Tender: Catering Services for Jo Richardson Community School — 3-Year Contract (1 Aug 2026–31 Jul 2029)

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Jo Richardson Community School is seeking a supplier for on-site catering services to serve 1,713 pupils and 220 teaching and support staff. The contract is for three years from 1 August 2026 to 31 July 2029 with an option to extend up to two further years to 31 July 2031, covering breakfast, morning break, lunchtime, after-school services and hospitality on request. The school requires fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared on site, flexible menus to meet student needs and budgets, tight and supportive staff management, and timely, accurate management reporting; the school will select on the basis of best value rather than lowest price and welcomes innovative proposals. The annual current contract value is £675,000 (contract value stated as £3,375,000) and the contract will be a guaranteed performance contract with hospitality billed separately at cost. The procurement will follow a Competitive Flexible Procedure with a two-stage process (Procurement Specific Questionnaire then Invitation to Tender), a minimum score of 60% to progress from stage 1, a minimum of 5 (up to 10) candidates progressing to stage 2, and an ITT evaluation weighting of 35% price and 65% quality. Additional requirements include employers' liability and public liability insurance of £5 million, a minimum annual turnover of £1 million, this being a London Living Wage contract, and four incumbent catering staff currently within the Local Government Pension Scheme; the current contractor is Innovate (Impact Food Group).