Scope
Reference
MPN-10331
Description
Lot 1 - Catering Services and Lot 2 - Cleaning Services
Tanfield School is currently out to tender for the provision of a full daily catering and cleaning service.
The school is a secondary academy based in Tanfield and part of Eden Learning Trust.
The contract is being offered for three years with the option to extend for a further two periods of 12 months. The contract commencement date is:
Catering - 05 April 2026
Cleaning - 31 May 2026
Lot 1 - Catering Services
The services at the school are outsourced.
The Contractor will be responsible for the provision of a full school food catering service for the pupils and staff at the school. This will consist of morning breaks and full lunch service for each school day.
The catering facilities at the school include 2 dining halls both with servery's and take place over two sittings.
Across the school there are currently 692 pupils on roll for the academic year 2024/25. Of this figure, 235 pupils are entitled to Free School Meals.
TUPE is expected to apply, details of which can be found in the tender documentation. No members of the catering team are part of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
The school is keen to further increase uptake and continue the good work already in place for catering. It wishes to do so by working closely with the successful contractor in developing and continuously improving the service and partnership during the period of the contract and by introducing innovative and creative ideas as submitted in the tender process and ongoing.
The school is aware that there are always opportunities to improve and modernise. They are interested in ensuring that the caterers provide the best possible service, introducing new menu ideas and initiatives so that pupils are all eating and utilising the service regularly.
Lot 2 - Cleaning Services
The contract is for a full daily cleaning service during term time and periodic cleaning outside of term time.
TUPE is expected to apply, details of which can be found in the tender documentation.
One member of the cleaning team is a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme, and all details are in the tender documentation.
Total value (estimated)
- £1,412,500 excluding VAT
- £1,695,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 55524000 - School catering services
- 90919300 - School cleaning services
Not the same for all lots
Contract dates are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.
Lot LOT-0001. Catering Services
Description
The services at the school are outsourced.
The Contractor will be responsible for the provision of a full school food catering service for the pupils and staff at the school. This will consist of morning breaks and full lunch service for each school day.
The catering facilities at the school include 2 dining halls both with servery's and take place over two sittings.
Across the school there are currently 692 pupils on roll for the academic year 2024/25. Of this figure, 235 pupils are entitled to Free School Meals.
TUPE is expected to apply, details of which can be found in the tender documentation. No members of the catering team are part of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
The school is keen to further increase uptake and continue the good work already in place for catering. It wishes to do so by working closely with the successful contractor in developing and continuously improving the service and partnership during the period of the contract and by introducing innovative and creative ideas as submitted in the tender process and ongoing.
The school is aware that there are always opportunities to improve and modernise. They are interested in ensuring that the caterers provide the best possible service, introducing new menu ideas and initiatives so that pupils are all eating and utilising the service regularly.
Lot value (estimated)
- £937,500 excluding VAT
- £1,125,000 including VAT
Contract dates (estimated)
- 5 April 2026 to 5 April 2029
- Possible extension to 5 April 2031
- 5 years, 1 day
Description of possible extension:
The duration detailed above includes the initial term of 3 years as well as the 2 optional contract extension periods of 12 months each.
Same for all lots
CPV classifications are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot LOT-0002. Cleaning Services
Description
The contract is for a full daily cleaning service during term time and periodic cleaning outside of term time.
TUPE is expected to apply, details of which can be found in the tender documentation.
One member of the cleaning team is a member of the Local Government Pension Scheme, and all details are in the tender documentation.
Lot value (estimated)
- £475,000 excluding VAT
- £570,000 including VAT
Contract dates (estimated)
- 31 May 2026 to 31 May 2029
- Possible extension to 31 May 2031
- 5 years, 1 day
Description of possible extension:
The duration detailed above includes the initial term of 3 years as well as the 2 optional contract extension periods of 12 months each.
Same for all lots
CPV classifications are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Participation
Particular suitability
Lot LOT-0001. Catering Services
Lot LOT-0002. Cleaning Services
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
21 July 2025, 5:00pm
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
18 August 2025, 5:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Full details of how to submit are contained within the documents accompanying this tender.
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Suppliers to be invited to tender
Lot LOT-0001. Catering Services
Lot LOT-0002. Cleaning Services
1 to 5 suppliers per lot
Award decision date (estimated)
21 January 2026
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 15 July 2027
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality - Lot 1 & Lot 2 | Full details of the weightings and evaluation criteria are contained within the documents accompanying this tender. 90% Catering 70% Cleaning |
Quality | 90% |
| Price - Catering & Cleaning | Full details of the weightings and evaluation criteria are contained within the documents accompanying this tender. 10% Catering 30% Cleaning |
Price | 10% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Competitive flexible procedure description
Duty to Consider Lots
As part of the initial project set up and approval stage of the tender process, Tanfield School discussed with Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited the possibility of splitting the tender into more than one lot/contract.
It was agreed with Tanfield School that lots would be the most appropriate option for this tender process in order to encourage participation by SMEs who may wish to bid for only one of the services being tendered but also allowing bidders to submit for both Lots if they are able/wish to.
Tanfield School
Lot 1 Catering Services
Lot 2 Cleaning Services
Full details of the description of the process being used are contained within the documents accompanying this tender.
Stage 1 Conditions of participation with evaluation
Suppliers are invited to submit a Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ) response. Submissions will be evaluated based on the criteria detailed in the PSQ documentation. A maximum of five suppliers will be taken forward to the Invitation to Tender stage of the process. Where less than five suppliers meet the minimum standards, only those that meet the minimum standards will be taken through to the Invitation to Tender stage. Where more than five suppliers meet the minimum standard, those suppliers with the highest scores will proceed to the Invitation to Tender stage.
Stage 2 Invitation to Tender with evaluation
Suppliers shortlisted to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage will be required to submit their final tender and will be evaluated on the criteria detailed in the ITT documentation. Envisaged shortlist of the three highest scoring bidders to be invited to:
Stage 3 Presentation Day
Stage 4 Assessment Summaries and Publication of Contract Award Notice (commencing 8 working day standstill period)
Stage 5 Publication of Contract Details Notice
Further details of the CFP can be found in the documentation accompanying this tender.
Documents
Associated tender documents
https://in-tendhost.co.uk/minervapcs/aspx/Home
All documents are being provided on publication of this Tender Notice. They will be hosted, and are freely available, on the In-tend portal for Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited.
Contracting authority
EDEN LEARNING TRUST
- Companies House: 10980753
Ferryhill School
Ferryhill
DL17 8RW
United Kingdom
Contact name: Maria Robinson
Telephone: +441256467107
Email: Tenders@minervapcs.com
Website: https://www.tanfieldschool.co.uk/
Region: UKC14 - Durham CC
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government
Other organisation
These organisations are carrying out the procurement, or part of it, on behalf of the contracting authorities.
Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited
Summary of their role in this procurement: Procurement consultancy managing the tender process for Tanfield School
- Companies House: 07144956
117 Devonshire House, Aviary Court
Basingstoke
RG24 8PE
United Kingdom
Contact name: Maria Robinson
Telephone: +441256467107
Email: tenders@minervapcs.com
Website: http://www.minervapcs.com
Region: UKJ37 - North Hampshire