Official UK procurement notice
Nova Education Trust Tender for Catering Services
Authority: Nova Trust (Public body)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionNova Education Trust is a multi-academy trust serving communities throughout the East Midlands. The trust is seeking to appoint a catering partner capable of delivering an exceptional service across all 18 academies. This opportunity represents one of the most significant service partnerships within Nova and requires a provider with the scale, expertise and commitment to operate consistently across a diverse portfolio of primary and secondary settings whilst remaining responsive to the unique needs of each school community. Nova Education Trust is looking for a contractor whose values align closely with those of the Trust: honesty, integrity, humility and professionalism. These principles are embedded throughout the organisation and must be evident in every aspect of service delivery, from leadership and governance through to daily interactions with pupils, colleagues and parents.
- How the procedure runs: STAGE ONE Advertisement published 14th July 2026 PSQ made available to Potential Providers 14th July 2026 STAGE TWO Deadline for return of PSQ to the Client 10am, 21st Aug 2026 Unsuccessful and successful PSQ notices issued w/com 24th Aug 2026 STAGE THREE Notify tenderers of shortlist to be invited to tender w/com 24th Aug 2026 ITT issued to shortlisted Potential Providers w/com 24th Aug 2026 Date for Site Visits w/com 21st Sept 2026 Details of tenderers attendees to site visit required by: w/com 14th Sept 2026 STAGE FOUR ITT clarification period closes 12th Oct 2026 Deadline for return of ITT 10am, 19th Oct 2026 tbc STAGE FIVE Contract Clarification meeting 25th Nov 2026 STAGE SIX Notification of contract award by 11th Dec 2026 End of standstill period and contract award 24th Dec 2026 Service commencement 26th March 2027
CPV: School catering services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · value publishedLot #1RenewalPublished value£10,983,213
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 sub-criteria (6)
- Customer Experience and Innovation: 15%
- Clarification Meeting: 10%
- Food Quality & Variety of Healthy Meal Choices: 20%
- Relationship Management & Support: 15%
- Price: 30%
- Corporate, Social Responsibility & Added Value: 10%
Published award criteria (6)
- Customer Experience and Innovation
- Clarification Meeting
- Corporate, Social Responsibility & Added Value
- Price
- Food Quality & Variety of Healthy Meal Choices
- Relationship Management & Support
- 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
- Closed
- 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
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 14 Jul 2026, 16:21 BST
- Last source update
- 14 Jul 2026, 16:21 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 26 Mar 2027
- Authority reference
CA18230- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-066426- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06cb4aFind a Tender
- How it runs
STAGE ONE
Advertisement published 14th July 2026
PSQ made available to Potential Providers 14th July 2026
STAGE TWO
Deadline for return of PSQ to the Client 10am, 21st Aug 2026
Unsuccessful and successful PSQ notices issued w/com 24th Aug 2026
STAGE THREE
Notify tenderers of shortlist to be invited to tender w/com 24th Aug 2026
ITT issued to shortlisted Potential Providers w/com 24th Aug 2026
Date for Site Visits w/com 21st Sept 2026
Details of tenderers attendees to site visit required by: w/com 14th Sept 2026
STAGE FOUR
ITT clarification period closes 12th Oct 2026
Deadline for return of ITT 10am, 19th Oct 2026 tbc
STAGE FIVE
Contract Clarification meeting 25th Nov 2026
STAGE SIX
Notification of contract award by 11th Dec 2026
End of standstill period and contract award 24th Dec 2026
Service commencement 26th March 2027
How it was run
Official notice- Submission deadline
- 21 Aug 2026, 10:00 BST
- Clarification deadline
- 14 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
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Timeline
14 Jul 2026 → 26 Mar 2027 · 5 dates- Tender notice published100 days ago14 Jul 2026, 16:21 BST
- Clarification questions by69 days ago14 Aug 2026, 12:00 BST
- Submission deadline62 days ago21 Aug 2026, 10:00 BST
- Today22 Oct 2026
- Contract startsin 155 days26 Mar 2027
- Award decision expected byin 156 days26 Mar 2027, 23:59 GMT
Notice history
1 event · 1 release on Find a Tender- Tender notice published14 Jul 2026, 16:21 BSTUK4
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (1)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender