Brentwood Academies Trust ~ Tender for Catering Services.

Originally established as a single Academy Trust in July 2011, St Martin's School became the Brentwood Academies Trust (the Client) in April 2014. The Brentwood Academies Trust sponsors 2 academies, Larchwood Primary School which became part of the Trust in July 2014 and Chase High School which joined the trust in April 2015. The Trust has around 450 staff and over 3 000 pupils. The Brentwood Academies Trust is a small but growing Trust and we would anticipate additional schools joining the contract over time.

The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of service within the existing facilities 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 contractor to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly.

The contract being tendered is for 3 years in duration from 1.9.2017 and will operate as a guaranteed performance contract, with the successful Contractor offering the schools a guaranteed return / cost per annum for the provision of catering services. Sovereignty of the cash tariff is to remain with the schools 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 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 Trust expects the successful contractor 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.

As a Trust who are continually seeking ways to improve and develop the ethos and environment for students and staff, to give them the facilities they deserve and need to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, any consideration regarding inward capital investment as part of the Contractor's tender submission would be welcomed.

(Further information is available 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: https://www.litmuspartnership.co.uk/project/brentwood_academies_trust__catering_services

The closing date for receipt of the Selection Questionnaire is 17.3.2017 (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.