Provision of Professional Procurement of Catering Products at HEART Academies Trust

Concepts

• bedford
• food and drink
• catering supplies
• heart academies trust
• high-quality school catering service
• new catering initiatives
• catering
• academy
• academies
• heart

Location

BEDFORD

Description

HEART Academies Trust (the Customer) are seeking to appoint a suitably qualified supplier to provide full management of the food and catering supply chain for its existing schools and, as required, for any further growth. The current academies are: • Bedford Academy • Cauldwell Primary School • Shackleton Primary School • Shortstown Primary School CATERING STRATEGY The appointed Supplier shall work with the Trust to: Ensure a sustainable, best value, high-quality school catering service. Ensure that every pupil/student attending a Trust school has daily access to healthy and nutritious food. Develop menus and extend choice whilst keeping the catering service financially viable for parents and carers. Build on current good practice of continuing to work with schools to involve and inspire students, parents and carers to improve their understanding of the benefits of good food and a healthy diet in improving educational outcomes. Increase the uptake of Free School Meals across the Trust. (Eligibility for free school meals at HEART Academies Trust is higher than the national average). Identify new catering initiatives and opportunities to expand services and generate additional revenue, including catering for school events and lettings and external organisations. Ensure robust quality assurance measures are in place for continued compliance and safe service delivery. Adopt procurement and operational practices that support the Trust's vision of improving climate and sustainability outcomes. Support continued investment in improving kitchen/dining room environments and equipment. Demonstrate high levels of customer satisfaction measured by performance against Section 9 Catering Service Level Agreement KPIs and parent/student customer satisfaction survey results.

Total Quantity or Scope

The procurement is to appoint a Supplier that can: Provide a bespoke tender management service to deliver the most competitive price for the food and catering-related products (Frozen; Chilled, Grocery; Drinks; Fruit and Vegetables; Butchery. Dairy and Non-Food) the Customer procures, whilst ensuring the Customer's food quality standards and service level requirements are adhered to and ethical procurement practices are adopted at all times. Ensure that the tendering exercise complies with current procurement law and procedures, which embellishes the principles of equal treatment, non-discrimination, mutual recognition, proportionality and transparency. Ensure that the Customer is included in the decision-making process throughout the tender process. Ensure that supplier tender bids meet the agreed requirements of the Customer. Engage with the Customer's existing third-party partnerships, for example ProVeg, Green School etc. Ensure that decisions made on contract award are based on sound commercial business needs as stated in the evaluation criteria agreed by the Customer and enforcing the principles of equality and non-discrimination. Present to the Customer a detailed evaluation report with recommendations on which tendering suppliers should be short-listed to the presentation stage. Facilitate a presentation to the Customer in order for the short-listed suppliers to present their bids and to explain their service delivery. Facilitate product sampling from the short-listed supplier(s) if required by the Customer. Agree with the Customer which supplier(s) to award the contract to. Award the contract to the successful supplier(s). Advise the unsuccessful suppliers that they have been unsuccessful and the reasons why. Manage the implementation of the contract with the successful supplier(s), in line with the Customer's specifications. Ensure that any contract with suppliers allows for the termination of the contract should the supplier fail to fulfil the requirements of the Customer's current or future needs and/or does not commit the Customer to purchasing any set amount of goods by volume or value. Advise the Customer what % uplift the supplier has been requested to include within their tendered prices as your fee for managing the tender process and the post tender provided to the Customer.

Renewal Options

Contract commencing 1 September 2024 for a 24 month period, with options to extend for 3 x 12-month periods, subject to an annual Customer Supplier performance review meeting

CPV Codes

• 15000000 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
• 39221000 - Kitchen equipment
• 39222000 - Catering supplies

Indicators

• Bids should cover the whole contract.
• Renewals are available.
• Award on basis of price and quality.