The Litmus Partnership: ACES Academies trust ~ Catering Tender

UK-Huntingdon: School catering services.

Section I: Contracting Authority

   I.1) Name, Addresses and Contact Point(s):
       ACES Academies Trust
       Brampton Road, Huntingdon, PE29 3BN, United Kingdom
       Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.acesacademies.co.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH12

   I.2) Joint procurement:
      The contract involves joint procurement: Yes          
      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.4)Type of the contracting authority:
      Body governed by public law

   I.5) Main activity:
      Education

Section II: Object Of The Contract

   II.1) Scope of the procurement

      II.1.1) Title: ACES 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: ACES Academies Trust currently comprises one large secondary School (Hinchingbrooke School) and four primary school (Cromwell Academy, Godmanchester Bridge Academy, Godmanchester Community Academy and Spaldwick Primary school), all situated on the western approaches to Huntingdon and within a 5-mile radius.

      II.1.6) Information about lots
         This contract is divided into lots: No
            
      II.1.7) Total value of the procurement (excluding VAT)
          Value: 2,493,789.05
                  
         Currency:GBP            

   II.2) Description

      II.2.2) Additional CPV code(s):
      Not Provided

      II.2.3) Place of performance
      Nuts code:
      UKH12 - Cambridgeshire CC
   
      Main site or place of performance:
      Cambridgeshire CC
             

      II.2.4) Description of the procurement: ACES Academies Trust currently comprises one large secondary School (Hinchingbrooke School) and four primary school (Cromwell Academy, Godmanchester Bridge Academy, Godmanchester Community Academy and Spaldwick Primary school), all situated on the western approaches to Huntingdon and within a 5-mile radius.
All schools within the Trust offer an environment for students to flourish and achieve their full potential through creativity. The schools have facilities constructed within the last 5 years through to a Grade 1 listed property at Hinchingbrooke School dating back to the mediaeval times.
We estimate the annual Contract turnover to be in excess of £500k which involves the feeding of over 3,000 pupils per day.
This is the first time that the Trust has been able to bundle its catering service to one supplier (currently there are 3 incumbent suppliers) and the Trust is keen to fully understand through this process both the commercial and operational advantages of having five schools under the same diligent and imaginative catering partner.
The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor with skill and expertise to thrive within the mix of primary and secondary feeding, of pupils and staff, and whose initiative and innovation will be evident throughout the ITT process and beyond.
The duration of the contract being offered is initially for three years commencing on 1 August 2025 and concluding on 31 July 2028. There will be an option to extend the contract for a further two years by mutual agreement.
At this stage we anticipate that the contract will operate as a Guaranteed Performance Contract, with the successful Contractor offering the Trust a guaranteed return / cost per annum for the provision of core catering services at each school. Sovereignty of the cash tariff/ parent selling price is to remain with the Trust for the duration of this contract.
The current contract term for Hinchingbrooke was assisted by a large capital investment from the incumbent caterer to provide equipment and fabric for a new dining hall facility and although there are no capital projects like this in any of the five schools, there could be a need for improved prime cooking equipment in the kitchens across the estate which could be funded via contractor.
Hence, inward capital investment is important and contractors at ITT stage, will be requested to submit outline plans and funding options for this project. As stated, the initial contract period would be 3 years, but the school will welcome proposals for investment options for longer contract tenures, for example 5 or 7 years. This will be discussed in more detail with shortlisted companies at the site meeting.
The contract will cover the scope for the provision of all catering services within the Schools of the Trust, which also includes all hospitality and free issue requirements, which are to be recharged on consumption at “net” food cost only.
Bidding contractors with prior knowledge of Hinchingbrooke may remember some additional Hospitality requirements to support the Wedding and Events business at Hinchingbrooke house – but this element will not be in scope of this process.
It is expected that menus will feature and utilise products in season when available.
Customer engagement will be fundamental to the continuous improvement in the service provision and within your tender response your methodology to this will need to be detailed along with examples of where this has been undertaken within similar contracts recently.
The successful contractor should have similar operations within the local area thus ensuring that the Operational Management Team responsible for the contract is available for regular unplanned visits and support for the contract, and that coverage for any planned or unplanned leave from within the establishment staffing structure can be easily provided.
See SQ Document for more information

      II.2.5) Award criteria:
       Not Provided

      II.2.11) Information about options
         Options: 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
         

      II.2.14) Additional information: Please note, this is a Contract Award Notice - this contract has already been awarded.


Section IV: Procedure

IV.1) Description

   IV.1.1)Type of procedure: Restricted


   IV.1.3) Information about a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system
      The procurement involves the establishment of a framework agreement: No       
      A dynamic purchasing system was set up: No

   IV.1.6) Information about electronic auction
      An electronic auction has been used: No

   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 OJEU: 2025/S 000-003739
      
   

   IV.2.9) Information about termination of call for competition in the form of a prior information notice
      The contracting authority will not award any further contracts based on the above prior information notice: No

Section V: Award of contract

Award Of Contract (No.1)

   Contract No: Not Provided    
   Lot Number: Not Provided    
   Title: Not Provided

   A contract/lot is awarded: Yes


   V.2) Award of contract

      V.2.1) Date of conclusion of the contract: 17/06/2025

      V.2.2) Information about tenders
         Number of tenders received: 6
         Number of tenders received from SMEs: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received from tenderers from other EU Member States: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received from tenderers from non-EU Member States: Not Provided          
         Number of tenders received by electronic means: Not Provided

      V.2.3) Name and address of the contractor

      The contract has been awarded to a group of economic operators: No
         
         Contractor (No.1)
             Compass Contract Services (UK), 02114954
             Parklands Court 24 Parklands, Birmingham Great Park, Rubery, B45 9PZ, United Kingdom
             NUTS Code: UKG31
            The contractor is an SME: No

      V.2.4) Information on value of the contract/lot (excluding VAT)
         Initial estimated total value of the contract/lot: 2,500,000          
         Total value of the contract/lot: 2,493,789.05
         Currency: GBP

      V.2.5) Information about subcontracting
         The contract is likely to be subcontracted: No
         
Section VI: Complementary information

   VI.3) Additional information: To view this notice, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/delta/viewNotice.html?noticeId=962616878
   VI.4) Procedures for review

      VI.4.1) Review body
          ACES Academies trust
          Brampton Road, Huntingdon, PE29 3BN, United Kingdom
          Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk

      VI.4.3) Review procedure
         Precise information on deadline(s) for review procedures: Not Provided

      VI.4.4) Service from which information about the review procedure may be obtained
         Not Provided

   VI.5) Date of dispatch of this notice: 30/06/2025

ANNEX A

   I) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing   
   1: Contracting Authority
       Hinchingbrooke School
       Brampton Road, Huntingdon, PE29 3BN, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.hinchingbrookeschool.net/
       NUTS Code: UKH12
   
   2: Contracting Authority
       Cromwell Academy
       Parkway, Huntingdon, PE29 6JA, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.cromwellacademy.com/
       NUTS Code: UKH12
   
   3: Contracting Authority
       Godmanchester Bridge Academy
       Butcher Drive, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, PE29 2NL, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.godmanchesterbridge.co.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH12
   
   4: Contracting Authority
       Godmanchester Community Academy
       Park Lane, Godmanchester, Huntingdon, PE29 2AG, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.godmanchester.cambs.sch.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH12
   
   5: Contracting Authority
       Spaldwick Primary School
       Royston Avenue, Spaldwick, Huntingdon, PE28 0TH, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.spaldwickschool.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH12