Call for Tender for the provision of Hot School Meals under the School Meals Scheme to Ballyvary Central NS

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 hot meals to 242 students at Ballyvary Central NS under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. The contract is for a term of one year, with potential for up to two one-year extensions. The estimated contract value is €422,822.40 over the initial term.

The core requirement is the provision of catering services to supply hot meals daily, in compliance with the School Hot Meals Scheme. The service must be available on each of the 182 school days per year, excluding exceptional circumstances. The school lunch time is 12:40 pm, and meals must be delivered hot and ready to eat at the classrooms by the beginning of the lunch break.

Tenderers must select and adhere to one of the following mandatory service delivery models:

• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-site and Delivered Ready to Eat: Meals are prepared off-site and delivered hot to each classroom, ready for immediate consumption.
• Meals Pre-Prepared Off-Site and Heated in the School’s Designated Preparation and/or Servery Area: Meals are prepared off-site, delivered, and then 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 heating occurs using an external pod or mobile unit on school grounds.
• Meals Fully Prepared On-Site: Meals are prepared entirely on-site within the school's designated food preparation area and then served to classrooms.

No alternative service delivery models or variations will be accepted. The tender documents specify that the Contracting Authority reserves the right to cancel the competition or contract if funding from the Department of Social Protection is not forthcoming.

3. Background & buyer context

Ballyvary Central NS is procuring hot school meals under the Department of Social Protection's School Meals Scheme. This initiative is funded annually by the Department of Social Protection (DSP), with funding allocated on a school-year basis. The tender process is being conducted under a Light Touch Regime (LTR) due to the estimated contract value being below €750,000. The Contracting Authority explicitly states that there is no automatic entitlement to DSP funding in any given year, and all applications are subject to available budgets. Consequently, any resulting contract is entirely dependent on the continued availability of this funding. The school is located in Ballyvary, Castlebar, Co. Mayo.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

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

• Turnover requirement: Tenderers must demonstrate a minimum average annual turnover of €140,940.80 for each of the three financial years preceding the tender publication date.
• Insurance: The following insurance cover is required 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.
• 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 the aggregate.
• Certifications: Tenderers must be registered Food Business Operators.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Key Account Managers (KAMs) must hold a Food Safety/HACCP qualification and possess a minimum of 2 years' experience in a similar role.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender, beyond the requirement to operate within the specified service delivery models.

5. Award criteria & scoring

This is a single-stage tender. Tenderers must first meet all selection criteria to be deemed eligible. Eligible tenders will then be evaluated against the award criteria. The tender documents do not specify a formal scoring mechanism or weighting for award criteria. However, the contract will be awarded based on the most economically advantageous tender. The primary considerations for award are implied to be compliance with specifications, quality of the proposed service, and price. The tender documents state that the Contracting Authority does not bind itself to accept the lowest priced tender.

6. Submission requirements

Tenderers must submit their bids electronically via the eTenders platform. The following documents and information are required:

• Tender Response Document (TRD): Tenderers must follow the format provided and respond to each element in the order set out in the CFT and TRD.
• Pricing Schedule: To be submitted in the format specified in Appendix 2.
• Tenderer’s Statement: A scanned, signed copy of the Tenderer's Statement (Appendix 3), printed on the tenderer's letterhead.
• Declaration as to Personal Circumstances: Appendix 4.
• Tax Clearance: Tenderers must supply their Tax Clearance Access Number and Tax Reference Number for online verification.
• Consortium/Group Details: If a group of undertakings is submitting, details of all members and a nominated entity for communication must be provided.
• Mandatory Site Visit: Tenderers are required to attend a mandatory site visit on 08/07/2026, by appointment only, with [email protected].
• Submission Portal: All submissions must be made through the eTenders electronic tenderbox.
• File Size Limits: A maximum of 250MB per file and 2GB total for all documentation.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The Services Contract will have an initial term of one year. The Contracting Authority reserves the right to extend the term for up to two additional one-year periods, subject to legal obligations. Payment will be made on a 30-day arrears basis, with a fee of €3.20 (VAT exempt) per student per day for each hot meal provided. Complaints must be fully resolved within 3-5 days. Monthly status reports are required. The contract is entirely dependent on continued funding from the Department of Social Protection, and the Contracting Authority can cancel the competition or contract if funding is unavailable. Termination clauses allow for 14 days' notice if a breach continues for 14 calendar days and is not remedied.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The primary risk identified is the contract's complete dependence on annual Department of Social Protection funding. This creates uncertainty regarding the contract's continuation beyond the initial term, or even its viability if funding is withdrawn. The Contracting Authority explicitly reserves the right to cancel the competition or contract if funding is not forthcoming, meaning a successful bidder could face contract termination due to external budgetary decisions. The mandatory site visit is a critical gate; failure to attend or arrange it correctly could lead to disqualification. The requirement to select one of four specific service delivery models, with no alternatives permitted, limits flexibility for bidders.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is structured to be accessible to Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) with established catering operations. The estimated contract value of €422,822.40 over one year, with a minimum annual turnover requirement of €140,940.80, suggests that businesses of a moderate size, capable of handling a school contract of this scale, are targeted. Consortium bids are permitted, allowing SMEs to collaborate to meet requirements or pool resources. The bid preparation effort is likely moderate, requiring detailed responses to specifications, pricing, and demonstration of compliance with insurance and food safety standards. The tender is run under national procedures, not EU thresholds, indicating a focus on the domestic market. There is no explicit mention of an incumbent provider.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: [Cft Ballyvary Central NS 19402B.docx]
• eTenders CFT ID: Not explicitly stated in provided text.
• Contact / Clarification Portal: Clarifications and queries must be submitted via eTenders.gov.ie.
• Key Attachments:
• Appendix 1: Requirements and Specifications
• Appendix 2: Pricing Schedule
• Appendix 3: Tenderer’s Statement
• Appendix 5: Services Contract