---
title: "Temporary Hospitality, Catering and Events Staff for ACE"
ocid: "ocds-r6ebe6-0000809078"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-r6ebe6-0000809078"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000809078.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000809078.json"
source: "Public Contracts Scotland"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH"
published: "2026-07-21"
---

# Temporary Hospitality, Catering and Events Staff for ACE

Buyer: UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-r6ebe6-0000809078

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## Summary

The University of Edinburgh has completed a procurement process titled "Temporary Hospitality, Catering and Events Staff for ACE," belonging to the education industry category. Located in Edinburgh, the procurement, under the tag of services, has reached the award stage with contracts signed on 6th July 2026. Using an open procurement method, the University aimed to establish a framework agreement with suppliers capable of providing catering staffing resources to support its Accommodation, Catering and Events (ACE) services. The projects involved multiple lots covering hospitality, domestic services, and kitchen staff, with key contracts awarded to suppliers like Blue Arrow and others, signifying a substantial engagement in the provision of essential catering services across the University's venues.

This tender provides significant opportunities for businesses in the hospitality and staffing sectors, particularly those with the capacity and agility to supply temporary staff promptly as per operational demands. Both large-scale suppliers and small to medium enterprises (SMEs) have the potential to thrive within this framework if they can maintain service quality, meet technical criteria, and offer competitive pricing. The framework agreement ensures long-term collaboration prospects, with the possibility of contract extensions, which could result in consistent business growth opportunities for the chosen suppliers serving varied locations in Edinburgh.

## Notice

The University's Accommodation, Catering and Events (ACE) service operates a range of essential catering facilities that support students, staff, visitors and commercial activities across the University. To ensure continuity of these critical services, the University supplements its permanent workforce with temporary agency staff during periods of increased demand, seasonal peaks, planned events and where unforeseen staffing shortages arise. Agency workers are engaged only where the existing permanent workforce is insufficient to meet operational requirements, helping to maintain service continuity, customer experience and contractual commitments. The purpose of this procurement is to establish a Framework Agreement with suitably experienced staffing providers that have the capacity and capability to supply high-quality catering personnel at short notice, as and when required. The Framework value is indicative and non-committal. This project is looking to establish a new framework agreement with suppliers who have the resource and capacity to work with the University to provide catering staffing resources as and when required.

### Lot Information

Kitchen Staff

ACE operates across the city of Edinburgh. There are multiple venues and location across this wide geographical area, where agency staff will be required to attend for work. All locations may require staff at any one date and time. The volume and type of staff required will be dependent on business needs. Historical data highlights the roles where the highest volume of staff is required are: - Head Chef - Rare but maybe required for interim periods of up to 3 months; - Chef - estimate of up to 10+ on busier days; - Kitchen Assistants - estimate 15 + on very busy days; and - Kitchen Porter - estimate of up to 5+ on busier days. Please be aware that these figures are given in good faith but may not be representative of future demand.

Options: One extension period of 24 months will be available for use at the University's discretion, meaning a potential contract duration of 48 months, or four years.

Renewal: One extension period of 24 months will be available for use at the University's discretion, meaning a potential contract duration of 48 months, or four years.

Hospitality and Events

ACE operates across the city of Edinburgh. There are multiple venues and location across this wide geographical area, where agency staff will be required to attend for work. All locations may require staff at any one date and time. The volume and type of staff required will be dependent on business needs. Historical data highlights the roles where the highest volume of staff is required are: - Catering Assistants - estimate 15+ on very busy days; and - Plate Waiters/Silver Service Staff - estimate 50+ on very busy days. Please be aware that these figures are given in good faith but may not be representative of future demand.

Options: One extension period of 24 months will be available for use at the University's discretion, meaning a potential contract duration of 48 months, or four years.

Renewal: One extension period of 24 months will be available for use at the University's discretion, meaning a potential contract duration of 48 months, or four years.

