The Astley Cooper School — Catering Tender

Tender description

The Astley Cooper School is a Secondary School in Hemel Hempstead. The school was formed following the merger of The Grove Hill School with The Highfield School in the late 1980’s. The school has grown in pupil numbers in recent years following an Ofsted rating of Good and continues to go from strength to strength. The school will also benefit from a multi-million-pound new build that is due to commence in the summer of 2021 with completion in 2023. Lot 1: The successful supplier will be required to provide catering services for The Astley Cooper School. The Astley Cooper School is a Secondary School in Hemel Hempstead. The school was formed following the merger of The Grove Hill School with The Highfield School in the late 1980’s. The school has grown in pupil numbers in recent years following an Ofsted rating of Good and continues to go from strength to strength. The school will also benefit from a multi-million-pound new build that is due to commence in the summer of 2021 with completion in 2023. 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 800 students on roll (expected to grow year on year) and 84 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 three years in duration from 1 April 2021 to 31 March 2024 with the option to extend for up to a further 2 years at the discretion of the client. This contract 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 School for the duration of this contract. The School year is based on a calendar of 195 days. Five 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 morning break, lunch, all hospitality and free issue requirements. Free School meals are to be charged based on consumption and at net food cost 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 Governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price. The value of the current contract is: Last full year sales Months (September 19 – July 20) Core pupil sales GBP 121 000.00 Free school meal sales GBP 52 731.00 Hospitality sales GBP 2 300.00 Staff sales GBP 21 000.00 Total sales GBP 197 031.00 Therefore, the value of the term of the contract is GBP 985 155 although this is expected to be higher as the sales above include the Covid shutdown period, plus the school is expecting growth in pupil numbers. The 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. 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. Please be advised that there are currently 7 staff employed to deliver the catering service. Please be advised that there are no current catering staff in the Local government pension scheme (LGPS). Please be advised that the winning contractor of this tender will be required to pay Litmus the tender fee of GBP 4 750 upon contract award. To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://litmustms.co.uk/tenders/UK-Hemel-Hempstead:-School-catering-services./93E7NABWZM