Call for Tender for the provision of hot lunches under the School Meals Scheme to Corcreagh National School 13811L

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 involves providing hot meals to 29 students at Corcreagh National School, in compliance with the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme. The service must be available each school day, totaling 182 days per year. The contractor will be responsible for the following activities:

• Meal Preparation and Delivery:

• Meals must be prepared off-site and delivered hot to classrooms, ready to eat by the start of lunch at 12:10 PM.

• Options include:

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

• Meals pre-prepared off-site and heated on-site.

• Meals fully prepared on-site.

• Compliance with Nutritional Standards:

• Meals must adhere to the nutritional guidelines set by the Department of Social Protection.

• A minimum of 10% of the food must be certified organic across specified categories (cereals, beef, lamb, pork, poultry, fish, vegetables, and dairy).

• Service Delivery Model:

• The contractor must follow the specified service delivery model, with no alternative options accepted.

• Reporting and Communication:

• Monthly status reports on service delivery and compliance with nutritional standards are required.

• Mandatory Site Visit:

• Bidders must attend a site visit to review the school campus and designated food preparation areas.

The contractor will receive €3.20 (VAT exempt) per student per day for each hot meal provided.

3. Background & buyer context

This tender is being issued as part of the ongoing implementation of the School Meals Scheme, funded by the Department of Social Protection. The scheme aims to provide nutritious meals to students in primary schools, enhancing their health and educational outcomes. Corcreagh National School has previously participated in this scheme and is seeking a new contractor to ensure continued service delivery. The procurement aligns with government initiatives to support healthy eating in schools.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

Bidders must meet the following eligibility and selection criteria:

• Turnover requirement: Minimum average annual turnover of €16,889 for each of the three financial years preceding the tender publication.

• Insurance:

• Employer’s Liability: €13 million limit for any one claim.

• Public Liability: €6.5 million limit for any one claim.

• Product Liability: €6.5 million limit for any one claim.

• Motor Cover: Minimum limit of €1.3 million for third-party property damage.

• Crime Insurance: €100,000 for any one claim.

• Cyber Liability: €1 million for any one claim.

• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.

• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.

• Personnel: Key Account Managers (KAM) must hold a Food Safety/HACCP qualification and have a minimum of 2 years of experience in a similar role.

• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

Bids will be evaluated based on the following criteria:

The evaluation will follow a Most Economically Advantageous Tender (MEAT) approach, balancing price and quality.

6. Submission requirements

Bidders must submit the following documentation:

• Method statement / response document: Follow the provided template, adhering to any page limits specified.
• CVs: Include CVs for key personnel, limited to 2 pages each.
• Pricing schedule: Use the specified template to outline pricing.
• Case studies: Provide 2 case studies of similar projects, with values ranging from €10,000 to €50,000.
• Declarations: Include ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, and Conflict of Interest declarations.
• Mandatory site visit: Attend the site visit on 1st July 2026 at 10:00 AM, by appointment.
• Submission portal: Tenders must be submitted via the eTenders portal, following specific format rules.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract will be for a term of one year, with the possibility of two one-year extensions. Key terms include:

• Payment terms: Payments will be made on a 30-day arrears basis.
• Service Level Agreements (SLAs): Compliance with nutritional standards and timely meal delivery.
• Liquidated damages: Not specified.
• Termination clauses: The contract may be terminated with 14 days' notice if breaches are not remedied within 30 days.
• IP ownership: Not specified.
• Sub-contracting rules: Not specified.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

Potential risks and concerns include:

• Funding dependency: The contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection, which may not be guaranteed.
• Mandatory site visit: Failure to attend the site visit may result in disqualification.
• Strict compliance requirements: Non-compliance with the specified service delivery model may lead to rejection of the tender.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) with experience in catering services. Key considerations include:

• Credible bidders: Firms with experience in school meal provision, food safety certifications, and the ability to meet insurance requirements.
• Consortium or sub-contracting: Allowed, particularly for SMEs to collaborate with larger firms.
• Indicative bid-prep effort: Approximately 5-10 days to prepare a competitive bid.
• Pwin signal: The incumbent's strength is not specified, but the funding dependency may indicate a competitive environment.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: Call for Tender Corcreagh National School 13811L.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