The Litmus Partnership: The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust ~ Catering Tender

UK-Alcester: School catering services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust
             St Nicholas Primary School, St Faith’s Road, Alcester, B49 6AG, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
             Main Address: https://www.ardenforestmat.org/
             NUTS Code: UKG13
      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/2PSQ2986RU
      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: The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy 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 and hospitality services for The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 3,840,000       
      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:
      UKG13 Warwickshire
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering and hospitality services for The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust.
Ten schools are part of this tender (please see below) we are seeking tender submissions for the whole contract.
The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust is well established Multi Academy Trust situated in South Warwickshire and will include at the commencement to this contract the following 8 schools with two further schools joining the contract in early 2026 (please see below) where the successful contractor will be required to deliver a service and meet the requirements of the specification at each school from the contract commencement.
The eight schools which will be part of this tender at contract commencement are:
•Coughton CE Primary School ~ Coughton Lane, Coughton, Warwickshire B49 5HN
•The Ferncumbe CE Primary School ~ Hatton Green, Warwick, CV35 7EX
•Harbury C of E Primary School ~ Mill Street, Harbury, Leamington Spa, CV33 9HR
•Henley in Arden Church of England Primary School ~ Arden Road, Henley in Arden, B95 5FT
•St Nicholas C of E Primary School ~ St Faiths Road, Alcester, Warwickshire, B49 6AG
•Studley Infants' School ~ High Street, Studley, Warwickshire, B80 7HJ
•Tanworth-in-Arden Church of England Primary School and Nursery ~ The Green, Tanworth-in-Arden, Warwickshire, B94 5AJ.
•Wootton Wawen Church of England Primary School ~ Alcester Road, Wootton Wawen, Solihull, Warwickshire, B95 6AY
The below two schools will join the contract in 2026
•Temple Grafton Church of England Primary School ~ Church Bank, Alcester, Warwickshire B49 6NU ~ joining the contract on 3rd January 2026
•St Nicholas C of E Primary School ~ The Blundells, Kenilworth, Warwickshire CV8 2PE ~ joining the contract on 31st March 2026
In addition to this The Multi Academy Trust is expected to grow in the number of schools becoming part of the trust during this contract period, and the provision of catering services within these schools when they have joined the MAT 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 Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy 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 MAT.
The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from 1 August 2025 until 31 July 2028, with the option to extend for a further term of three years on the same terms and conditions excluding the right to further extend. The contract 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.
Regular customer and parental engagement (using digital platforms and social media) will be required to ensure this is the case moving into the contract term
These new standards of operation should meet the needs of the pupil’s moving forwards into this contract term. The current range of foods needs to be expanded along with the service provision. It is one of the objectives of this tender that the successful contractor will utilise a truly local supply chain and the farming” belt” in Warwickshire and Worcestershire areas to source all fresh produce, namely being:
Bakery Products
Meat
Fruit and Vegetables
Dairy Products
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: 3,840,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Start: 01/08/2025 / End: 31/07/2031       
      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 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   
   
   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: 13/12/2024 Time: 12:00
      IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 20/01/2025       
      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-Alcester:-School-catering-services./2PSQ2986RU

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/2PSQ2986RU
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             The Arden Forest C of E Multi Academy Trust
       St Nicholas Primary School, St Faith’s Road, Alcester, B49 6AG, 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: 04/11/2024

Annex A