Call for Tender for the provision of Cold Lunch 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

This tender seeks a single service provider to deliver cold lunches under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme to Harold's Cross National School. The contract is for the provision of catering services for a "Cold Lunch Club" only, with no "After School Club" required. The services must be prepared off-site and delivered ready to eat, maintaining the cold chain until consumption.

The core activities and specifications include:

• Service Provision: Delivery of cold lunches with water to students at Harold's Cross National School.
• Volume: The contract is estimated to cover a maximum of 400 students per day, with a total estimated value of €367,200 over a maximum 3-year term. This equates to an estimated annual value of €122,400. The maximum number of meals over the term is estimated at 216,000.
• Meal Specification: Each cold lunch must include 4 items plus a drink (water). This comprises 2 servings of vegetables, salad, or fruit, and 1 serving of a wholemeal or white bread product.
• Pricing: The rate of payment is €1.70 per student per day for a lunch with a drink. This fee is VAT exempt and all-inclusive, covering all costs associated with preparation, delivery, and compliance with relevant regulations.
• Delivery: Food must be delivered to the designated drop-off point(s) in the school lobby at the agreed time, ensuring the cold chain is maintained.
• Operational Days: Service must be provided on each of the 180 days of the school year, excluding exceptional circumstances. The school calendar will be provided annually.
• Ordering System: Tenderers must be capable of managing an online ordering system.
• Compliance: Services must be delivered in full compliance with the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme and all relevant food legislation, including the Department of Education's Technical Note Guidance SDG02 TN-06.
• Exclusions: The contract specifically excludes the sale of optional add-ons or extras. No alternative service delivery models other than off-site preparation and delivery will be accepted.

3. Background & buyer context

Harold's Cross National School is procuring catering services under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. This scheme aims to provide nutritional support to students. The procurement is being conducted as an Open Procedure, operating under a Light Touch Regime (LTR) due to the estimated contract value being below €750,000. The school is seeking a single service provider to ensure consistent and compliant delivery of cold lunches. The contract's duration is one year, with the possibility of two one-year extensions, subject to annual funding confirmation from the Department of Social Protection. The school emphasizes that the contract is entirely dependent on the continued availability of this funding.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

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

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must demonstrate a minimum average annual turnover of €122,400 for each of the three financial years immediately preceding the tender publication date.
• Insurance: The following insurances must be held for the term of the contract:
• 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 limit of €1.3 million for third-party property damage per accident.
• Crime Insurance: €100,000 per claim.
• Cyber Liability: €1 million per claim and in aggregate per policy year.
• Certifications: Tenderers must be registered Food Business Operators.
• Past experience: Tenderers must demonstrate a minimum of 3 previous contract examples. Specific details on the size or complexity of these examples are not explicitly stated as mandatory requirements in the provided text.
• Personnel: Not specified for this tender.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Food must be prepared off-site. Delivery is to the school lobby. No specific geographic constraints for the tenderer's operational base are mentioned, beyond the requirement to deliver to the specified Dublin 6W address.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Criterion Weight (%) Sub-criteria