The Litmus Partnership: The Pennine Trust ~ Catering Tender

UK-Barrowford: School catering services.

Section I: Contracting Authority

   I.1) Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
       The Pennine Trust
       Bridgewater House, Suite 5, Surrey Road, Barrowford, BB9 7TZ, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.penninetrust.org/
       NUTS Code: UKD4

   I.2) Joint procurement:
      The contract involves joint procurement: Yes          
      In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not Provided
      The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No

   I.4)Type of the contracting authority:
      Body governed by public law

   I.5) Main activity:
      Education

Section II: Object Of The Contract

   II.1) Scope of the procurement

      II.1.1) Title: The Pennine Trust ~ Catering Tender            
      Reference number: Not Provided

      II.1.2) Main CPV code:
         55524000 - School catering services.


      II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES

      II.1.4) Short description: The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for the four schools within The Pennine Trust. The Trust consists of one Secondary and three primary schools in and around Colne in Lancashire.

The annual value of the contract in total is approximately £515,900.

      II.1.6) Information about lots
         This contract is divided into lots: No
            
      II.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
          Value: 3,535,516.56
                  
         Currency:GBP            

   II.2) Description

      II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s):
      Not Provided

      II.2.3) Place of performance
      Nuts code:
      UKD4 - Lancashire
   
      Main site or place of performance:
      Lancashire
             

      II.2.4) Description of the procurement: The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for the four schools within The Pennine Trust. The Trust consists of one Secondary and three primary schools in and around Colne in Lancashire.

The annual value of the contract in total is approximately £515,900.

The Pennine Multi Academy Trust was formed in Sept 2018 and comprises of the following four schools:

Blacko Primary

Built in 1889, Blacko Primary is a small, rural village primary school, accommodating 18 staff and 102 pupils. The school is surrounded by the scenic countryside of Pendle and falls within the authority of Lancashire County Council.
Blacko’s ethos is to develop young people with creative minds, a sense of understanding and compassion for others. Blacko are proud of their dedicated and committed staff who strive to create confident and well-educated children with the Trust core values; Be Ambitious, Be collaborative, Be Respectful at their centre.

The school primarily serves families from Blacko and nearby villages. The demographic is predominantly White British with a small proportion of pupils from other ethnic backgrounds.

Blacko Primary School has been consistently rated ‘Good’ by OFSTED. The inspectors praised its supportive environment, strong leadership and high-quality teaching


Laneshaw Bridge Primary School

Laneshaw Bridge Primary School is a modern, purpose built in 2012, single story primary school located in the rural village of Laneshaw Bridge on the picturesque Lancashire-Yorkshire border. This contemporary environment provides a bright, spacious, and accessible learning environment designed to support students’ educational journey and promote inclusivity for all. Surrounded by scenic countryside, the school has a strong connection to its rural roots and plays an integral role within the local community.

The school with 204 pupils and 24 staff, is dedicated to creating a nurturing, supportive atmosphere where each child is encouraged to explore, grow and achieve their potential. The school’s ethos centres on the core trust values of Ambition, Respect and Collaboration.

Serving children primarily from Laneshaw Bridge and surrounding villages, the school reflects the rural demographic of the area, with predominantly White British students.

In November 2023, Laneshaw Bridge received an ‘Outstanding’ rating from OFSTED. The report praised the school’s ambitious and inclusive educational approach, noting that students excel across a broad, enriching curriculum. Inspectors commented on the exceptional behaviour of the pupils and highlighted their happiness, sense of being valued and sense of being heard. Pupils were also recognised for embodying the school’s core values, distinguishing themselves as exemplary students.


Colne Lord Street

Colne Lord Street Primary School, built in 1901, is in the heart of Colne, a historic market town within the borough of Pendle, Lancashire. With currently 343 pupils on roll and a dedicated staff team of 55, the school is well established within the community, serving a diverse student body from Colne and neighbouring areas.

The school’s demographic is culturally diverse, welcoming students from a range of ethnic backgrounds. The area, while rich in community spirit and cultural heritage faces economic challenges, with some areas experiencing higher than average levels of deprivation. The school is committed to supporting its pupils and their families providing access to quality education, support and opportunities for growth, actively promoting inclusivity and community cohesion, creating an environment where pupils feel valued and respected.

Lord Street’s ethos is built around the core values of ‘Ambition, Respect and Collaboration’. The school is dedicated to fostering a safe, nurturing environment where every child is encouraged to reach their full potential.

See SQ document for more information.

      II.2.5) Award criteria:
       Not Provided

      II.2.11) Information about options
         Options: No
         

      II.2.13) Information about European Union funds
         The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
         

      II.2.14) Additional information: Please note, this is a Contract Award Notice - this contract has already been awarded.


Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

   IV.1.1)Type of procedure: Restricted


   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
      The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement: No       
      A dynamic purchasing system was set up: No

   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction
      An electronic auction has been used: No

   IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
      The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes

IV.2) Administrative information

   IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure
       Notice number in the OJEU: 2024/S 000-039894
      
   

   IV.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
      The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice: No

Section V: Award of contract

Award Of Contract (No.1)

   Contract No: Not Provided    
   Lot Number: Not Provided    
   Title: Not Provided

   A contract/lot is awarded: Yes


   V.2) Award of contract

      V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract: 09/06/2025

      V.2.2) Information about tenders
         Number of tenders received: 7
         Number of tenders received from SMEs: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received by electronic means: Not Provided

      V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

      The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
         
         Contractor (No.1)
             Caterlink Limited, 03732298
             Earley West, 300 Thames Valley Park Drive, Reading, RG6 1PT, United Kingdom
             NUTS Code: UKJ11
            The contractor is an SME: No

      V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
         Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: 2,579,500          
         Total value of the contract/lot: 3,535,516.56
         Currency: GBP

      V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
         The contract is likely to be subcontracted: No
         
Section VI: Complementary information

   VI.3) Additional information: To view this notice, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=961572521
   VI.4) Procedures for review

      VI.4.1) Review body
          The Pennine Trust
          Bridgewater House, Suite 5, Surrey Road, Barrowford, BB9 7TZ, United Kingdom

      VI.4.3) Review procedure
         Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: Not Provided

      VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
         Not Provided

   VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice: 25/06/2025

ANNEX A

   I) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing   
   1: Contracting Authority
       Blacko Primary School
       Blacko Primary School, Gisburn Road, Blacko, Lancashire, BB9 6LS, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.blacko.lancs.sch.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKD4
   
   2: Contracting Authority
       Colne Park High School
       Venables Avenue, Colne, BB8 7DP, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.park-high.co.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKD4
   
   3: Contracting Authority
       Laneshaw Bridge Primary School
       Emmott Lane, Laneshaw Bridge, Colne, BB8 7JE, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.laneshawbridgeschool.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKD4
   
   4: Contracting Authority
       Lord Street Primary School
       Lord Street Primary School, Lord Street, Colne, BB8 9AR, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.lordstreetprimary.com/
       NUTS Code: UKD4