Decision details

The County Council is legally required to provide access to a free school meal service for maintained schools (including provision of Key Stage 1 meals currently funded through Universal Infant Free School Meal funding from the Department for Education); therefore arrangements will need to be made to continue to provide this service from 1st August 2019. Combined, the contracts are worth approximately £10 million per annum and currently used by 148 schools, serving approximately 19,000 meals per day.

It was decided that this contract should be awarded to Compass Group UK & Ireland Ltd for 5 years with an option of a further 2 as they were the most economically advantageous tender received following a competitive process using the Open Procedure (option 1)

Option 2- Procure a new contract for 3 years, plus extensions of up to 4 further years (2+2), aligning where possible with other Orbis partners. This is seen as the minimum length of contract that can be offered to the market without undue effect to cost, quality or added value.

Option 3 – No Action, this option is not possible as the Council has a statutory duty to provide this service and the current contract cannot be legally extended.

Option 4 – Access another contract or framework. There are currently no contracts or frameworks available through neighbouring authorities which allow East Sussex County Council to access these services. There are a limited number of national consortia frameworks which can be accessed. The ESPO (Eastern Shires Purchasing Organisation) is the most well established but, on investigation this does not appear to offer the Council any additional advantages or efficiencies over any of the other viable options, it is likely this may also limit the ability of the Council to bespoke requirements and leverage social value.