The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency (EA), respectively the Authority, are seeking a single supplier to deliver catering services for 3 years with the option at the discretion of the Authority to extend for a further 1 + 1 years, including hospitality for onsite meetings and events across the Authority’s estate. The scope of the service is for 16 units, including 6 catering units operating out of Defra sites across England and ten catering units operating out of EA sites across England. Defra and the Environment Agency intend to be joint signatories to the contract.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and the Environment Agency (EA), respectively the Authority, are seeking a single supplier to deliver catering services for 3 years with the option at the discretion of the Authority to extend for a further one plus one years, including hospitality for onsite meetings and events across the Authority’s estate. The scope of the service is for 16 units, including 6 catering units operating out of Defra sites across England and 10 catering units operation out of EA sites across England. This may be subject to change due to the estates strategy, please see individual location details below for more information. Defra and the Environment Agency intend to be joint signatories to the contract.

The Authority is under pressure to deliver value for money in all its services, as such the services are to be procured on a Nil Subsidy (Nil Cost Catering) basis, with the supplier taking responsibility for all risks including profit/loss, stock and cash control. Due to the proposed contract being Nil Subsidy, the successful Supplier will be given a degree of freedom to innovate with the product offer, however, the Supplier must ensure compliance with the Authority’s policies on sustainability in terms of products and packaging, Government Buying Standards for Food and Catering and health, safety and food hygiene legislation.

To deliver this service the Authority is looking for a supplier who will be proactive and flexible in its approach to the catering contract. The supplier will need to work in partnership with the Authority to strive for continuous improvement in all areas of the contract, including reducing costs, working towards high standards and being a leader in the best practice non mandatory government buying standards for food and catering, driving sustainability issues forward and being at the forefront of an ethically and environmentally sourced catering service.

The Authority are heavily invested in sustainable procurement, which extends to produce/food. Defra lead across government on government buying standards for food, therefore the catering services contract will have a strong focus on sustainable food and the supplier must ensure the supply chain reflects this.

The value stated within this contract notice is for the hospitality element of the service only, which is anticipated to be in the region of 360 000 GBP p/a. The catering element of the service is managed as a concession contract, and is anticipated to have a turnover of 1 500 000 GBP p/a.

Due to the CPV codes for this procurement appearing the Schedule 3 of the Public Contract Regulations 2015, this procurement is subject to the light touch regime regulations.

For access to the tender documentation, please email catering.procurement@defra.gsi.gov.uk to submit a formal expression of interest. Within 24 hours (during the working week) a non disclosure agreement will be sent to those who have requested the documents. On receipt of a signed NDA (electronically via email) access will be provided to the tender documentation and the relevant event in Defra's e-sourcing portal, Bravo.