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Hudson Outsourcing are thrilled to announce that Hospitality Tenders is now powered by askabidwriter.com

Combining our cutting-edge consultancy technology with the efficient, time-saving features of Hudson Discover, Hospitality Tenders is a bidding portal like no other.

With askabidwriter.com, not only will you continue to have access to the incredible sector-specific opportunity tracking technology you’ve come to rely on, but you’ll also have a team of bidding experts at your disposal, available 24/7.

What’s included?

  • Ask our bidding experts any sector-specific bidding questions you have.
  • Access to our extensive learning library, full of helpful resources such as video and audio masterclasses, downloadable PDFs, and various templates to assist you in perfecting your bid submissions.
  • Quick search sector-specific bidding opportunities, making it simple for you to find available opportunities for your business.

With askabidwriter.com, our goal at Hudson is to revolutionise the bidding world and put the power of bidding success into your hands.

Formal Catering Contracts: Everything You Need to Know

3 things to consider when tendering for formal catering contracts

Are you looking for formal catering contracts for your business? Have you found the perfect catering tender, but don’t know what to do next? In this blog, we’ll tell you everything you need to know. Keep reading to find out more!

What is formal catering?

First things first, do you know what’s involved in a formal catering contract?

While the specifics will change to suit the needs of the individual buyer, generally, formal catering could involve catering for:

  • Weddings
  • Graduations
  • Christenings
  • Bar mitzvahs
  • Corporate functions.

For these occasions, buyers could require anything from buffet food to a sit-down banquet with three or more courses. In some cases, the buyer might also be looking for waiting staff as part of the formal catering contract. However, if this is a requirement, it should be clearly stated in the tender documents.

3 things to consider when tendering for formal catering contracts  

  • Can you deliver ALL of the contract?

Sometimes, a formal catering contract will require more than just the provision of food. Depending on the event, suppliers might be expected to provide drinks for guests, as well as bar and waiting staff. Therefore, you should consider your capabilities before tendering for work. If you struggle to meet all of the requirements, it’s probably not the contract for you.

  • Is your cuisine appropriate for the theme of the event?

This is important, as it will determine whether buyers choose you to deliver their formal catering contract. For example, if you specialise in canapes and cocktails, you should avoid events that require sit-down, three course meals. You should also consider the venue and time of year. For example, a roast dinner might not be appropriate for a beach wedding in the summer.

  • How many people can you cater for? 

We’ve already established that you need to consider your capabilities before tendering for formal catering contracts. However, you should also consider the number of people that you are able to cater for.

For example, can you cater for larger parties and potentially serve hundreds of guests? If so, then you don’t want to limit your business by tendering for smaller contracts that you’re overqualified for.

On the other hand, if you’re a smaller team, you need to ensure that you can deliver what you promise.

6 tips for winning a formal catering contract

When you’ve found a formal catering contract you’d like to go for, remember our top tips:

  1. Read every page of the tender documents and digest all the information
  2. Gather your evidence and produce two to three case studies
  3. Show how you will add value to the contract
  4. Produce a well-written, easy to read tender response
  5. Proofread and edit your response before you submit it
  6. Give yourself plenty of time to submit – don’t wait until the last minute.

Let’s recap…

When you’re bidding for a formal catering contract, you could be expected to deliver at the following events:

  • Weddings
  • Christenings
  • Bar mitzvahs
  • Graduations
  • Corporate functions.

Before you tender for formal catering contracts, remember to consider the following:

  • Can you deliver ALL of the contract?
  • Is your cuisine appropriate for the theme of the event?
  • How many people can you cater for?

What’s next for your business? Hospitality Tenders…

We source hospitality tenders daily, manually searching across the web. We recognise the importance of finding the right tender. Our Opportunity Trackers manually upload new tenders every day. You’re able to filter the results by keyword, location, budget and more. You no longer have to rely on inaccurate CPV codes to find the right opportunity for your business.

Below are previous catering tenders for formal events that we’ve sourced on our portal:

Catering Services to Trowbridge Civic Centre (Part of Trowbridge Town Council)

Trowbridge Town Council – South West – Budget: £10,000

Hospitality & Events Services

University of Derby – East Midlands – Budget: £2,500,000

Contract for Event Catering Services at the Hepworth Wakefield

The Hepworth Wakefield – Yorkshire – Budget: Undisclosed

Provision of Wine Supplies – University of Aberdeen

University of Aberdeen – Scotland – Budget: Undisclosed

Town Hall Catering Concession

Sheffield City Council – Yorkshire – Budget: Undisclosed

A subscription to Hospitality Tenders can offer your business:

  • Access to all unique, private and public sector opportunities.
  • A dedicated Account Manager that can answer any questions you may have about finding catering tenders.
  • A daily email bulletin sent straight to your inbox when new tenders are uploaded.
  • Discounted support from Hudson Succeed, our bid writing division.

We also source opportunities for services including:

If you would like to see the formal catering contracts on the portal, please contact us for a free demo.

Want to save even more time?

Upgrading to Discover Elite  will ensure you never miss a tendering opportunity, even when you’re busy!

What if you need bid writing support?

We’ve got you covered.

You can outsource the role to our dedicated Hudson Succeed  Team. They have 60 years of bid writing experience and an 87% success rate. Their team have secured contract wins totalling over £3billion for our clients. They offer four services aimed to support you at each level of the bid writing process.

Tender Ready

Their Tender Ready programme is designed for those who have never tendered before. This 4-week programme works with you to ensure you have everything in place to tender successfully.

Tender Improvement

Tender Improvement can help if you’re already tendering but aren’t seeing success from your current efforts. Their Bid Writers will assess your previous submissions and supporting documents. They’ll give you feedback and guidance on how to improve, helping you to secure your next catering tender.

Tender Mentor

If you’ve written a tender and need someone to proofread it   – Tender Mentor is for you. A Bid Writer will double-check it’s in line with the specification and free of any grammar or spelling mistakes.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found the perfect tender but don’t know where to start – they can help. Send the specification over to us and their Bid Team will do the rest.   They’ll let you know what they need from you and provide you with a full breakdown. They’ll even submit it on your behalf, leaving you more time to focus on your business.

Get in touch to find out more information.

There’s Been a 72% Increase in Hospitality Contracts

The Advantages of Tendering for Hospitality Contracts

 Tendering for hospitality contracts can be a viable way to grow your business. If you haven’t considered it before, you should. There are more hospitality contracts than ever before. Both the private and public sectors release hospitality contracts. They do this in order to procure a range of hospitality goods and services.

Here at Hospitality Tenders, we have seen a 72% increase in tenders in the sector since January. There’s never been a better time to apply for hospitality contracts. There are more options than ever, meaning you’re likely to find the perfect opportunity for your business. These contracts can range from catering to events staffing and laundry services to entertainment.

If you are on the fence about whether or not you should tender for contracts, there are many advantages.

Hospitality contract advantages

Prompt Payment

If you’re bidding on contracts in the public sector, you can take confidence that you are guaranteed payment. It is certainly one of the biggest advantages of tendering for hospitality contracts. This is because the Crown Commercial Service (CCS) must pay suppliers within 60-days of invoicing. This is to comply with the Prompt Payment Code (2008).

Secure a pipeline of work

Bidding for hospitality contracts can help you secure a pipeline of work for your business. Particularly if you secure a place on a Dynamic Purchasing System (DPS) or framework agreement. These tendering processes are often used within the hospitality sector to procure a range of goods and services. The benefit of these is that they can run for years at a time. Some even have the possibility of an extension.

Build experience

Hospitality contracts are a great way to gain experience as a business. Buyers will require 2 – 3 case studies of past contracts you have delivered. They need to be within the last 3 – 5 years. They should be similar in scope and style to the one you’re applying for.

Securing smaller contracts can help you build up that experience. The more experience you have, the bigger the contracts you can go for. The bigger bids you can go for, the bigger your business can grow. Securing a place on a DPS or framework is a great place to start.

The government awards 23% of contracts to SMEs

If you think that only big businesses get a slice of the action, you’d be wrong. In fact, the UK government has a target to see at least £1 in every £3 being spent with SMEs. This means public sector businesses are actively looking to award contracts to smaller businesses.

Local council’s actually release more hospitality contracts than you would have thought. Typically, these are for catering and canteen services among other things.

Remember when writing your response for hospitality contracts to:

  • Avoid overly technical jargon
  • Stick to the word counts
  • Be clear, concise and persuasive in your response
  • Demonstrate added value
  • Ensure you have all the necessary qualifications and accreditations needed
  • Meet the quality standards
  • Partake in any site visits where possible.

Where can I find hospitality contracts for my business?

So, now you know the advantages of tendering for hospitality contracts. You may be wondering where to find them. There are hundreds of websites posting hospitality tender opportunities. Trawling through them can take hours out of your busy day. Luckily for you, we have a solution.

Hospitality Tenders is a sector-specific portal that posts all live tenders within the hospitality industry. Our Opportunity Trackers manually identify and upload each tender individually. There’s no reliance on inaccurate CPV codes. You can filter the results by keyword, location, budget and more.

Below are previous hospitality contracts sourced on our portal:

Concessionary Canteen Service for Colaiste na Carraige

Donegal Education and Training Board- Republic of Ireland- Budget: Undisclosed

The Provision of Hospitality Services at the Shay Stadium, Halifax

Calderdale Council- Yorkshire and Humber- Budget: Undisclosed

COV – Mobile Catering Concession for Park 2021-22

Coventry City Council- West Midlands- Budget: Undisclosed

WHC – Bouncy Castles Supply

Welwyn Hatfield Borough Council- Eastern- Budget: £13,000

Tender opportunity: Buckler’s Hard Tea Room, Beaulieu

Beaulieu Enterprises Limited- South East- Budget: Undisclosed

A subscription to Hospitality Tenders can offer your business:

  • Access to all unique, private and public sector opportunities.
  • A dedicated Account Manager that can answer any questions you may have about DPS for catering or government catering contracts.
  • A daily email bulletin sent straight to your inbox when new catering tenders are uploaded that day.
  • Discounted support from Hudson Succeed, our bid writing division.
  • 20-minutes of free consultancy each month with our Bid Experts.

We also source opportunities for services including;

If you would like to see the catering contracts on the portal, please get in touch for a free demo.

Need assistance with your hospitality contracts response?

If you’re still unsure about how to respond to your hospitality contract – we can help. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, are experts in bid writing. They hold an 87% success rate and have over 60 years of experience. We offer four bid writing support packages for all your tender needs.

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready 4-week programme is designed for businesses that are completely new to tendering. Our Bid Writers work with you to make sure you have everything in place to tender successfully.

  • A 12-month subscription to Catering Tenders.
  • Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
  • An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and 8 policies.
  • Additional flexible benefit options.

Tender Improvement

Have you been tendering for work, but aren’t seeing success from your efforts? Our Tender Improvement programme can help. During the course of the programme, a Bid Writer will assess your previous responses and supporting documents. They’ll give you feedback and guidance, working with you to improve for future submissions.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found the perfect catering tender, but don’t know where to start, Hudson Succeed can help. Send it over and one of our Bid Writers will take care of it all for you. They’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll provide you with a full Tender Writing breakdown and let you know what they need from you.

Tender Mentor

Tender Mentor can help if you’ve already written a bid response and you need someone to double-check for errors. Our Bid Writers will check it’s in line with the specification. They’ll also make sure it’s free of grammar and spelling mistakes before you submit it.

Get in touch with our team for a friendly chat about how we can help you.

Upgrade to Discover Elite

Upgrading to Discover Elite allows you to optimise your tendering opportunities even when you’re busy. Our two new packages can improve your competitor awareness and bidding success rate. Each package can help save you even more time when searching for the right catering tenders for your business.

The Ultimate Time Saver package offers your business:

  • A maximum of five tender breakdowns per month.
  • An annual subscription to a maximum of two Hudson Discover sector-specific portals. This option can help businesses that overlap two industries such as Hospitality and Facilities, for example.
  • Pre-market and award engagement notices monitored on your behalf.
  • Buyer portal management, including registration, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid or no-bid
  • Weekly phone calls with your dedicated Account Manager to discuss viable hospitality tendering opportunities.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package also includes:

  • All of the above.
  • Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
  • Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

Contact us to find out how we can help your business grow.

10 Things You Need to Know About Ice Cream Tenders

Everything you need to know about ice cream tenders before you start bidding

 If you’re looking for ice cream tenders, you may be at a loss for where to start. The whole tendering process may seem completely baffling to you. We understand you need all the right information before going out to tender. Find everything you need to know about ice cream tenders below.

What do you need to know about delivering ice cream catering contracts?

  1. What can you sell?

For an ice cream tender, the main product you sell will of course be ice cream. However, you could also be required to sell snacks and refreshments.

  1. Be specific

You should make your services clear. You should display a menu and prices that can be easily accessible.

  1. Policies and appearance

Buyers will ask to see your environmental policy and health and safety policy. You need to present how you will keep the area tidy and dispose of rubbish. Your health and safety policy should highlight how you treat injuries or first aid training.

You should submit photos of your vehicle. It should be decorated to a high standard with appropriate imagery for the contract.

  1. Policies

For an ice cream tender, you could be required to submit your food hygiene, environmental and health and safety policies. It should demonstrate how you deal with or avoid certain situations.

  1. Equipment

You are responsible for all equipment brought onto site and ensuring all insurances are obtained and contractual obligations are met.

How can you win an ice cream tender?

So, you know what to include in an ice cream tender, but how do you win the tender? Here’s what you should be bearing in mind:

  1. Bid for the right contracts

Whilst there are many opportunities out there, only bid for the ones you can actually deliver. There is no point in bidding for ice cream tenders you know you can’t win. It’s a waste of time, money and resources. Thoroughly read through the tender documents and make sure you are suitable for the contract at hand.

  1. Meet the requirements

You’ll be surprised at how often people bid for contracts but don’t meet the requirements. If the contractor asks for a food and hygiene certificate and you don’t have one, you won’t meet the requirements. The buyer sets out these requirements for a reason so if don’t meet them, don’t bid for the tender.

  1. Time management

Time management is an essential skill if you want to win an ice cream tender. The tender process is long and complex, so you need to allow yourself plenty of time for the whole procedure. Not only will writing the bid take up a lot of time, but there is the submission process too.

It’s a good idea to plan out your time to ensure you will be able to complete in time. The last thing you want to do is rush the bid as it will only add to the pressure.

  1. Proofreading

We can’t stress enough how important it is to proofread your bid. Once your bid is complete, the work doesn’t stop there. You should be setting time aside to thoroughly proofread your bid. Check for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. Submitting a bid full of errors will lose you marks. It makes you look lazy and unprofessional. 

Where can you find ice cream tenders?

Searching for ice cream tenders can take a considerable amount of time out which you may not have. There are thousands of sites posting new tendering opportunities every day. Searching for the right one is easier said than done.

Our Hospitality Tenders portal is designed to provide your catering business with the latest opportunities. We source a wide range of catering tenders across the country and further afield. The portal saves you time, money and effort. Our portals are updated each day so new opportunities are always available.

Below are previous ice cream tenders sourced on our portal:

Ice-cream and refreshments sales in parks
Wakefield Council – Yorkshire and Humber – Budget: Undisclosed

Ice-cream and refreshments trading in a park
Wirral Borough Council – North West – Budget: Undisclosed

Ice-cream trading
Wirral Borough Council – North West – Budget: Undisclosed

Food and ice-cream sales in parks
Hull City Council – Yorkshire and Humber – Budget: Undisclosed

Items of equipment involved in the production of gelato/sorbet
Natural Ice Cream Wholesale Ltd – Republic of Ireland – Budget: Undisclosed

How can we help you?

If you’re still a little unsure about bidding for ice cream tenders, we have a range of services to help you.

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready 4-week programme is designed for businesses that are completely new to tendering. Our Bid Writers work with you to make sure you have everything in place to tender successfully.

  • A 12-month subscription to Catering Tenders.
  • Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
  • An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and 8 policies.
  • Additional flexible benefit options.

Tender Improvement

Have you been tendering for work, but aren’t seeing success from your efforts? Our Tender Improvement programme can help. During the course of the programme, a Bid Writer will assess your previous responses and supporting documents. They’ll give you feedback and guidance, working with you to improve for future submissions.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found the perfect catering tender, but don’t know where to start, Hudson Succeed can help. Send it over and one of our Bid Writers will take care of it all for you. They’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll provide you with a full Tender Writing breakdown and let you know what they need from you.

Tender Mentor

Tender Mentor can help if you’ve already written a bid response and you need someone to double-check for errors. Our Bid Writers will check it’s in line with the specification. They’ll also make sure it’s free of grammar and spelling mistakes before you submit it.

Get in touch with our team for a friendly chat about how we can help you.

Government Canteen Tenders

Everything you need to know about government canteen tenders

If you’re looking for government canteen tenders, you’ll be glad to know there are a lot of opportunities out there. However, applying for government canteen tenders may be new to you and the whole tendering process may seem confusing. But don’t worry! We can help you understand everything you need to know. We’ve put together a guide about government canteen tenders.

Procedure

The tendering process often starts with an invitation to tender (ITT). A bid writing response will be written and submitted to the buyer to examine and evaluate. Once the buyer has found a suitable supplier, the contract will be awarded.

Government canteen tenders will be procured via a restricted procedure. A buyer will want to create a shortlist to assess which bidders are most suitable to deliver the contract.

Stage one of the process is known as a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ). It is basically a checklist exercise so the buyer can assess how suitable the supplier is for the tender.  You will be asked the following details:

  • Company’s contract information
  • Financial standing
  • Health and safety policy
  • Food safety and hygiene policy
  • Environmental policy
  • Equality and diversity policy
  • Qualifications, awards and accreditations.

