The Woodroffe School - Catering Tender
- Buyer
- The Woodroffe School
- Value
- £1,333,360
- Closes
- 11 December 2026
- Where
- Dorset, the South West
- Type
- Open tender
In plain English
The Woodroffe School is looking for a catering contractor to run its school meals service for three years from 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2030, with an option to extend for up to two more years. The service covers breakfast, morning break, lunch and after-school provision for 838 pupils and about 125 staff, plus hospitality on request. The estimated value is £1,333,360.
What the buyer wants
• Run the full school catering service across breakfast, morning break, lunchtime and after-school sessions, with flexible menus that suit the pupils and fresh, locally sourced ingredients prepared on site • Manage the catering team in a tightly controlled way that also supports, encourages and develops the staff, in line with the school's 'family ethos' • Work in partnership with the school on sustainability goals, including reducing single-use plastics, and suggest innovative ways to add value
Requirements
Named in the buyer's notice:
- Public Liability Insurance
What could rule a small business out: The notice does not set out specific financial or insurance thresholds, but the main barrier is the competitive two-stage process: only 5 to 10 bidders progress after a questionnaire stage where a minimum score of 60% is required and the highest scorers are chosen, and price carries only 35% of the weighting in the tender stage, so a small firm without a strong record of running large-scale school catering would likely struggle to reach the shortlist.
Always check the tender documents.
How to bid
This is an open tender: any eligible business can respond directly to the buyer by the deadline, with no framework membership needed.
Where to apply
Bids go through Delta eSourcing. Make a free account there, then search for this tender's title.
Questions about this tender? Email the buyer at tenders@rivapartnership.co.uk.
How to write a tender response
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