Provision of Hot School Meals

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 tender involves the provision of hot school meals to Gaelscoil Ui Earcain, Finglas, under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. The service must be provided every school day for 250 students, ensuring compliance with the scheme's standards.

• Meal Preparation and Delivery: Meals must be pre-prepared off-site and delivered hot to each classroom before the lunch break at 12:00.
• Service Models:
• Meals pre-prepared off-site and delivered ready to eat.
• Meals pre-prepared off-site, heated in the school's designated area.
• Meals pre-prepared off-site, heated using an external pod or mobile unit.
• Meals fully prepared on-site.
• Compliance: All meals must adhere to the Department of Social Protection's nutritional standards.
• Organic Content: A minimum of 10% of the food by value must be certified organic.
• Site Visit: A mandatory site visit is required to assess facilities and compliance needs.
• Funding Dependency: The contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection.
• Insurance Requirements: The contractor must hold specific insurances, including public liability and employer's liability.
• Health and Safety: Compliance with health and safety regulations is mandatory, including risk assessments and mitigation plans.

3. Background & buyer context

This tender is part of the Department of Social Protection's initiative to provide hot meals in schools, aiming to improve student nutrition and well-being. Gaelscoil Ui Earcain, located in Finglas, Dublin, is participating in this scheme to enhance the educational environment by ensuring students receive nutritious meals. The school currently uses a parents' room for meal preparation, which they wish to reclaim. The tender aligns with the government's broader social protection policies and educational support initiatives.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Minimum annual turnover of €159,250 for each of the last 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.
• Crime Insurance: €100,000 per claim.
• Cyber Liability: €1 million per claim.
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Key Account Manager must hold a Food Safety/HACCP qualification and have at least 2 years of experience.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation follows the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) principle, with a 70/30 quality to price split.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Use the named template, no page limits specified.
• CVs: Required for key roles, no page count specified.
• Pricing schedule: Must follow the format in Appendix 2.
• Case studies: Not specified.
• Declarations: ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, Conflict of Interest.
• Mandatory site visit: By appointment, contact [email protected].
• Submission portal: eTenders, adhere to format rules and file size limits.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is for one year, with the possibility of two one-year extensions. Payment is €3.20 per student per day, paid 30 days in arrears. Key performance indicators include timely meal delivery and compliance with nutritional standards. Liquidated damages apply for non-compliance. The contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection. Intellectual property rights for any developed materials remain with the contractor. Sub-contracting is allowed but must be declared. No parent-company guarantee is required.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The contract's dependency on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection poses a risk, as funding is not guaranteed each year. The requirement for a mandatory site visit and potential building works could limit the bidder pool to those with local presence or capacity to manage such logistics. The insurance requirements are substantial, potentially excluding smaller firms without existing coverage. The tight go-live date of 01/09/2026 may challenge new entrants unfamiliar with the school's specific needs.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for SMEs with experience in catering services, particularly those familiar with school meal programs. Firms must have a robust insurance profile and the ability to manage logistics for daily meal delivery. Consortium bids and sub-contracting are allowed, which may benefit smaller firms looking to partner with larger entities. Bid preparation is likely to require several days, given the need for detailed compliance and logistics planning. The presence of an incumbent is not specified, but the funding dependency and insurance requirements may favor established providers.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT Hot Meals Gaelscoil Ui Earcain 20220C.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