Robert May's School - Tender for Catering Services

The successful supplier will be required to provide catering services for Robert May's School.

Robert May's School is an oversubscribed secondary academy in Odiham, Hampshire. The school is proud of its heritage and has been serving the local community since 1694, when Robert May, a local Mercer, bequeathed the sum of 600 pounds of lawful English money to be paid for the maintenance of a free-school in the town of Odiham.

The school's current number on roll is 1232 and due to demographic pressures from local residential growth, the academy is increasing its planned admission numbers (PAN) from September 2019 over a period of 4 years which will give a projected PAN of 1350 by 2023, thereby increasing capacity for 1 additional form of entry.

There is a strong ethos of mutual respect and appreciation of hard work, characterised by an unfailing belief that all students can succeed in their chosen paths and are capable of achieving excellence every day in whatever they do.

The tender project is seeking to appoint a supplier whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of service within the existing facilities for the 1232 students on roll and 170 teaching and support staff, with a focus on exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of students tastes and dietary requirements. The client wishes the successful supplier to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly.

The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from September 2018 to August 2021, with an option by the supplier to extend to August 2023. The contract will operate as a guaranteed performance contract, with the successful supplier offering the client a guaranteed return / cost per annum for the provision of catering services. Sovereignty of the cash tariff is to remain with the client for the duration of this contract.

The academic year is based on a calendar of 195 days. Five days are to be used for staff professional development which means that school will be open to receive students for the legal minimum of 190 days.

The contract offered covers the scope for the provision of all school catering services, which currently includes breakfast, morning break, lunch, all hospitality and free issue requirements. Free school meals and hospitality will be charged based on consumption and at net food cost.

Whilst the Client prioritises value for money as a key objective of the competitive tender process, the governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price.

The client expects the successful supplier to enable the continued development of catering through the provision of an innovative, healthy food service, with fresh, seasonal, locally sourced ingredients being prepared on-site. The client expects the successful supplier to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values and support the principles of healthy eating.

Additional information: Interest in the selection process should be expressed via email only to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk clearly stating within this email which contract / notice you are referring to. Please also provide, as a minimum, a contact name, full company postal address and telephone number.

The Selection Questionnaire and associated documents can be obtained at: http://www.litmuspartnership.co.uk/project/robert_mays_school

The closing date for receipt of the Selection Questionnaire is 5.1.2018 (12:00). Suppliers are required to ensure that documents are obtained and returned to The Litmus Partnership Limited, by email to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk by the above closing date and time.

Documents in respect of economic / financial standing (where indicated in the Selection Questionnaire) shall be returned to The Litmus Partnership Limited, by email to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk by the above closing date and time.

It will be the Supplier's responsibility to obtain any necessary documents in order to submit a response by the closing date and time.

The contracting authority reserves the right not to award any or part of the contract which is the subject of this Contract Notice and reserves the right to terminate the procurement process at any time.

The contracting authority will not be liable for any costs incurred by those expressing an interest in tendering for this contract opportunity.

The contracting authority will consider variant bids, evaluating them (so far as the variant or the evaluation of the variant is in the opinion of the contracting authority practicable) on the same basis as a conforming bid, but shall not be obliged to accept any such bid in preference to a conforming bid even if the variant bid scores more highly. No variant will be considered unless the bidder simultaneously submits a conforming bid.