Official UK procurement notice
Coastal Learning Partnership - Catering Services
Authority: Coastal Learning Partnership (Public body)·On behalf of: Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited
What is being bought4 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionCoastal Learning Partnership is currently out to tender for the provision of a full daily catering service.
The services at the Trust schools are a mix of in-house production and a delivered-in service provision.
The Contractor will be responsible for the provision of a full school food catering service for the pupils and staff at the Trust schools. This will consist of a full lunch service for each school day at all sites.
Across the Trust there are currently over 5,500 pupils on roll for the academic year 2025/26. Of this figure, 1866 pupils are entitled to UIFSM and a further 1448 to Free School Meals.
TUPE is expected to apply, details of which can be found in the tender documentation.
Some members of the catering team (2 members of staff) are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme and all details are in the tender documentation.
The Trust is keen to further increase uptake and continue the good work already in place for catering. It wishes to do so by working closely with the successful contractor in developing and continuously improving the service and partnership during the period of the contract and by introducing innovative and creative ideas as submitted in the tender process and ongoing.
The Trust is aware that there are always opportunities to improve and modernise. They are interested in ensuring that the caterers provide the best possible service, introducing new menu ideas and initiatives so that pupils are all eating and utilising the service regularly.
- The authority expects to re-tender this requirement around 23 Sept 2027, 00:59 BST.
- How the procedure runs: Duty to Consider Lots As part of the initial project set up and approval stage of the tender process, Coastal Learning Partnership discussed with Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited the possibility of splitting the tender into more than one lot/contract. It was agreed with Coastal Learning Partnership that lots would be the most appropriate option for this tender process in order to encourage participation by SMEs, due to the different geographical areas where the Trust schools are located and to consider multiple sources of service provision to reduce the risk of supplier failure. The Trust has structured this tender in 4 Lots in order to maximise the number and quality of bids received. Bidders are advised that the Trust has no preference for either one supplier for all Lots or separate suppliers delivering the service for each individual Lot. Full details of the description of the process being used are contained within the documents accompanying this tender. Stage 1 Conditions of participation with evaluation Suppliers are invited to submit a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) response. Submissions will be evaluated based on the criteria detailed in the PSQ documentation. A maximum of five suppliers will be taken forward to the Invitation to Tender stage of the process. Where less than five suppliers meet the minimum standards, only those that meet the minimum standards will be taken through to the Invitation to Tender stage. Where more than five suppliers meet the minimum standard, those suppliers with the highest scores will proceed to the Invitation to Tender stage. Stage 2 Invitation to Tender with evaluation Suppliers shortlisted to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage will be required to submit their final tender and will be evaluated on the criteria detailed in the ITT documentation. Envisaged shortlist of the three highest scoring bidders to be invited to: Stage 3 Presentation Day Stage 4 Assessment Summaries and Publication of Contract Award Notice (commencing 8 working day standstill period) Stage 5 Publication of Contract Details Notice Further details of the CFP can be found in the documentation accompanying this tender.
CPV: School catering services
Lots and requirements (4)Procurement structure
4 lots · all with a published value (£6,747,500 together) · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1CateringAwardedRenewalPublished value£484,500
Catering Service Provision for:
St George's Church of England Primary School, Langton Matravers
Swanage Primary School
Swanage St Mark's Church of England Primary School
Lot #2CateringAwardedRenewalPublished value£540,500
Catering Service Provision for:
Corfe Castle Church of England Primary School
Lulworth and Winfrith CofE Primary School (Infant and Junior Sites)
Wareham St Mary Church of England Primary School
Wool Church of England Primary School
Lot #3CateringAwardedRenewalPublished value£2,834,500
Catering Service Provision for:
Baden-Powell and St Peter's Church of England Junior School
Courthill Infant School
Lilliput Church of England Infant School
Longfleet Church of England Primary School
Oakdale Junior School
St Luke's Church of England Primary School (Junior site)
Lot #4CateringAwardedRenewalPublished value£2,888,000
Catering Service Provision for:
Bethany Church of England Junior School
Heatherlands Primary School
Heathlands Primary Academy
Old Town Infant School and Nursery
Queen's Park Infant Academy
St Clement's and St John's Church of England Infant School
St Luke's Church of England Primary School (Infant site)
What it takes to wini
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 morei
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).
Published award criteria (2)
- Quality: Full details of the weightings and evaluation criteria are contained within the documents accompanying this tender.
- Price: Full details of the weightings and evaluation criteria are contained within the documents accompanying this tender.
- Price carries 10 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 1 point. The method statement decides this lot, not the discount.
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Competitive flexible procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Services
- Notice status
- Awarded
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Light touch regime
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- Yes · next expected 23 Sept 2027
- First published
- 22 Sept 2025, 12:30 BST
- Last source update
- 26 Mar 2026, 16:15 GMT
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 11 Mar 2026
- Authority reference
MPN-10332- FTS notice number
2025/S 000-058468- Latest notice
- Contract award notice (UK6)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-059ef7Find a Tender
- How it runs
Duty to Consider Lots
As part of the initial project set up and approval stage of the tender process, Coastal Learning Partnership discussed with Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited the possibility of splitting the tender into more than one lot/contract. It was agreed with Coastal Learning Partnership that lots would be the most appropriate option for this tender process in order to encourage participation by SMEs, due to the different geographical areas where the Trust schools are located and to consider multiple sources of service provision to reduce the risk of supplier failure. The Trust has structured this tender in 4 Lots in order to maximise the number and quality of bids received. Bidders are advised that the Trust has no preference for either one supplier for all Lots or separate suppliers delivering the service for each individual Lot.
Full details of the description of the process being used are contained within the documents accompanying this tender.
Stage 1 Conditions of participation with evaluation
Suppliers are invited to submit a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) response. Submissions will be evaluated based on the criteria detailed in the PSQ documentation. A maximum of five suppliers will be taken forward to the Invitation to Tender stage of the process. Where less than five suppliers meet the minimum standards, only those that meet the minimum standards will be taken through to the Invitation to Tender stage. Where more than five suppliers meet the minimum standard, those suppliers with the highest scores will proceed to the Invitation to Tender stage.
Stage 2 Invitation to Tender with evaluation
Suppliers shortlisted to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage will be required to submit their final tender and will be evaluated on the criteria detailed in the ITT documentation. Envisaged shortlist of the three highest scoring bidders to be invited to:
Stage 3 Presentation Day
Stage 4 Assessment Summaries and Publication of Contract Award Notice (commencing 8 working day standstill period)
Stage 5 Publication of Contract Details Notice
Further details of the CFP can be found in the documentation accompanying this tender.
How it was run
Official notice- Requests to participate (first stage)
- 27 Oct 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Submission deadline
- 27 Oct 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 29 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Full details of how to submit are contained within the documents accompanying this tender.
Timeline
22 Sept 2025 → 1 Sept 2026 · 7 dates- Tender notice published394 days ago22 Sept 2025, 12:30 BST
- Clarification questions by387 days ago29 Sept 2025, 17:00 BST
- Submission deadline359 days ago27 Oct 2025, 17:00 GMT
- Award decision expected by223 days ago11 Mar 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Assessment summaries sent209 days ago26 Mar 2026
- Latest notice published209 days ago26 Mar 2026, 16:15 GMT
- Contract starts51 days ago1 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST
Notice history
4 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 22 Sept 2025- Tender notice published22 Sept 2025, 12:30 BSTUK4
- Contract award notice published26 Mar 2026, 16:15 GMTUK6
- Status changed to complete26 Mar 2026, 16:15 GMT
- Contract signature expected1 Aug 2026, 23:59 BSTscheduled
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast| Awarded to | Value | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lot 1 · Catering1 award | |||
| Compass Contract Services (U.K.) Limited, trading as ESS Government ServicesSMECoastal Learning Partnership - Catering Services - Lot11 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2031Extensions: The duration detailed above includes the initial term of 3 years as well as the two optional contract extension periods of 12 months each. · Options: The contract will be awarded for an initial period of 3 years with two possible extensions of 12 months meaning a maximum contract length of 5 years. | £590,886 | 26 Mar 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 2 · Catering1 award | |||
| Compass Contract Services (U.K.) Limited, trading as ESS Government ServicesSMECoastal Learning Partnership - Catering Services - Lot21 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2031Extensions: The duration detailed above includes the initial term of 3 years as well as the two optional contract extension periods of 12 months each. · Options: The contract will be awarded for an initial period of 3 years with two possible extensions of 12 months meaning a maximum contract length of 5 years. | £639,613 | 26 Mar 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 3 · Catering1 award | |||
| Compass Contract Services (U.K.) Limited, trading as ESS Government ServicesSMECoastal Learning Partnership - Catering Services - Lot31 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2031Extensions: The duration detailed above includes the initial term of 3 years as well as the two optional contract extension periods of 12 months each. · Options: The contract will be awarded for an initial period of 3 years with two possible extensions of 12 months meaning a maximum contract length of 5 years. | £3,429,502 | 26 Mar 2026 | Awarded |
| Lot 4 · Catering1 award | |||
| Compass Contract Services (U.K.) Limited, trading as ESS Government ServicesSMECoastal Learning Partnership - Catering Services - Lot41 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2031Extensions: The duration detailed above includes the initial term of 3 years as well as the two optional contract extension periods of 12 months each. · Options: The contract will be awarded for an initial period of 3 years with two possible extensions of 12 months meaning a maximum contract length of 5 years. | £3,403,396 | 26 Mar 2026 | Awarded |
Bid statistics published by the authority
| Lot | Bids | SME | VCSE | Valid bid range |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 · Catering | 1final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
| 2 · Catering | 2final-stage tenders | 1 | 0 | — |
| 3 · Catering | 1final-stage tenders | 0 | 0 | — |
| 4 · Catering | 3final-stage tenders | 2 | 0 | — |
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
2 public bodies on the noticeOther public bodies
- Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services LimitedProcess contact pointProcuring entityProcurement consultancy for Coastal Learning Partnership
Bidders & participating suppliers
1 commercial party on the notice- Compass Contract Service (UK) LtdAwarded supplier
Official documents & specifications (6)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
- Bidding documents and specifications All documents are being provided on publication of this Tender Notice. They will be hosted, and are freely available, on the In-tend portal for Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited.
Notices published for this procedure
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Contract award notice Contract award notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender