Provision of Catering Services

The Open University
South East
1 February 2028 to 31 January 2035

Café, restaurant and meeting/hospitality services for academics, around 200 postgraduate students, support staff and tenant teams at Walton Hall, Milton Keynes. Campus population peaks at 1,100 on Tuesday to Thursday and is lower on Mondays and Fridays, and may grow as buildings are leased externally. Service availability 8.00am to 4.00pm, five days a week, excluding public holidays and Christmas closure. Staffing and service areas may be remodelled, and the service must flex with changing site population. This is an early market engagement notice ahead of a planned tender.

See where to bid

Closes in 7 days· 12 November 2026

Estimated value: £4m; Buyer estimate
Published: 25 May 2026
Deadline: 12 November 2026; 7 days left
Contract length: 84 months; Ends 31 January 2035

What the contract covers

Concession contract

Provision of catering services including café, restaurant, and meeting and hospitality services for a university campus.

Provision of catering services at Open University Walton Hall Campus including café, restaurant and meeting / hospitality services

Terms and requirements

Contract type: Concession contract
Initial term: 84 months
Extensions: 24 months
Longest it can run: 108 months
Contract dates: 1 February 2028 to 31 January 2035
Certifications asked for: None stated
Lots: 1
Suitable for SMEs: Yes
Category: Services
CPV codes: 55500000, 55520000

Services in this tender

College and university campus cateringMain service£2.8m typicalUniversity campus catering: retail, vending and hospitality

Lifecycle

Published
25 May 2026
Deadline for bids7 days left
12 November 2026
Contract awardedUsually published within a few months
Contract starts
1 February 2028

The buyer

The Open University

Type: Locked
Contracts, 24 months: Locked
Recorded value: Locked
Typical contract: Locked
University catering contracts, 24 months: Locked

Buys most

Contact details

Email: Locked
Address: Locked

See everything The Open University buys

Similar university catering contracts and prices

6 university catering contracts were awarded in the South East in the last 24 months. See who won them and what they went for, next to this one.

See who won them →

Cite this tender

Link: https://bidskim.com/tender/3621490/provision-of-catering-services
Buyer reference: OUPA11691
Open contracting ID: ocds-h6vhtk-06a26b
Last checked: 5 November 2026

The Open University. Provision of Catering Services. Tender, 25 May 2026. BidSkim, https://bidskim.com/tender/3621490/provision-of-catering-services (accessed 5 November 2026).