Background
Having successfully completed the cleaning tender, Litmus was re-appointed to manage the catering tender. It had been over 15 years since this tender had been market tested and was in need of being brought up-to-date with current market expectations and conditions.
Brief
Litmus’ brief was two-fold:
- To identify and assist the school with selecting a catering partner that would deliver the highest quality of school meals to all its year groups, at an affordable price;
- To propose and assist the development of a new contract that would better protect the interests of the school whilst providing sufficient incentive for each party to mutually benefit from each other’s endeavours.
Approach
Simon BIggs, the Litmus Partnership, said: “With the current tender being in place for many years, and the school having a high profile, it was very important that any changes needed to be well considered with proven abilities to deliver tangible benefits. With this in mind, we followed a ‘Restricted Procedure’ where it was agreed to allow 12 months for the procurement process to ensure sufficient time for collaboration from all key stakeholders.”
Outcomes
Due to the school’s status, the tender process stimulated significant market interest from the industry’s leading contractors.
A new catering partner was appointed; one that clearly demonstrated an ability to deliver on the school’s demand for ‘outstanding’ quality at an affordable price. The school saw a significant saving on the previous contract.
Litmus is monitoring the ongoing financial and operational performance of the new contractor and remains party to ensuring the school continues to receive transparent and robust reporting of its catering service.
