AwardedAwarded 27 August 2026

704_26 Outsourced Catering Services and Procurement Support

Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO · Local authority

In brief

Leicestershire County Council, trading as ESPO awarded catering and consultancy work to Compass Contract Services Ltd, ISS Mediclean Ltd and OCS Group UK Limited. and 55 others on 27 August 2026.

It is a framework worth up to £200,000,000 excluding VAT: the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers, not one contract.

The contract runs for 2 years, up to 4 years with extensions, starting 1 September 2026.

It is split into 4 lots, so a supplier can bid for part of the work.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

What the notice says

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 establishes a framework to assist customers in education, social care and all other public sectors with outsourcing their catering services, including providing access to procurement consultants who can assist customers with this (in outsourcing their catering services). The Framework is divided into 4 lots. For any additional details please also refer to https://www.espo.org/outsourced-catering-services-and-procurement-support-704-26.html (or otherwise see https://www.espo.org/procurement-frameworks).

Lots

LotTradeValue
Lot 1. Education
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028
What this lot covers

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.

Catering, Management consultancy£200,000,000
Lot 2. Social Care
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028
What this lot covers

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.

Catering£200,000,000
Lot 3. All Other Public Sector
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028
What this lot covers

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.

Catering£200,000,000
Lot 4. Procurement Consultancy and Contract Management Support for Outsourced Catering Services
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028
What this lot covers

This Lot includes Suppliers who can offer Procurement Support carried out in line with the Procurement Act 2023. Typical services are likely to include gathering of information and documenting customer requirements, providing advice on evaluation methodologies, arranging and supporting Supplier site visits, Supplier demonstrations and interviews, conduct or assist with the Further Competitive Selection Process (preparation, evaluation and award, including managing the de-brief of Suppliers and Contract document drafting), fielding and supporting the customer to respond to any clarification questions raised in the Further Competitive Selection Process, legal support to include guidance on how to complete the Form of Contract and Call-Off Terms, guidance on service levels, TUPE and contract mobilisation. Suppliers awarded onto this lot are expected to assist customers with drafting and publishing notices as and when required throughout the procurement and award process. This lot will also include contract management, where typical services are likely to include the monitoring of Suppliers performance and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), Supplier relationship management, the auditing of Supplier sites, Cost and efficiency savings being identified and ad-hoc advice on Outsourced Catering Services.

Management consultancy£200,000,000

Who won

WinnerLotValueDates
Compass Contract Services Ltd
ISS Mediclean Ltd
OCS Group UK Limited.
Aramark Defence Services Limited
BaxterStorey Limited
Juniper Pursuits Limited (SME)
Nourish
Caterlink
Stir Food Ltd
Norse Group Services Limited
Palmer & Howells Ltd (SME)
Innovate Services Limited
Culinera Limited (SME)
Accent Catering Services Limited
Alliance in Partnership Limited (SME)
Ashmole Traded Services Ltd
Aspens-Services Limited
FM Services (City of Bradford Metropolitan District Council)
Derbyshire County Council Catering Service (Local Government Authority)
Dolce Limited (SME)
Edsential Community Interest Company
Educaterers Limited
Educo Limited (SME)
Elior UK plc
Forerunner Personal Catering Limited (SME)
Harrison Catering Services Limited
Hertfordshire Catering Limited
Lunchtime Company Ltd (SME)
Midshire Signature Services Limited
Miquill Catering Limited (SME)
The North Yorkshire Council (Local Government Authority)
Nottingham City Council (Local Government Authority)
School Catering Support Limited (SME)
Shire Services (Local Authority organisation)
Sandwell Inspired Partnership Services Education Limited - T/A Sips Education
Vertas Group Limited
70 bids received
Lot 1. Education£200,000,000
Awarded 13 August 2026
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028
Compass Contract Services Ltd
ISS Mediclean Ltd
OCS Group UK Limited.
Aramark Defence Services Limited
Norse Group Services Limited
Elior UK plc
Harrison Catering Services Limited
Midshire Signature Services Limited
Shire Services (Local Authority organisation)
Vertas Group Limited
LC SCA LTD - t/a Showcase, in partnership with H H FOODS (LEIC) LTD (SME)
70 bids received
Lot 2. Social Care£200,000,000
Awarded 13 August 2026
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028
Compass Contract Services Ltd
ISS Mediclean Ltd
OCS Group UK Limited.
Aramark Defence Services Limited
BaxterStorey Limited
Juniper Pursuits Limited (SME)
Norse Group Services Limited
Educo Limited (SME)
Elior UK plc
Harrison Catering Services Limited
Midshire Signature Services Limited
The North Yorkshire Council (Local Government Authority)
Nottingham City Council (Local Government Authority)
Shire Services (Local Authority organisation)
Vertas Group Limited
Royal Voluntary Service
70 bids received
Lot 3. All Other Public Sector£200,000,000
Awarded 13 August 2026
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028
Agorea Limited (SME)
Bayliss & Grove Ltd (SME)
Catering Consultancy Bureau Limited (SME)
Cohesion Consulting Ltd (SME)
Edwards & Ward Limited
EMC CONSULTANCY SERVICES LLP - t/a EMC Associates (SME)
Fare Consulting Limited (SME)
Inprova Ltd (SME)
Invictus Partnership Ltd (SME)
Larch Consulting Limited (SME)
Merritt-Harrison Catering Consultancy (Partnership) (SME)
Minerva Procurement Consultancy Services Limited (SME)
Nansen Green Limited (SME)
Oliveoaks Consulting Ltd (SME)
PANACHE CREATIVE LIMITED - t/a Panache Consultancy (SME)
PHP Law LLP (SME)
Prestige Commercial Consulting Limited (SME)
Red Box Consultancy Services Limited (SME)
Riva Partnership Ltd (SME)
WLP Consultancy Services Ltd (SME)
70 bids received
Lot 4. Procurement Consultancy and Contract Management Support for Outsourced Catering Services£200,000,000
Awarded 13 August 2026
1 September 2026 to 31 August 2028

Values as the award notice gives them, excluding VAT where stated.

Timeline

  1. Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 067484-2025
  2. Tender notice · UK4, notice 038007-2026
  3. Contract award notice · UK6, notice 078271-2026
  4. Contract details notice · UK7, notice 086445-2026

About the buyer

Procurements

87

Awards

39

Suppliers it has used most for catering

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From notice 067484-2025 on Find a Tender, first published 22 October 2025, last updated 11 September 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.