School catering services

Tender description

The successful tenderer will be required to provide catering services at The Henry Box School. The Henry Box School is a Secondary Academy in Witney, Oxfordshire, which was founded in 1660. The school became an academy in June 2012 and recently changed to a multi-academy trust (The Mill Academy). The Mill Academy also oversees 2 primary schools, Queen Emma's Primary and Finstock Church of England Primary. 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 1 255 students on roll and 160 teaching and support staff, with a focus on exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of pupil 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 4 years in duration from 1.9.2016 to 31.8.2020 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 The Henry Box School for the duration of this contract. The School year is based on a calendar of 194 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 189 days (although in 2015/16 academic year the school took a 6th non-statutory staff development day). The contract offered covers the scope for the provision of all 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 based on consumption and at net food cost. Whilst the School prioritises value for money as a key objective of the Competitive Tender Process, the Board of Directors is not obliged to accept the lowest price. The Henry Box School 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 Every Child Matters. The School believes that success should be celebrated and that pupils 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. As a result, 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, 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 kitchen and servery area, with potentially an expansion to the current kitchen storage area and/or 6th form building. The School would wish for the Contractor to look to develop provision to be able to provide food to the multi-academy trust primary schools and other Witney-based primary schools. Please be advised that this contract will be let on a 4 + 2 years basis. Total Sales in 2015: 218 594 GBP.