Call for Tender for the provision of HOT SCHOOL MEALS under the School Meals Scheme to SCOIL NEASÁIN 19309L

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 providing hot school meals to Scoil Neasain under the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme. The service is required for 242 students each school day, totaling 182 days per year. The contractor must ensure meals are prepared and delivered in compliance with the scheme's standards.

• Meal Preparation and Delivery: Meals must be pre-prepared off-site and delivered hot to each classroom before the lunch break at 12:00.
• Service Models: Options include meals pre-prepared off-site and heated on-site, or fully prepared on-site.
• Food Standards: Meals must include at least 10% organic ingredients by value in specified categories.
• Site Requirements: Food is currently reheated in a pod on-site. The contractor must assess and potentially install necessary equipment for meal preparation and delivery.
• Compliance: Adherence to health, safety, and food legislation is mandatory.
• Reporting: Monthly status reports are required, detailing key information and compliance with service standards.
• Payment: The fee is €3.20 per student per day, VAT exempt, covering all service-related costs.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is part of the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme, aimed at providing nutritious meals to students. Scoil Neasain, located in Dublin, is seeking a contractor to ensure daily hot meal provision for its students. The initiative aligns with government efforts to support child nutrition and education. The contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection, which must be applied for each year.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Minimum annual turnover of €140,940 for each of the last three financial years.
• 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: Not specified for this tender
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation follows the Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach, with a 70/30 quality/price split.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Use named template, no page limits specified
• CVs: Not specified
• Pricing schedule: Appendix 2 template
• Case studies: Not specified
• Declarations: ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, Conflict of Interest
• Mandatory site visit: Between 19/05/2026 and 25/06/2026, by appointment
• Submission portal: eTenders, electronic format only

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is for one year, with the possibility of two one-year extensions. Payment is €3.20 per student per day, paid 30 days in arrears. Key performance indicators include timely delivery and compliance with nutritional standards. Liquidated damages apply for non-compliance. Termination clauses allow for cancellation if funding is unavailable. Intellectual property for any developed systems remains with the contractor. Sub-contracting is allowed, but the prime contractor must hold overall responsibility.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The contract's dependency on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection poses a risk, as funding is not guaranteed each year. The requirement for meals to be delivered hot and ready to eat at specific times may challenge logistics, especially for non-incumbents. The necessity for a mandatory site visit and potential equipment installation could limit the bidder pool to those with existing capabilities or partnerships.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for SMEs with experience in catering services, particularly those familiar with school meal provision. Firms must meet the turnover and insurance requirements and be capable of managing logistics for daily meal delivery. Consortiums and sub-contracting are permitted, allowing smaller firms to partner with others to meet the tender's demands. Bid preparation may require several days, particularly for site assessments and compliance checks. The incumbent's position is not specified, but the requirement for specific service models may favor those with existing infrastructure.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT HOT MEALS SCOIL NEASÁIN - 19309L.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