Case Study for SME Participation Prepared Meals

The Education Authority (EA) Catering Service has a statutory requirement to provide free school meals to all eligible pupils.  Occasionally the EA will require nutritionally balanced pre-prepared meals for use by school meal kitchens.  This framework is an enabler that contributes to the EA’s strategic priority of meeting the learning needs of our children and young people and contributes to the Programme for Government strategic outcome that “we give our children the best start in life”.

• Although this was a framework for supplies, the objective was to ensure that social value was embedded at every phase of procurement and reflected the requirements of PPN 01/21 Scoring Social Value.
• Encourage the participation of SME’s in the tender process.
• To help achieve the outcomes of the PfG focused on “societal well-being” and delivering “real and positive change in people’s lives”.
• To source quality meals for the service that will be attractive to children and young people.
• Achieve Value for Money.
• Strengthen the supply chain resilience through the use of local suppliers in compliance with PPN 03/21 Supply Chain Resilience.
• Contribute to DERAs NI Food Strategy Framework 2021 i.e. priority 2: “Building a sustainable food economy” and Priority 4: “protecting and enhancing our natural resources.”

EACPS decided that the strategy for this procurement process should incorporate the following actions to ensure delivery of the foregoing objectives:

1. Market research and PME - Market Research and PME event and activities were completed that encouraged SMEs and new market entrants.  The aim of the PME was also to identify how the EA could strengthen and shorten the supply chain.
2. SIB - EACPS consulted with SIB on the process from the outset to tailor the social value clauses and requirements to ensure they were compatible with the industry and that they were not too onerous for SMEs.
3. Award Criteria - Placing social value at the core of the process is key to ensuring that the EA contributes to wider values within the local community such as sustainability, employment and education.  To this effect, and in line with PPN 01/21 Scoring Social Value, 10% social value was included in the award criteria.

• As a result of extensive PME and Market research, EA had new suppliers in the tendering process.
• Increased offers from SME entrants.
• Framework awarded to a local SME.
• Social value that delivers the theme of sustainability and contributes to the reduction of both waste and food waste to landfill, recycling (including the reduction in food waste through donating to social enterprises fighting hunger and food poverty) and reuse into other streams.
• A framework with the key ethos of fork to farm and supply chain traceability.

• A framework that aligns with the NI Food Strategy Framework 2021 i.e. priority 2- “Building a sustainable food economy” by supporting locally sourced and produced food and Priority 4- “protecting and enhancing our natural resources” to reduce waste and specifically food waste.
• Supply chain resilience through the shortening of the supply chain and procuring items manufactured/produced locally.

The strategy for this tender process, developed by EA Commercial Procurement Service in collaboration with the EA Catering Service, resulted in the award of a Framework that not only meets the objectives of the service, but also delivers on the EAs objectives to comply with PPN 01/21 Scoring Social Value.

It delivers on the themes of sustainability, supply chain traceability, animal welfare and has sourced a quality product that has a transparent journey from farm to fork.  The supply chain has been strengthened by the appointment of a local SME.