Call for Tender for the provision of Hot Meals Prepared Offsite and Delivered under the School Meals Scheme to Scoil Náisiúnta na bhForbacha 17668G

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 meals to students at Scoil Náisiúnta na bhForbacha under the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme. The service is required for 228 students over 182 school days per year. Meals must be prepared off-site and delivered hot to classrooms before lunch at 12:30.

• Meal Preparation and Delivery: Meals must be pre-prepared off-site and delivered ready to eat. Delivery must ensure meals are at classrooms at the start of lunch.
• Compliance: Adherence to the Department of Social Protection’s School Hot Meals Scheme is mandatory.
• Service Days: Service is required every school day, except for exceptional circumstances.
• Meal Standards: Meals must meet nutritional standards as per the scheme.
• Delivery Model: Only the specified service delivery model (pre-prepared off-site) is accepted.
• Site Visit: A mandatory site visit is required to assess the school’s facilities and logistics.
• Funding Dependency: The contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection.

3. Background & buyer context

The procurement is driven by the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme, aiming to provide nutritional support to students. Scoil Náisiúnta na bhForbacha, located in Na Forbacha, Co. na Gaillimhe, is seeking a service provider to deliver hot meals to its students. The initiative aligns with government efforts to enhance student welfare through improved nutrition. The contract is dependent on annual funding allocations, reflecting the scheme's reliance on government budgetary decisions.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Minimum annual turnover of €132,361.
• 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 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 40/60 price/quality 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: Scheduled for 19 May 2026, contact [email protected].
• Submission portal: eTenders, adhere to format rules.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is for one year, with two possible one-year extensions. Payment is €3.20 per student per day, VAT exempt, paid 30 days in arrears. Key SLAs include daily meal delivery and compliance with nutritional standards. Liquidated damages apply for non-compliance. Termination clauses allow for cancellation if funding ceases. IP ownership remains with the contractor. Sub-contracting is permitted with prior approval. No parent-company guarantee required.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The contract's dependency on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection poses a risk of cancellation if funding is not secured. The mandatory site visit requirement may limit participation to local firms. The insurance requirements are high relative to the contract value, potentially restricting smaller firms. The tender specifies a single service delivery model, limiting flexibility.

10. SME fit assessment

The tender is suitable for small to medium-sized catering firms with experience in school meal provision. Firms must meet the turnover and insurance requirements. Consortiums or sub-contracting are allowed, facilitating participation by smaller firms. Bid preparation is moderate, estimated at 5-10 days. The incumbent's strength is not specified, but the tender's dependency on annual funding may affect the perceived stability of the contract.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: "CFT-Hot Meal Prepared Off-Site and Delivered - Scoil na bhForbacha - 17668G.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"