Provision of Hot Meals under the School Meals Scheme to Lurga NS Galway 12574S

AI-generated analysis of the documents. Check the official notice and any amendments for current submission details.

1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The contract involves the provision of hot meals to Lurga National School under the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme. The service is required for 182 school days per year. The contractor is responsible for ensuring the delivery of meals that meet nutritional standards and cater to various dietary requirements.

• Meal Preparation and Delivery: Meals can be pre-prepared off-site and delivered ready to serve or prepared on-site. The contractor must ensure meals are heated appropriately if delivered pre-prepared.
• Nutritional Standards: Meals must comply with the Nutrition Standards for Hot School Meals, including a minimum of 10% organic ingredients.
• Dietary Requirements: Provision for dietary needs such as lactose-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and halal options.
• Food Safety: Compliance with food safety standards, including HACCP, is mandatory.
• Service Days: Meals must be provided on each of the 182 school days, excluding exceptional circumstances.
• Food Ordering System: Implementation of a system for ordering and adjusting meal orders, with imagery of the system required in the tender.
• Packaging and Labelling: Meals must be individually packaged and labelled, with cutlery and napkins provided.
• Waste Management: A waste management plan must be in place, focusing on waste minimisation and environmentally friendly packaging.

3. Background & buyer context

This tender is part of the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme, aimed at providing nutritious meals to school children. The initiative supports the Government's commitment to child welfare and education. Lurga National School, located in Gort, Co. Galway, is seeking a contractor to deliver this service due to the expiration of the current contract. The strategic driver is to ensure consistent, safe, and efficient catering services that meet nutritional and dietary standards.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Minimum annual turnover of €54,745.60 for the past three financial years.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million per claim.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million per claim.
• Product Liability: €6.5 million per claim.
• Motor Cover: €1.3 million for third-party property damage.
• Cyber Liability: €1 million per claim.
• Certifications: Registration as a Food Business Operator (FBO) with the HSE, local authority, or DAFM.
• Past experience: At least three comparable contracts in the last three years, demonstrating similar scale and value.
• Personnel: Key Account Manager with a minimum of two years of experience in a similar role.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Price/quality split follows the MEAT criteria with a minimum scoring threshold of 70% for each criterion.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Use the named template, no page limits specified.
• CVs: Maximum 2 pages for Key Account Manager and backup.
• Pricing schedule: Format as per Appendix 2.
• Case studies: Three required, demonstrating similar scale and value.
• Declarations: ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, Conflict of Interest.
• Mandatory site visit: By 20th May 2026, appointment via [email protected].
• Submission portal: eTenders, follow specific format rules.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is structured with a fixed term, details not specified. Payment terms are 30 days in arrears. Key SLAs include daily meal provision and compliance with nutritional standards. Liquidated damages apply for service failures, with a 14-day termination notice for unresolved breaches. IP ownership remains with the contractor. Sub-contracting is allowed, but the contractor remains liable. No parent-company guarantee or bond is required.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The turnover requirement is relatively low, potentially opening the tender to a broader range of bidders. The mandatory site visit could limit participation to those able to attend in person. The integration of organic ingredients and compliance with specific nutritional standards may pose challenges for non-specialist caterers. The contract's dependency on school days could affect revenue predictability.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized catering firms with experience in educational or institutional catering. Firms must have the necessary certifications and insurance coverage. Consortium bids and sub-contracting are permitted, allowing smaller firms to collaborate. Bid preparation is moderate, requiring detailed documentation and references, estimated at 5-7 days of effort. The presence of an incumbent is not specified, but the open procedure suggests a competitive opportunity.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: "TRD Hot Meals Lurga NS 12574S May 2026.docx"
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified
• Contact email: [email protected]
• Important attachments: "Appendix 1 — Requirements and Specifications", "Appendix 2 — Pricing Schedule", "Appendix 5 — Services Contract"