GEP Academies ~ Tender for Catering Services.

The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for GEP Academies at the following schools:

• Boxgrove Primary School;

• Guildford Grove Primary School;

• Loseley Fields Primary;

• Sandfield Primary School.

The Guildford Education Partnership (GEP Academies) was formed in September 2013 from the Multi Academy Trust set up by George Abbot School and Boxgrove Primary School. On 1.9.2014, both Kings College, Guildford and Sandfield Primary School joined GEP with Fullbrook School. Guildford Grove and Loseley Fields Primary School became a member of the Guildford Education Partnership on 1.11.2016.

The group would be looking at harmonising the catering contract across all of the member schools and the number of schools within the groups is looking to grow significantly through the life of the contract.

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 four Primary schools the 1 635 Students on roll, with a focus on exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of pupil tastes and dietary requirements. The Client would wish 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 1.4.2018 to 31.3.2021 plus 2 and 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. 5 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 catering services within the schools, which currently includes 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 Client 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 tenderer to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values and support the principles of Every Child Matters.

Further information is provided in the SQ Documentation.

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/gep_academies

The closing date for receipt of the Selection Questionnaire is 10.11.2017 (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.