Murray Park Community School - Tender for Catering Services

The successful tenderer will be required to provide catering services at Murray Park Community School.

The catering contract being offered will commence on 1.8.2016 for an initial period of 3 years, concluding on 31.7.2019, and will be offered on a guaranteed performance basis, with a service on each of the 190 full academic days and by agreement for the 5 inset days.

Currently the school operates an in-house catering service and recognises there are opportunities for further improvements to the catering service provided. There is for example a 'coffee bar area' that has not previously been utilised to its full potential. Annual catering revenue for the year ending 31.3.2016 in was 121 407 GBP.

The successful contractor is expected to have a local operational presence, as specialist caterers in the Secondary School sector.

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

The schools expect the successful contractor to enable the continued development of catering through the provision of an innovative, healthy food service, prepared on-site, in the well-designed and equipped kitchens (Please note there are some areas in the kitchen containing asbestos).

The school intends to focus heavily on healthy, fresh, seasonal, locally sourced produce and sees the catering service as an exciting opportunity to complement the overall student and community experience. Through the regular introduction of new ingredients, themed and promotional events. The successful contractor will be required to play their part in acting as a catalyst for improvement of the pupil experience.

The Senior Leadership Team and Governors have identified improved 'value for money' as a priority to parents and this is perceived as key to encourage an increased uptake of the overall catering service provided. The successful contractor will work closely with the school to manage the provision of catering and the overall 'meal experience', with pupil education on making healthy dietary choices being an important part of their educational experience.

The vision of Senior Leadership and Governors is that all children choose to eat and enjoy a healthy school dinner with 100 % uptake of free school meals. Good quality and varied menu options plus value for money are perceived as key to encourage an increased uptake of the overall catering service provided. The successful contractor will be expected to work closely with the Food Technology department, to ensure there are appropriate catering themes, meal deals and promotions, in support of the school curriculum.

Additional information: Interest in the pre-qualification 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 pre-qualification questionnaire and associated documents can be obtained at: http://www.litmuspartnership.co.uk/project/murray_park_community_school

The closing date for receipt of the Pre-Qualification Questionnaire is 9.5.2016 (12:00). Tenderers 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 Pre-Qualification 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 Tenderer'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 OJEU 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.