UK-St Albans: School catering services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Alban Academies Trust
The Ridgeway, St Albans, AL4 9NX, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Main Address: https://albanacademiestrust.org.uk/
NUTS Code: UKH23
I.2) Joint procurement
The contract involves joint procurement: No.
In the case of joint procurement involving different countries, state applicable national procurement law: Not provided
The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body: No.
I.3) Communication
The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://litmustms.co.uk/tenders/UK-UK-St-Albans:-School-catering-services./F9633T44F7
Additional information can be obtained from: the abovementioned address
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to the abovementioned address
Electronic communication requires the use of tools and devices that are not generally available. Unrestricted and full direct access to these tools and devices is possible, free of charge, at: Not provided
I.4) Type of the contracting authority
Body governed by public law
I.5) Main activity
Education

Section II: Object
II.1) Scope of the procurement
II.1.1) Title: Alban Academies Trust ~ Catering Tender
Reference Number: Not provided
II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
55524000 - School catering services.

II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
II.1.4) Short description: The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for the Alban Academies Trust.
II.1.5) Estimated total value:
Value excluding VAT: 1,750,340
Currency: GBP
II.1.6) Information about lots:
This contract is divided into lots: No

II.2) Description

II.2.2) Additional CPV codes:
Not Provided
II.2.3) Place of performance:
UKH23 Hertfordshire

II.2.4) Description of procurement: The Alban Academies Trust serves primary and secondary schools in and near St. Albans. Our mission is to build a learning community that shares and promotes educational excellence for everyone. All members of the Trust are valued and able to make a powerful contribution to the on-going progress of improvement across the AAT.

The Trust currently comprises of five schools, three secondary schools: Ridgeway Academy, Sandringham School and Verulam School and three primary schools: Garden Fields JMI School, Wheatfields Infants’ and Nursery School and Wheatfields Junior School.

This catering tender is for the catering services at 2 schools – where this is a 2 + 3 contract. It is likely that a Trust wide catering contract to encompass the other secondary schools at least, will be run for 1st August 2024 – to align with the end dates of the current contracts at the other schools.

Schools included in this tender:

Ridgeway Academy

Ridgeway Academy is an 11-18 Mixed Secondary School with Academy status and is part of the Alban Academies Trust.

The school currently employs 116 teaching and support staff and has 902 students on roll )expected to rise to 952 next year) which includes 83 students in Sixth Form (expected to rise to 100 next year)

•Please be advised that the catering service is currently contracted to Edwards and Blake
•The total catering sales per annum at this school are: 2018/19 £185,793 (pre-pandemic)
•Our current year to date sales for Sept 21 to Feb 22 are £72,848.95 (March 21 to August 2021was £58,750)

Garden Fields

Garden Fields Junior Mixed and Infant School is in St. Albans and currently has 578 pupils ages 4 to 11 and approximately 80 members of staff. The school is reducing its PAN from 90 to 60 in September 2022 and for subsequent years due to lower local pupil numbers. The school went through an expansion from 2015 to 2021 increasing PAN from 60 to 90 each year.

•The school is currently using Herts Catering Ltd.
•The 2019 sales were £164275

Therefore the total annual sales are £350,068

Therefore the total value of the contract (annual sales x 5) = £1,750,340

The Tender

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 of all schools, with a focus on exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of pupil tastes and dietary requirements. The Schools would wish the successful contractor to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly.

The contract being tendered is for two years in duration from 1st August 2022 to 31st July 2024 with the option to extend for up to a further 3 years at the discretion of the client. However, it is very much expected that a Trust wide catering tender will be run to bring all schools into one catering contract for a new Trust contract for 1st August 2024.

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 Trust for the duration of this contract.

The School year at all schools 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 with a margin attached and hospitality will be charged based on consumption and at net food cost.
Whilst the Trust prioritises value for money as a key objective of the Competitive Tender Process, it is not obliged to accept the lowest price.

See SQ Document for more information.
II.2.5) Award criteria:
Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents
II.2.6) Estimated value:
Value excluding VAT: 1,750,340
Currency: GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
Start: 01/08/2022 / End: 31/07/2027
This contract is subject to renewal: No
Description of renewals: Not provided
II.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.
II.2.10) Information about variants:
Variants will be accepted: Yes
II.2.11) Information about options:
Options: No
Description of options: Not provided
II.2.12) Information about electronic catalogues:
Tenders must be presented in the form of electronic catalogues or include an electronic catalogue: No
II.2.13) Information about European Union funds:
The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No
Identification of the project: Not provided
II.2.14) Additional information: Not provided


Section III: Legal, Economic, Financial And Technical Information
III.1) Conditions for participation
III.1.1) Suitability to pursue the professional activity, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
List and brief description of conditions:
Not Provided
III.1.2) Economic and financial standing
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
List and brief description of selection criteria:
Not Provided
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :
Not Provided
III.1.3) Technical and professional ability
Selection criteria as stated in the procurement documents
List and brief description of selection criteria:
Not Provided
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required (if applicable) :
Not Provided
III.1.5) Information about reserved contracts (if applicable)
The contract is reserved to sheltered workshops and economic operators aiming at the social and professional integration of disabled or disadvantaged persons: No
The execution of the contract is restricted to the framework of sheltered employment programmes: No

III.2) Conditions related to the contract
III.2.1) Information about a particular profession
Reference to the relevant law, regulation or administrative provision:
Not Provided
III.2.2) Contract performance conditions
Not Provided
III.2.3) Information about staff responsible for the performance of the contract
Obligation to indicate the names and professional qualifications of the staff assigned to performing the contract: No

Section IV: Procedure
IV.1) Description RESTRICTED
IV.1.1) Type of procedure: Restricted Acclerated
Justification for the choice of accelerated procedure: The current catering contract ends on 31 July 2022
IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement - NO
The procurement involves the setting up of a dynamic purchasing system - NO
In the case of framework agreements justification for any duration exceeding 4 years: Not Provided


IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction:
An electronic auction will be used: No
Additional information about electronic auction: Not provided
IV.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes
IV.2) Administrative information
IV.2.1) Previous publication concerning this procedure:
Notice number in the OJ S: Not provided
IV.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
Date: 14/04/2022 Time: 12:00
IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 09/05/2022
IV.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted: English,
IV.2.6) Minimum time frame during which the tenderer must maintain the tender: Not Provided


Section VI: Complementary Information
VI.1) Information about recurrence
This is a recurrent procurement: No
Estimated timing for further notices to be published: Not provided
VI.2) Information about electronic workflows
Electronic ordering will be used No
Electronic invoicing will be accepted No
Electronic payment will be used No
VI.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-St-Albans:-School-catering-services./F9633T44F7

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/F9633T44F7
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body:
Alban Academies Trust
The Ridgeway, St Albans, AL4 9NX, United Kingdom
VI.4.2) Body responsible for mediation procedures:
Not provided
VI.4.3) Review procedure
Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures:
Not Provided
VI.4.4) Service from which information about the lodging of appeals may be obtained:
Not provided
VI.5) Date Of Dispatch Of This Notice: 16/03/2022

Annex A