Published date: 13 October 2025

Open opportunity - This means that the contract is currently active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to fulfil the contract.


Closing: 10 November 2025, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

  • Holiday centre and holiday home services - 55240000

  • Holiday centre services - 55241000

  • Holiday home services - 55242000

    • Children's holiday-camp services - 55243000

    • Welfare services for children and young people - 85311300

    • Daycare services for disabled children and young people - 85312120

Location of contract

SG17 5TQ

Value of contract

£0

Procurement reference

IT-33-4734-CBC-1851-T-TH

Published date

13 October 2025

Closing date

10 November 2025

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

1 April 2026

Contract end date

31 March 2029

Contract type

Service contract

Procedure type

Open procedure (below threshold)

Any interested supplier may submit a tender in response to an opportunity notice.

This procedure can be used for procurements below the relevant contract value threshold.

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

No

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

No

Description

On August 28th, 2025, the government announced a further investment of over £200 million per year over the next 3 financial years for the Holiday Activities and Food programme (HAF). The Department for Education (DfE) confirmed that it will be providing funding to local authorities to coordinate a programme that provides healthy food and enriching activities to eligible children during the Easter, Summer and Christmas Holidays for the next three years starting April 2025. Central Bedfordshire Council has been allocated funding to support over 7,000 children per year who receive free school meals. Full details of the HAF programme can be found on the Gov.uk website. https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/holiday-activities-and-food-programme
Research has shown that the school holidays can be pressure points for some families. For some children this can lead to a holiday experience gap, with children from low-income households being:
• less likely to access organised out-of-school activities.
• more likely to experience 'unhealthy holidays' in terms of nutrition and physical health.
• more likely to experience social isolation.
The HAF programme is a response to this issue, with evidence showing that free holiday clubs can have a positive impact on children and young people, and that they work best when they:
• provide consistent and easily accessible enrichment activities.
• cover more than just breakfast or lunch.
• involve children (and parents) in food preparation.
• use local partnerships and connections, particularly with the voluntary and community organisation sector.
This specification is for activities to run during the designated school holidays as indicated by the DfE for the three financial years starting from April 2025. All children who are in school year R (Reception) up to year 11 who attend a school in Central Bedfordshire and who receive benefits related Free School Meals will be eligible to attend a holiday programme in Central Bedfordshire. To provide the high-quality enriching activities to our pupils, Central Bedfordshire Council are seeking to engage with suitably qualified and experienced organisations to provide well organised fully inclusive multi-sport, creative, and enriching holiday club activity camps in various locations across the authority for eligible children and young people within this age range. Clubs should be accessible for all children and young people that meet the criteria including those with additional special educational needs and/or disabilities (SEND)
Overall, local authorities are expected to offer the equivalent of 6 weeks' holiday provision to eligible children as indicated by the DfE in the core offer guidance as detailed below and on the DfE HAF webpage.

More information

Links

Additional text

Is a Recurrent Procurement Type? : No

How to apply

Follow the instructions given in the description or the more information section.

About the buyer

Contact name

Tracey Horner

Address

Priory House
Chicksands
Shefford
SG17 5TQ
United Kingdom

Telephone

0300 300 8000

Email

tracey.horner2@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk

Website

www.centralbedfordshire.gov.uk