Official UK procurement notice
School Meals Contract — UK public procurement notice
Authority: Reading Borough Council (Local council)
What is being bought
Published requirement descriptionThe objectives of this project are to have successfully procured a school meals service which meets the needs of governors, schools, pupils and their families by the deadline agreed with governors and schools.
Funding for this contract is made up as follows:
Paid Meals: Meal price collected from parents directly by contractor.
Universal Infant Free School Meals (UIFSM): schools are allocated £2.61 per pupil/per day and calculations are based on census day uptake. Schools are invoiced directly by the contractor.
Pupil Premium Free School Meals (FSM): schools are allocated the meal price (currently £523.28 per pupil per annum), and calculations are based on census day uptake. Schools are invoiced directly by the contractor.
CPV: School meals · School-meal services
The lotProcurement structure
single lot · no lot value publishedLot #1Lot 1PlannedRenewal
- Extensions
- Extension options published
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
- Planned procurement
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Unspecified in notice
- Recurring procurement
- No (one-off requirement)
- First published
- 5 Oct 2026, 12:52 BST
- Last source update
- 5 Oct 2026, 12:52 BST
- Authority reference
26-S-046- Latest notice
- Preliminary market engagement notice (UK2)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-0780b7
How it was run
- Submission deadline
- —
Timeline
4 published dates · Europe/London- Planning notice publishedearlier today5 Oct 2026, 12:51 BST
- Market engagementin 14 days20 Oct 2026, 00:59 BST
Date: Monday 19th October 2026 Time: 9.30am – 12 noon Location: Churchend Primary Academy, Usk Road, Tilehurst Reading RG30 4HP This market engagement event is designed to introduce the strategy and aims for procurement of the next School Meals contract for Reading Schools. The contract will start more…
in August 2028 and at this stage we are seeking feedback from providers on the proposed strategy and draft specification. There will be opportunity for a group Q&A session and networking on the day. To book a place please contact Sian Slade, School Meals Operations Manager - [email protected] Please note that places are limited to two people per company. The closing date for booking spaces is 13:00 Monday 12th October 2026 Even if you are unable to attend, please still email to register your interest, as a summary will be shared with all interested parties after the event. - Tender notice expected1 Dec 2027, 23:59 GMT
- Contract starts1 Aug 2028, 01:00 BST
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Pipeline notice- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Notice history
2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender · since 5 Oct 2026- Preliminary market engagement notice published5 Oct 2026, 12:52 BSTUK2
- Pipeline notice published5 Oct 2026, 12:51 BSTUK1
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
Official documents & specifications (2)
Official links; attachments are not copiedNotices published for this procedure
- Preliminary market engagement notice Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender