The Provision of School Meals for Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB). Lot 1-7.

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 procurement seeks to establish a single-party framework agreement for the provision of school and centre meals across seven designated lots within the Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) functional area. The estimated total value for this framework agreement is €5,000,000 over its duration. No specific volumes are listed; this is a draw-down tender. The successful provider will be responsible for delivering catering services to meet the demand for school/centre meals, adhering to specific quality, safety, and nutritional standards.

The core activities and requirements for the service provider include:

• Menu Planning and Provision:
• Development of menus compliant with the Healthy Eating Initiatives and the Department of Health's Food Pyramid guidelines.
• Ensuring quality and freshness of food.
• Offering choice and variety in food options.
• Accommodation of special dietary requirements, including lactose-free, gluten-free, vegetarian, vegan, and halal options.
• Inclusion of locally sourced items, sustainable food, high animal welfare standards, free-range eggs, marine conservation certified fish, fair trade produce, and certified organic produce.
• Provision of clear allergen information, in line with Regulation (EU) No 1169/2011.
• Menus must not include hot meals high in saturated fat, sugar, and salt.
• Menus must be submitted to the school principal for approval two weeks in advance of any changes.
• Food Safety and Quality Management:
• All food must be prepared off-premises.
• Compliance with Food Safety Authority Ireland (FSAI) and National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) standards, including Food Standards Act, 1974, I.S. 341:2007, Regulation (EC) No 852/2004 (HACCP), I.S. 340:2007, I.S. 22000:2005, and S.I. 369:2006.
• Implementation of a traceability system as per Regulation (EC) 178/2002.
• Ensuring food is fresh, nutritious, and of high quality.
• Adherence to all relevant statutory Food Safety and Health and Safety requirements.
• Verification of correct food temperatures before service.
• Ordering and Communication System:
• Implementation of an online pre-ordering system, allowing orders up to 48 hours in advance.
• The system must be available in English and Irish, compliant with the Official Languages Act 2003 and 2021.
• Direct communication with parents/guardians for menu finalisation and student registration, compliant with GDPR.
• Clear definition of communication channels for ordering, timelines, and complaint resolution.
• Individual meal cancellations permitted up to 48 business hours before delivery.
• Mandatory food information (name, ingredients, allergens, QUID, net quantity, storage instructions, operator details, country of origin, nutritional information) must be available before meal selection and at delivery.
• Delivery and Distribution:
• Delivery of ordered school meals to designated areas.
• Timely distribution of meals before the lunch break.
• Bulk delivery of breakfast items in advance for early breakfast clubs, with 2-3 deliveries per week anticipated.
• Individually packed food must be clearly labelled.
• All staff serving food must be Garda vetted.
• Packaging and Waste Management:
• Use of recycled or renewable packaging where possible, which is reusable or recyclable.
• Provision of separate containers for food waste and packaging.
• Safe removal and disposal of waste and packaging on a daily basis or as agreed with school management.
• Implementation of waste prevention policies, focusing on food waste reduction and segregation, in accordance with Waste Management (Food Waste) Regulations 2009 and other relevant legislation.
• Use of compostable liners for food waste (e.g., Cré Ireland logo, EN 13432 standard or equivalent).
• Support for the European Strategy for Plastics in a Circular Economy and the Environmental Protection Agency’s Food Waste Charter.
• Cleaning and Hygiene:
• Daily cleaning and disinfection of preparation and serving areas to relevant legal standards.
• Provision of environmentally appropriate bin bags.
• Collection and cleaning of reusable items.
• Secure storage of cleaning chemicals away from food and students.
• Special Functions:
• Provision of catering services for special functions (staff meetings, graduations, etc.) with a minimum of 5 working days' notice.
• Supplying potential menus with per-head costs for these events.
• Utilities Contribution:
• Proposal of a nominal contribution towards the cost of utilities (heat, light, gas, water) used for meal preparation or reheating on-site.

The seven lots are:

• Lot 1: Ardscoil Phádraig, Granard, Co. Longford
• Lot 2: Vocational School, Ballymahon, Co. Longford
• Lot 3: Columba College, Killucan, Co. Westmeath
• Lot 4: Community College, Castlepollard, Co. Westmeath
• Lot 5: Community College, Lanesboro, Co. Longford
• Lot 6: Community College, Mullingar, Co. Westmeath
• Lot 7: Templemichael College Longford

3. Background & buyer context

Longford and Westmeath Education and Training Board (LWETB) is a statutory authority established under the Education and Training Boards Act 2013. ETBs are responsible for managing and operating primary and second-level schools, further education colleges, and adult education centres within their functional areas. LWETB's remit includes establishing and maintaining educational facilities, planning and providing education and training programmes, and supporting youth work services.

This procurement is driven by a recurring requirement for the delivery of school and centre meals across LWETB's property portfolio. The funding for these meals is provided through the School/Centre Meals Local Projects Scheme, administered by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. This funding is allocated on a school year basis and requires annual application, with no automatic entitlement. LWETB has no authority to alter approved funding levels and reserves the right to cancel the contract if funding is withdrawn. The procurement is structured as a single-party framework agreement to leverage efficiencies and maximise cost savings.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

To be considered eligible for evaluation, bidders must meet the following minimum requirements:

• Turnover requirement: Confirmation that annual turnover exceeded €500,000 per annum over a three-year period.
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Products Liability: €6.5 million
• Professional Indemnity: €2.6 million
• Cyber Insurance: €1 million
• Motor Insurance: €1.2 million
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Access to a minimum of four skilled personnel with sector knowledge and relevant skills is mandatory. CVs must be submitted for at least these individuals.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender, beyond the delivery locations within Longford and Westmeath. Data centres for online ordering systems must be located within the EEA.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The procurement uses an Open Procedure with a single-stage tender process. Bidders meeting the selection criteria will be evaluated against the award criteria. The specific award criteria and their weighting are not detailed in the provided extract. However, the tender documents state that the evaluation will consider the "lowest cost tender that also meets all of the minimum requirements of the specification." This suggests a strong emphasis on cost, but quality and compliance with minimum requirements are prerequisites.

Note: The exact weighting and specific sub-criteria for quality are not provided in the extract. The overall approach appears to be MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender), with a strong emphasis on cost meeting minimum requirements.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers are required to submit the following documentation:

• Method statement / response document: Tenderers must indicate which lots they are applying for on the tender response document by ticking the required schools/centres.
• CVs: A brief CV must be submitted for at least the minimum number of skilled personnel (four) required.
• Pricing schedule: Not explicitly detailed in the extract, but tendered rates for meals and a nominal contribution towards utilities are expected.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations:
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number.
• eESPD (electronic Single Procurement Document) and a signed Declaration of Personal Circumstances for the tenderer and any subcontractors/consortium members.
• Confirmation of access to a minimum of four skilled personnel.
• Confirmation of insurance levels.
• Mandatory site visit: Not specified for this tender.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted via eTenders.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The contract is structured as a single-party framework agreement. The duration is not specified.
• Extension: Not specified.
• Payment terms: Payment will be made within 30 days of receipt of a valid invoice, on a 30-day in arrears basis.
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Not explicitly detailed, but implied through requirements for menu quality, freshness, reliability of delivery, accuracy of invoicing, and overall satisfaction.
• Liquidated damages or penalty regimes: Not specified.
• Termination clauses: LWETB reserves the right to cancel the contract if funding from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection is no longer forthcoming. LWETB may also cancel the competition or any individual Lot at any time prior to a formal Service Contract being executed.
• IP ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting rules: Tenderers must clearly set out the names of subcontractors, their roles, and nominated contact personnel. Subcontractors must submit an eESPD and Declaration of Personal Circumstances. Reliance on subcontractors for qualification or delivery must be proven.
• Parent-company guarantee or bond requirements: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Funding Dependency: The entire contract is contingent on continued funding from the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection. This presents a significant risk of contract cancellation if funding is withdrawn, as explicitly stated in the tender documents.
• Single-Party Framework: While this can offer efficiencies, it also means the successful bidder has no guarantee of purchase volume. LWETB reserves the right to operate outside the framework if it offers better value for money.
• No On-site Preparation: All food must be prepared off-premises, requiring robust logistics and quality control for delivery to multiple school locations.
• Indicative Volumes: Volumes are stated as indicative only, meaning bidders must price based on potential demand rather than guaranteed quantities.
• TUPE Information: The inclusion of a TUPE information spreadsheet suggests that existing staff may be involved in the service provision, requiring careful consideration by bidders regarding potential transfer of undertakings.
• Nominal Utility Contribution: Bidders are asked to propose a "nominal contribution" towards utilities, which requires careful costing to ensure it is not detrimental to profitability.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured as a single-party framework agreement, potentially favouring larger, established catering providers with the capacity to manage multiple lots and complex logistics. However, LWETB explicitly encourages SME participation and suggests forming relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises to meet capacity requirements.

• Credible bidders: A viable bidder would likely be a catering company with significant experience in school or institutional catering, possessing established food preparation facilities, robust food safety management systems, and the logistical capability to serve multiple locations daily. Experience with online ordering systems and compliance with Irish food safety and environmental regulations is essential.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: Consortiums and joint ventures are permitted. Sub-contracting is also allowed, provided subcontractors meet specific requirements (e.g., submitting eESPD). This opens avenues for SMEs to participate by specialising in certain aspects of the service or by partnering with other firms.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Preparing a compliant bid for a multi-lot framework agreement of this nature, including detailed menu proposals, safety plans, and pricing, would likely require several weeks of dedicated effort from a bid team, potentially involving 20-40 person-days depending on the bidder's existing resources and complexity.
• Pwin signal: The tender is for a single-party framework, which can indicate a preference for a single, comprehensive provider. The funding dependency and the explicit right for LWETB to operate outside the framework suggest that price and value for money will be critical. The absence of specific quality weighting in the award criteria (as per the extract) might lean towards cost-driven selection, potentially favouring incumbents or firms with highly efficient operations.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename(s): [1. LWETB CFT Final.pdf], [4. TUPE_information Spreadsheet.xlsx]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not stated in the provided extract.
• Contact email or clarification portal: Not stated in the provided extract.
• Most important attachments:
• "Appendix 3" (referenced for property portfolio, likely contains site details)
• "TRD" (Tender Response Document - likely contains specific lot selections and detailed response fields)
• "Nutrition Standards for School Meals" and "Nutrition Standards for Hot School Meals"