Tender: Catering Services Contract for The FitzWimarc School, Rayleigh (1 Sep 2027–31 Aug 2030; option to 31 Aug 2032)

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The FitzWimarc School is seeking a supplier to provide excellent on-site catering services for 1,770 pupils (approximately 12% eligible for free school meals) and 230 teaching and support staff under a three-year contract from 1 September 2027 to 31 August 2030, with an option to extend to 31 August 2032. The contract requires breakfast, morning break, lunchtime, after-school and hospitality services as requested, with a preference for fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared on site and a flexible menu tailored to the school’s students; the successful provider must support and develop catering staff and ensure nutritious provision to meet strong sporting and extracurricular demands. The school has been selected for the DfE School Rebuilding Programme (construction from October 2026 over five years) but the kitchen and dining hall are excluded as they are in a modern building completed in 2021; the Sixth Form servery will move to a temporary facility during redevelopment and into a new permanent building in 2030, so flexibility during the rebuild is required. Procurement follows the Competitive Flexible Procedure with a two-stage process (PSQ then ITT), a PSQ progression of minimum 5 and maximum 10 candidates, a minimum PSQ score of 60%, and a stage 2 evaluation weighted 35% price and 65% quality. The annual value of the current contract is £672,385 (total value stated as £3,361,925), the contract will be a guaranteed performance contract with hospitality billed separately, and bidders must meet minimum insurance (employers' and public liability £5 million) and a minimum annual turnover of £1 million; there are no incumbent catering staff in the Local Government Pension Scheme and the current contractor is Accent Catering.