Provision of Hot Meals under School Meals Scheme

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 contract requires the provision of hot meals to students at Ardfield National School under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. The service provider will be responsible for preparing and delivering meals to approximately 122 students on each of the 182 school days per year. The contract is for a term of one year, with the possibility of two one-year extensions.

The core activities include:

• Meal Preparation and Delivery: Tenderers must select one of the following service delivery models:
• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-site and Delivered Ready to Eat: Meals prepared off-site and delivered hot to classrooms, ready for immediate consumption. Food must be at classrooms at the start of the lunch break.
• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-Site and Heated in the School’s Designated Preparation and/or Servery Area: Meals prepared off-site, delivered, and heated on-site in the school's designated area before distribution to classrooms.
• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-Site and Heated in the School by use of an External Pod or Mobile Catering Unit: Similar to the above, but using an external pod or mobile unit for on-site heating.
• Meals Fully Prepared On-Site: Meals prepared entirely on-site in the school's designated food preparation area.
• Compliance with Standards: All meals must be prepared and served in compliance with the Department of Social Protection’s School Hot Meals Scheme and the "Nutrition Standards for Hot School Meals".
• Organic Ingredient Requirement: A minimum of 10% of the food by value (€) must be certified organic in categories including cereals, fresh beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, vegetables, and dairy products, where possible.
• Service Delivery: Meals must be delivered to classrooms in a timely manner, ready for consumption at the beginning of the lunch break (12:30).
• Reporting: Monthly status reports detailing key information are required.
• Complaint Resolution: Complaints must be fully resolved within 3-5 days.
• Site Works (if applicable): Depending on the chosen service delivery model, the successful tenderer may be required to undertake and fund building works to meet compliance regulations and food legislation requirements. This includes assessing and potentially installing fixed pods or mobile units.

3. Background & buyer context

This procurement is initiated by Ardfield National School (Scoil an Aird) to secure catering services for its students under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. Funding for this scheme is provided annually by the Department of Social Protection and is subject to budgetary availability. The contract's continuation is entirely dependent on the annual allocation of this funding. The school operates 182 days per year. The procurement is being conducted under an Open Procedure, as the estimated value is below the €750,000 EU threshold, allowing for national-level flexibilities. The contract is intended to be awarded to a single service provider.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Tenderers must meet the following mandatory criteria to be considered eligible for evaluation:

• Turnover requirement:
• A minimum average annual turnover of €71,052 for each of the three financial years immediately preceding the tender publication date.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million limit per claim.
• Public Liability: €6.5 million limit per claim.
• Product Liability: €6.5 million limit per claim and in aggregate.
• Motor Cover: Minimum €1.3 million limit for third-party property damage per accident.
• Crime Insurance: €100,000 per claim.
• Cyber Liability: €1 million per claim and in aggregate.
• Professional Indemnity: €6.5 million limit per claim (only relevant if undertaking fit-out works under Service Delivery Models 2, 3, or 4).
• Certifications:
• Must be registered Food Business Operators.
• No specific ISO/EN/BS standards are mandated in the provided text.
• Past experience:
• Not explicitly detailed with specific numbers of projects, but implied through the requirement for Key Account Managers (KAMs) to have relevant experience.
• Personnel:
• Key Account Managers (KAMs) must hold a Food Safety/HACCP qualification and possess a minimum of 2 years of experience in a similar role.
• Geographic / facility constraints:
• Not specified, beyond the requirement to operate within Ireland for service delivery.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The tender will be evaluated on a single-stage basis, with only compliant tenderers meeting the selection criteria being assessed against the award criteria. The specific award criteria and their weighting are not detailed in the provided text. However, the process is described as a "single stage tender procedure whereby all interested parties... may tender, but only those meeting the selection criteria (financial and technical capacity) will be deemed eligible for evaluation against the award criteria." This implies a MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) approach, where both price and quality will be considered.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their bids electronically via the eTenders platform. The submission must include:

• Tender Response Document (TRD): Must follow the specified format and respond to each element in the order presented in the CFT. Tenderers must not alter the CFT or TRD.
• Pricing Schedule: As per Appendix 2.
• Tenderer’s Statement: A scanned, signed copy on the tenderer's letterhead, confirming acceptance of the Services Contract and Licence terms (Appendix 3).
• Declarations:
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances of Tenderer (Appendix 4).
• Confirmation of compliance with mandatory exclusion grounds (Regulation 57).
• Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification.
• Declaration of independent tender preparation.
• Disclosure of any registrable interests.
• CVs: Not explicitly mentioned with page limits, but KAM experience is required.
• Case Studies: Not explicitly mentioned.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Attendance is required by appointment before the clarification deadline. Contact details for booking are provided.
• Submission Portal: www.etenders.gov.ie. File size limits apply (250MB per file, 2GB total). Tenders must be submitted by clicking the "Submit" button.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

• Term: The initial contract term is one (1) year.
• Extension: The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term for up to two (2) additional periods of one (1) year each, on the same terms and conditions.
• Payment Terms: Payments are made on a 30-day arrears basis. The fee per hot meal is €3.20 (VAT exempt).
• Key SLAs/KPIs: Complaints to be fully resolved within 3-5 days. Monthly status reports are required.
• Liquidated Damages: Not explicitly detailed, but service credits may apply (implied by a reference to aggregate service credits within 30 days of invoice).
• Termination: Either party may terminate with 14 days' notice if a breach continues for 14 calendar days. Termination for breach is also possible within 30 days of a written request.
• IP Ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting: Permitted, but the Prime Contractor remains responsible for all services.
• Parent-Company Guarantee/Bond: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

• Funding Dependency: The contract is entirely dependent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to cancel the competition or contract if funding is unavailable.
• Mandatory Site Visit: This is a mandatory requirement for all tenderers, with specific dates and appointment booking procedures.
• Service Delivery Model Constraint: Tenderers must select from the four specified service delivery models; no alternatives are accepted.
• Potential for Building Works: Depending on the chosen model, the successful tenderer may be required to fund and undertake building works, which requires careful assessment during the site visit and tender preparation.
• Organic Ingredient Requirement: A minimum of 10% organic ingredients by value is mandated, requiring careful sourcing and cost management.
• Light Touch Regime (LTR): While modelled on an open procedure, the procurement falls under the LTR due to its value, meaning EU procurement regulations do not strictly apply but are used by analogy.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with experience in catering services, particularly those familiar with school meal provision and the specific requirements of the Department of Social Protection's scheme.

• Credible Bidders: A viable bidder would be an established food business operator with a proven track record in catering, capable of meeting the €71,052 minimum annual turnover requirement. Experience in preparing and delivering meals to specific nutritional standards and managing organic sourcing would be advantageous. Businesses with existing infrastructure for off-site preparation or on-site heating capabilities are well-positioned.
• Consortium/Sub-contracting: The tender encourages SMEs to form relationships with other SMEs or larger enterprises. Sub-contracting is permitted, with the Prime Contractor retaining overall responsibility.
• Indicative Bid-Prep Effort: Preparing a compliant bid would likely require 5-10 days of effort, involving site visits, understanding the service delivery models, pricing, and completing the required documentation and declarations.
• Pwin Signal: The tender is open to new entrants. There is no explicit mention of an incumbent provider. The primary driver for success will be a compliant, competitive bid that meets all technical and financial requirements. The mandatory site visit and the need to assess potential building works suggest that a thorough understanding of the school's specific environment is crucial.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT Filename: CFT Hot Meals Ardfield NS 12147W August 2026.docx
• eTenders CFT ID: Not explicitly stated in the provided text.
• Contact: Queries must be directed via the messaging facility on www.etenders.gov.ie.
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 3: Tenderer’s Statement
• Appendix 5: Services Contract
• SDG02 TN-06 (Department of Education Technical Note Guidance)