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PROCUREMENT OPPORTUNITY

***Pre-Market Engagement*** BSP-24-017 Review of EA Catering Service Delivery Model

the Education Authority · Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

Tender information last checkedLast checked 30 Sept 2026, 00:11.

Opportunity overview

***This is a Pre-Market Engagement Exercise*** The purpose of the preliminary market engagement exercise is to inform suppliers in the current market and gain information to inform a potential future procurement. At this stage, any information gathered through this Exercise will inform internal business planning and any possible subsequent procurement process and will NOT be appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise. For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase and is not part of a formal procurement process. The EA’s Catering Service in Northern Ireland is responsible for producing approximately 155,000 - 160,000 meals per day to children within nursery, primary, special, and post-primary schools. The cost of production versus the school meal charge is one of a number of challenges the service is experiencing within the current delivery model. The EA Catering service wishes to look at possible other models which will address the risks and issues currently being experienced. This exercise will not include Post Primary Schools (133 locations). The EA is seeking to establish the costs of alternative catering model which will produce meals, package, deliver and serve in the school sectors detailed.

Classification

  • CPV79000000 — Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
  • CPV79400000 — Business and management consultancy and related services
  • CPV79410000 — Business and management consultancy services
  • CPV79411000 — General management consultancy services
  • CPV79420000 — Management-related services

Lots

  • Lot 1Value not stated

Documents and notices

Published notice details

Additional information from the published procurement release. Fields appear only when supplied by the source; check the original notice and tender documents before acting.

Scope, procedure and submissions

Id
BSP-24-017
Status
planning
Above Threshold
No
Main Procurement Category
services

Legal basis

Id
2023/54
Scheme
UKPGA

Communication

Future Notice Date
1 Jul 2025, 00:59

Lots and requirements

Entry 1
Id
1
Status
planning

Contract period

Ends
30 Jun 2026, 00:59
Starts
29 Aug 2025, 01:00

Items and delivery

Item 1
Id
1
Related Lot
1

Additional Classifications

Entry 1
Id
79000000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security
Entry 2
Id
79400000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Business and management consultancy and related services
Entry 3
Id
79410000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Business and management consultancy services
Entry 4
Id
79420000
Scheme
CPV
Description
Management-related services
Entry 5
Id
79411000
Scheme
CPV
Description
General management consultancy services

Planning and budget

Documents

Entry 1
Id
015542-2025
Format
text/html
Notice Type
UK2
Description
Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Document Type
marketEngagementNotice
Published
16 Apr 2025, 13:00

Milestones

Entry 1
Id
engagement
Type
engagement
Status
scheduled
Due
13 May 2025, 00:59
Description
***This is a Pre-Market Engagement Exercise*** The purpose of the preliminary market engagement exercise is to inform suppliers in the current market and gain information to inform a potential future procurement. At this stage, any information gathered through this Exercise will inform internal business planning and any possible subsequent procurement process and will NOT be appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise. For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase and is not part of a formal procurement process. The EA’s Catering Service in Northern Ireland is responsible for producing approximately 155,000 - 160,000 meals per day to children within nursery, primary, special, and post-primary schools. The cost of production versus the school meal charge is one of a number of challenges the service is experiencing within the current delivery model. The EA Catering service wishes to look at possible other models which will address the risks and issues currently being experienced. This exercise will not include Post Primary Schools (133 locations). The EA is seeking to establish the costs of alternative catering model which will produce meals, package, deliver and serve in the school sectors detailed.

Buyer, suppliers and contacts

Organisation 1
Id
GB-PPON-PPHJ-6982-JPXY
Name
the Education Authority

Roles

buyer

Address

Region
UKN06
Country
GB
Locality
Belfast
Postal Code
BT12NQ
Country Name
United Kingdom
Street Address
40 Academy Street

Details

Classifications

Entry 1
Id
publicAuthorityCentralGovernment
Scheme
UK_CA_TYPE
Description
Public authority - central government
Entry 2
Id
GB-NIR
Scheme
UK_CA_DEVOLVED_REGULATIONS
Description
Northern Irish devolved regulations apply

Identifier

Id
PPHJ-6982-JPXY
Scheme
GB-PPON

Contact

Recorded locations

  • Buyer location · Belfast · UKN06 · BT12NQ · United Kingdom

Notice and amendment history

1 published notice version reviewed by ProcuraAxis.

1 VERSION
  1. ocds-h6vhtk-050400-2025-04-16T13:00:37+01:00Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ·