The Litmus Partnership: Charford First School ~ Catering Tender

UK-Worcestershire: School catering services.

Scope

Description: Charford First School is located in Bromsgrove, Worcestershire. It is a larger than average three form entry school, with an extensive Early Years provision. It takes children from the age of 2 years up to 9 years.
The value of the contract is approximately £125,000.00 per annum and there are approximately 510 pupils on roll with 87 staff.
In the two-year-old provision, Little Acorns, there are up to 15 children in each session. The rising three-year-old provision, Little Owls, has up to 16 children in each session and our large Nursery takes up to 39 children in each session (or full time equivalent).
There are then three classes in each year group cohort with 30 children in each class, so 90 in each cohort.
The school catchment is very socio-economically diverse. Some of the children come from a disadvantaged background, with around 20% of children being eligible for FSMs, and some of our children come from affluent backgrounds, whose parents are in professional roles.
Charford is also a very inclusive school that has a strong, positive reputation within the local community. There are currently 69 children on the SEND register with 14 having EHCPs. There are another 118 children who are either known to an outside agency or have a referral in place.
Outside, the school has a very large field, two forest school areas, outdoor learning environments for Early Years and Year 1 as well as 4 playgrounds. There are also reading areas in the school grounds known as The Book Barn for KS2, the Jackanory Garden for KS1 and the Beach Hut for Reception.
There is also a large wooden building known as The Hive which has a large adult training room and two small teaching bases. The Hive is used for many things such as, staff training, headteacher partnership meetings, student training and Governing Board meetings.
The duration of the contract being offered is three years commencing on 1st January 2026 and concluding on 31st December 2028. The contract will be on a guaranteed performance basis offering a fixed annual return and or subsidy. There will be the option to extend the contract for a further term of two years.
It is expected that the successful contractor will have experience in the requirements of the Healthy Eating in Schools (Nutritional Standards & Requirements) and be able to offer innovation and forward thinking during this contract term.
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 school.
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 within the school. Regular customer and parental engagement 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 pupils’ 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 the local supply chain and farming” belt” in Worcestershire to source all fresh produce, namely being:
Bakery Products
Meat
Fruit and Vegetables
Dairy Products
As you can appreciate, working with the local community is something that the school strives to do at all times and to this end we would like to ensure that all your fresh produce is sourced from local suppliers (within a 30-mile radius of the School)
Charford First School also seeks to ensure that the catering operation will have the following objectives from January 2026.
1.The provision of a healthy balanced menu including daily fresh vegetables and fruit that meets nutritional guidelines.
2.Suitable portion sizes for each age group.
3.A focus on food waste, in line with new government guidelines.
4.A series of added value days organised and run throughout the year, including support for key curriculum dates.
5.The successful contractor’s management team show a real interest in the school and its students moving into this contract term.
6.Engagement with parents and pupils through newsletters, attendance at parent’s evenings and other methods.
7.Clear and transparent accounting.
The successful contractor is expected to maximise the use of all catering facilities through the adoption and employment of effective marketing policies and techniques. It will be the responsibility of the Contractor to develop specific marketing proposals to encourage a healthy approach to eating.

Please see SQ document for further information.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://litmustms.co.uk/tenders/UK-UK-Worcestershire:-School-catering-services./S37646X897

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/S37646X897

Total value (estimated):

GBP 500,000 excluding VAT GBP 500,000 including VAT

Description

Contract dates (estimated)
01/01/2026 to 31/12/2030
CPV Classifications:
55524000 - School catering services.
   
Contract can be extended:
No

Extension Date:


Delivery regions:
UKG1 Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Warwickshire

Award criteria:
Quality criterion - Name: Cost / Weighting: 30
Quality criterion - Name: Quality / Weighting: 70


   

Submission

Enquiry deadline: 04/07/2025 Time: 12:00Tender submission deadline: 26/09/2025 Time: 12:00
Submission address and any special instructions: https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/S37646X897
An electronic auction will be used: No
Languages that may be used for submission: English, Award decision date (estimated): 27/10/2025

Procedure

Procedure type: Competitive flexible procedure

Contracting authority

       Charford First School, PGTZ-2989-RYNP
       Charford Road, Charford, Bromsgrove, Worcestershire, B60 3NH, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk

Organisation type: REGIONAL_AUTHORITY
Devolved regulations that apply: None