Provision of Meals Pre-Prepared Off-Site and Heated in the School's Designated Preparation and/or Servery Area under the School Meals Scheme to Kilskyre NS 01421F

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The contract involves providing hot meals to students at Kilskyre National School under the School Meals Scheme. The service is required for 182 school days annually, catering to 88 students each day.

• Meal Preparation: Meals must be pre-prepared off-site and heated in the school's designated preparation or servery area.
• Delivery: Meals must be delivered to classrooms, ready to eat, by the start of the lunch break at 12:30.
• Compliance: Services must comply with the Department of Social Protection’s School Hot Meals Scheme.
• Service Delivery Models: The tender specifies that meals are to be pre-prepared off-site and heated on-site, with options for using an external pod or mobile catering unit.
• Site Visits: Mandatory site visits are required to assess the facilities and ensure compliance with health and safety regulations.
• Funding: The service is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection, with no automatic entitlement to funding each year.
• Contractual Obligations: The successful tenderer must adhere to all food safety and building compliance regulations, including any necessary building works.

3. Background & buyer context

This tender is part of the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme, aiming to provide nutritious meals to students. Kilskyre National School is seeking a contractor to deliver hot meals as part of this initiative. The procurement aligns with government efforts to support child nutrition and education. The contract is dependent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection, reflecting the strategic importance of the scheme in promoting student welfare.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Minimum annual turnover of €51,251.20.
• 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.
• Cyber Liability: €1 million per claim.
• Certifications: Registered Food Business Operator.
• 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 tender follows the MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) principle, with a 70/30 quality to price split.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Use named template, no page limits specified.
• CVs: Not 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: Dates specified, contact Bebhinn King at [email protected].
• Submission portal: eTenders, with specific format rules.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is for one year, with the possibility of two one-year extensions. Payment terms are 30 days in arrears. Key performance indicators include timely delivery of meals and compliance with health and safety standards. Liquidated damages or penalties are not specified. Intellectual property rights and sub-contracting rules are not detailed. A parent-company guarantee or bond is not required.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The contract's dependency on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection poses a risk, as there is no guaranteed funding each year. The requirement for meals to be pre-prepared off-site and heated on-site may limit potential bidders to those with existing infrastructure. The mandatory site visit and compliance with specific health and safety regulations could be challenging for new entrants.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized catering businesses with experience in school meal provision. Bidders must be registered Food Business Operators and meet the insurance requirements. Consortium bids are allowed, and sub-contracting is permitted. The bid preparation effort is moderate, requiring a detailed understanding of the service delivery model and compliance requirements. The presence of an incumbent is not specified, but the dependency on specific infrastructure may favor established providers.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT Hot Meals Kilskyre NS 01421F.pdf
• eTenders CFT ID: Not specified
• Contact email: [email protected]
• Important attachments:
• Appendix 1 — Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2 — Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 5 — Services Contract