Wilson's School - Catering Tender

Parents choose Wilson's not just because of its outstanding academic reputation but also because they understand and share the school's values. These are encapsulated by our motto: Non Sibi Sed Omnibus (Not For Oneself, But For All). We strive to create a safe and kind environment where every pupil can become more confident and reach the highest levels of academic enjoyment and achievement. Consequently, pupils flourish at Wilson's.

Further information regarding Wilson’s School can be obtained here: Https://www.wilsons.school ↗

Tender Information

The successful tenderer will be required to provide high-quality catering services to Wilson’s School, which has approximately 1,328 pupils, of whom approximately 4.59% are eligible for free school meals, together with approximately 120 teaching and operations staff.

The contract term being tendered is three years, commencing on 1 September 2027 and ending on 31 August 2030, with an option to extend the contract for a further period of up to two years, to 31 August 2032, subject to satisfactory performance and the agreement of the Client.

The contract presents an excellent opportunity for the successful contractor to review, develop and enhance the existing catering provision. The services will include, but are not limited to, breakfast, morning break, lunchtime and after-school catering throughout the academic year, together with hospitality and catering services for school events and meetings as required.

Service times are as follows:

Breakfast: 07:45 – 08:15 (Main Dining Room)

Break: 10:35 – 10:55 (Main Dining Room, Bowden Room, McAlister Room and The Cuboid)

Lunch: 13:00 – 13:55 (Main Dining Room, Bowden Room, McAlister Room and The Cuboid)

The Client is seeking a high-quality catering service that provides fresh, nutritious and, wherever possible, locally sourced ingredients prepared on site. Menu design should be flexible and responsive to the needs and preferences of the School’s students and staff, while offering a varied and appealing range of choices.

The Client is proud of its high standards and strong family ethos and expects the successful contractor to reflect and support these values. The service should be professionally and tightly managed, with a management approach that supports, encourages and develops the catering team, promotes high standards and fosters positive relationships with students, staff and the School.

The Client is not obliged to accept the lowest-priced tender. The primary objective is to secure best value, both for the School and its students, taking into account quality, service, innovation, financial value and the overall student experience.

Tenderers are encouraged to put forward innovative and creative proposals for developing the service, improving the dining experience and delivering additional value. The Client is seeking a contractor who will work collaboratively and in partnership with the School, demonstrate a commitment to continuous improvement and consistently deliver the highest standards of service.

Basic Objectives of the Tender

The successful contractor will be expected to:

•Work in partnership with the School to provide high-quality, healthy and appealing meals that offer students good value for money. All food should be fresh, well-balanced, nutritious and prepared and served to a consistently high standard.

•Manage a service which is slick and efficient, maximising efficiency and minimising pupil and staff wait times. This should include operating an appropriate number of tills during busy service periods, with sufficient trained staff deployed to ensure all available tills are utilised where required and queues are kept to a minimum.

•The Catering Contractor must provide a wide range of suitable options to meet the dietary, religious, cultural, allergy and food intolerance requirements of students and staff. The Contractor must have robust procedures in place for the identification, preparation, communication and management of allergens and dietary requirements, including full compliance with all applicable food safety and allergen legislation and guidance, including Natasha’s Law.

•The catering offer should promote healthy eating and provide an appropriate choice of meals, including vegetarian and plant-based options, while taking account of current and future statutory school food standards and Government guidance.

•Provide a diverse and inclusive food offer, including both Halal and non-Halal options, a wide range of vegetarian and international dishes, and appropriate provision for vegan, gluten-free and other dietary requirements.

•Provide a high-quality sandwich, soup, salad and drink offer so that there is sufficient range to attract staff and students.

•Have the capability to provide high-quality and competitively priced catering for school events (e.g. sit down meals; buffets etc), including for staff, trustees, Old Wilsonians and the wider community. Promote healthy eating and positive food choices, including a continued focus on reducing excessive sugar consumption and supporting the School's wider health and wellbeing initiatives. The catering service should help educate and encourage students to make healthy and informed choices.

•Demonstrate a strong commitment to sustainable and responsible sourcing, including the use of locally sourced and seasonal produce where practical, Fairtrade products where appropriate, and environmentally responsible procurement and catering practices.

•Maintain and continually improve the quality, variety, presentation and merchandising of food, ensuring that the catering offer remains attractive, relevant and responsive to changing student and staff preferences.

•Support, develop and retain the existing catering team, providing effective leadership, training, development and performance management, while fostering a positive and collaborative working environment.

•Maintain and enhance the overall dining experience within the School. This should encourage students to eat a varied range of foods, try new dishes, make healthy and informed choices and view mealtimes as a positive social experience. The successful contractor should work with the School to create an environment that supports these objectives.

•Demonstrate continuous improvement in financial and operational performance, working with the School to identify opportunities for efficiencies, innovation and service development.

•Provide a transparent and collaborative commercial arrangement that appropriately rewards the Contractor for delivering sustained improvements in financial and operational performance, while ensuring that any financial benefits generated above agreed guarantees are shared appropriately with the School.

•Work proactively with the School to monitor performance, gather and respond to student and staff feedback, and identify opportunities to improve the catering service throughout the contract period.

Competitive Flexible Procedure

This procurement will be run under the Competitive Flexible Procedure. This will follow a two-stage approach, with stage 1 being the Procurement Specific Questionnaire (PSQ). Here a minimum of 5 candidates (or less, in the event less than 5 meet the minimum criteria) and a maximum of 10 candidates, will progress to stage 2. Any selection of tenderers will be based solely on the criteria set out for the procurement and a minimum score of 60% must be achieved.

Selected tenderers will then be invited to stage 2, the Invitation To Tender (ITT). Here, the evaluation of tender response will be set as 35% price and 65% quality.

Value of contract:

The annual value of the current contract is £535,377

Therefore the value of this contract is £2,676,855

The contract shall be a guaranteed performance contract with hospitality requirements billed separately and at cost.

Additional requirements and information:

•The Client has a minimum requirement for a contractor’s employers' liability and public liability insurances of £5 million

•The minimum annual turnover that your company must have achieved to be considered for this opportunity is £1 million

•There are incumbent catering staff currently within the Local Government Pension Scheme.

•The catering services are currently contracted to Cucina.

•The client reserves the right not to appoint in conclusion of this project.

For more information about this opportunity, please visit the eSourcing portal at:

www.delta-esourcing.com/tenders/UK-UK-Surrey… ↗

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:

www.delta-esourcing.com/respond/62MK64756X ↗