AWARD OUTCOME
What happened
Penk Valley Academy Trust has announced a pending award to MIQUILL CATERING LIMITED for school catering services across six schools in Penkridge, Stafford. The award remains subject to the stated standstill and planned future signature milestone; the published data does not confirm that a contract has been signed or started.
Published outcomePending award to MIQUILL CATERING LIMITED for lot 1.
Market significanceThe published award value is £2.9 million excluding VAT (£3.4 million gross) for an initial three-year term, with two optional one-year extensions.
AWARDED SUPPLIERS AND LOTS
1 supplier record analysed
MIQUILL CATERING LIMITED
99% confidenceAward 1 · Lots 1 · £2,900,000 excluding VAT; £3,400,000 including VAT GBP · Pending award
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Award 1 names MIQUILL CATERING LIMITED as supplier and states value.amount £2,900,000 and amountGross £3,400,000. The supplier identity is verified by Companies House number 06886456.
LIFECYCLE
Award or contract stage
Published award status
99% confidencePending award
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Award 1 is recorded with status "pending" in the contract award notice data.
Award decision date
99% confidence9 October 2026
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Award 1 date is 2026-10-09.
Standstill end
99% confidence21 October 2026, 23:59:59 BST
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Award 1 standstillPeriod.endDate is 2026-10-21T23:59:59+01:00.
Planned signature milestone
98% confidence26 October 2026
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Award milestone is a scheduled futureSignatureDate of 2026-10-26T23:59:59Z.
Contract commencement
97% confidencePlanned for 1 January 2027
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Award 1 contractPeriod.startDate is 2027-01-01; this is a planned period within a pending award, not confirmation of service commencement.
VALUES
Published values explained
Award value excluding VAT
99% confidence£2,900,000
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Award 1 value.amount is 2900000 GBP.
Award value including VAT
99% confidence£3,400,000
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Award 1 value.amountGross is 3400000 GBP.
Process value maximum
95% confidence£2,100,000
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The process-level source field value_max is £2,100,000, which differs from the award value.
TIMELINE
Procurement timeline
Tender notice published
99% confidence13 May 2026
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Release history records tender notice 044133-2026 at 2026-05-13T17:01:20+01:00.
Contract award notice published
99% confidence12 October 2026
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Award notice 096065-2026 was published at 2026-10-12T13:11:35+01:00.
Initial contract end
99% confidence31 December 2029
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Award 1 contractPeriod.endDate is 2029-12-31T23:59:59Z.
Maximum possible end date
99% confidence31 December 2031
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Award 1 contractPeriod.maxExtentDate is 2031-12-31T23:59:59Z.
SCOPE
What was awarded
Service
99% confidenceSchool catering services
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Award item classification is CPV 55524000, "School catering services".
Coverage
99% confidenceSix schools in Penkridge, Stafford
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The tender description lists Marshbrook First School, Princefield First School, Penkridge Middle School, St Mary & St Chad CofE First School, St John's CofE First School and The Rural Enterprise Academy.
Lot structure
98% confidenceOne published lot (lot 1)
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The tender and award data identify lot 1 only; no lot title or description is supplied.
Employment and pension considerations
98% confidenceTUPE applies; the requirement includes staff in the Local Government Pension Scheme and capability to operate comparable arrangements under Admitted Body Status.
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These requirements are stated in the tender description.
PROCEDURE
Procedure and competition
Procedure
99% confidenceSelective, competitive flexible procedure
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Tender data states procurementMethod "selective" and procurementMethodDetails "Competitive flexible procedure".
Threshold status
99% confidenceAbove threshold
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Award 1 records aboveThreshold as true.
Competition data
99% confidenceUnknown
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Information on the number of tenders, bidders, scores and evaluation results was not supplied in the published notice data.
CONTRACT TERMS
Published contract terms
Initial term
99% confidence3 years
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The stated period runs from 1 January 2027 to 31 December 2029.
Extension options
99% confidenceTwo optional one-year extensions (3+1+1) at the Trust's discretion
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Award renewal description states "There is an option for an extension for two further one year periods - 3+1+1".
Maximum term
98% confidence5 years
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The maximum extent date is 31 December 2031, following the initial end date of 31 December 2029.
COMMERCIAL VIEW
Commercial observations
Operational emphasis
97% confidenceThe requirement places emphasis on food quality, participation, financial performance, management resilience, local operational support and transparent financial and operational working.
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These expectations are stated in the tender description.
Market access consideration
98% confidenceSuppliers needed capability relevant to TUPE and LGPS Admitted Body Status arrangements.
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The tender description states that prospective suppliers must demonstrate capability of running similar pension schemes under Admitted Body Status.
DATA QUALITY
Gaps and source limitations
Pending status requires lifecycle caution
99% confidenceThe notice announces a pending award, not a signed, concluded or active contract.
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Award 1 status is "pending" and a future signature date is scheduled for 26 October 2026.
Value inconsistency
98% confidenceThe process maximum value (£2.1 million) differs from the stated award value (£2.9 million excluding VAT; £3.4 million including VAT). The source does not explain the difference.
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Process value_max is 2100000 GBP; award 1 values are 2900000 GBP and 3400000 GBP gross.
Published information gaps
98% confidenceInformation not supplied in the published notice includes bid count, bidder identities other than the named awardee, evaluation scores, award rationale, pricing structure, lot title and lot-level value.
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These fields are absent from the supplied notice data.
SOURCE DATA LIMITATIONS
Information not supplied in the published notice
- The award remains pending. The data does not establish that the contract was signed, concluded, mobilised or started.
- The published process maximum value (£2.1 million) conflicts with the stated award value (£2.9 million excluding VAT and £3.4 million including VAT); no explanation is supplied.
- No tender submission deadline, tender count, evaluation methodology detail, scores, award rationale, pricing breakdown or individual lot value is supplied.
- Lot 1 has no published title or description beyond the award item's school catering classification.
- The extension options are discretionary; no extension decision date or exercise conditions beyond the stated option are published.
MARKET THEMES
Relevant award themes
Penk Valley Academy Trust catering tenderMIQUILL CATERING LIMITEDschool catering servicesPenkridge catering contractStafford school catering award
COMMON QUESTIONS
About this award
Who is the named supplier for the Penk Valley Academy Trust catering tender?
MIQUILL CATERING LIMITED is named on the pending award for lot 1.
Has the catering contract been signed?
The supplied notice does not confirm signature. It records a pending award, with a future signature milestone scheduled for 26 October 2026.
What is the value of the pending award?
The award states £2.9 million excluding VAT and £3.4 million including VAT.
When is the service planned to start?
The pending award states a planned contract start date of 1 January 2027.
ProcuraAxis award analysis supplements, but does not replace, the official award notice, contract data or procurement documents. “Awarded” does not by itself prove that a contract has been signed.