Call for Tender for the provision of Meals Pre-Prepared Off-site and Delivered Ready to Eat under the School Meals Scheme to St Mary's No 2 National School Roll No 15778D

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 providing hot meals to 59 students at St Mary's No. 2 National School, operating under the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme. The successful contractor must deliver meals pre-prepared off-site and ready to eat, ensuring timely delivery before the school lunch break. The service is required for 182 school days per year.

The contractor's responsibilities include:

• Meal Preparation: Meals must be prepared off-site and delivered hot to the school.
• Delivery: Meals must arrive at the classrooms by 12:20 PM, ready for consumption.
• Service Models: The contractor must adhere to the following service delivery models:
• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-site and Delivered Ready to Eat.
• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-site and Heated in the School’s Designated Preparation Area.
• Meals Fully Prepared On-Site.
• Compliance: All meals must meet the nutritional standards set by the Department of Social Protection.
• Organic Ingredients: At least 10% of the food value must consist of certified organic ingredients across specified categories.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Bidders must conduct a site visit to review the school facilities before submitting their tender.

The contractor must also manage any exceptional circumstances that may arise during the school year, ensuring consistent service delivery.

3. Background & buyer context

This tender is being issued as part of the ongoing School Meals Scheme funded by the Department of Social Protection. The scheme aims to provide nutritious meals to students, promoting health and well-being in educational settings. The school has previously engaged in similar contracts, and this tender seeks to ensure continuity of service. The strategic driver behind this procurement is to enhance the quality of meals provided to students while adhering to government nutritional guidelines.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility criteria:

• Turnover requirement: Minimum average annual turnover of €34,361.60 for the last three financial years.
• Insurance: Bidders must hold the following insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million limit for any one claim.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million limit for any one claim.
• Product Liability: €6.5 million limit for any one claim.
• Motor Cover: Minimum limit of €1.3 million for third-party property damage.
• Crime Insurance: €100,000 for any one claim.
• Cyber Liability: €1 million for any one claim.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Bids will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

The evaluation will follow the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle, focusing on the best price-quality ratio. No minimum scoring threshold is specified for individual criteria.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit the following documents:

• Method statement: A response document following the provided template, with no specified page limit.
• CVs: For key personnel, with no specified page limit.
• Pricing schedule: Must follow the specified format in the provided template.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations: Including ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest.
• Mandatory site visit: Bidders must attend a site visit between 10 June 2026 and 17 June 2026, by appointment with Shirley Maher at [email protected].
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted via eTenders, following any specific format rules outlined in the tender documents.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will be for a term of one year, with the possibility of two one-year extensions. Payment will be made on a 30-day arrears basis, with the fee set at €3.20 (VAT exempt) per student per day. Key performance indicators (KPIs) will focus on meal quality and delivery timeliness. The contract may be terminated with 14 days' notice if breaches are not remedied within 30 days. The contractor must ensure compliance with all relevant food safety regulations and maintain ownership of intellectual property related to meal preparation.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

Potential risks include:

• Funding Dependency: The contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection, which may not be guaranteed.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Failure to attend the site visit may result in disqualification.
• Strict Compliance Requirements: Non-compliance with nutritional standards or service delivery models may lead to rejection of the tender.
• Limited Bidding Pool: The specific insurance and turnover requirements may restrict participation to a small number of firms.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with experience in catering services, particularly those familiar with school meal programs. Bidders must have the necessary insurance and financial capacity to meet the turnover requirement. Consortiums or subcontracting arrangements are encouraged to enhance capacity. Preparation for the bid may require several days of effort, including site visits and documentation preparation. The presence of strict eligibility criteria may signal a competitive bidding environment, particularly if incumbents have established relationships with the school.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT for Hot Meals below 75k for St Marys No 2 National School Roll No 15778D.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