Section one: Contracting authority
one.1) Name and addresses
East Midlands Academy Trust
Pyramus House, Roman Way, Grange Park
Northampton
NN4 5EA
tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Telephone
+44 1276673880
Country
United Kingdom
NUTS code
UKF2 - Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
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-Northampton:-School-catering-services./39CAERKF6Z
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
East Midlands Academy 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
The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for East Midlands Academy Trust, which also includes all hospitality and free issue requirements.
two.1.5) Estimated total value
Value excluding VAT: £3,000,000
two.1.6) Information about lots
This contract is divided into lots: No
two.2) Description
two.2.3) Place of performance
NUTS codes
- UKF2 - Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
Main site or place of performance
Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
two.2.4) Description of the procurement
The Trust is an established Multi Academy Trust (MAT) which currently includes the following academies where the successful contractor will be required to deliver a service and meet the requirements of the specification from the contract commencement. The schools which currently form the Trust are:
Northampton International Academy
Castle Academy
Hardingstone Academy
Stimpson Avenue Academy
Prince William School
Orchard Academy
Shepherdswell Academy
Seven schools are part of this tender and are split into two hubs (please see above) we are seeking tender submissions on a hub-by-hub basis or for the whole contract (two hubs), however the East Midlands Academy Trust reserves the right to award the contract should it be deemed prudent in lots of one or two
The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from 1 September 2023 until 31 August 2028, there will be the option to extend the contract for a further period of three years on a 1 + 1 + 1 basis on the same terms and conditions excluding the right to further extend beyond six years in duration.
The contract being offered and will be guaranteed performance in nature.
The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of all catering services within the Trust. The high-quality service levels proposed, should maintain excellent standards throughout, resulting in a new food service offer with consistent high standards of food operations across all Schools.
These new standards of operation should meet the needs of the pupils in both the Pre School, Primary and Secondary Schools moving forwards into this contract term, recognising that different food offers and menus will be required for each sector. It is our aim to enhance the use of local suppliers for all fresh foods which should include, fruit and vegetables, dairy products, eggs, meat and bakery products. The current range of foods needs to be expanded. Regular customer engagement will be required to ensure this is the case moving into the contract term.
The contract will operate on guaranteed cost or surplus per year for each school with all universal free school meals, free school meals and hospitality being charged based on consumption and at net food cost.
The approximate cost of the contract per annum is £500,000.00 plus VAT (please note that this was for 2020/2021 which wasn’t necessarily a representative year).
The successful contractor will be expected to put forwards both innovation and their proposals for making this contract more environmentally sensitive and carbon neutral moving into this contract term both by way of contract delivery, and also within the successful contractor’s organisation, thus working to deliver the East Midlands Academy Trust’s environmental policies. Your approach to sustainability should mirror that of the East Midlands Academy Trust.
The terms and conditions of employment and recognition offered to the catering operatives should be both progressive and forward thinking ensuring that the staffing establishment is complete at all times and staff turnover is kept to a minimum.
The Trust is expected to grow in the number of schools during this contract period, and the provision of catering services within these schools when they have joined the Trust 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 Trust 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 Trust.
Please see the 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: £3,000,000
two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system
Start date
1 September 2023
End date
31 August 2029
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
two.2.14) Additional information
To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/39CAERKF6Z
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
9 September 2022
Local time
12:00pm
four.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates
28 November 2022
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-Northampton:-School-catering-services./39CAERKF6Z
To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/39CAERKF6Z
GO Reference: GO-2022721-PRO-20648130
six.4) Procedures for review
six.4.1) Review body
East Midlands Academy Trust
Pyramus House, Roman Way, Grange Park
Northampton
NN4 5EA
Country
United Kingdom