Find a TenderAwardedContract award notice
Published 22 May 2025, 15:37 BST

Official UK procurement notice

CBC-1797-T-TS Catering Services - Shefford Lower School

Official notice

Authority: Central Bedfordshire Council (Local council)

ServicesBelow threshold - open competitionBelow thresholdLight touch regimeReserved: K02000001SME suitable
Published estimate£575,000≈ £192k / year · £690,000 inc. VAT29.6% above published estimate
Submissions closed 17 Jun 2025awarded 4 Jul 2025
Awarded to Aspens Services Limited
Contract term 3 yrsends 1 Sept 2028 · up to 2 Sept 2030 with extensions · starts 1 Sept 2025

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Shefford Lower School Catering Services

Please read and follow the information and guidance supplied below and within the Tender documents, this will help with your tender submission.

Word count limits apply, any information going over will not be considered.

Respond to ALL questions.

Additional documents or information not required will be disregarded.

Please note timeline with regards to questions and submission dates.

All communications, correspondences and clarifications must be sent via the In-tend portal.

Do not contact the Service area for information, please use the correspondence facility

Regularly view the Clarification tab for updates or responses to questions received by bidders.

Questions asked together with the response, will be made available to all bidders (if not Private and Confidential), this to ensure a fair and consistent approach to all.

Avoid uploading your return just prior to closing deadline as you may incur IT issues and we will not accept Tender Returns via e-mail.

The Council will provide as much support and information as it can to help guide you through the Tender process. If there is anything you are not sure of or need clarification on, please contact the Procurement lead using the correspondence facility within the In-tend electronic tendering system.

Opting In

To inform us of your decision to participate and to be able to submit a tender you will be required to Opt In. Opting In will confirm to us of your involvement and your intention to submit a tender return.

Opting Out

Will confirm that you are no longer interested in submitting a tender return. You will be able to provide a reason as to your decision if you wish. This will cease any system-generated communications. You will be able to opt back in at any point.

Target contract commencement date: 1st September 2025

Contract term: 3 years +1+1 optional

CPV: Catering services · School catering services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£575,000
Contract period: 1 Sept 2025 – 1 Sept 2028 (3 yrs) · up to 2 Sept 2030 with extensionsValue: £575,000 exc. VAT · £690,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: East of EnglandEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: 3 years +1+1 optional

What it takes to win
i

How this buyer will score bids.

The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).

Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add more
How bids were scored

Lot awarding rule: 60% Quality 40% Cost Weighting Split

Procedure terms & legal framework

From the official record
Procedure method
Below threshold - open competition
Legal basis
UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
Procurement category
Services
Notice status
Awarded
Procurement threshold
Below threshold
Regulatory regime
Light touch regime
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Unspecified in notice
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
22 May 2025, 15:37 BST
Last source update
22 Aug 2025, 11:29 BST
Authority reference
CBC-1797-T-TS
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-025135
Latest notice
Contract award notice (UK6)
Classification (CPV)
Catering servicesSchool catering services
Delivery area
East of England (UKH)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-051eb0 Find a Tender
Contract terms
Reserved participation area
K02000001

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: In-tend · Who buys & how to bid on In-tend
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowed
Access & registration note: Free · one account per buying organisation's portal · reCAPTCHA on signup
Submission deadline
17 Jun 2025, 13:00 BST
Clarification deadline
11 Jun 2025, 00:59 BST
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

22 May 2025 → 1 Sept 2025 · 5 dates
  1. Tender notice published
    22 May 2025, 15:37 BST
  2. Clarification questions by
    11 Jun 2025, 00:59 BST
  3. Submission deadline
    17 Jun 2025, 13:00 BST
  4. Latest notice published
    22 Aug 2025, 11:29 BST
  5. Contract starts
    1 Sept 2025

Notice history

6 events · 4 releases on Find a Tender · since 22 May 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    22 May 2025, 15:37 BST
    UK4
  2. Tender notice published
    23 May 2025, 10:53 BST
    UK4
  3. Tender notice published
    29 May 2025, 10:19 BST
    UK4
  4. Contract award notice published
    22 Aug 2025, 11:29 BST
    UK6
  5. Status changed to complete
    22 Aug 2025, 11:29 BST
  6. Contract signature expected
    31 Aug 2025, 23:59 BST
    scheduled
Published amendments (1)

The tender submission deadline has been extended to 11 a.m. British Summer Time, on Friday 20th June 2025.

Routine re-releases (4)
  • 2025-05: 1 release · 22 May 2025

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £745,1181 award exc. VAT
Bids received 11 from SMEs
Named bidders 1published on the award notice
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Aspens Services LimitedCatering Services - Shefford Lower School1 Sept 2025 – 31 Aug 2028 · up to 31 Aug 2030Extensions: 3 years up to two years optional£745,1184 Jul 2025Awarded

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
1final-stage tenders · 5 at stage one10—

Who bid

Bidders as named on the Procurement Act 2023 award notice. “Won” means the bidder holds an award on this notice.

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Central Bedfordshire Council

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PVNH-1137-QJBX Priory House, Monks Walk, Chicksands, Shefford, East of England, SG17 5TQContact name, email, phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Aspens Catering ServicesAwarded supplierGB-COH: 06561073 Admirals Way, London, London, E14 9XLContact email

Official documents & specifications (5)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Tender pack and attachments

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender