The Litmus Partnership: Equitas Academies Trust ~ Catering Tender

UK-Birmingham: School catering services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Equitas Academies Trust
             Aston Manor Academy, Phillips Street, Aston, Birmingham, B6 4PZ, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
             Main Address: https://equitasacademiestrust.com/
             NUTS Code: UKG31
      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/B53W2UQACZ
      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: Equitas 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 Equitas Academies Trust.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 910,000       
      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:
      UKG31 Birmingham
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: The successful Supplier will be required to provide Catering services for Equitas Academies Trust.
Equitas Academies Trust was formed in 2011 on the belief that we can inspire our children for the years beyond their time within education. The Trust currently comprises two schools. Our Trust Board must maintain stability while there is a fast-changing educational landscape. We have strategic aspirations for modest growth as a Trust.
Our pupils are guided and motivated in achieving their diverse aspirations by dedicated and passionate teachers, men and women who care deeply about the welfare of their students and have the skills in their subjects possessing the ability to impart that same knowledge and passion to others.
Our schools have a strong reputation for providing an excellent education for all its pupils in a friendly and caring environment. Pupils’ wellbeing is at the forefront of what we do at Equitas, and all staff are committed to ensuring every child’s needs are met.
Our schools cater for children of all abilities in a well-disciplined environment and through a wide range of extra-curricular activities. Our staff are highly qualified, experienced, and committed to ensuring that every pupil reaches his or her potential.
The Equitas Academies Trust is expected to grow with a number of additional schools becoming part of the Trust during this contract period and the provision of catering services at these schools when they have joined the Trust will fall under the scope of this contract. Similarly, Schools with alternative catering provisions currently in place could fall into scope of this contract as their current catering arrangements end. The successful Supplier will be expected to provide this service at these additional schools using the same costing model applied to the successful 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.

Aston Manor Academy, Birmingham, B6 4PZ:
A successful 11-18 mixed Academy in the heart of Birmingham, serving the inner-city communities of Aston, Handsworth and Nechells. A school with a long and established history of academic and co-curricular success, Aston Manor Academy continues to provide a wonderfully well-rounded education to bright, ambitious, and talented young people.
At Aston Manor Academy, pupils make remarkable progress academically which is well above the national average, and this continues to improve year on year. This s an outstanding achievement which is made possible by the hard work and dedication the staff and students make throughout the years.
Chilwell Croft Academy, Birmingham, B19 2QH:
Chilwell Croft Academy is a happy and vibrant school that provides children with an innovative, relevant, and engaging curriculum. This enables our children to be curious, independent, and brave learners that are not afraid to take risks. Chilwell Croft Academy is a very happy and improving school for children aged four to eleven. The school currently has children on roll representing over 30 nationalities, speaking 40 different languages.
The staff feel privileged to serve such a strong and diverse community and we see the partnership we have with our parents as crucial to both the academic and personal success of each child.
Overview:

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: 910,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Start: 01/08/2025 / End: 31/07/2030       
      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/B53W2UQACZ       


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: 01/11/2024 Time: 12:00
      IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 02/12/2024       
      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-Birmingham:-School-catering-services./B53W2UQACZ

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/B53W2UQACZ
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Equitas Academies Trust
       Aston Manor Academy, Phillips Street, Aston, Birmingham, B6 4PZ, 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: 05/09/2024

Annex A