Domestic Services

ACE operates across the city of Edinburgh. There are multiple venues and location across this wide geographical area, where agency staff will be required to attend for work. All locations may require staff at any one date and time. The volume and type of staff required will be dependent on business needs. Historical data highlights the roles where the highest volume of staff is required are: - Hotel Bedroom Attendants; - Hotel Public Area Cleaners - Student Property Domestic Cleaning Staff

Options: One extension period of 24 months will be available for use at the University's discretion, meaning a potential contract duration of 48 months, or four years.

Renewal: One extension period of 24 months will be available for use at the University's discretion, meaning a potential contract duration of 48 months, or four years.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Public Contracts Scotland |
| Latest notice | https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL560585 |
| Notice type | OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Framework |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large, SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 21 Jul 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 10 Oct 2025 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 6 Jul 2026 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £3,600,000 |
| Lots value | £3,600,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £3,600,000 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Complete |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH |
| Locality | EDINBURGH |
| Post town | Edinburgh |
| Postcode | EH1 1HT |
| Country | Scotland |
| ITL 1 | TLM Scotland |
| ITL 2 | TLM1 East Central Scotland |
| ITL 3 | TLM13 City of Edinburgh |
| Local authority | City of Edinburgh |
| Electoral ward | City Centre |
| Westminster constituency | Edinburgh East and Musselburgh |
| Delivery location | TLM75 City of Edinburgh |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 6 |
| Supplier names | AXIS RECRUITMENT; BLUE ARROW; BRIGHTWORK; NAVOLIO LIMITED T/A OFF TO WORK; REED RECRUITMENT; SEARCH CONSULTANCY |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 79620000 - Supply services of personnel including temporary staff

## Release History

- 21 Jul 2026 at 00:00 - Award - OJEU - F3 - Contract Award Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL560585
- 9 Sep 2025 at 00:00 - Tender - OJEU - F2 - Contract Notice - https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP538813

## Documents

- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=SEP538813
  Temporary Hospitality, Catering and Events Staff for ACE - ACE uses agency staff at times of high demand for its services to keep them open and running, in order to facilitate the delivery of contracted business. There are recognised difficulties with sourcing the required volume, quality and standard of staff through currently available avenues and within the timeframes required, therefore the aim of this framework is to ensure ACE are in the best possible position to source staff for their estate. This project is looking to establish a new framework agreement with suppliers who have the resource and capacity to work with the University to provide catering staffing resources as and when required.
- https://www.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/search/show/search_view.aspx?ID=JUL560585
  Temporary Hospitality, Catering and Events Staff for ACE - The University's Accommodation, Catering and Events (ACE) service operates a range of essential catering facilities that support students, staff, visitors and commercial activities across the University. To ensure continuity of these critical services, the University supplements its permanent workforce with temporary agency staff during periods of increased demand, seasonal peaks, planned events and where unforeseen staffing shortages arise. Agency workers are engaged only where the existing permanent workforce is insufficient to meet operational requirements, helping to maintain service continuity, customer experience and contractual commitments. The purpose of this procurement is to establish a Framework Agreement with suitably experienced staffing providers that have the capacity and capability to supply high-quality catering personnel at short notice, as and when required. The Framework value is indicative and non-committal. This project is looking to establish a new framework agreement with suppliers who have the resource and capacity to work with the University to provide catering staffing resources as and when required.

## Notice URLs

- http://
- http://www.ed.ac.uk
- https://api.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/v1/Notice?id=ocds-r6ebe6-0000809078
- https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/
- https://www.publictendersscotland.publiccontractsscotland.gov.uk/esop/pts-host/public/pts/web/login.html?VISITORID=b00bf88c-8f28-485d-87cf-5a33b56e5fa8&VISITORID=b00bf88c-8f28-485d-87cf-5a33b56e5fa8

## 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-r6ebe6-0000809078. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-r6ebe6-0000809078.json.