3) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0518d3.json) ## Summary The Education Authority is actively engaging in a procurement process titled "EA Catering Accredited Training", specifically targeting the education and catering services industry within Northern Ireland. This tender is currently at the pre-market engagement stage, with key activities scheduled to conclude on the 16th of June 2025. The initiative aims to deliver accredited Level 3 Food Safety training to approximately 700 staff, including Catering Managers and Regional Operations Supervisors, ensuring compliance with food hygiene regulations. The procurement method is selective, employing a competitive flexible procedure to evaluate the feasibility and capacity of the market to fulfil these training requirements. This tender offers substantial opportunities for businesses specialising in vocational and technical training services, catering services, and educational content delivery. Companies that can provide accredited food safety training courses and have the capacity to manage large groups of professionals will find this an ideal opportunity for business growth. Small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are particularly encouraged to participate, as the procurement process accommodates these entities. Successfully engaging in this procurement could lead to long-term collaboration with the Education Authority, favourable for businesses looking to expand their presence within the public sector. ## 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.This Exercise will be used to assist EA in gaining a better understanding of the market/feasibility of the requirements, the most appropriate procurement and operational approach, the capacity of the market to deliver the requirements and an opportunity for the market to highlight any possible risks or issues that may not have previously been considered. EA has a requirement for accredited Level 3 Food Safety training courses to be delivered to Catering Managers, Regional Operations Supervisors and Managers. This equates to approximately 700 staff. This level of training is commensurate with their role and responsibilities, in line with Regulation 852.2004 on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs. In line with the provisions as set out in DAO 06/22 on Direct Award Contracts section 14, EA anticipates that the required staff will be able to attend courses which are open to the public. This Pre-Market Engagement exercise is intended to establish that there is sufficient capacity within the market to accommodate this requirement as well as to establish costs of delivery. ### Planning Information ***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.This Exercise will be used to assist EA in gaining a better understanding of the market/feasibility of the requirements, the most appropriate procurement and operational approach, the capacity of the market to deliver the requirements and an opportunity for the market to highlight any possible risks or issues that may not have previously been considered. EA has a requirement for accredited Level 3 Food Safety training courses to be delivered to Catering Managers, Regional Operations Supervisors and Managers. This equates to approximately 700 staff. This level of training is commensurate with their role and responsibilities, in line with Regulation 852.2004 on the Hygiene of Foodstuffs. In line with the provisions as set out in DAO 06/22 on Direct Award Contracts section 14, EA anticipates that the required staff will be able to attend courses which are open to the public. This Pre-Market Engagement exercise is intended to establish that there is sufficient capacity within the market to accommodate this requirement as well as to establish costs of delivery. Responses should be submitted via the messaging function on the eTendersNI portal CfT ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024723-2025 | | Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Services | | Procurement method | Selective | | Procurement method details | Competitive flexible procedure | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning, Tender | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 22 May 2025 | | Submission deadline | 16 Jun 2025 | | Future notice date | 31 Jul 2025 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 31 Aug 2025 - 31 Aug 2029 | | 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 | TLN Northern Ireland | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services - 80 - Education and training services ### Codes - 55520000 - Catering services - 55524000 - School catering services - 80000000 - Education and training services - 80500000 - Training services - 80530000 - Vocational training services - 80531000 - Industrial and technical training services - 80531100 - Industrial training services - 80531200 - Technical training services ## Release History - 22 May 2025 at 11:27 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024723-2025 - 20 May 2025 at 12:57 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023269-2025 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/024723-2025 22nd May 2025 - Tender notice on Find a Tender - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/023269-2025 20th May 2025 - Preliminary market engagement 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-0518d3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0518d3.json.