Call for tender for the provision of hot meals under the School Meals Scheme

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

This tender seeks a contractor to provide hot meals to 94 students at Scoil Ailbhe under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. The service must be available on each of the 182 school days per year. The contract is for a term of one year, with the possibility of up to two one-year extensions.

The core requirement is the provision of catering services for hot meals, fully compliant with the Department of Social Protection's scheme. Tenderers must select and adhere to one of four specified service delivery models:

• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-site and Delivered Ready to Eat: Meals are prepared off-site and delivered hot to classrooms, ready for immediate consumption at the start of the lunch break (12:30).
• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-Site and Heated in the School’s Designated Preparation and/or Servery Area: Meals are prepared off-site, transported to the school, and heated in a designated on-site area before being delivered to classrooms.
• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-Site and Heated in the School by use of an External Pod or Mobile Catering Unit: Similar to the above, but heating occurs in an external pod or mobile unit on school grounds.
• Meals Fully Prepared On-Site: Meals are prepared entirely on-site in the school's designated food preparation area and then served to classrooms.

The tender specifies that only the provision of HOT MEALS is sought. The selected service delivery model must be strictly adhered to, with no alternative proposals accepted. The contractor will be responsible for all aspects of meal provision, including preparation, packaging, delivery, and any necessary equipment or fit-out, as detailed in Appendix 1. The estimated contract value is €164,236.80 over a maximum of three years.

3. Background & buyer context

Scoil Ailbhe is procuring catering services for its students under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. This scheme aims to provide nutritional meals to children in primary schools. The procurement is being conducted as an Open Procedure, operating below the EU threshold of €750,000. The contract's duration and value are contingent on the annual allocation of funding from the Department of Social Protection, with no automatic entitlement to funding in subsequent years. The school calendar will be provided to the successful tenderer annually. The Contracting Authority policy encourages participation by Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs).

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered eligible:

• Turnover requirement: A minimum average annual turnover of €54,745.60 in catering services.
• Insurance: The successful tenderer must hold the following insurances for the term of the contract:
• 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 and in aggregate.
• Certifications: Tenderers must be registered Food Business Operators.
• Past experience: A minimum of 2 years of experience in a similar role.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender, beyond the need to deliver to Scoil Ailbhe, Co. Limerick.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The tender will be awarded based on the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT), determined by a combination of price and quality. The specific weighting between price and quality is not explicitly stated in the provided text, but the evaluation will consider both aspects. Tenderers must meet all mandatory requirements and selection criteria to be considered for award. The contract will be awarded to a single service provider.

6. Submission requirements

Tenders must be submitted electronically via the eTenders platform (www.etenders.gov.ie). Key submission requirements include:

• Tender Response Document (TRD): All documentation required by the CFT must be submitted, including the TRD. Tenderers must follow the format and respond to each element in the order set out in the CFT and TRD. The TRD must not be altered.
• Pricing Schedule: To be submitted in the format specified in Appendix 2.
• Declarations:
• Tenderer’s Statement (Appendix 3), signed and printed on letterhead.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Mandatory Site Visit: Attendance is required. Dates are 22nd July - 28th July, 10 am - 2:50 pm, by appointment only. Contact [email protected] or [email protected].
• Format: Tenders must be submitted in English. Electronic documents must be readable using Word and/or PDF readers and should not be corrupt.
• File Size Limits: 250MB per file, with a maximum total of 2GB for all documentation.
• Submission: Tenderers must ensure they click the "Submit" button on eTenders. Late tenders will not be considered.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The Services Contract will be for 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: Payments will be made on a 30-day arrears basis, at a rate of €3.20 (VAT exempt) per hot meal provided.
• All-inclusive Fee: The €3.20 fee is all-inclusive, covering all costs associated with the service, including food, preparation, delivery, packaging, staff, equipment, waste disposal, and any required fit-out or building works. No additional charges will be paid by the Contracting Authority.
• Currency Variations: Any currency variations over the contract term will be borne by the Tenderer.
• Termination: If a service disruption continues for 14 calendar days, either party may terminate with 14 days' notice.
• Sub-contracting: Permitted, but the Prime Contractor retains overall responsibility.
• Bond/Guarantee: Not specified for this tender.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Funding Contingency: The entire contract is dependent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to cancel the competition or contract if funding is unavailable.
• Mandatory Service Delivery Model: Tenderers must strictly adhere to one of the four specified service delivery models. Any deviation will result in rejection.
• Building Works Responsibility: The successful Tenderer may be required to undertake and pay for building works to meet compliance regulations and food legislation, as identified during the site visit and detailed in SDG02 TN-06.
• Tight Mobilisation: The contract start date is 29th August 2026, shortly after the tender deadline. This requires rapid mobilisation.
• No Lowest Price Award: The Contracting Authority is not bound to accept the lowest priced tender.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with experience in catering, particularly within the school meals sector.

• Credible Bidders: A viable bidder would be a registered Food Business Operator with at least two years of experience in providing catering services. They must demonstrate the financial capacity to meet the minimum annual turnover requirement of €54,745.60 and possess the necessary insurance cover. The requirement for specific service delivery models means bidders must have operational capacity aligned with one of these.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Consortiums or the use of subcontractors are permitted. SMEs are encouraged to form relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises to enhance their proposals.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Given the specific requirements, mandatory site visit, and detailed appendices, bid preparation could require 5-10 days of effort for a focused team, including proposal writing, pricing, and compliance checks.
• Pwin Signal: The tender is an open procedure, suggesting it is not exclusively for an incumbent. However, the specific service delivery models and the potential for building works may favour bidders with existing infrastructure or experience in adapting to such requirements. The clear emphasis on SMEs and the encouragement of consortia indicate a desire for broader market participation.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: [Call for Tenders .pdf]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not explicitly stated in the provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5: Services Contract