School catering services

Tender description

The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for the Sharnbrook Academy Federation (the Client) at the following schools: — Sharnbrook Upper School; — Harrold Priory School; — Lincroft School; — Great Ouse Primary Academy; — Oakley Lower School. Sharnbrook Academy Federation (SAF) is a Multi-Academy Trust (MAT) based in rural North Bedfordshire. Formed in 2011 by the Federation of three schools; Sharnbrook Upper School, Lincroft Middle school and Harrold Middle school. In 2013, an additional school Margaret Beaufort Middle school joined the Federation. Recently, two more schools, Harrold Lower and Oakley Lower School joined in November 2016. The 6 schools between them serve an age range from Reception through to 18 years, some 3 200 students. The contract being tendered is for 3 years, subject to satisfactory performance and reviews. The end date is timed to coincide with the end of other outsourced services. The contract will run from 1.8.2017. Due to the change to age ranges, the following is expected to occur: Sharnbrook will operate as an 11 to 18 school and will for 1 year increase its number on roll to 2 200 before falling back to around 1 950. Lincroft will become a secondary school, ages 11-16 and will increase in size in increments of 200 until a capacity of around 1 000 is reached. Harrold Priory will close with the Lower school expanding to become a single form of entry primary school for age 4-11 years of around 200 children. There will be a period of 1 year from September 2017 when the number on roll will be 300. Margaret Beaufort School will close and as a result does not form part of this tender. A new build Primary school, Great Ouse will open in Bedford. In the background, there are ongoing discussions with other academies with the intention of forming a larger group. The successful contractor will be given the opportunity to be involved in this expansion. Contract: The contract being tendered is for 3 years; subject to satisfactory performance and reviews. The end date is timed to coincide with the end of other outsourced services. The contract will run from 1.8.2017. The intention is that the contractor will carry out the 2017 summer clean ready for the start of the new school year. The school year is based on a calendar of 195 days. 5 days are to be used for staff professional development which means that each 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, including vending, within the schools, which currently includes breakfast, morning break, lunch, all hospitality and free issue requirements. Free School Meals, nursery meals and hospitality will be charged based on consumption and at net food cost. Whilst the SAF prioritises value for money as a key objective of the competitive tender process, the governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price. Sharnbrook Academy Federation 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 SAF expects the successful tenderer to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement this aim. As a Federation 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. The Federation would wish for the Contractor to look at making this investment to improve the existing servery and dining areas. We would also wish to further extend the cashless catering systems across all of our sites. Should the MAT grow in the number of schools becoming part of the trust during this contract period, the provision of catering services within these schools when they have joined the MAT will fall under the scope of this contract. The successful contractor will be expected to provide this service within these additional schools using the same costing model, ratios etc. that they applied to their successful tender submission for the Sharnbrook Academy Federation at the point of tender submission. The duration of contract for these schools will not be increased and they will join the contract for the remaining contract period that exists at the point of entry into the MAT. (Further information is available in the procurement documents.).