Find a TenderAwardedContract award notice
Published 3 Nov 2025, 13:01 GMT

Official UK procurement notice

Forward Education Trust ~ Catering Tender

Official notice

Authority: Forward Education Trust ~ Catering Tender (Public body)

ServicesCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdSME suitable
Published estimate£1,305,000≈ £435k / year · £1,305,000 inc. VAT
Submissions closed 27 Feb 2026awarded 28 Apr 2026
Award (standstill) to abm catering limited
Contract term 3 yrsends 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2031 with extensions · starts 1 Sept 2026

What is being bought

Published requirement description

The successful Supplier will be required to provide Catering services for Six schools across Forward Education Trust {SEN}

ETHOS,VISION AND VALUES:

fet.ac/about-us/ethos-visio… ↗

A welcome from Simon Dilkes, Chief Executive Officer of Forward Education Trust.

Our aim is to create a cohesive team of Trust Central staff supporting school staff teams, working together, fiercely loyal to each other. Our Trust Extended Leaders, Cavelle, Mandy and Karen bring their experience, expertise and knowledge as added value to our trust capacity. We are committed to developing local school identity and ethos, to celebrating success and adopting strategies for school improvement that build on and enhance local reputation, raise standards and respond to the needs and aspirations of those we serve – our children and their families.

Our Trust values remain unchanged, but we want to articulate them better and give unequivocal evidence that people can see those values in the decisions we make and the things that we do every single day. We want to empower people to make the right decisions and to be creative in the way that we approach the education and care of our children. Mutual respect must pervade all our relationships and together our staff will learn, practice and collaborate – a sense of team will identify what type of organisation we are and how we nurture our talent, for the benefit of our young people.

At all times, FET will be a safe place for our children, because our staff will know that this is their top priority.

I am excited about the challenges ahead. Whether you are a parent or carer, someone who wants to work for us or with us, or a school looking to join a Trust that can enhance the education your children receive, I would welcome the chance to tell you about the work of Forward Education Trust, so please do get in touch.

The Trust’s purpose is to enhance, maximise and exceed expectations for young people across the Forward Education Trust and beyond. The commitment to social care for every student is paramount today, tomorrow and into the future. The Trust strives to deliver the best educational message in their care which includes catering provision that aligns with the Trust’s ethos.

The Trust leadership team, Head Teachers and support network care deeply for every student and their future education. This vision should extend to the catering provision at each school with the successful contractor committed to making a positive impact. Currently, with six schools in the project, 800 students with diverse eating habits from textured, blended and syringe-fed diets. The contractor will need to give full reassurances that they are fully capable with a nutrition team that can support no matter the complex needs of many or costs that out way the benefit to dining every day.

One of six schools are currently delivering a delivered in hot services {DIH} from a Trust school, however, financial and commercial offering would be looked at to support long term solutions, additionally the contract ben offered is for three years with an option to extend for 1+1 in agreement.

Contract value: Circa, £261,000

Please see PSQ Document for more information.

  • How the procedure runs: Please see PSQ Document for more information.

CPV: School catering services

The lotProcurement structure

single lot · value published
Lot #1AwardedRenewal 3 yrsSMEPublished value£1,305,000
Contract period: 1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 (3 yrs) · up to 31 Aug 2031 with extensionsValue: £1,305,000 exc. VAT · £1,305,000 inc. VAT
Delivery: West MidlandsEligibility: SME eligible
Extensions: 1+1 Please see PSQ Document for more information.

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: 70%Price: 30%
Published sub-criteria (2)
  • Criterion 1: 70%
  • Criterion 2: 30%
Published award criteria (2)
  • Criterion 1
  • Criterion 2
What this means for your bid
  • Price carries 30 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 3 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
Standard
Commercial structure
Stand-alone contract (no framework)
Competition type
Competitive procedure
GPA / WTO covered
Yes (GPA)
Recurring procurement
Unspecified in notice
First published
3 Nov 2025, 13:01 GMT
Last source update
14 May 2026, 14:44 BST
Award evaluation window
Submission end – 4 May 2026
FTS notice number
2025/S 000-070434
Latest notice
Contract award notice (UK6)
Classification (CPV)
School catering services
Delivery area
West Midlands (UKG31)
Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-05d8ed Find a Tender
How it runs

Please see PSQ Document for more information.

How it was run

Official notice
Run through: Litmus TMS
Supplier login requiredElectronic submission allowedLanguage: EN
Access & registration note: Free
Submission deadline
27 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
Clarification deadline
5 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
Submission channel
Official e-sourcing portal
Electronic submission
Allowed
Accepted languages
en
Detailed submission instructions & authority contactsFrom official release

Timeline

3 Nov 2025 → 1 Sept 2026 · 8 dates
  1. Tender notice published353 days ago
    3 Nov 2025, 13:01 GMT
  2. Clarification questions by321 days ago
    5 Dec 2025, 12:00 GMT
  3. Submission deadline237 days ago
    27 Feb 2026, 12:00 GMT
  4. Assessment summaries sent178 days ago
    28 Apr 2026, 00:00 BST
  5. Award decision expected by171 days ago
    4 May 2026, 23:59 BST
  6. Latest notice published161 days ago
    14 May 2026, 14:44 BST
  7. Standstill ends149 days ago
    26 May 2026, 23:59 BST
  8. Contract starts52 days ago
    1 Sept 2026, 00:00 BST

Notice history

4 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 3 Nov 2025
  1. Tender notice published
    3 Nov 2025, 13:01 GMT
    UK4
  2. Contract award notice published
    14 May 2026, 14:44 BST
    UK6
  3. Status changed to complete
    14 May 2026, 14:44 BST
  4. Contract signature expected
    26 May 2026, 23:59 BST
    scheduled

Commercial outcome & contract awards

Published awards, contracts and bid statistics, not a forecast
Awards 1
Awarded value (inc. VAT) £1,305,0001 award inc. VAT; no net value published
Bids received 2
Awarded toValueDateStatus
abm catering limited1 Sept 2026 – 31 Aug 2029 · up to 31 Aug 2031Extensions: 1+1 Please see PSQ Document for more information.£1,305,000 inc. VAT28 Apr 2026standstill to 26 May 2026Standstill

Bid statistics published by the authority

BidsSMEVCSEValid bid range
2final-stage tenders00—

Contracting authority & participating public bodies

Forward Education Trust ~ Catering Tender

Contracting authorityPublic authority - sub-central government GB-PPON: PNNM-5954-JTLZ Leycroft Avenue, Tile Cross, Birmingham, West Midlands, B33 9UHContact email, phone

Bidders & participating suppliers

1 commercial party on the notice
  • abm catering limitedAwarded supplierGB-COH: 04168334 Eagle Court, 63-67 Saltisford, Warwick, West Midlands, CV34 4AFContact name, email, phone

Official documents & specifications (2)

Official links; attachments are not copied

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