Provision of Hot Meals under the 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 contractor will provide hot meals to students at Ardcroney National School under the School Meals Scheme. The service is required for 135 students each school day, aligning with the Department of Social Protection's guidelines. The contract covers the entire school year, approximately 182 days.

• Meal Preparation and Delivery: Meals must be pre-prepared off-site and delivered hot to classrooms, ready for consumption at the start of the lunch break (12:30 pm).
• Service Delivery Models:
• Meals pre-prepared off-site and delivered ready to eat.
• Meals pre-prepared off-site, heated in the school's designated area.
• Meals pre-prepared off-site, heated using an external pod or mobile unit.
• Meals fully prepared on-site.
• Compliance: Adherence to the Department of Social Protection’s Hot Meals Scheme is mandatory.
• Organic Content: At least 10% of the food by value must be certified organic.
• Site Visits: A mandatory site visit is required to assess facilities and compliance needs.
• Funding Dependency: The contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection.

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. Ardcroney National School, located in Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, is seeking a service provider to deliver hot meals as part of this initiative. The scheme is funded annually, and the school must apply each year. The procurement aligns with the government's strategy to enhance student nutrition and support local food service providers.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Minimum annual turnover of €78,624.00 for the past three years.
• Insurance:
• Public Liability: €6.5 million per claim.
• Employer's Liability: €13 million per claim.
• Product Liability: €6.5 million per claim.
• Motor Cover: €1.3 million for third-party damage.
• Cyber Liability: €1 million per claim.
• Certifications: Food Safety/HACCP qualification for Key Account Managers.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Key Account Managers must have a minimum of 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 60/40 quality to price split.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Use the provided template, no page limit specified.
• CVs: Required for Key Account Managers, no page limit specified.
• Pricing schedule: Must use the template in Appendix 2.
• Case studies: Not specified for this tender.
• Declarations: ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, Conflict of Interest.
• Mandatory site visit: Scheduled between 11th and 15th May, contact Damien Cunningham at [email protected].
• Submission portal: eTenders, with file size limits (250MB per file, 2GB total).

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is initially for 12 months, with the possibility of two extensions of up to one year each. Payment is €3.20 per student per day, paid 30 days in arrears. Key performance indicators include timely meal delivery and compliance with nutritional standards. Liquidated damages apply for non-compliance. Termination clauses allow for cancellation if funding ceases. Intellectual property rights for any developed systems remain with the contractor. Sub-contracting is permitted but must be declared.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The contract's dependency on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection poses a risk of cancellation if funds are unavailable. The requirement for a minimum of 10% organic content may limit supplier options. The mandatory site visit and potential need for building works could increase initial costs. The insurance requirements are substantial, potentially limiting smaller firms' ability to bid.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for SMEs with experience in school catering and the ability to meet the specified insurance and turnover requirements. Firms should have a robust supply chain to ensure organic content compliance. Consortium bids and sub-contracting are allowed, offering flexibility for smaller firms to partner with others. Bid preparation is moderate, estimated at 10-15 days. The incumbent's strength is not specified, but the dependency on annual funding may deter sole suppliers.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: CFT - Hot Meals - Ardcroney National School 18482U.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