The Litmus Partnership: Pathfinder Schools ~ Catering Tender

UK-Northants: School catering services.
Section I: Contracting Authority
      I.1) Name and addresses
             Pathfinder Schools
             Greening Road, Rothwell, Northants, NN14 6BB, United Kingdom
             Tel. +44 1276673880, Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
             Main Address: https://pathfinderschools.org.uk/
             NUTS Code: UKF2
      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/76B73JGUWM
      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: Pathfinder Schools ~ 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 Pathfinder Schools       
      II.1.5) Estimated total value:
      Value excluding VAT: 4,500,000       
      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:
      UKF2 Leicestershire, Rutland and Northamptonshire
      
      II.2.4) Description of procurement: Pathfinder Schools are a growing family of schools, built on a commitment to the development of the children and young people in the communities we serve. Based in the heart of Northamptonshire, our Academy Trust exists to deliver the very best educational outcomes for every learner. Built upon a foundation of independence, we empower young people to broaden their horizons and open their minds to new opportunities. Inspired and supported by these values, we seek to develop the characteristics of effective learners in our children so that, whatever their future holds, they can approach this with character, confidence and resilience.

The successful Supplier will be required to provide catering services for Pathfinder Schools (Formerly Montsaye Community Learning Partnership) at the following locations;
•Montsaye Academy
•Rothwell Junior School
•Rothwell Victoria Infant School
•Loatlands Primary School
•Havelock Junior School
•Havelock Infant School
•Wilbarston C of E Primary School
•Rushton Primary School
•Hawthorn Community Primary School
•Naseby C of E Primary Academy

Please note – Montsaye Academy is currently going through the process of being re-brokered and depending on the outcome of this, may be withdrawn from the tender process at any time.

The contract covers the scope for the provision of all catering services at each of the above schools, which also includes all hospitality and free issue requirements.

The successful Supplier will be expected to source all fresh produce on a local basis, especially fresh meat, bakery and fruit and vegetables. Contractors will need to demonstrate their approach to sustainability and how the supply carbon footprint can be minimised.

The overall emphasis for this service is on achieving ‘best value’ and the successful Supplier will be expected to demonstrate innovation, flexibility and commercialism.

The contract being offered commences on 1 September 2024 for an initial three-year period and will operate on a fixed cost basis.

Please note that the successful Supplier will pay The Litmus Partnership a consultancy fee on award of this contract, which will be to the value of £8,000.00 plus VAT. This fee will be invoiced immediately after the 10-day standstill period ends w/e 26 July 2024. To ensure transparency, you will clearly show within your management fee a breakdown of this consultancy fee, over the length of the contract. The total full fee will be paid by the successful Supplier, in full to The Litmus Partnership, by no later than Friday 16 August 2024

If the number of schools within The Trust grows during the course of this contract. The provision of catering services to these schools when they have joined will fall under the scope of this contract if required.

The successful Supplier will be expected to provide the catering services within these additional schools using the same costing model, ratios, etc that were applied to the successful bid at the point of 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.
The approximate current value of this contract is c. £900,000 p.a.

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: 4,500,000       
      Currency: GBP       
      II.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system:
      Start: 01/09/2024 / End: 31/08/2029       
      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: To respond to this opportunity please click here: https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/76B73JGUWM       


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 Acclerated   
      Justification for the choice of accelerated procedure: September start date   
   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: 19/04/2024 Time: 12:00
      IV.2.3) Estimated date of dispatch of invitations to tender or to participate to selected candidates: 13/05/2024       
      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-Northants:-School-catering-services./76B73JGUWM

To respond to this opportunity, please click here:
https://litmustms.co.uk/respond/76B73JGUWM
   VI.4) Procedures for review
   VI.4.1) Review body:
             Pathfinder Schools
       Greening Road, Rothwell, Northants, NN14 6BB, 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: 25/03/2024

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
       Montsaye Academy
       Greening Road, Rothwell, Northants, NN14 6BB, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.montsaye.northants.sch.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Rothwell Junior School
       Gladstone Street, Rothwell, Northamptonshire, NN14 6ER, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://rothwellschools.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Rothwell Victoria Infant School
       School Lane, Rothwell, Northamptonshire, NN14 6HZ, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://rothwellschools.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Loatlands Primary School
       Harrington Road, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2NJ, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.loatlandsprimary.net/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Havelock Junior School
       Havelock Street, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2LU, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.havelockschools.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Havelock Infant School
       Havelock Street, Desborough, Northamptonshire, NN14 2LU, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.havelockschools.org.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Wilbarston Church of England Primary School
       School Lane, Wilbarston, Market Harborough, Leicestershire, LE16 8QN, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.wilbarston.northants.sch.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Rushton Primary School
       Station Road, Rushton, Northamptonshire, NN14 1RL, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.rushton.school/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Hawthorn Community Primary School
       Hawthorn Road, Kettering, Northamptonshire, NN15 7HT, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.hawthornprimarykettering.co.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKF2

   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
       Naseby Church of England Primary Academy
       School Lane, Naseby, Northamptonshire, NN6 6BZ, United Kingdom
       Email: tenders@litmuspartnership.co.uk
       Main Address: https://www.nasebyschool.co.uk/
       NUTS Code: UKF2