Strategic Catering Partner for Catering Venues across County Durham

Durham County Council (DCC) is seeking to secure a strategic partner, following a corporate wide catering review, to deliver catering services across a wide range of public facing venues. The Council currently has 15 customer-facing venues across a diverse portfolio of leisure, cultural, heritage and visitor locations. Existing operational arrangements include internally managed sites and third-party operated venues. This has resulted in a wide range of service approaches and financial profiles, presenting opportunities to enhance service alignment, scale efficiencies and elevate customer experience. The Council has developed a strong vision for this Procurement. Bidders will be invited to propose solutions, throughout the various stages of the procurement process, which align with this vision: 'To deliver a modern, financially sustainable and customer‑focused catering service that enhances the experience of residents and visitors, champions local suppliers and ensures high‑quality and nutritious, venue-appropriate food across in-scope venues.' The procurement exercise is being run as a multiple stage Competitive Flexible procedure pursuant to the section 20 2(b) of PA23. This procurement exercise is also being undertaken to award a light touch contract, that is, a contract that is wholly or mainly for the supply of services as specified in Procurement Regulations 2024, Schedule 1. The Council reserves the right to amend the procurement exercise in line with PA23, s31 and/or refine the evaluation criteria in accordance with PA23, s24.