What do I need to provide for government canteen tenders?

Food safety policies

As you’re working with food, you’ll be expected to provide food hygiene and food safety policies. This includes your business’ hygiene for food measures and hygiene for food handlers. You also be providing your food and drink spillages, as well as broken dishes and glasses and any other equipment. The buyer wants to know how you record these.

Health and safety policies

The buyer will ask for your health and safety policy to see how you ensure safe working and minimise risks. For example, they’ll want to know how you deal with falls or injuries in the workplace. A buyer wants to be reassured that you demonstrate the best and correct procedure for health and safety at work.

Environmental policy  

Government canteen tenders will require a high level of environmental policy requirements. Services, materials and the process should be considered as they have an impact on the environment. You must ensure you comply with all the relevant environmental waste management and hazardous products regulations. Environmentally friendly products should be used where applicable. For example, substituting all plastic straws with paper straws.

MEAT

Contracts will be awards to the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). The buyer is looking for more than just price. They also consider a number of other factors such as:

  • Quality
  • Customer Service
  • Environmental Benefits
  • Accessibility
  • Innovation.

Should I be bidding?

Before you decide to go ahead with a government canteen tender, you should consider the following points:

  • Do you have three strong relevant case studies? – Buyers want to see what similar projects you’ve worked on in the past.
  • Do you have a solid foundation of experience?
  • Is the tender more than half of your annual turnover?
  • Do you meet the requirements? – there’s in point bidding if you don’t meet the requirements as you’ll be unable to deliver the contract.
  • Can you meet the deadlines? – check you have enough time to complete the bid as it is a lengthy process.
  • Can you make a profit?

What do government canteen tenders cover?

Government tenders are made up of local councils, the NHS, schools, colleges and universities.

We hope we have given you plenty of government canteen tenders and you now feel more equipped to start bidding.

Below are previous canteen tenders sourced on our portal:

Coliste Phdraig – Catering services

Coliste Phdraig – Republic of Ireland – Budget: Undisclosed

Catering services at Boyne Community School

Boyne Community School – Northern Ireland – Budget: Undisclosed

Catering Contract

Catering contract – London – Budget: Undisclosed

Maintenance of Catering equipment

International – Budget: Undisclosed

Catering tenders at a new Academy build

Big creative academy new build – London – £600,000

We can help you

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready 4-week programme is designed for businesses who are completely new to tendering. Our Bid Writers work with you to make sure you have everything in place to tender successfully.

  • A 12-month subscription to Catering Tenders.
  • Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
  • An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and 8 policies.
  • Additional flexible benefit options.

Tender Improvement

Have you been tendering for work, but aren’t seeing success from your efforts? Our Tender Improvement programme can help. During the course of the programme, a Bid Writer will assess your previous responses and supporting documents. They’ll give you feedback and guidance, working with you to improve for future submissions.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found the perfect catering tender, but don’t know where to start, Hudson Succeed can help. Send it over and one of our Bid Writers will take care of it all for you. They’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll provide you with a full Tender Writing breakdown and let you know what they need from you.

Tender Mentor

Tender Mentor can help if you’ve already written a bid response and you need someone to double-check for errors. Our Bid Writers will check it’s in line with the specification. They’ll also make sure it’s free of grammar and spelling mistakes before you submit it.

Where can I find catering tenders?

Searching for catering tenders can take a considerable amount of time out of your busy working day. There are thousands of sites posting new tendering opportunities every day. Searching for the right one can turn into a bit of a headache.

At Hudson, our Hospitality Tenders portal is designed to provide your catering business with the latest opportunities. We source a wide range of catering tenders across the country and further afield. Hudson wants to save you time, money and effort. Through our bespoke Hospitality Tenders portal, we will save you effort on a daily basis.

There is no need to use your valuable time searching for your ideal contracts. Our portal will do the hard work for you.

Catering Tenders: A complete guide to finding and securing catering contracts

Catering Tenders: 9 tips for success

Finding the perfect catering tenders for your business can take a lot of time out of your day. Tendering for work can be quite overwhelming, particularly if you’ve never done it before. There’s a lot of technical jargon, acronyms and tendering procedures that can be confusing if you don’t know what’s what. However, it can be a great way to grow your business and is full of lucrative opportunities, particularly for SMEs.

This blog offers a complete guide to finding and securing catering tenders.

Let’s start with the basics…

What is a tender?

Tendering is an approach that is used to procure works, services or goods using a formal method. Tendering is used by both the public and private sectors and is essentially used to outsource a need.

Open tendering procedure

An open tendering procedure is often used within the public sector and is probably the simplest format of tendering procedure. This is process is commonly used to procure goods or services that are considered to be “straightforward”. A buyer creates an open tendering procedure, allowing any business to bid for their contract.

The tendering process often starts with an invitation to tender (ITT) being released. A supplier will then write their bid response and submit it to the buyer to examine and evaluate. Once the buyer has found a supplier that meets their needs, the contract will be awarded.

Restricted procedure

It is not uncommon for catering tenders and services to be procured via a restricted procedure. This is used to procure more complex goods or services. A buyer wants to establish a shortlist of bidders that they know can deliver the contract. A prospective supplier’s capabilities will be assessed at an initial pass/fail stage before receiving an ITT. There are often three stages to this tendering procedure.

The first stage is known as a pre-qualification questionnaire (PQQ) or a selection questionnaire (SQ). A prospective buyer would need to complete either of these in order to progress onto the next stage. It’s essentially a box-ticking exercise set by the buyer to assess whether a supplier is eligible for a catering tender. You can expect to be asked for details of your:

  • Company’s contact information
  • Financial standing
  • Non-collusion
  • Grounds for exclusion
  • Health and safety policy
  • Food safety and hygiene policy
  • Environmental policy
  • Equality and diversity policy
  • Qualifications or required accreditations.

If a supplier is successful and meets the minimum eligibility requirements, they’ll then progress onto the ITT stage. Once their tender documents are submitted and evaluated, the contract is awarded.

Dynamic Purchasing Systems (DPS)

Another form in which catering services are bought is by Dynamic Purchasing Systems. A DPS for catering is essentially a pre-approved list of suppliers that buying organisations can invite to tender. Bidding opportunities are published to members that have been successful in winning a position on that list.

The process is similar to a restricted tender procedure in that a prospective supplier needs to submit as PQQ or SQ. They will then be approved to progress onto the ITT stage. An ITT may require the following:

  • General background to the company
  • Overview of the catering services
  • The reason for tendering
  • Evaluation criteria
  • Contract type
  • Response format required
  • Timetable
  • Service specification
  • How TUPE will be handled
  • Questions to respond to
  • Proposed contract
  • Costs included and excluded
  • Scope.

DPS’ are often split into lots. Each lot can be for an individual good, service or location. This means a company doesn’t have to fulfil every aspect of the contract. A business can then apply for the specific lot that they specialise in. An example of DPS catering lots are as follows:

Lot 1 – Fresh Meat & Poultry

Lot 2 – General Groceries

Lot 3 – Frozen Catering

Lot 4 – Milk

Or

Lot 1 – North East England

Lot 2 – West Midlands

Lot 3 – East Midlands

Lot 4 – South West England

Depending on the contact, a supplier may be able to apply for multiple lots. If this is the case, the maximum lots a business can apply for is typically capped at three. If applying to multiple lots within a DPS for catering, a buyer will require evidence that you have the resources. Often, you will need to provide concrete evidence that you have the capability to deliver on multiple lots.

What makes a DPS different from a typical tender process?

A supplier can apply to be on the DPS at any point while it is open. Even if you’re unsuccessful at securing a place, you can always try again in the future. A catering DPS can be a lucrative opportunity for your business, often running for multiple years. Another difference from the typical tender process is that a DPS is a completely electronic process.

What should be included in DPS catering tender documents? 

Building on the ITT tender information, a supplier may be required to provide the following information in their tender response:

  • Sample menus
  • Method statements for staff dining, hospitality, beverages
  • Description of support resources
  • Mobilisation plan
  • Supply chain information
  • Employee information for those proposed to work on the contract
  • Specific company policies
  • Your unique selling points.

The above examples could be asked for in catering tenders. However, each buyer has their own specifications, therefore their requirements will be outlined in the tender documents.

Three tips for success on a DPS for catering

  • Initiative and innovation

DPS’ for catering in schools now increasingly require you to demonstrate initiative and innovation. They are looking for suppliers to provide new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of tastes and dietary requirements.

  • Qualifications and accreditations

A buyer will most likely require a supplier to demonstrate relevant qualifications and accreditations. They want to be reassured that the supplier is qualified to carry out the job, demonstrating best practice.

Some examples of qualifications and accreditations required for catering tenders are:

  • Food Hygiene Level 3
  • NVQ in professional cookery
  • Level 2 Food Safety
  • ISO 9001; 14001
  • School Food regulations
  • HACCP
  • COSHH.

Qualifications and accreditations will vary depending on the catering contact your business is applying for.

  • Be persuasive and assertive

No matter the tender or the buyer, you should be persuasive and assertive in your written bid response. You should persuade the buyer that you are the best company for the job. Your written response should be clear and concise, going into a detailed response. Make sure your response is as close to the word or page count as possible. They are there for a reason.

Both the private and public sector procure goods, services and work through tendering. There’s no denying that there are on average, more opportunities for catering tenders in the public sector. The government often procures catering services through government catering contracts.

Government Catering Contracts

Through government tenders, there is a particular demand for catering contracts. Government tender buyers include local councils, the NHS, colleges and universities. Government catering contacts can be a great way to grow your business.

9 Things you can expect from government catering contracts

  1. Financial standing and insurance requirements

Your business’s economic and financial standing will be assessed. Minimum insurance requirements will need to be met in order to be in the running for a supplier. Three things will typically be assessed. These being your business’s:

  • Annual turnover – you usually need to attach your most recent audited and unaudited accounts.
  • Financial ratios – these may include acid-tests and quick ratios of your full financial accounts.
  • Insurance – you will need to attach your insurance documents to your tender response.
  1. Health and safety

You may be required to provide relevant copies of health and safety policies for government catering contracts. These should outline how you will ensure safe working practices and how risks will be mitigated. A buyer wants to be reassured that you demonstrate best practice for health and safety in the workplace.

  1. Food safety policies

Food hygiene and food safety policies will also be expected within the appendices of government catering contracts. These could include your business’s hygiene for food procedures and hygiene for food handlers. These should also cover the spillage of food or drink, broken dishes or glass and so on. This could include the H.A.C.C.P (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points).

  1. Environmental policy

A buyer for government catering contracts will have a high level of environmental policy requirements. They should consider their services, material and processes they use and their impact on the environment. A prospective supplier must be compliant with all relevant environmental waste management and hazardous products regulations. They may be required to minimise the usage of chemicals and materials that are damaging to the environment. Environmentally friendly products should be used where practicable.

  1. Site visits

Government catering contracts may offer site visits to prospective suppliers. This will be clearly stated in the tender documents if this is an option. It’s strongly advised that you partake in a site visit where possible. They can be beneficial to your tender response, gaining insight into the buyer. They may also result in you being able to give more accurate pricing for your services.

Site visits can help you see the intended work environment with your own eyes. This may allow you to pick up on details that otherwise may not be known. It also presents the opportunity to interact with the buyer in person. You will be able to see if you can forge a good business relationship with them.

