Provision of Hot Meals in Balla NS 17119T

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 students at Balla National School, aligning with the Department of Social Protection’s School Meals Scheme. The service is required for 207 students over 182 school days per year.

• Service Delivery Models: Meals must be pre-prepared off-site and delivered ready to eat or heated on-site using designated areas or external pods.
• Meal Standards: Meals must comply with the Nutrition Standards for Hot School Meals and include at least 10% certified organic ingredients.
• Delivery Timing: Meals must be delivered to classrooms before the lunch break at 12 noon.
• Volume: Approximately 207 meals per day.
• Compliance: Adherence to food safety and hygiene standards is mandatory.
• Funding Dependency: The contract is contingent on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection.
• Site Visit: A mandatory site visit is required to assess facilities and compliance needs.

3. Background & buyer context

This tender is part of the Department of Social Protection’s initiative to provide hot meals in schools, aiming to improve student nutrition and well-being. Balla National School, located in Castlebar, Co. Mayo, is seeking a service provider to ensure daily meal provision for its students. The procurement aligns with the national strategy to enhance educational environments through better nutrition. The incumbent provider, if any, is not mentioned, and the tender is open to new bidders.

4. Eligibility & selection criteria

• Turnover requirement: Minimum annual turnover of €120,556.80.
• Insurance:
• Employer’s Liability: €13 million
• Public Liability: €6.5 million
• Product Liability: €6.5 million
• Motor Cover: €1.3 million
• Crime Insurance: €100,000
• Cyber Liability: €1 million
• Certifications: Not specified for this tender.
• Past experience: Not specified for this tender.
• Personnel: Key Account Manager must hold a Food Safety/HACCP qualification and have at least 2 years of experience.
• Geographic / facility constraints: Not specified for this tender.

5. Award criteria & scoring

The evaluation follows the MEAT (Most Economically Advantageous Tender) principle with a 60/40 quality to price split.

6. Submission requirements

• Method statement / response document: Use the named template, no page limit specified.
• CVs: Required for key roles, no page count specified.
• Pricing schedule: Must follow the format in Appendix 2.
• Case studies: Not specified.
• Declarations: ESPD, Bona Fides, Tax clearance, Conflict of Interest.
• Mandatory site visit: Between 12th-19th May, by appointment via [email protected].
• Submission portal: eTenders, with specific format rules for electronic submission.

7. Key dates & process

8. Contract terms that matter

The contract is for one year, with the possibility of two one-year extensions. Payments are made 30 days in arrears. Key performance indicators include timely meal delivery and adherence to nutritional standards. Liquidated damages apply for non-compliance. Termination clauses allow for contract cancellation if funding ceases. Intellectual property rights for meal plans remain with the provider. Sub-contracting is permitted, but the prime contractor must assume full responsibility.

9. Risks, red flags & unusuals

The contract's dependency on annual funding from the Department of Social Protection poses a risk, as funding is not guaranteed. The requirement for meals to be delivered hot and ready to eat may limit providers to those with existing infrastructure. The mandatory site visit and compliance with specific food safety standards could be challenging for new entrants. The insurance requirements are substantial, potentially limiting smaller firms.

10. SME fit assessment

This tender is suitable for SMEs with experience in school catering and the ability to meet stringent insurance and turnover requirements. Consortium bids and sub-contracting are allowed, offering flexibility for smaller firms to partner with larger entities. Bid preparation is likely to require several days, given the need for detailed compliance documentation and a mandatory site visit. The incumbent's strength is not disclosed, but the open procedure suggests a fair opportunity for new entrants.

11. Where to dig deeper

• Source RFT filename: "CFT Balla National School 17119T.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"