The Litmus Partnership: Synergy Multi Academy Trust ~ Catering Tender

UK-Norfolk: School catering services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Synergy Multi Academy Trust
             Whitwell Road, Reepham, Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 4JT, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
             Main Address: https://www.synergymat.org.uk/
             NUTS Code: UKH15
      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.3) Communication
      The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at: https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/2752J2X3V5
      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: Synergy 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 Services for the eleven Primary schools within the Synergy Multi Academic Trust, all situated in rural Mid and North Norfolk.       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 5,000,000       
      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:
      UKH15 Norwich and East Norfolk
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: Synergy Multi Academy Trust (SMAT) works collaboratively across its schools, bringing a high quality of inclusive education to all. We are ambitious for our young people and believe they should come away from our Trust not only with the best qualifications possible to reach their ambitions in life, but with enquiring and open minds.

The trust recognises that rural schools are an important part of the education eco-system and that they play a central role in their local communities. Rural schools are special places, and the Trust is excited to nurture and enable thriving and vibrant education opportunities to all our young people. Young people deserve an excellent education, and the Trust believe in the success of every child.

Current catering service annual turnover for the eleven schools in scope is estimated to be around £1million per annum. Catering is currently provided by two service providers and the on-site teams are generally highly regarded by school stakeholders and are seen as a key contributor to the day-to-day functionality of the schools.

The contract is likely to be for an initial 3-year term with the opportunity to extend by mutual agreement for a further two years (3+1+1).
The principle aim of this process will be to realise the benefits of a single specialist service provider. This Is a key strategic project for catering that will bundle catering services of primaries of varying size, that is designed to attract in-form education sector caterers to make confident and commercially attractive bids.
This Intention of the process is to bring the trust’s Primary School catering services under one service provider – with the objective to achieve a higher consistent level of quality in each school and an improved level of off-site support and communication than is currently being achieved by the mix of service providers.
Please 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: 5,000,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Start: 01/01/2025 / End: 31/12/2029       
      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   
   
   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: 23/08/2024 Time: 12:00
      IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 16/09/2024       
      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-Norfolk:-School-catering-services./2752J2X3V5

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/2752J2X3V5
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Synergy Multi Academy Trust
       Whitwell Road, Reepham, Norwich, Norfolk, NR10 4JT, 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: 23/07/2024

Annex A



   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      1: Contracting Authority
       Fakenham Infant School
       Norwich Road, Fakenham, NR21 8HN, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.fakenhaminfant.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      2: Contracting Authority
       Fakenham Junior School
       Queens Road, Fakenham, Norfolk, NR21 8BN, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.fakenhamjunior.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      3: Contracting Authority
       Astley Primary School
       Fakenham Road, Briston, Norfolk, NR24 2HH, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.astleyprimary.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      4: Contracting Authority
       Corpusty Primary School
       Norwich Road, Corpusty, Norwich, Norfolk, NR11 6QG, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.corpustyprimary.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      5: Contracting Authority
       Gresham Village School
       Cromer Road, Gresham, Cromer, Norfolk, NR11 8RF, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.greshamvillage.co.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      6: Contracting Authority
       Cromer Junior School
       Norwich Road, Cromer, Norfolk, NR27 0EX, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.cromerjunior.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      7: Contracting Authority
       Antingham and Southrepps Primary School
       Lower Street, Southrepps, Norfolk, NR11 8UG, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.antinghamsouthrepps.co.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      8: Contracting Authority
       Reepham Primary School
       School Road, Reepham, Norwich, NR10 4JP, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.reephamprimary.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      9: Contracting Authority
       Bawdeswell Community Primary School
       Foxley Road, Bawdeswell, Dereham, NR20 4RR, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.bawdeswellprimary.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      10: Contracting Authority
       Foulsham Primary School
       High Street, Foulsham, Dereham, Norfolk, NR20 5RT, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.foulshamprimary.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15

   IV) Address of the other contracting authority on behalf of which the contracting authority is purchasing
      Purchased on behalf of other contracting authority details:
      11: Contracting Authority
       Mattishall Primary School
       Dereham Road, Mattishall, Dereham, NR20 3AA, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.mattishallprimary.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKH15