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Find a TenderAwardedContract details notice
Published 8 Oct 2025, 12:05 BST

Official UK procurement notice

CORE Education Trust - Catering Services Tender

Official notice

Authority: CORE Education Trust (Public body)

ServicesCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdLight touch regimeSME suitable
Sectors: Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services (55) Delivery: West Midlands (UKG31)
Published estimate£2,468,700≈ £823k / year · £2,468,700 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 21 Nov 2025awarded 19 May 2026
Awarded to Mellors Catering Services
Contract term 3 yrsends 31 Jul 2029 · up to 31 Jul 2031 with extensions · starts 1 Aug 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

Based in Birmingham, CORE Education Trust are committed to delivering the best possible experiences across their Academy Schools. CORE exist to transform young people’s lives and build ambitious futures through Collaboration, Opportunity, Respect and Excellence.

CORE Education Trust believe in the power of education to inspire, to enable and to enrich every life.

The Trust are seeking Catering service providers to tender for the provision of all catering services presently offered within the Schools, including breakfast, morning break, lunch and all hospitality and free issue requirements.

The contract will be for three years in duration, with the option to extend for a further one period of up to two years and with a commencement date of 01 August 2026.

Full details will be included in the Invitation to Tender.

TUPE regulations apply to this contract, which involves the transfer of existing catering staff, of which some may be members of the Local Government Pension Scheme, requiring arrangements to be made for 'Admitted Body' status with the relevant pension fund.

  • How the procedure runs: This procurement will be a multi-stage tender process. The PSQ will be followed by an initial shortlisting, with successful suppliers invited to the next stage of the process. The ITT will follow, with a second shortlisting and the top scoring bidders will be invited to the presentation stage.

CPV: School catering services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£2,468,700
Contract period: 1 Aug 2026 – 31 Jul 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 31 Jul 2031 with extensionsValue: £2,468,700 exc. VAT · £2,468,700 inc. VAT
Delivery: West MidlandsEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: In agreement with the client an option to extend for a further one period of up to two years.
55524000 School catering services

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
Quality: 85%Price: 15%
Published sub-criteria (2)
  • Operational Response: 85%
  • Financial Response: 15%
Published award criteria (2)
  • Financial Response
  • Operational Response
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 15 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 1.5 points. 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
Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
8 Oct 2025, 12:05 BST
Last source update
2 Jun 2026, 16:20 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 27 Apr 2026
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-063236
Latest notice
Contract details notice (UK7)
Classification (CPV)
School catering services
Delivery area
West Midlands (UKG31)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05aa64 Find a Tender
How it runs

This procurement will be a multi-stage tender process. The PSQ will be followed by an initial shortlisting, with successful suppliers invited to the next stage of the process. The ITT will follow, with a second shortlisting and the top scoring bidders will be invited to the presentation stage.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: portal not identified
Electronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Requests to participate (first stage)
21 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
Submission deadline
21 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
21 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

invictus-inport.com/respond/G4ZBA2FB44 ↗

Timeline

8 Oct 2025 → 1 Aug 2026 · 7 dates
  1. Tender notice published377 days ago
    8 Oct 2025, 12:05 BST
  2. Clarification questions by333 days ago
    21 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
  3. Submission deadline333 days ago
    21 Nov 2025, 12:00 GMT
  4. Award decision expected by176 days ago
    27 Apr 2026, 23:59 BST
  5. Assessment summaries sent155 days ago
    19 May 2026, 00:00 BST
  6. Latest notice published140 days ago
    2 Jun 2026, 16:20 BST
  7. Contract starts81 days ago
    1 Aug 2026, 00:00 BST

Notice history

5 events · 3 releases on Find a Tender · since 8 Oct 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    8 Oct 2025, 12:05 BST
    UK4
  2. Contract award notice published
    19 May 2026, 16:34 BST
    UK6
  3. Status changed to complete
    19 May 2026, 16:34 BST
  4. Contract details notice published
    2 Jun 2026, 16:20 BST
    UK7
  5. Contract signature expected
    2 Jun 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value £2,468,7001 award exc. VAT
Bids received 52 from SMEs
Contracts signed 1latest 2 Jun 2026
Awarded toValueDateStatus
Mellors Catering Services1 Aug 2026 – 31 Jul 2029 · up to 31 Jul 2031Extensions: In agreement with the client an option to extend for a further one period of up to two years.£2,468,70019 May 2026Awarded

Contracts

  • Contract 1 · Mellors Catering Services

    Signed
    2 Jun 2026
    Value
    £2,468,700
    Period
    1 Aug 2026 – 31 Jul 2029 · up to 31 Jul 2031 with extensions
    Status
    active
    Extensions
    In agreement with the client an option to extend for a further one period of up to two years.

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
5final-stage tenders20—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

2 public bodies on the notice

CORE Education Trust

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PPQT-4737-ZZYX 23 Langley Walk, Ladywood, Birmingham, West Midlands, B15 2EFContact email, phone

Other public bodies

  • Invictus Partnership LimitedProcuring entityProcurement ConsultancyGB-PPON: PGGP-8622-HHRX London, LondonContact email, phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • Mellors Catering ServicesAwarded supplierGB-COH: 07717083 West Lancs Technology Centre, White Moss Business Park, Moss Lane View, Skelmersdale, North West, WN8 9TNContact name, email

Official documents & specifications (3)

Official links; attachments are not copied

Notices published for this procedure

  • Contract details notice contractContract details noticeUK7Contract details notice on Find a Tender
  • Contract award notice awardContract award noticeUK6Contract award notice on Find a Tender
  • Tender notice tenderTender noticeUK4Tender notice on Find a Tender