Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
University Schools Trust
UST House, Limehouse Causeway
London
E14 8AQ
tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Telephone
+44 1276673880
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.1) Name and addresses
Cyril Jackson Primary School
51 Three Colt Street, Limehouse
London
E14 8HH
tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.cyriljackson.towerhamlets.sch.uk/
one.1) Name and addresses
St Pauls Way
125 St Paul's Way, Bow
London
E3 4FT
tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.1) Name and addresses
Sir William Burrough School
Salmon Lane
London
E14 7PQ
tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://sirwilliamburrough.info/
one.1) Name and addresses
Royal Greenwich Trust School
765 Woolwich Road
London
SE7 8LJ
tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom
Region code
UKI - London
Internet address(es)
Main address
https://www.rgtrustschool.net/
one.2) Information about joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/U36H552F32
Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted to the above-mentioned address
one.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
one.5) Main activity
Education
Section two: Object
two.1) Scope of the procurement
two.1.1) Title
University Schools Trust ~ Catering Tender
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 55524000 - School catering services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
University Schools Trust (UST) seeks to appoint a Contractor whose skills, experience and attributes align with the Trusts Vision and Values. As a small Trust of 4 Schools, the Trust is actively looking to grow and are engaged in discussions with a range of schools’. Community is at the heart of our culture and ensuring our pupils have access to good, well prepared, nutritious food. As UST has grown we are moving towards a more centralised Procurement Model, appointing the services of a single catering contractor is a vital part of achieving this goal. Whilst the Trust currently benefits from localised contract arrangements, we would wish the successful contractor to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £5,989,955
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKI - London
Main site or place of performance
LONDON
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
University Schools Trust (UST) seeks to appoint a Contractor whose skills, experience and attributes align with the Trusts Vision and Values. As a small Trust of 4 Schools, the Trust is actively looking to grow and are engaged in discussions with a range of schools’. Community is at the heart of our culture and ensuring our pupils have access to good, well prepared, nutritious food. As UST has grown we are moving towards a more centralised Procurement Model, appointing the services of a single catering contractor is a vital part of achieving this goal. Whilst the Trust currently benefits from localised contract arrangements, we 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 1st August 2025 to 31st July 2028 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 University Schools Trust for the duration of this contract. The intention is the contract will be let on a 3 + 2 years basis.
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 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.
As an organisation we encourage our specialist partners to challenge our approach to innovation and investment whilst also considering decarbonisation. The Trust would therefore welcome consideration of inward capital investment as part of the Contractor’s tender submission, where some elements of equipment or due to reach end of lifecycle.
Vision and Values
Our overriding purpose as a Multi-Academy Trust is driven by our vision and values.
Vision: Where collaboration breeds transformation
Guided by and working with our Trust Partners.
The Trust is a family of inclusive schools where collaborative partnerships deliver a transformational education which empowers our pupils and the communities, they come from to realise their full potential. A culture of high expectations nurtures a drive to achieve excellence and to take ownership of future academic and vocational learning paths in order to equip our pupils as global citizens and inspire their communities.
Values: The UST Guarantee
Achieving Excellence through Transformational Education that Empowers Communities.
Achieving Excellence
The Trust inspires each member of our learning community to be ambitious, to realise their potential and to succeed academically and vocationally.
Transformational Education
The Trust ensures that the dynamic curricula and pastoral offers of our schools are enriched by the civic leadership and research from our university, public and private Trust partners.
See SQ Document for more information.
two.2.5) Award criteria
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
two.2.6) Estimated value
Value excluding VAT: £5,989,955
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 August 2025
End date
31 July 2030
This contract is subject to renewal
No
two.2.9) Information about the limits on the number of candidates to be invited
Envisaged minimum number: 5
Maximum number: 10
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates:
A minimum of 5 suppliers and a maximum of 10 suppliers will be taken forward to the tender stage of the process. Where less than 5 suppliers meet the minimum standards, only those that meet the minimum standards will be taken through to the tender stage. Where more than 5 suppliers meet the minimum standard, those suppliers with the highest scores will proceed to the tender stage.
two.2.10) Information about variants
Variants will be accepted: Yes
two.2.11) Information about options
Options: No
two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Section three. Legal, economic, financial and technical information
three.1) Conditions for participation
three.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
three.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
Section four. Procedure
four.1) Description
four.1.1) Type of procedure
Restricted procedure
four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
four.2) Administrative information
four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date
14 March 2025
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
7 April 2025
four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted
English
Section six. Complementary information
six.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
six.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used
Electronic invoicing will be accepted
Electronic payment will be used
six.3) Additional information
The contracting authority considers that this contract may be suitable for economic operators that are small or medium enterprises (SMEs). However, any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement.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.
For more information about this opportunity, please visit the Delta eSourcing portal at:
https://litmustms.co.uk/tenders/UK-UK-London:-School-catering-services./U36H552F32
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/U36H552F32
GO Reference: GO-202526-PRO-29329041
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
University Schools Trust
UST House, Limehouse Causeway
London
E14 8AQ
tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Country
United Kingdom