School catering services

Tender description

The successful tenderer will be required to provide catering services at Aylesford School and Sixth Form College. Aylesford School and Sixth Form College is a forward thinking, exciting and educationally challenging environment. All of the schools fundamental principles centre on the teaching and learning experience, with students at the core of all work. The School believe in academic rigour and the concept of improving on previous best. Aylesford School is proud of the school ethos, their teachers and students and the learning relationship that they nurture. Aylesford School prepare their students to access higher education or employment and guide and encourage them to be good citizens capable of adapting to adult life in the 21st century. 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 for the growing numbers of secondary and primary students on roll. Currently there are 760 students on roll (rising to approximately 839 in 2016/2017, 930 in 2017/2018 and 1 005 in 2018/2019) and 105 teaching and support staff, all of whom have a focus on the introduction of exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of Secondary and Primary Student tastes and dietary requirements. The School 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 1.8.017 until 31.7.2020 and will operate as a Guaranteed Performance Contract, with the successful contractor offering the School a guaranteed return/cost per annum for the provision of catering services. Sovereignty of the cash tariff is to remain with Aylesford School and Sixth Form College for the duration of this contract. The School 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 School, which currently includes breakfast club, 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. The value of the current contract, from April 2015 — March 2016 is circa: Cash Sales: 105 000 GBP; Free School Meal/Client Issue Sales: 28 500 GBP. Whilst the School prioritises value for money as a key objective of the Competitive Tender Process, the Governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price. Aylesford School and Sixth Form College 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. The School expects the successful tenderer to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values and support the principles of Keeping Children Safe in Education. The School are very enthusiastic regarding work experience and apprenticeship proposals and would welcome the input of the successful Contractor. As a school 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. The School would wish for the Contractor to look at making this investment within the existing dining area, with attention being given to the upgrade of the current Cunninghams cashless system, counter layout and furnishings and the implementation of a procedure that would assist in producing a reduction of current queuing times. The School's objectives: — to further increase the standards of fresh food provision; — to further increase the standard of service for all customers; — to receive a consistently high quality catering provision; — to generate an improved dining environment for all students; — to receive proactive management support for the catering team, in order to achieve a full complement of motivated staff; — to hold regular review meetings with the successful contractor; — to achieve overall value for money.