Catering services for other enterprises or other institutions

Description

Hereward College is a General Further Education College that offers inclusive provision and specialist facilities for day and residential learners with complex disabilities and learning difficulties. The College provide full-time learning programmes at pre-entry level to level 3 for 274 College based learners, 10 outreach learners and 95 work based learners, through their Hereward Training activity. With a vision of preparing learners for the next stage of their lives, providing them with outstanding employability skills and greater control over their future, the College have a track record of promoting individual achievement since 1971. In October 2016, the College was judged to be Inadequate, with Ofsted highlighting specific concerns relating to safeguarding, outcomes for learners and teaching and learning assessment. The current Principal is retiring, the College have strengthened the Safeguarding team and a review of the College has been undertaken by the FE Commissioner's office. The tender project is seeking to appoint a Contractor whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of service within the existing facilities for the 274 students on site and 205 teaching and support staff, all of whom have a focus on the introduction of exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of tastes and dietary requirements. The College would wish the successful contractor to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly. The contract being tendered is for three years in duration from 1.9.2017 until 31.7.2020 and will operate as a Guaranteed Performance Contract, with the successful Contractor offering the College a guaranteed cost per annum for the provision of catering services. Sovereignty of the cash tariff is to remain with Hereward College for the duration of this contract. The College year is based on a calendar of 36 weeks. 3 days are to be used for staff professional development. The contract offered covers the scope for the provision of all catering services within the College, which currently includes breakfast service, morning break, lunch, afternoon break, all hospitality and free issue requirements. Free Student meals and hospitality will be charged based on consumption and at net food cost. Whilst the College prioritise value for money as a key objective of the competitive tender process, the Governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price. Hereward College expect the successful contractor to enable the continued development of catering through the provision of an innovative, healthy food service, with fresh, seasonal, locally sourced ingredients being prepared on-site. The College expects the successful tenderer to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values and support the principles of Keeping Children Safe in Education. The College believes that success should be celebrated and that Students should enjoy their time at College; if lessons are stimulating and challenging then students will love learning. Much time therefore, is spent reviewing and planning schemes of work to ensure that they are differentiated to meet the needs of all Students. As a result, the College are very enthusiastic regarding work experience and apprenticeship proposals and would welcome the input of the successful Contractor. As a College who are continually seeking ways to improve and develop the ethos and environment for students and staff, to give them the facilities they deserve and need to meet the challenges of the 21st Century, any consideration regarding inward capital investment as part of the Contractor's tender submission would be welcomed. The College would wish for the Contractor to look at making this investment within the existing dining area, with attention being given to the upgrade, maintenance and management of the software for the current cashless system, counter layout and furnishings and the implementation of a procedure that would assist in producing a reduction of current queuing times. The College objectives: — To further increase the standards of fresh food provision; — To further increase the standard of service for all customers; — To receive a consistently high quality catering provision; — To generate an improved dining environment for all Students; — To receive proactive management support for the catering team; — To hold regular review meetings with the successful contractor; — To achieve overall value for money.