Provision of Concessionary Catering Services at Coláiste Íde agus Iosef, Abbeyfeale

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The contractor will provide concessionary catering services at Coláiste Íde agus Iosef, Abbeyfeale. This involves the daily provision of meals and snacks to students, adhering to specific nutritional standards. The service operates on school days, which include 166 operational days per year, plus an additional 15 days allocated for State Examinations. The school has an enrolment of 665 students for the 2026-2027 academic term.

The core activities include:

• Meal Provision: Supplying breakfast, snacks, lunches, and potentially after-school meals.
• Nutritional Compliance: All food provided must meet the "Nutrition Standards for School Meals" document, which is aligned with the Healthy Ireland Framework and the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection's School Meals Programme. These standards dictate the types and quantities of food groups to be included in each meal type (breakfast, snack, lunch/after-school meal, dinner).
• Breakfast: Must include a minimum of two items: one serving of wholemeal or wholegrain cereals/breads, and one serving of milk, yogurt, cheese, or fruit.
• Snack: Must include a minimum of two items: one serving of vegetables, salad, or fruit, and one serving of milk, yogurt, or cheese.
• Lunch/After-School Meal: Must include four items: two servings of vegetables, salad, or fruit; one serving of wholegrain bread; and one serving of meat, poultry, egg, beans, cheese, or nuts.
• Dinner: Must include five items: two servings of vegetables, salad, or fruit; one serving of potatoes, pasta, or rice; one serving of meat, poultry, egg, beans, cheese, or nuts; and one serving of milk, yogurt, or cheese.
• Drink Standards: Easy access to free, fresh drinking water is mandatory. Funding must not be spent on sugar-sweetened drinks or juices. Milk and unsweetened fruit juice (limited to once per day) are permitted.
• Dietary Requirements: Provision for vegetarians is required, with cheese not being the sole vegetarian option more than twice a week. Other options like fish, eggs, beans, and hummus should be incorporated. The contractor must also comply with standards for food for those with allergies.
• Operational Constraints: Fried and other high-fat food products are limited to a maximum of one day per week. Processed meat or chicken products also have a maximum of once a week. Pizza can be served if it meets specific criteria, including a wholemeal base and a serving of fruit or vegetable.
• Concessionary Model: The tender is for a concessionary service, implying the contractor will operate on a commercial basis, paying a concession fee to the ETB. The award criteria indicate that the highest concession fee, alongside meeting qualitative requirements, will receive maximum scoring.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is driven by the Limerick and Clare Education and Training Board (LCETB) to establish a concessionary catering service at Coláiste Íde agus Iosef in Abbeyfeale. The service aligns with national policy frameworks aimed at improving the health and wellbeing of students. Specifically, it supports the "Healthy Ireland" initiative, a cross-governmental strategy to promote healthy lifestyles. The "Nutrition Standards for School Meals," developed with safefood and the Health Service Executive, are a key component, ensuring that meals provided contribute to better educational outcomes, particularly for students from disadvantaged backgrounds, as supported by the DEIS (Delivering Equality of Opportunity in Schools) plan. The School Meals (Local Projects) Scheme, operated by the Department of Employment Affairs and Social Protection, provides funding for such initiatives, emphasizing the importance of nutritious food for children's development and ability to learn.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following minimum requirements to be considered:

• Turnover requirement: A minimum average annual turnover of €100,000 for each of the last three years.
• Insurance:
• Employers Liability: €13,000,000
• Public Liability: €6,500,000
• Product Liability (supplies only): €6,500,000
• 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

The award criteria are based on a combination of the concession fee offered and qualitative aspects of the tender. The evaluation will follow a "Most Economically Advantageous Tender" (MEAT) approach.

Criterion Weight (%) Sub-criteria