UK-Alcester: School catering services.

Section I: Contracting Authority

I.1) Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust
St Nicholas Primary School, St Faith’s Road, Alcester, B49 6AG, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Main Address: https://www.ardenforestmat.org/
NUTS Code: UKG13

I.2) Joint procurement:
The contract involves joint procurement: No
In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not Provided
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No

I.4)Type of the contracting authority:
Body governed by public law

I.5) Main activity:
Education

Section II: Object Of The Contract

II.1) Scope of the procurement

II.1.1) Title: The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust ~ Catering Tender
Reference number: Not Provided

II.1.2) Main CPV code:
55524000 - School catering services.


II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES

II.1.4) Short description: The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering and hospitality services for The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust.

II.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No

II.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
Value: 3,244,380.66

Currency:GBP

II.2) Description

II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s):
Not Provided

II.2.3) Place of performance
Nuts code:
UKG13 - Warwickshire

Main site or place of performance:
Warwickshire


II.2.4) Description of the procurement: The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering and hospitality services for The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust.
Ten schools are part of this tender (please see below) we are seeking tender submissions for the whole contract.
The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust is well established Multi Academy Trust situated in South Warwickshire and will include at the commencement to this contract the following 8 schools with two further schools joining the contract in early 2026 (please see below) where the successful contractor will be required to deliver a service and meet the requirements of the specification at each school from the contract commencement.
The eight schools which will be part of this tender at contract commencement are:
•Coughton CE Primary School ~ Coughton Lane, Coughton, Warwickshire B49 5HN
•The Ferncumbe CE Primary School ~ Hatton Green, Warwick, CV35 7EX
•Harbury C of E Primary School ~ Mill Street, Harbury, Leamington Spa, CV33 9HR
•Henley in Arden Church of England Primary School ~ Arden Road, Henley in Arden, B95 5FT
•St Nicholas C of E Primary School ~ St Faiths Road, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 6AG
•Studley Infants' School ~ High Street, Studley, Warwickshire, B80 7HJ
•Tanworth-in-Arden Church of England Primary School and Nursery ~ The Green, Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire, B94 5AJ.
•Wootton Wawen Church of England Primary School ~ Alcester Road, Wootton Wawen, Solihull, Warwickshire, B95 6AY
The below two schools will join the contract in 2026
•Temple Grafton Church of England Primary School ~ Church Bank, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 6NU ~ joining the contract on 3rd January 2026
•St Nicholas C of E Primary School ~ The Blundells, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2PE ~ joining the contract on 31st March 2026
In addition to this The Multi Academy Trust is expected to grow in the number of schools becoming part of the trust during this contract period, and the provision of catering services within these schools when they have joined the MAT will fall under the scope of this contract. The successful contractor will be expected to provide this service within these additional schools using the same costing model, ratios etc. that they applied to their successful tender submission for the Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust at the point of tender submission. The duration of contract for these schools will not be increased and they will join the contract for the remaining contract period that exists at the point of entry into the MAT.
The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from 1 August 2025 until 31 July 2028, with the option to extend for a further term of three years on the same terms and conditions excluding the right to further extend. The contract will be guaranteed performance in nature.
The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of all catering services within the Trust. The high-quality service levels proposed, should maintain excellent standards throughout, resulting in a new food service offer with consistent high standards of food operations across all Schools.
Regular customer and parental engagement (using digital platforms and social media) will be required to ensure this is the case moving into the contract term
These new standards of operation should meet the needs of the pupil’s moving forwards into this contract term. The current range of foods needs to be expanded along with the service provision. It is one of the objectives of this tender that the successful contractor will utilise a truly local supply chain and the farming” belt” in Warwickshire and Worcestershire areas to source all fresh produce, namely being:
Bakery Products
Meat
Fruit and Vegetables
Dairy Products
See SQ Document for more information.

II.2.5) Award criteria:
Not Provided

II.2.11) Information about options
Options: No


II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


II.2.14) Additional information: Please note, this is a Contract Award Notification - this contract has already been awarded.


Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

IV.1.1)Type of procedure: Restricted


IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement: No
A dynamic purchasing system was set up: No

IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction
An electronic auction has been used: No

IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

IV.2) Administrative information

IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
Notice number in the OJEU: 2024/S 000-035693



IV.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice: No

Section V: Award of contract

Award Of Contract (No.1)

Contract No: Not Provided
Lot Number: Not Provided
Title: Not Provided

A contract/lot is awarded: Yes


V.2) Award of contract

V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract: 06/06/2025

V.2.2) Information about tenders
Number of tenders received: 5
Number of tenders received from SMEs: Not Provided
Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: Not Provided
Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: Not Provided
Number of tenders received by electronic means: Not Provided

V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No

Contractor (No.1)
Cater Link Limited, 03732298
Earley West, 300 Thames Valley Park Drive, Reading, RG6 1PT, United Kingdom
NUTS Code: UKJ11
The contractor is an SME: No

V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: 3,840,000
Total value of the contract/lot: 3,244,380.66
Currency: GBP

V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
The contract is likely to be subcontracted: No

Section VI: Complementary information

VI.3) Additional information: To view this notice, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=962900472
VI.4) Procedures for review

VI.4.1) Review body
The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust
St Nicholas Primary School, St Faith’s Road, Alcester, B49 6AG, United Kingdom

VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: Not Provided

VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
Not Provided

VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice: 01/07/2025