The Business Manager at Holy Cross had a previously poor experience working with a consultant, but recognised the value of independent expertise to support the tendering of the school’s catering service. The school wanted the tender process to be managed in line with procurement regulations while remaining closely involved throughout.
Following the original tender exercise in 2015, Litmus has since managed two further tenders and continues to provide ongoing catering monitoring and support.
Our Brief
- To manage a procurement regulation-compliant catering tender process
- To work in partnership with the school to achieve its objectives
- To provide ongoing advice and support on the school’s catering service
- To deliver a high-quality catering offer that encourages more pupils to enjoy a balanced meal at school
Our Approach
Diana Lishman, Senior Consultant at Litmus, worked closely with the Business Manager to understand the school’s priorities, challenges and objectives during the initial tender process. Since then, Litmus has continued to support the school with ongoing monitoring and advice on its catering service.
Litmus supports the school by:
- Managing the time-consuming and complex elements of the monitoring process
- Providing independent, unbiased advice and guidance
- Working in genuine partnership with the school throughout the process
- Maintaining regular communication and clear reporting
Responding promptly to questions and providing support throughout the year.
Outcomes
When Litmus was first appointed, the school was subsidising the catering service delivered by the existing provider. Food quality was poor and pupil uptake was low, meaning the service was failing to deliver either financial value or a positive dining experience for pupils.
Today, the catering service operates with a year-on-year financial return to the school. In addition, the school and catering staff benefit from a profit-share arrangement when performance exceeds budget, providing further financial benefit.
The contractor has also made substantial capital investment in the dining facilities, creating an attractive and modern main dining area along with additional service points. These improvements have helped transform the dining experience, and the catering offer is now well received by both pupils and staff.
Through Litmus’ ongoing monitoring of the catering account, together with support during year-end reviews and budget negotiations, the school typically achieves savings in the region of £7k per year.
