From education to employment

Catering services

Buying from a framework can be quicker and easier than getting bids or quotes because the agreements:

have already been through a full competitive tender process
have been quality checked
are checked to make sure they comply with the law
may have draft specifications and expert help available

Considerations when using a framework

The Department of Education (DfE) reviews a range of frameworks. These are assessed for:

compliance with procurement regulations
ease of use, suitability
value for money

The section below contains further considerations about using frameworks.

Further competition process

A framework may still require a ‘further competition’ process but this means you do not need to run a full Official Journal of the European Union (OJEU) procurement process.

Supplier equipment

Consider:

what equipment you own
what the bidding suppliers will provide

You may have to include the cost of buying new equipment. You should take independent legal advice if you’re unsure about what will be included.

Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks

You’ll need confirmation from suppliers that they’ve had the relevant DBS checks.

It’s your responsibility to check that everyone involved in the catering contract is DBS checked.

Supplier samples

You may want to ask potential suppliers to produce sample meals for you to try as this will form part of your specification and tender requirements.

Supplier feedback

When selecting the suppliers, you may want to talk to other schools they serve and get feedback on the service they offer.

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