704_26 Outsourced Catering Services and Procurement Support

ESPO is a public sector-owned professional buying organisation offering a comprehensive range of procurement services, including access to over 100 free-to-access framework solutions for the wider public sector.

This procurement aims to establish a multi supplier framework to assist customers with outsourcing their catering services and provide customers with procurement consultancy support to assist customers in outsourcing their catering services.
The framework is open for use by any “public body” as defined in Section 1 of the Local Authorities (Goods and Services) Act 1970 that also falls within one of the following classifications of user throughout all administrative regions of the UK:
• Local Authorities, and certain:
o Central government agencies and ministries
o NHS and emergency (blue light) services
o Schools, academies, colleges and universities
o Registered charities
o Registered social landlords
Organisations likely to be appointed are those with experience of providing outsourced catering services to customers in education, social care and all other public sector sectors, alongside procurement consultants who can assist customers in outsourcing their catering service requirement.
The Framework is divided into 4 lots:
Lot 1. Education
Lot 2. Social Care
Lot 3. All Other Public Sector
Lot 4. Procurement Consultancy and Contract Management Support for Outsourced Catering Services
The objectives and outcomes this framework are intended to achieve are:
• Attract market leading suppliers, alongside SMEs, driving competition across the framework.
• Offer customers a compliant route to market
• To ensure customers have access to a range of support with the inclusion of procurement consultants who can assist with their outsourced catering services requirements.

Please refer to the tender documents for further details (including further details on each of the lots) - the closing date for submission of Tenders is 12:00 (12 noon / 12pm) on 16 June 2026.
To tender (please proceed to step (e) if an expression of interest has already been completed):
(a) Go to https://www.eastmidstenders.org/ (b) Register (if not already registered on ProContract); (c) Search for tender opportunity '704_26' (via "View Opportunities" from the EastMidsTenders Portal); (d) Express an interest; (e) Download the tender documents (from the ProContract Activity summary screen).
Any questions or clarifications relating to this tender opportunity should be submitted to ESPO as a message on the eProcurement Portal, once an Expression of interest has been completed.

This Lot is for the provision of Catering Services to education establishments including primary schools, secondary schools, multi-academy trusts, special schools, nurseries, colleges, universities, technical schools/colleges and/or any other public sector learning institutions. It is also envisaged that Customers looking for ‘holiday food programmes will use this Lot to provide meals meeting the School Meal Standards in the holiday periods.
It is expected that customers will require a wide range of catering provisions to include but not limited to dining room and canteen style services to grab and go, breakfast, after school clubs, hospitality and special events. In addition, the Lot will cover a range of service models including onsite or offsite preparation, service and consumption.

This Lot includes the provision of Catering Services to all types of social care and health establishments which may include but is not limited to care homes, charities and home delivery meal services.
The Lot will cover a range of catering provision including but not limited to ‘meals on wheels’ delivery provisions, dining room and canteen style services, hospitality and special events. It is also expected that a range of service models will be required including onsite or offsite preparation, service and consumption.

This Lot includes the provision of Catering Services to all other areas of the Public Sector. It will cover a range of different customer types including Public Sector workplaces and managed buildings/spaces, art galleries, museums, leisure centres, country parks, historic buildings, concert halls, conference venues, training centres, exhibition centres, theatres, stadia, emergency services establishments, NHS hospital trusts (to include but not limited to patient care, staff and visitor food service), prisons and other Ministry of Justice and Ministry of Defence establishments. Any other Public Sector customers who do not fall into Lot 1 or Lot 2 will fall into Lot 3.
It is expected that a wide range of catering provision will be required including but not limited to canteen, grab and go, trolley catering provision, hospitality and event catering. In addition, this Lot will cover a range of service models including onsite or offsite preparation, service and consumption.

This Lot includes Suppliers who can offer Procurement Support carried out in line with the Procurement