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Tenders

Illuminate Minds Trust Catering Tender

Open
Deadline
158 days left
August 31, 2026
Contract Details
Category
Restricted Procedure
Reference
001030-2026
Value
£1,715,000
Location
North East England, United Kingdom
Published
March 19, 2026
Organization
CPV Code
Project Timeline

Tender Published

January 07, 2026

Deadline for Questions

August 24, 2026

Submission Deadline

August 31, 2026

Contract Start Date

August 31, 2026

Budget
£1,715,000
Duration
36 months
Location
North East England
Type
Restricted Procedure
67
Quality Score/100
Good

Original Tender Description

Food services to two schools for pupils, staff and wider community. Occasional hospitality and other related services.

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Requirements & Qualifications

11 requirements across 5 categories

Submission (3)
Mandatory (1)
Compliance (3)
Technical (3)
Financial (1)
SUBMISSION REQUIREMENTS3
--Submit a Request to Participate by February 13, 2026, 23:00:00.
--If invited, submit a full tender proposal by the final deadline of August 31, 2026, 23:00:00.
--Adhere to the Restricted procurement procedure, requiring initial selection before full tender submission.
MANDATORY EXCLUSION GROUNDS1
--Compliance with all standard mandatory exclusion grounds as per relevant public procurement regulations (e.g., bankruptcy, grave professional misconduct, non-payment of taxes, etc.).
ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS3
--Be legally established and authorized to provide catering services.
--Submit a Request to Participate by the deadline of February 13, 2026.
--Be selected by the Contracting Authority to proceed to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage.
TECHNICAL CAPABILITY REQUIREMENTS3
--Demonstrate capability to provide food services to two schools for pupils, staff, and the wider community.
--Demonstrate capability to provide occasional hospitality and other related services.
--Possess the operational capacity to manage a 36-month contract, with a potential 5-year extension.
FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS1
--Demonstrate financial stability and capacity commensurate with a contract value of approximately 1,715,000 EUR.

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Documents

1 documents available with AI summaries

Official PDF VersionPDF
001030-2026_official.pdf

This document is a Find a Tender notice for the Illuminate Minds Trust Catering Tender, seeking requests to participate by February 13, 2026, for a £1.7M contract to provide food services to two schools with a potential 5-year extension.

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67
Good

Tender Quality Score

This tender is critically incomplete due to the absence of any tender documents and detailed evaluation criteria, making it impossible for potential bidders to prepare a meaningful submission. Significant ambiguities exist regarding the procurement procedure and contract value.

Score Breakdown

Legal Compliance100/100

The tender mentions standard mandatory exclusion grounds and specifies a Restricted procedure. However, the term 'Competitive flexible procedure' is vague and not clearly defined within standard public procurement frameworks, potentially leading to legal uncertainty. The absence of specific legal references or detailed procedural rules in the provided information is a concern.

Vague definition of 'Competitive flexible procedure' which lacks clarity on its legal basis and specific rules.
Absence of specific legal framework or national procurement act references.
Clarity40/100

The basic description of services is clear, but all requirements (eligibility, technical, financial) are presented at a very high level without any specific metrics, criteria, or required evidence. This lack of detail makes it difficult for potential bidders to understand what is truly expected.

Vague technical capability requirements (e.g., 'Demonstrate capability' without specifying how or what evidence).
Undefined financial stability and capacity requirements beyond a general statement.
Completeness83/100

This is the most significant weakness. The tender explicitly states 'DOCUMENTS (0 total)' and 'No document content available'. This means crucial information such as detailed specifications, terms and conditions, contract drafts, and full instructions are entirely missing, rendering the tender unworkable.

Complete absence of tender documents (e.g., specifications, instructions to bidders, contract terms).
Missing evaluation criteria for both selection (Request to Participate) and award stages.
Fairness60/100

The absence of clear evaluation criteria for both the selection (Request to Participate) and award stages introduces a high risk of subjective decision-making. Vague requirements could allow for arbitrary selection, potentially undermining fair competition among bidders. The undefined 'Competitive flexible procedure' further contributes to this risk.

Lack of transparent and objective evaluation criteria for bidder selection and tender award.
Vague requirements could lead to arbitrary or subjective assessment of bidders' capabilities.
Practicality40/100

From a bidder's perspective, it is practically impossible to prepare a meaningful 'Request to Participate' or a full tender proposal without any supporting documents or detailed requirements. The lack of e-submission (as flagged by automated checks) also indicates a potentially less efficient process.

Bidders cannot adequately prepare submissions without access to tender documents and detailed requirements.
Lack of e-submission may create administrative burden for bidders and the contracting authority.
Data Consistency100/100

There is a significant inconsistency between the stated 'Contract Duration: 36 months' and the 'potential 5-year extension' mentioned in the technical capability requirements. If the estimated value of 1,715,000 EUR is for 36 months, the potential 5-year (60-month) extension would imply a much higher total contract value, which is not reflected or clarified.

Significant discrepancy between the stated contract duration (36 months) and the potential extension (5 years) in relation to the estimated contract value, which impacts financial capacity requirements.
Sustainability0/100

The tender does not include any specific criteria or considerations related to environmental sustainability (green procurement), social aspects, or innovation. This represents a missed opportunity to leverage public procurement for broader policy objectives.

Absence of green procurement criteria.
Lack of social criteria.

Strengths

Basic tender information (title, reference, organization, description, value, CPV code) is provided.
Mandatory exclusion grounds are explicitly mentioned.
The two-stage Restricted procedure is clearly indicated.
Initial contract duration is specified.

Concerns

Complete absence of tender documents, making the tender unworkable.
Missing clear and objective evaluation criteria for both selection and award.
Significant inconsistency between contract duration (36 months) and potential extension (5 years) relative to the estimated value.
Vague and undefined requirements (technical, financial, procedural) creating ambiguity and risk of unfairness.
Lack of any sustainability, social, or innovation criteria.

Recommendations

1. Immediately publish all comprehensive tender documents, including detailed specifications, evaluation criteria, and contract terms.
2. Clearly define the 'Competitive flexible procedure' and ensure all requirements are specific, measurable, and objective.
3. Clarify the total potential contract duration and value, ensuring consistency across all tender sections and financial requirements.

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