Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Buckland Road
Maidstone
ME16 0SF
tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Telephone
+44 1276673880
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKJ4 - Kent
Internet address(es)
Main address
one.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at
https://litmustms.co.uk/tenders/UK-UK-Maidstone:-School-catering-services./DB6K2F4H34
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
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls ~ Catering Tender
two.1.2) Main CPV code
- 55524000 - School catering services
two.1.3) Type of contract
Services
two.1.4) Short description
The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for Maidstone Grammar School for Girls.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £1,337,310
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKJ4 - Kent
Main site or place of performance
Kent
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls is a selective grammar school in Kent with over 1200 students and 120 members of staff. The school motto is “Non Sibi Sed Omnibus” meaning “not for oneself but for all.” This is evidenced by the community spirit in existence at the school, demonstrated both by the staff and students.
The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of service within the existing school facilities for pupils, staff and guests. The school is co-ed with year groups 7 – 11, plus a 6th form for years 12 and 13. There are currently just over 1200 students on roll and 120 teaching and support staff. From September 2023 the school will be moving to 7 forms of entry meaning student numbers will be increasing by around 30 per year for the next 7 years. We expect to be able to extend the seating area provided after September 2023 and would like more portals for serving cold food. The school expects 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 1st April 2022 to 31st March 2025 with the option to then 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 a breakfast club, morning break, lunch, all hospitality and free issue requirements. Free School meals are to be charged based on consumption and at a margin and hospitality will be charged based on consumption and at net food cost.
During the Covid pandemic to date we have sent vouchers to Free School Meal families during lockdown periods and would not expect our caterers to provide food parcels to these families.
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 determined by sales:
Annual Sales From April 2019 – March 2020
Core pupil sales£243,180
Free School Meal sales£11,923
Hospitality sales£4,793
Other sales£7,566
Total sales£267,462
(We are requesting this time period as the last full annual period prior to COVID disruption so as to value the contract at its ‘usual’ value, before COVID impacted and reduced sales)
Therefore, the value of the term of the contract is £1,337,310 (total annual sales as above x 5, reflecting the maximum 5-year contract term)
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.
Please see SQ Document for more details.
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: £1,337,310
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 April 2022
End date
31 March 2027
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
10 September 2021
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
8 November 2021
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.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-Maidstone:-School-catering-services./DB6K2F4H34
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/DB6K2F4H34
GO Reference: GO-2021730-PRO-18658006
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
Maidstone Grammar School for Girls
Buckland Road
Maidstone
ME16 0SF
Country
United Kingdom