Unity Schools Trust - Tender for Catering Services

Unity Schools Trust is a geographically based Multi-Academy Trust (MAT), formed in September 2015. All academies in the MAT are governed by 1 trust, with clear lines of delegation to local governing bodies in each academy. We have 2 schools in our trust currently, namely, The Magna Carta School in Staines and Bishop David Brown School in Woking.

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 1 250 students and 139 teaching and support staff at The Magna Carta School, and 615 students and 64 teaching and support staff at Bishop David Brown School, with a focus on exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of pupil tastes and dietary requirements. The Trust would wish the successful supplier to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly.

The contract being tendered is for 3 years in duration from 2019 to 2022 and will operate as a guaranteed performance contract, with the successful supplier offering the trust a guaranteed return/cost per annum for the provision of catering services. Sovereignty of the cash tariff is to remain with the Unity Schools Trust for the duration of this contract.

The academic year is based on a calendar of 195 days. 5 days are to be used for staff professional development which means that the schools will be open to receive students for the legal minimum of 190 days.

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

Whilst the Trust 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 Unity Schools Trust 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 Trust expects the successful supplier to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values.

The Trust believes that success should be celebrated and that students should enjoy their time at school; if lessons are stimulating and challenging then students will love learning. Much time therefore, is spent reviewing and planning schemes of work to ensure that they are differentiated to meet the needs of all students.

Further information is provided in the SQ Document.

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/unity_schools_trust

The closing date for receipt of the Selection Questionnaire is 8.3.2019 (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.