Provision of Vending Machines

What we want – Service Overview: The Council is seeking to appoint a supplier who can provide and manage a Vending Machine Service across the Council sites in a cost neutral provision and in exchange for a commission being paid to the Council.

• Covering products from the following categories: Cold Drinks, Snacks and Confectionery Vending Machines, Chilled Food Vending Machines, Hot Beverage Machines, Water Dispensers, Smart Technology & Shop Solutions, Maintenance and Service.
• The awarded supplier will be responsible for the supply of the equipment, replenishment of goods, and maintenance and repairs as and when required. Contract Duration and Value: The Council are looking to commission this service for a duration of 5 years with no option of extending. The value of the contract is £0 and the Council are looking to commence the contract mid-2024.Core Requirements: Provision of the below following equipment on free loan
• 10x Hot Drinks vending machines "Beans to Cup" with option for use of "own cup"
• 5x Snacks vending machines (cold drinks, confectionary and crisps)
• 5x water dispensers (plumbed in)These are required for 6 different Council sites within the Reading area, with weekly replenishing visits, and call outs and maintenance services as and when required.Please note the option for "own cup" for the hot drinks is a mandatory requirement and proposals not including this option will be disregarded. Additional Information: Expected vending prices
• Hot drinks – from £.50 to £0.80
• Snacks – from £0.80 to £1.50List of vending products available and prices must be agreed. Historical Vending data
• Hot drinks – total of 530 items per week
• Snacks – total of 490 items per week.The values provided are across all sites for the whole portfolio of machines. These are approximate only and are based on the most recent historical usage information, with a forecasted level of growth. The values provided are for guidance only and are not a guarantee of business.How success will be measured: Success will be measured through key performance indicators and feedback. Some areas likely to be of focus may include:
• Number of items sold.
• Service user satisfaction.
• Complaints and escalations processes.We would like to invite feedback on suggestions for possible KPIs using the contact details below.THIS IS NOT A CALL FOR COMPETITION - This information is intended to raise awareness to the upcoming tender opportunity. We would like interested organisations to express their interest by contacting us using the details below, by answering the following questions alongside any feedback. This will help us gauge interest.1. Do you think that your organisation would be interested in putting forward a bid – either as a sole organisation or as part of a partnership between different organisations?2. Given the outcomes the Council wishes to achieve, how would you improve the effectiveness of this proposal?3. Do you see any barriers to delivery of this service - either in model or process?4. How do you think the performance of the service could be effectively monitored, ensuring that desired outcomes are delivered.5. Any other comments?Any expression of interest will be without commitment to themselves or the Council. The Council will not be liable for any costs that interested parties may incur by engaging in this exercise.No expression of interest or accompanying information provided in response will be used in any evaluation of any subsequent response to a procurement exercise, nor will it result in the formation of a contract with or commitment by the Council.The tender opportunity will be published via our E-Procurement tool "In-tend." You will need to have an account on In-tend to submit a bid. When you contact us to express interest, you can request information about how to register on and use In-tend. We look forward to hearing from you.