Scope
Reference
CAT-25-004
Description
Supply and delivery of Fresh Fruit,
Vegetables and Related Products to school meals kitchens within Northern Ireland for a period of 3 years with options to extend for any additional period(s) of up to and including 36 months.
This Contract is established by the Education Authority and is open to the EA, including NI educational bodies as follows, who at some point, during the life of the Contract may wish to utilise the agreement and should have access at any point, with the permission of EA.
This Contract is not intended to replace any current agreements that participating or nonparticipating institutions may already have in place.
Department of Education - Schools Plus
https://www.educationni.gov.uk/services/schoolsplus
Primary and Post Primary schools under the control of the EA,
Catholic Maintained Schools
Independent Schools in NI, Irish Medium Schools in NI, both Controlled and Voluntary
Grammar Schools, Nursery School for NI (both controlled, and Catholic Maintained),
Schoolmeals kitchens on-site at all of these schools, and Controlled Youth Centres.
Further Education Colleges in NI : https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/furthereducationfecolleges
NICIE - https://nicie.org/
Grant Controlled Integrated Education Schools in NI
Independent Schools in NI https://www.isc.co.uk/schools/northern-ireland/
EA Teachers' and Educational Centres
Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment NI (CCEA)
Armagh Observatory and Planetarium
Middletown Centre for Autism
Controlled Schools Support Council (CSSC)
Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE)
Pre-Schools and Nurseries included within the EA Pre-School Education Programme(PSEP)
Preliminary market engagement notice Procurement identifier (OCID): ocdsh6vhtk-0559b9 was published on 7 July 2025
N.B. Estimated values stated, both including and excluding VAT are the same as VAT is not applicable to the goods included under this procurement.
Contract 1. Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and Related Products
Supplier
Contract value
- £16,800,000 excluding VAT
- £16,800,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Award decision date
23 February 2026
Date assessment summaries were sent to tenderers
23 February 2026
Standstill period
- End: 4 March 2026
- 8 working days
Earliest date the contract will be signed
6 March 2026
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029
- Possible extension to 31 March 2032
- 6 years
Description of possible extension:
options to extend for any additional period(s) of up to and including 36 months
Main procurement category
Goods
Options
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid.
Additional items may be added to the Contract throughout the Term with the agreement of both the Buyer and the Supplier. This may include any Fruit and Vegetables options that may be required throughout the duration of the Contract.
CPV classifications
- 15300000 - Fruit, vegetables and related products
Contract locations
- UKN - Northern Ireland
Information about tenders
- 4 tenders received
- 3 tenders assessed in the final stage:
- 1 submitted by small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
- 0 submitted by voluntary, community and social enterprises (VCSE)
- 1 supplier awarded contracts
- 2 suppliers unsuccessful (details included for contracts over £5 million)
Unsuccessful suppliers
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Suppliers
HENDERSON FOODSERVICE LIMITED
- Companies House: NI006894
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PTDD-2623-PPYP
1 Hightown Avenue
Newtownabbey
BT36 4RT
United Kingdom
Region: UKN0D - Antrim and Newtownabbey
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Supported employment provider: No
Public service mutual: No
Contract 1. Fresh Fruit, Vegetables and Related Products
Sillis Green Veg Limited
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PBDM-5995-JJRJ
Sillis
Glaslough
H18DT80
Ireland
Website: http://www.sillisprepveg.ie
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): Yes
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
SYSCO FOODS IRELAND UNLIMITED COMPANY
- Companies House: BR016994
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PQWX-2758-JTXJ
77 Nutts Corner Road
Crumlin
BT29 4SJ
United Kingdom
Website: http://www.syscoireland.com
Region: UKN0D - Antrim and Newtownabbey
Small or medium-sized enterprise (SME): No
Voluntary, community or social enterprise (VCSE): No
Contracting authority
the Education Authority
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PPHJ-6982-JPXY
40 Academy Street
Belfast
BT1 2NQ
United Kingdom
Email: catering.procure@eani.org.uk
Region: UKN06 - Belfast
Organisation type: Public authority - central government
Devolved regulations that apply: Northern Ireland