PP-10173 Co-op Academies Trust Catering

Authority: THE CO-OPERATIVE ACADEMIES TRUST (Education)·On behalf of: Place Group Ltd

5 lotsServicesCompetitive flexible procedureAbove thresholdLight touch regimeSME suitable

Sectors: Food, beverages, tobacco and related products (15)Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services (55) Delivery: North West (UKD3)Yorkshire & Humber (UKE4)West Midlands (UKG2)

Published estimate£31,930,000total for 5 lots · £38,316,000 inc. VAT

Submissions closed 11 Dec 2025awarded 15 May 2026

Awarded to Cater Link Limited +2 more5 awards

Contract term 3 yrsends 31 Aug 2029 · up to 1 Sept 2031 with extensions · starts 1 Sept 2026

What is being bought5 lots · detail below

Published requirement description

Co-op Academies Trust is a multi-academy trust with schools located in West Yorkshire, Greater Manchester, Merseyside, and Staffordshire. Their portfolio of schools includes around 38 academies across these areas, serving primary, secondary, and special schools, as well as a college of which 32 will be involved in this tender.

The trust currently receives catering provision from the local authority as well as other privately owned incumbents.

At the sole discretion of the Trust any future schools that the Trust may incorporate into the Trust will also be added to the contract. Any additional schools will co-terminate to the end same end date of the initial contract.

The proposed contract will be for the outsourced provision of catering services to the Client. It is the Client’s expectation that the Successful Bidder shall be responsible for the operation of the catering function including employment and management of staff, supply of foodstuffs, consumables and light equipment where required and preparing and serving appropriate meals. The Supplier will also be expected to provide hospitality at certain school events both during and outside of school core hours. The Client will retain responsibility for payment of utilities and the operation and maintenance of core catering equipment and facilities.

The Successful bidder will provide a range of good quality, nutritious, attractively presented meals for pupils and staff, that comply with Government’s minimum nutritional and food based standards for the educational sector. Meals should reflect growth in healthy eating trends and promote uptake.

The Successful Bidder shall establish effective management and operational level communication systems at all levels regarding the catering service with customers that include; School management, parents, and pupils. In addition, the Successful Bidder will also be responsible for all legal and health and safety & food safety requirements in delivering the catering services.

Further information on the Client’s requirements can be found in the tender package.

The Contract period will be for 3 years initially, with the option to extend for two further one-year periods at the discretion of the Client.

The Contract is split into Lots.

How the procedure runs: This competitive flexible procedure will be conducted in two stages. The two stages are set out in detail in the tendering documentation, and summarised briefly below: 1) Stage 1 - Invitation to Participate. Suppliers are invited to request to participate in the tender by completing the required Stage 1 response documentation. Suppliers will be assessed in line with the Conditions of Participation set out in the Stage 1 documentation and the process outlined in the tendering documentation, in order to select suppliers to progress to Stage 2. 2) Stage 2 – Invitation to Submit a Final Tender. Suppliers successful in being selected at Stage 1 (in line with the process as set out in detail in the tendering documentation) will be invited to submit a final tender, and will be scored in line with the award criteria and methodology set out within the tendering documentation for Stage 2

CPV: School catering services · School meals · School-meal services