Provision of Hot School Meals

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The contract requires the provision of hot school meals to students at Gurtagarry National School under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. The service must be delivered daily for 182 school days per year, catering to 66 students. The estimated contract value is €115,315.20 over an initial one-year term, with potential for two one-year extensions.

The mandatory service delivery model is number 3: "Meals Pre-Prepared Off-Site and Delivered Ready to Eat". This means meals are prepared off-site and delivered hot to each classroom, ready for consumption at the start of the student lunch break at 12:30 pm. Food must be at the classrooms in advance of the lunch break.

Key activities and requirements include:

• Meal Preparation: Meals must be prepared off-site.
• Delivery: Hot meals must be delivered to each classroom.
• Timing: Food must be at the classrooms at the beginning of the lunch break (12:30 pm).
• Compliance: Full compliance with the Department of Social Protection's School Hot Meals Scheme and relevant nutrition standards is required. A minimum of 10% of food by value must be certified organic in categories such as cereals, beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, vegetables, and dairy products, where possible.
• Service Days: The service must be provided on each of the 182 school days.
• Pricing: The fee is €3.20 (VAT exempt) per student per day. This fee is all-inclusive, covering all costs associated with the service, including preparation, delivery, packaging, staff, ingredients, transportation, waste disposal, and any required fit-out or building works. No additional charges can be made to students, parents, or guardians.
• Reporting: Monthly status reports detailing key information are required.
• Complaints Resolution: Complaints must be fully resolved within 3-5 days.
• Key Account Manager: A Key Account Manager must be appointed, with communication expected within 1 week.

The contract is subject to the availability of funding from the Department of Social Protection.

3. Background & buyer context

Gurtagarry National School is procuring catering services for its students under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. This scheme aims to provide nutritious meals to students, supporting their well-being and educational attainment. The procurement is being conducted as an Open Procedure, operating below the EU threshold of €750,000, and falls under a Light Touch Regime (LTR) for social and other specific services. The contract's duration and continuation are entirely dependent on the annual allocation and confirmation of funding from the Department of Social Protection. The school calendar will be provided to the successful tenderer annually.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following mandatory criteria to be considered eligible for evaluation:

• Turnover requirement:
• A minimum average annual turnover of €38,484.40 for each of the three (3) financial years immediately preceding the tender publication date.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million limit per claim/series of claims.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million limit per claim/series of claims.
• Product Liability: €6.5 million limit per claim and in aggregate per period.
• Motor Cover: Minimum €1.3 million limit for third-party property damage per accident.
• Crime Insurance: €100,000 per claim.
• Cyber Liability: €1 million per claim and in aggregate per policy year.
• Professional Indemnity: €6.5 million limit per claim (only relevant for Service Delivery Models 2, 3, or 4, which are not the mandatory model for this tender).
• Certifications:
• Must be registered Food Business Operators.
• Key Account Managers (KAMs) must hold a Food Safety/HACCP qualification and have a minimum of 2 years' experience in a similar role.
• Past experience:
• Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel:
• Key Account Managers (KAMs) must each hold a Food Safety/HACCP qualification and have a minimum of 2 years of experience in a similar role.
• Geographic / facility constraints:
• Not specified for this tender, beyond the requirement to deliver to Gurtagarry N.S.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The tender will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender based on a combination of price and quality. The specific weighting and scoring mechanism are not detailed in the provided extract, but the process involves evaluating eligible tenderers against award criteria. The Contracting Authority is not bound to accept the lowest priced tender.

Note: The exact weighting for price and quality (MEAT - Most Economically Advantageous Tender) is not explicitly stated in the provided text, but it is implied that both will be considered.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their bids electronically via the eTenders platform. The submission must adhere to the following:

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must use the provided Tender Response Document (TRD) and respond to each element in the order set out in the CFT. The TRD must not be altered.
• CVs: Not explicitly mentioned for submission, but Key Account Managers require specific qualifications and experience.
• Pricing schedule: Must be submitted in the format specified in Appendix 2.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations:
• Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3), signed and scanned, printed on company letterhead.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification.
• Declaration of independent tender preparation.
• Mandatory site visit: Required for all tenderers. Must be completed before the closing date for clarifications. Appointment required via [email protected].
• Submission portal: All tenders must be submitted via the eTenders electronic tenderbox (www.etenders.gov.ie).
• File size limits: Maximum 250MB per file, 2GB total.
• Format: Documents must be readable using Word and/or PDF readers.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The initial contract term is one (1) year.
• Extension: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term for up to two (2) additional periods of one (1) year each, subject to legal obligations.
• Payment terms: Payments will be made on a 30-day arrears basis, in line with the Services Contract. The fee is €3.20 (VAT exempt) per student per day.
• Key SLAs/KPIs:
• Complaints to be fully resolved within 3-5 days.
• Monthly status reports required.
• Key Account Manager engagement within 1 week.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified in the provided text.
• Termination clauses: Either party may terminate with 14 days' notice if the service continues for 14 calendar days without resolution of a breach (if capable of remedy) after a written request. The contract is also subject to cancellation if DSP funding is no longer available.
• IP ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting rules: Not specified, but tenderers must designate a Prime Contractor responsible for the entire contract, irrespective of subcontractors.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Funding Dependency: The entire contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection. This introduces a significant risk of cancellation or termination if funding is not secured.
• Mandatory Service Delivery Model: Only "Meals Pre-Prepared Off-Site and Delivered Ready to Eat" is accepted. This limits flexibility and may not suit all potential providers.
• All-Inclusive Fee: The €3.20 per meal fee is all-inclusive, covering all costs, including any necessary building works or fit-out. Tenderers must accurately assess and price these potential costs, which could be substantial depending on the site visit findings.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Attendance is compulsory and must be arranged by appointment. Failure to attend may lead to disqualification. The visit is crucial for assessing site conditions and potential works.
• Organic Ingredient Minimum: A minimum of 10% organic ingredients by value is required, which may impact sourcing and cost.
• No Lowest Price Award: The contract will not automatically go to the lowest bidder, implying quality and other factors will be weighed.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) that specialise in catering services.

• Credible bidders: A viable bidder would be a registered Food Business Operator with proven experience in preparing and delivering hot meals, capable of meeting the specific dietary and quality standards, including the organic ingredient requirement. They must also have the financial capacity to meet the turnover requirement and secure the specified insurance levels. The mandatory service delivery model (pre-prepared off-site, delivered hot) will favour established off-site catering operations.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: While not explicitly forbidden, the requirement for a single Prime Contractor suggests that consortiums or subcontracting arrangements are permissible, provided a clear lead entity is designated. SMEs might consider partnering to meet the insurance or operational demands.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant bid will require significant effort, likely several days. This includes understanding the detailed specifications in Appendix 1, conducting a mandatory site visit, accurately pricing the all-inclusive fee (including potential works), and completing all required documentation and declarations.
• Pwin signal: The tender is an open procedure, suggesting it is intended to be competitive. However, the specific insurance requirements (€6.5m Public Liability, €13m Employer's Liability) and the all-inclusive pricing model, which includes potential building works, may act as a barrier for very small or newly established businesses. The dependency on annual DSP funding also introduces an element of uncertainty.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT Gurtagarry N.S 11384I.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not explicitly stated in the provided text.
• Contact email or clarification portal: Queries must be submitted via the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Most important attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5: Services Contract
• Appendix 7: Property Licence and Deed of Renunciation