  1. Quality standards

Such quality standards could vary depending on the government catering contract and the buyer. An example of quality standards that need to be met for the provision of catering services for schools could be:

  • Does your organisation comply with the requirements for School Food regulations?
  • Does your organisation comply with good procurement and government purchasing standards?
  • Are you trained in food hygiene and other relevant areas?
  1. MEAT

Government catering contracts will be awarded to the most economically advantageous tender. This is known as the MEAT and is the way in which public sector buyers award contacts. For the MEAT, a buyer is looking at more than just the price. They are looking at a number of factors individually and in combination. This is because the public sector is required to seek the most value for money from suppliers. They need to make sure the taxpayer’s money is being spent in the most economically advantageous way possible. A buyer could look at a number of factors such as:

  • Quality
  • Customer Service
  • Environmental Benefits
  • Accessibility
  • Innovation.
  1. Social value

There is a mandatory minimum weighting of 10% on social value within any public sector tender. This means that government catering contracts will always have a section on social value. When completing your tender response, you should take into consideration the social, economic and environmental aspects.

In relation to catering, there may be a focus on the use of environmentally friendly cleaning products. Other examples you could include in your social value response for government catering contracts are:

  • COVID-19 recovery
  • Paying the National Living Wage
  • Reduce waste and encourage recycling
  • Removal and disposal of waste in a sustainable way
  • Promote equality and diversity in employment
  • Employing workers from local communities. 
  1. CVs for key personnel

You may be expected to provide CVs for the key personnel who will work on the contract. They should their individual:

  • Title
  • Years of experience
  • Key responsibilities
  • Accreditations and qualifications
  • Additional training.

It’s also a nice touch to include a friendly, yet professional picture so buyers can put faces to names.

Need assistance?

If writing isn’t your strong suit, that’s ok. We can help you win government catering contracts or secure you a place on a catering DPS. Our sister company, Hudson Succeed, boasts an 87% success rate and over 60 years of collective bid writing experience. They are well versed at winning tenders and can give you an edge over your competitors. They offer four bid writing support packages.

Tender Ready

Our Tender Ready 4-week programme is designed for businesses who are completely new to tendering. Our Bid Writers work with you to make sure you have everything in place to tender successfully.

  • A 12-month subscription to Catering Tenders.
  • Access to Global Bid Directors and Senior Bidding Professionals.
  • An Organisation-wide Bid library, including 3 case studies, 5 CVs and 8 policies.
  • Additional flexible benefit options.

Tender Improvement

Have you been tendering for work, but aren’t seeing success from your efforts? Our Tender Improvement programme can help. During the course of the programme, a Bid Writer will assess your previous responses and supporting documents. They’ll give you feedback and guidance, working with you to improve for future submissions.

Tender Writing

If you’ve found the perfect catering tender, but don’t know where to start, Hudson Succeed can help. Send it over and one of our Bid Writers will take care of it all for you. They’ll even submit it on your behalf. They’ll provide you with a full Tender Writing breakdown and let you know what they need from you.

Tender Mentor

Tender Mentor can help if you’ve already written a bid response and you need someone to double-check for errors. Our Bid Writers will check it’s in line with the specification. They’ll also make sure it’s free of grammar and spelling mistakes before you submit it.

Where can I find catering tenders?

Searching for catering tenders can take a considerable amount of time out of your busy working day. There are thousands of sites posting new tendering opportunities every day. Searching for the right one can turn into a bit of a headache.

At Hudson, our Hospitality Tenders portal is designed to provide your catering business with the latest opportunities. We source a wide range of catering tenders across the country and further afield. Hudson wants to save you time, money and effort. Through our bespoke Hospitality Tenders portal, we will save you effort on a daily basis.

There is no need to use your valuable time searching for your ideal contracts. Our portal will do the hard work for you.

What makes Hospitality Tenders different?

Our catering clients look for opportunity tracking, that is easy, efficient and tailored to them. Look no further than Hospitality Tenders. This is exactly what Hudson offer. We take the hassle out of finding these opportunities, so you can focus on delivering work.

We don’t use algorithms or CPV codes to collect our tenders. Our team of Opportunity Trackers manually search through hundreds of catering tenders every day to bring you the latest contracts. These are displayed to you, easy to browse, in your bespoke Hospitality Tenders portal. Through our portal, you will find a full range of catering opportunities. These opportunities will appeal to businesses of all sizes, from Small-to-Medium-Enterprises (SMEs) to large organisations.

What can the Hospitality Tenders portal offer me?

Our Hospitality Tenders portal offers bespoke catering opportunities for everyone. We save you the time and effort to do what matters to you. Whether you’re a small start-up or you have been delivering catering services for decades – our contract opportunities are for you. These can range from thousands of pounds to hundreds of thousands, and beyond.

You will find both private and public sector contracts through our portal. The provision of catering services remains in continuous demand. Contract opportunities range from single-contract catering service to frameworks spanning several years. Buyers include:

  • Visitor centres
  • Colleges
  • Schools
  • Trusts and much more.

The private sector also offers lucrative new catering contracts on a daily basis. You might find private sector contracts for local festivals, events, sports clubs and private offices, both urban and rural.

We source catering contracts across the UK and are continually expanding our scope, to bring you the best opportunities.

A subscription to Hospitality Tenders can offer your business:

  • Access to all unique, private and public sector opportunities.
  • A dedicated Account Manager that can answer any questions you may have about DPS for catering or government catering contracts.
  • A daily email bulletin sent straight to your inbox when new catering tenders are uploaded that day.
  • Discounted support from Hudson Succeed, our bid writing division.
  • 20-minutes of free consultancy each month with our Bid Experts.

Below are previous catering tenders sourced on our portal:

Milton Keynes College – Tender for Vending Requirements

Milton Keynes College- South East- Budget: Undisclosed

GB-Enfield: Schools Services, Catering

Suffolks Primary School- London- Budget: £500,000

Catering Services at West Lancashire Investment Centre

West Lancashire Borough Council- North West- Budget: Undisclosed

Tender opportunity: Retail Trust Retirement Services

Retail Trust- London- Budget: Undisclosed

Provision of Ward Beverage Trolleys

City Hospitals Sunderland- North East- Budget: Undisclosed

GB-London: TBAP Multi Academy Trust

TBAP Multi Academy Trust- London- Budget: £500,000

School Meals Catering Contract Project

The Royal Borough of Kingston upon Thames- London- Budget: £2,000,000

We also source opportunities for services including;

If you would like to see the catering contracts on the portal, please get in touch for a free demo.

Upgrade to our new time-saving tools

Upgrading to Discover Elite allows you to optimise your tendering opportunities even when you’re busy. Our two new packages can improve your competitor awareness and bidding success rate. Each package can help save you even more time when searching for the right catering tenders for your business.

The Ultimate Time Saver package offers your business:

  • A maximum of five tender breakdowns per month.
  • An annual subscription to a maximum of two Hudson Discover sector-specific portals. This option can help businesses that overlap two industries such as Hospitality and Facilities, for example.
  • Pre-market and award engagement notices monitored on your behalf.
  • Buyer portal management, including registration, password management, downloading documents and assessing viability based on your bid or no-bid
  • Weekly phone calls with your dedicated Account Manager to discuss viable hospitality tendering opportunities.

The Become a Pre-Bid Master package also includes:

  • All of the above.
  • Up to seven tender breakdowns per month.
  • A Bid Strategy delivered by a Senior Bid Manager with a minimum of 5 years of experience. It will also be managed by our Global Bid Director.

Contact us to find out how we can help your business grow.

Golf Club Catering Tenders & Contracts

Golf Club Catering Tenders & Contracts

The hospitality industry is big business. Across the country, contract opportunities regularly arise. Now is the perfect time for your business to tender for a hospitality contract. This includes Golf Club Catering Tenders & Contracts.

About the Hospitality Tenders portal

Hudson’s Hospitality Tenders Portal is your first port of call for hospitality tenders. We have carefully designed this subscription portal, tailored to our clients’ needs. Our in-house team of opportunity trackers manually search through thousands of tenders every day, where they will upload the latest and most relevant contract opportunities here, for you to view.

You don’t have to worry about spending hours scrolling through pages of contracts. You can filter hospitality opportunities by contract value, region, or keyword.

The latest golf club catering tenders will be easily displayed at the click of a button. The portal will save you time and effort.

Save even more time with our daily tender update. Up to 20 new tenders will be delivered straight to your inbox, every day. You can relax in the knowledge that you won’t miss out on your next successful tender. Any questions about your new opportunities? Just ask your dedicated Account Manager, who will put your mind at ease.

What opportunities are there for you?

Through our industry-specific Hospitality Tenders portal, we source opportunities which include:

  • Catering contracts;
  • Events Management Tenders;
  • Events Staffing Tenders;
  • Laundry Contracts;
  • School Meal Tenders;
  • Entertainment Contracts;
  • and Catering equipment (to name a few).

The varied nature of the hospitality industry means there is a contract suitable for your business.

Some buyers may look for ad-hoc hospitality services. For example, a caterer to provide food and drink for an organised weekend event. Other buyers may look for longer standing contracts over a number of years. For example, school meal catering and regular hosted events.

Customer needs are continually changing, and with that, new hospitality contract opportunities arise. One such area which is largely underexplored is golf club catering tenders.

Read on, to find out how you can benefit from this unique catering opportunity.

Golf Club Catering Tenders

Golf club catering tenders may sound niche, but there are literally hundreds of golf courses in England, Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. Many golfers play for many years, dedicated to the same club where they enjoy the facilities and services. Opportunities to cater can arise in the form of:

  • Clubhouses;
  • Hotels;
  • Cafes;
  • Bars;
  • and Restaurants.

Contract possibilities

For tenderers, this could mean a potential catering contract for 1, 2 or 3 years, with possible extensions. Some ITTs allow for the extension of catering service provision for months or even years. If you secure a golf club catering tender contract – great. If the buyer is pleased with your service quality over time – even better. This could result in your contract being extended, resulting in longer-term income.

Buyers who manage multiple golf courses may look to procure through a framework. This means that they will contract more than one company to provide their services. They may choose this procurement option for a number of reasons:

  • If the catering facilities are geographically distant from each other. The logistics of travelling between locations would not be productive or financially viable for many caterers.
  • Many caterers are small businesses themselves, and may not have the resources to cover all areas.
  • Golf club catering is expected to be of a high culinary standard aligned with the golf course reputation. Buyers may prefer to contract several smaller caterers who can provide this high standard. Some buyers may seek to avoid larger catering companies who may provide a comparatively lower standard.

Each buyer will have their own standards, requirements and expectations. This will also vary between the private sector and public sector buyers.

Public sector buyers may prioritise:

  • Value for money. Buyers in the public sector are accountable for spending public money. Therefore, through procurement, they will look for the most economically advantageous tender (MEAT). Public sector buyers may place scoring on a ratio of 60% cost, 40% quality or similar. Quality responses might place more emphasis on staff training, certifications, and evidence of Food Safety procedures.

On the other hand, private sector buyers may prioritise:

  • Private sector buyers will generally have more funds to spend on catering and will expect a higher quality. Catering services provided will be a direct reflection on their reputation as a premium golfing facility. Quality responses might focus on added value, innovation, and demonstrating high standards through previous contracts. Private sector buyers may place scoring on a ratio of 60% cost, 40% quality or similar.

Contracts for golf club catering tenders can be lucrative. Contract values can range anywhere from tens of thousands, to hundreds of thousands of pounds.

Golf courses in England

England’s flat, rolling landscape has a high density of courses, with numbers into their hundreds. The unique English landscape attracts a high number of regular visitors, seeking a range of catering provision to complement their golfing game.

Yorkshire and Lancashire have particular high comparable densities, with 165 and 136 golf courses respectively. Largely, golf courses in England are spread out with a good distribution across the country. For tenderers, this translates into accessibility for potential golf club catering tenderers. It is possible that there will be a contract opportunity near you.

Golf courses in Scotland

Scotland is famous for its golf courses, attracting competitors from across the globe. Many visitors take advantage of the picturesque scenery and accompanying bars, hotels and cafes. Ayrshire, Lanarkshire, Aberdeenshire, Fife and Midlothian have a particularly high concentration of golf courses. Lanarkshire alone contains 57 golf courses.

Golf courses in Northern Ireland

Ireland’s coastal setting makes for sweeping golf courses within historic settings. County Antrim has the highest density of golf courses – 61. The popularity of Belfast goes hand-in-hand with the density of golf courses within the county.

Golf courses in Wales

The majority of golf courses in Wales lie along the coastline, near Snowdonia National Park, Swansea and Cardiff. South Glamorgan contains the highest density of golf courses within Wales, with 20 courses in this region.

What kind of evidence might you need?

When tendering for golf club catering tenders, you may need to demonstrate:

  • Sample menus, in line with buyer specification

These may consider things like seasonal and local produce. Buyers may ask for innovations within dishes or drinks. Conversely, they may want to know how well you can ‘match’ with the catering previously provided. Can your catering business provide a particular type of cuisine, for example, Italian or French?

  • Dietary needs and management of allergens

The Food Standards Agency notes 14 key food allergens. You may be required to demonstrate how you would manage these whilst producing food. Meeting dietary needs is expected within catering services, insofar as is reasonably practicable. Evidence here could include labelling and documenting processes and method statements.

  • Service implementation

This may include staff management, rotas, ordering and stock management, and liaison with other departments. You may be requested to provide case studies – examples of how you have provided catering services before. Typically buyers will ask for up to three different examples.

  • Staff training and development

This may include evidence for how your organisation complies with Health, Safety and Hygiene. Dependent on specification requirements, you may need to provide certificates, like Diplomas or NVQs for chef roles. Demonstrating Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is highly valuable within catering tender contracts.

  • Communication methods

As within the hospitality industry, golf club catering tenders may require customer-facing roles. Staff will interact with golfers and premises visitors. A high level of customer management and communication skills will be required. Buyers may request details of staff protocol on customer communication, which may be tailored to their specification. They may also request details of how you manage and resolve complaints.

Key for any tender is evidence, evidence, and more evidence. It can be very useful to set aside an hour or two to review your documentation.

Are all of your certificates up to date?

Do you have processes in place, but don’t document them? Now is a good time to start.

Creating a list will highlight what evidence you need to develop. When you arrive at the stage of final tender submission, you want to leave nothing to chance.

Found the perfect opportunity?

Have you found the perfect opportunity where your skills, experience and approach will deliver what the buyer asks? Fantastic. The next step is to begin your tender submission. This typically will involve a Selection Questionnaire (SQ), quality response and pricing submission. The SQ will determine whether you meet all the buyer’s essential criteria. It’s important to pass this stage. Failing at this step means that a buyer may not even consider your quality or pricing responses.

Here at Hudson, we are on hand to support you. If you require expert guidance, our Succeed bid writing division is perfect for you. If it’s your first-time tendering, our Tender Ready package will help you with your submission. We take the headache out of trying to work out what the buyer needs. We will:

  • Review the documentation you have, and need
  • Help you to optimise your content, policies and procedures
  • Create company branded designs
  • Write one tender on your behalf OR
  • Guide and review you through two.

This service will ensure that you are well prepared to succeed in future tendering. Get in touch today.

We’ve Rebranded!

Our parent company, Hudsonis going through a complete rebrand and so here at Hospitality Tenders, we have a new look, too!

You can check out our new logos and colour palette below:

   

   

We hope you like it, we know we do!

Remember to subscribe to our Weekly Catering Business leads newsletter to receive all the latest Catering contract opportunities from around the UK including Catering Contracts, Laundry & Equipment Contracts.

We’ve Opened An Office In Manchester!

Youthful, diverse, energetic and bursting with character; Manchester is one of the most exciting places to visit in the UK right now with a progressive vision to be a city that delivers surprise and delight in equal measures – so where better to execute our expansion plans?

As we continue to grow at an exceptional rate, our prospects and opportunities are endless. With plans to expand overseas into Australia and America, the team are bursting with pride as their efforts and hard work are ensuring our vision appears fully into focus.

“The expansion into Manchester was pretty inevitable for us. We have the potential for such a big client base there and we need to ensure they are serviced efficiently and to full potential” said Growth Director, Jill Hudson. “Manchester is a prime central hub for business, innovation and technology so where better to decide to make our second of many future office developments”

The opening comes on the cusp of the launch of seven brand new platforms for our firm including Hospitality Tenders and, as we enjoy our successes, we know there is a sizeable amount of continued hard work to follow. Our business model is not showing any signs of slowing down in terms of development as we adapt and progress due to technological advancements and constant fluctuations in the current business climate and environment.

Managing Director John Hudson added, “With the success of our current platforms, we couldn’t be more confident that our offerings are fundamental for growth and business prospects for the sectors we are currently working within. Our movement into Manchester reflects this as we move into further markets and continue to naturally progress forward with our exceptional team and consistent pioneering hard work”.

If you would like to book a free Demo of Hospitality Tenders feel free to get in touch and browse through the current opportunities we have in various sub-sectors including:

Golf Club Catering Tenders

laundry Tenders

Catering Tenders 

Catering Contracts

 

 

 

 

Book A Demo Today With Hospitality Tenders!

Here at Hospitality Tenders our Business Development Team is second to none. We understand that buying into a subscription for a product you aren’t entirely sure of can be daunting and want to make sure you are as confident as we are about what exactly it can do for your business.

For this reason we give you the opportunity to view our catering contracts via a remote live demo with one of our friendly team. From this you will be able to view all of the functionalities we have to offer and allow you to see for yourself how simple it is to use. This particular technique allows for a quick understanding of the platform as any questions or queries can resolved instantly that may be hindering your decision.

Once the demo has come to an end, we allow for use of the platform until the end of the day so that you have the chance to explore for yourself and gain familiarity with the various functions. From here, we are just a phone call away to answer further questions or assist you with any purchases you wish to pursue.

What are you waiting for? To book a demo get in touch via hi@hospitalitytenders.co.ukand browse through the current opportunities we have in various sub-sectors including:

Golf Club Catering Tenders

laundry Tenders

Catering Tenders 

Catering Contracts