Scope
Description
East Sussex County Council Council is seeking to appoint a qualified and suitable service provider for the provision of school meal services to educational establishments in the East Sussex area.
The current contract expires on 31st July 2026.
The County Council is legally required to provide access to a free school meal service for maintained schools (including provision of Key Stage 1 meals currently funded through Universal Infant Free School Meal funding from the DfE); therefore, arrangements will need to be made to continue to provide this service from 1st August 2026. The contracts are worth approximately £10.4 million per annum and currently used by 138 schools, serving approximately 15,000 meals per day.
The objectives of this procurement are to put in place a high quality, value for money service provision whilst also gaining commitment from the provider to undertake continuous improvement and offer environmental and social value initiatives, to further enhance the service.
Total value (estimated)
- £72,800,000 excluding VAT
- £87,360,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2031
- Possible extension to 31 July 2033
- 7 years
Description of possible extension:
Optional extension period of 1+1 years from 01.08.2031-31.07.2033.
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 55524000 - School catering services
Contract locations
- UKJ22 - East Sussex CC
Submission
Tender submission deadline
17 November 2025, 12:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Award decision date (estimated)
23 March 2026
Award criteria
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | Including Social Value |
Quality | 60% |
| Price | Price | 40% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Open procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Contracting authority
East Sussex County Council
- Public Procurement Organisation Number: PXGX-2145-PRQJ
County Hall, St Anne's Crescent
Lewes
BN7 1UE
United Kingdom
Region: UKJ22 - East Sussex CC
Organisation type: Public authority - sub-central government