Scope
Reference
MPN-10342
Description
Catering - Lot 1
Nexus Education Schools Trust is currently out to tender for the provision of a full daily catering service.
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 01 August 2026.
The services at the Trust schools are currently outsourced.
The Contractor will be responsible for the provision of a full school food catering service for the pupils and staff at the schools. This will consist of breakfast and morning breaks at some sites and full lunch service for each school day on all sites.
Across the Trust of 12 schools, there are currently over 3700 pupils on roll for the academic year 2025/26. Of this figure, 1444 pupils are entitled to UIFSM and a further 328 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 members of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
The Trust 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 Trust 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.
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Cleaning - Lot 2
The Trust is currently out to tender for the provision of a full daily cleaning service across 6 sites.
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 01 September 2026.
The services at the Trust schools are currently a mix of in-house and outsourced provision.
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.
Some members of the cleaning team (7) are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme and all details are in the tender documentation.
Total value (estimated)
- £10,740,000 excluding VAT
- £12,888,000 including VAT
Above the relevant threshold
Main procurement category
Services
CPV classifications
- 55524000 - School catering services
- 90919300 - School cleaning services
Contract locations
- UKJ4 - Kent
- UKI4 - Inner London - East
Not the same for all lots
Contract dates are shown in Lot sections, because they are not the same for all lots.
Lot 1. Catering Services
Description
Nexus Education Schools Trust is currently out to tender for the provision of a full daily catering service.
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 01 August 2026.
The services at the Trust schools are currently outsourced.
The Contractor will be responsible for the provision of a full school food catering service for the pupils and staff at the schools. This will consist of breakfast and morning breaks at some sites and full lunch service for each school day on all sites.
Across the Trust of 12 schools, there are currently over 3700 pupils on roll for the academic year 2025/26. Of this figure, 1444 pupils are entitled to UIFSM and a further 328 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 members of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
The Trust 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 Trust 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)
- £8,580,000 excluding VAT
- £10,296,000 including VAT
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2029
- Possible extension to 1 August 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 and contract locations are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Lot 2. Cleaning Services
Description
The Trust is currently out to tender for the provision of a full daily cleaning service across 6 sites.
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 01 September 2026.
The services at the Trust schools are currently a mix of in-house and outsourced provision.
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.
Some members of the cleaning team (7) are members of the Local Government Pension Scheme and all details are in the tender documentation.
Lot value (estimated)
- £2,160,000 excluding VAT
- £2,592,000 including VAT
Contract dates (estimated)
- 1 September 2026 to 31 August 2029
- Possible extension to 1 September 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 and contract locations are shown in the Scope section, because they are the same for all lots.
Participation
Particular suitability
Lot 1. Catering Services
Lot 2. Cleaning Services
Small and medium-sized enterprises (SME)
Submission
Enquiry deadline
12 January 2026, 5:00pm
Submission type
Requests to participate
Deadline for requests to participate
23 January 2026, 5:00pm
Submission address and any special instructions
Full details of how to submit are contained within the documents accompanying this tender. https://in-tendhost.co.uk/minervapcs/aspx/Home
Tenders may be submitted electronically
Yes
Languages that may be used for submission
English
Suppliers to be invited to tender
Lot 1. Catering Services
Lot 2. Cleaning Services
1 to 5 suppliers per lot
Award decision date (estimated)
10 June 2026
Recurring procurement
Publication date of next tender notice (estimated): 21 November 2027
Award criteria
Lot 1. Catering Services
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | Full details of the weightings and evaluation criteria are contained within the documents accompanying this tender. |
Quality | 90% |
| Price | Full details of the weightings and evaluation criteria are contained within the documents accompanying this tender. |
Price | 10% |
Lot 2. Cleaning Services
| Name | Description | Type | Weighting |
|---|---|---|---|
| Quality | Full details of the weightings and evaluation criteria are contained within the documents accompanying this tender. |
Quality | 70% |
| Price | Full details of the weightings and evaluation criteria are contained within the documents accompanying this tender. |
Price | 30% |
Other information
Conflicts assessment prepared/revised
Yes
Procedure
Procedure type
Competitive flexible procedure
Special regime
Light touch
Competitive flexible procedure description
Preliminary Market Engagement
No preliminary market engagement undertaken as requirements are simple, standard and in a mature supply market.
Duty to Consider Lots
As part of the initial project set up and approval stage of the tender process, Nexus Education Schools Trust discussed with Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited the possibility of splitting the tender into more than one lot/contract.
It was agreed with Nexus Education Schools Trust that lots would be the most appropriate option for this tender process in order to encourage participation by SMEs, due to the different geographical areas where the Trust schools are located and the nature of the two services required.
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 per Lot 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 per Lot 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 per Lot 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
Nexus Education Schools Trust
- Companies House: 08753719
Worsley Bridge Primary School
Beckenham
BR3 1RF
United Kingdom
Contact name: Maria Robinson
Telephone: 01256467107
Email: Tenders@minervapcs.com
Website: https://www.nestschools.org/
Region: UKI61 - Bromley
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 Nexus Education Schools Trust
- Companies House: 07144956
117 Devonshire House
Basingstoke
RG24 8PE
United Kingdom
Contact name: Maria Robinson
Telephone: 01256467107
Email: tenders@minervapcs.com
Website: http://www.minervapcs.com
Region: UKJ37 - North Hampshire