Provision of Hot Meals under School Meals Scheme

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1. At a glance

2. Scope of Work

The tender involves providing hot meals to students at Streamstown National School under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. The service is required for 182 school days per year, catering to 106 students.

• Service Delivery Models:

• Meals pre-prepared off-site and delivered ready to eat.

• Meals pre-prepared off-site and heated in the school's designated area.

• Meals pre-prepared off-site and heated using an external pod or mobile unit.

• Meals fully prepared on-site.

• Meal Requirements:

• Meals must be delivered hot and ready to eat at the start of the lunch break (12 pm).

• A minimum of 10% of the food value must be certified organic, covering categories like cereals, meats, fish, vegetables, and dairy.

• Operational Requirements:

• Service provision includes all aspects such as food preparation, delivery, serving, cleaning, waste disposal, and compliance with food safety standards.

• The contractor must provide an online ordering system and manage all associated logistics.

• Site and Equipment:

• The current food preparation area is a spare classroom, which will be relocated before September.

• A mandatory site visit is required to assess the facilities and plan for any necessary equipment or building works.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is part of the Department of Social Protection's initiative to provide hot meals in schools, aiming to improve student nutrition and support learning. Streamstown National School, located in Mullingar, Co Westmeath, is expanding its participation in this scheme. The funding for the scheme is allocated annually and must be applied for each year. The school is seeking a reliable service provider to ensure consistent meal delivery throughout the academic year.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Minimum annual turnover of €61,734 for the past 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: Key Account Manager must hold a Food Safety/HACCP qualification with at least 2 years of experience.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation follows the MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) principle, with a 60/40 quality to price split.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Use the named template, no page limit 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: May 7th and 13th, 2026, by appointment with Richie Clinton.
• 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. Payments are made 30 days in arrears at €3.20 per student per day. Key SLAs include timely delivery and compliance with nutritional standards. Liquidated damages apply for non-compliance. Termination clauses allow for contract cancellation if funding is not secured. Intellectual property rights for any developed systems remain with the contractor. Sub-contracting is permitted, but the prime contractor holds overall responsibility.

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 year-on-year. The requirement for a minimum 10% organic food content may limit supplier options. The relocation of the food preparation area before September could impact initial service setup. The mandatory site visit and potential need for building works add complexity and cost.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized catering businesses with experience in school meal provision. Firms must meet the financial and insurance requirements and have a qualified Key Account Manager. Consortium bids are allowed, encouraging partnerships. Bid preparation is estimated at 5-10 days. The incumbent's strength is not specified, but the open procedure suggests a competitive opportunity for new entrants.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: Call for tender Streamstown NS 15291V .doc 2026-27.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