UK-Canterbury: Catering services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
I.1) Name and addresses
Active Life – Kingsmead Leisure Centre
Kingsmead Road, Canterbury, CT2 7PH, United Kingdom
Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
Main Address: https://www.kingsmeadleisurecentre.co.uk/
NUTS Code: UKJ4
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/respond/F58P6A87A4
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: Active Life – Kingsmead Leisure Centre ~ Catering Tender
Reference Number: Not provided
II.1.2) Main CPV Code:
55520000 - Catering services.

II.1.3) Type of contract: SERVICES
II.1.4) Short description: Active Life, a leading Leisure service provider, are targeting the appointment of an outsourced caterer to commence in April 2024 to take on an operating lease/ concession at Kingsmead Leisure Centre. In order to work to this timescale, we are following a two stage restricted tender process (SQ submissions by all interested parties then shortlist suppliers for the Invitation to Tender (ITT)).
II.1.5) Estimated total value:
Value excluding VAT: 2,375,000
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:
UKJ4 Kent

II.2.4) Description of procurement: The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services in a catering concession at Kingsmead Leisure Centre in Canterbury. The Leisure centre has just been refurbished with in excess of £10million invested. Kingsmead has a footfall between 40k and 50k per month with a market leading daytime group exercise programme attendees and a large swim school, which both drive footfall throughout each day. Pre- refurbishment, the café was self-operated and generated significant revenues upon which good net margins were consistently achieved. There are no existing employees designated for catering and therefore TUPE is not expected to apply.
The cafe is situated pre barrier – meaning it can be accessed additionally by non-leisure users and has a small terrace outside facing onto gardens and the centre carpark. The café has been significantly redesigned and upgraded as can be seen in the attached photos, but will require inward investment from the caterer in terms of refrigeration, prime cooking, further tables and chairs to find the optimum layout and further display materials and signage.
Due to the café’s location it is possible to inspect the area to get a feel for possibility without appointment, however there will be a formal site visit and bidders meeting for those shortlisted for the main Invitation to tender (ITT) when full details of the opportunity within the ITT will be explained.
The expectation is that the catering operation will function only within the centre opening times, and be a complementary service adding value to the loyal members and visitors.
The minimum expectation for contract term will be five years, and the ITT will allow for proposals to go beyond that term (subject to satisfactory performance and mutual agreement to allow longer depreciation of contractor assets).
It is anticipated that the ITT will look for bidders to propose basic annual fixed tenure fees, with additional royalty % on achievement of sales levels to help. To enable this, open book accountancy practices will be followed. Services, notably Electricity, Gas and Water will all be metered and chargeable to the successful bidder on consumption at agreed market rates. The rent and royalty arrangement offered via the tender and payment for services are expected to be the only external charges applicable.
Alongside operation of the café, the agreement with the preferred cater will have the opportunity to cater to events within the centre, which could be promoted by the centre themselves or promoted by the catering operator. Any additional service points via vended offers for out of hours will be defined in the main ITT specification these may well be out of scope).
Active Life, the client, will consider all applications from local entrepreneurs and SME’s alongside regional and wider reaching catering organisations and expect the ITT process to find a trustworthy and long-term concession partner to develop the service in a number of ways:
•To find ways of understanding/interpreting and meeting the differing needs of customers at different times of the day – from coffee/healthy & treat snacking, to proteinous and carbohydrate loading through the day, to options for parents and kids before or after swim school
•A balance of popular fayre and healthy options (to help promote healthier lifestyles)
•A menu offer that is attractive, seasonal and seen as value for money
•Increased skills and confidence in the catering team and ongoing effort in building partnership with the client
•Better communication with centre staff, members and visitors to develop trust by addressing all aspects of the customer journey, from card loading, menu presentation, marketing/ promotion and merchandising to point of sale


See SQ document for further 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: 2,375,000
Currency: GBP
II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
Start: 01/04/2025 / End: 31/03/2030
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: To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/F58P6A87A4


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: Non PCR, April starts date.
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: 20/12/2024 Time: 12:00
IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 13/01/2025
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 Yes
Electronic invoicing will be accepted Yes
Electronic payment will be used Yes
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-Canterbury:-Catering-services./F58P6A87A4

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/F58P6A87A4
VI.4) Procedures for review
VI.4.1) Review body:
Active Life – Kingsmead Leisure Centre
Kingsmead Road, Canterbury, CT2 7PH, 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: 03/12/2024

Annex A