School catering services

Description

The successful tenderer will be required to provide catering services at Manor Primary School (MP), East Park Primary School (EP) and Hill Avenue Primary School (HA). The catering service provision at the schools has been operated by Wolverhampton DSO and has not been market tested for many years. To ensure Best Value principles are applied the Executive Headteacher and School Governors have made a decision to tender the catering service. The Vision: Every pupil is equally valued, and through a powerful combination of outstanding learning and exceptional leadership, our pupils are nurtured and inspired to be the best they can be both now and in their future lives. The key to this success is treating every child as an individual, to motivate and develop them by focusing on how they have improved on their school journey, not how they started. Manor Primary School has 477 (2016/7 roll), there are 216 entitled to UFSM and 51 FSM (the roll will increase by 30 pupils per year to a capacity of 630 pupils). Hill Avenue has 295 (2016/7 roll), there are 127 entitled to UFSM and 53 FSM. East Park has 638 (2016/7 roll); there are 196 entitled to UFSM and 184 FSM. The Academy Trust wishes to offer healthy eating options within the menu with minimal use of disposables. The menu should be based on the use of fresh ingredients and bakery products. Working with the local community is something that the Trust strives to do at all times and to this end we would like to ensure that all of the Supplier's fresh produce is sourced from local suppliers (within a 20 mile radius of the schools): details should be included within your submission. There are also several other objectives which the Trust wishes to achieve as a result of this tender process: 1. The provision of a healthy balanced menu that meets nutritional guidelines and is enjoyed by our students. 2. Better value for money to be provided to the schools ensuring that the students are provided with a variety of quality food with reasonable portion sizes. 3. Innovation and flexibility with the ability to ‘move with the times’ and recommend new service initiatives. 4. An effective marketing campaign should be implemented including the organisation of a series of theme days throughout the year — a minimum of 2 each term. 5. There needs to be total transparency with accounts that are clear and easy to understand. 6. To ensure that all hospitality is provided strictly at net cost of ingredients. 7. The Trust is committed to ensuring that the Wolverhampton living wage is paid to all staff, with a salary for the catering manager that is competitive within the industry. All schools operate a restrictive lunch service and the children can only opt out of having a school meal every day, at the beginning of each term. The schools wish to explore other systems in which the uptake will be increased. There are 2 different school meal choices each day or jacket potato or sandwiches. The schools are looking to increase the choice and variety to attract more users of the catering service. The schools wish the successful Supplier to introduce a system of online payment for meals, similar to ParentPay and operated by the Supplier. The chosen Supplier will have as a minimum The Soil Association Food for Life Silver Catering Award and aspire to reach Gold standard within 12 months. All schools have well-equipped production kitchens. The schools do not anticipate the need for any financial investment in the kitchens but would be looking for advice and discussion regarding any requirements and decide how and who pays for it. The new contract will commence on 1.11.2017, for an initial 3 year term. The staff are currently employed by the Wolverhampton DSO to manage and oversee the catering service and therefore TUPE Regulations including pension rights will apply to this contract. The current value of the contract is approximately 350 000 GBP per annum, which includes children and adult meals, direct staff costs and sundries.