---
title: "The Active Learning Trust ~ Tender for catering services"
ocid: "ocds-b5fd17-6d89a1b8-16c1-45a5-a05c-fd3460eca13b"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-b5fd17-6d89a1b8-16c1-45a5-a05c-fd3460eca13b"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-6d89a1b8-16c1-45a5-a05c-fd3460eca13b.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-b5fd17-6d89a1b8-16c1-45a5-a05c-fd3460eca13b.json"
source: "Contracts Finder"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "THE LITMUS PARTNERSHIP LTD"
published: "2018-10-03"
---

# The Active Learning Trust ~ Tender for catering services

Buyer: THE LITMUS PARTNERSHIP LTD  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-b5fd17-6d89a1b8-16c1-45a5-a05c-fd3460eca13b

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## Summary

The Active Learning Trust is inviting tenders for catering services across seventeen schools in the East of England, primarily in Cambridgeshire and Suffolk. The procurement is currently in the award stage, having announced the successful suppliers on 29th June 2018. This contract is valued at approximately £7 million and will commence on 1st August 2018, lasting until 31st July 2023. The tender offers multiple lots: Lot 1 for Primary Schools and Special Educational Needs (SEN) in Cambridgeshire, Lot 2 for Primary Schools in Suffolk, and Lot 3 for Secondary Schools. Suppliers must submit bids by the 26th January 2018 deadline, adhering to a selective procurement method under the restricted procedure above the threshold.

This catering services tender presents significant growth opportunities for businesses specialising in school meal provision, particularly those with innovative service models. Companies capable of delivering high-quality and cost-effective catering solutions will be well-positioned to compete. Additionally, suppliers should be prepared to address the specific needs of various educational institutions and demonstrate an ability to adapt to the potential future expansion of the Trust, which may include more schools joining during the contract duration. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are encouraged to participate in this competitive tendering process.

## Notice

The Active Learning Trust brings together experienced and successful practitioners who share a collective belief in the effectiveness of school improvement, the primacy of performance management and the potential of new technology to enhance learning. The Trust has the strong moral purpose of enabling schools to deliver high levels of achievement for all pupils, regardless of socio-economic circumstances, family situation or ethnic background. The Trust will secure and sustain improvement in schools by providing leadership and support through academy sponsorship, by working with governing bodies to strengthen their leadership and strategic delivery and through contracted work with school leaders and their teams. There are seventeen schools within the Active Learning Trust (the Client) included within this catering contract opportunity, all of which are currently outsourced. This contract will be awarded in lots where bidding Suppliers may bid for any combination of lots. There are 17 schools within the Active Learning Trust (the Client) included within this catering contract opportunity, all of which are currently outsourced. This contract will be awarded in lots where bidding Suppliers may bid for any combination of lots: Lot 1 ~ Primary Schools and Special Schools (SEN) in Cambridgeshire Lot 2 ~ Primary schools in Suffolk Lot 3 ~ Secondary Schools The Client reserves the right to award all, part or none of the group contract(s) as is deemed appropriate during the process. It is anticipated that the Trust will grow in the number of schools being part of it during the course of this contract, beyond the schools listed above. The provision of catering services to these schools when they have joined the Trust may at the Client's discretion, fall under the scope of this contract. The successful Supplier will be expected to provide costings and operational proposals for the catering services within these additional schools using the same costing model that was applied to the successful bid to the Client at the point of tender submission. The duration of the 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 this contract. Please note: There is currently a primary school in Earith that the Trust is in discussion with and, as stated above, further schools may be added to the contract both during the tender process and during the life of the contract. The Client will require the sum of PS 18 600 to be added to your bidding model to cover the cost of running this tender. This cost will be paid in full to the client upon contract award and recovered by the successful contractor via charging this in as part of the contract, over the lifetime of the contract. The tender project is seeking to appoint a Supplier whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of service within the existing facilities with a focus on exciting new Additional information: Interest in the selection process should be expressed via email only to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk clearly stating within this email which contract / notice you are referring to. Please also provide, as a minimum, a contact name, full company postal address and telephone number. The Selection Questionnaire and associated documents can be obtained at: http://www.litmuspartnership.co.uk/project/the_active_learning_trust The closing date for receipt of the Selection Questionnaire is 26.1.2018 (12:00). Suppliers are required to ensure that documents are obtained and returned to The Litmus Partnership Limited, by email to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk by the above closing date and time. Documents in respect of economic / financial standing (where indicated in the Selection Questionnaire) shall be returned to The Litmus Partnership Limited, by email to pqq@litmuspartnership.co.uk by the above closing date and time. 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.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Contracts Finder |
| Latest notice | https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/510dc88a-9590-495e-9b57-e1bdb5dfb5dd |
| Notice type | Award Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Restricted procedure (above threshold) |
| Tender suitability | SME |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 3 Oct 2018 |
| Submission deadline | 26 Jan 2018 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 28 Jun 2018 |
| Contract period | 31 Jul 2018 - 31 Jul 2023 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £7,000,000 |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | £6,636,084 |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Not specified |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | THE LITMUS PARTNERSHIP LTD |
| Locality | ELY |
| Post town | Cambridge |
| Postcode | CB6 2FG |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLH East (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLH4 Cambridgeshire and Peterborough |
| ITL 3 | TLH42 Cambridgeshire CC |
| Local authority | East Cambridgeshire |
| Electoral ward | Ely North |
| Westminster constituency | Ely and East Cambridgeshire |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 2 |
| Supplier names | CATER LINK; EDWARDS AND BLAKE |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

### Codes

- 55524000 - School catering services

## Release History

- 3 Oct 2018 at 11:03 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/510dc88a-9590-495e-9b57-e1bdb5dfb5dd
- 29 Dec 2017 at 10:09 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/ab2697ff-1a3a-447f-b47c-e31c55fc6795

## Documents

- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/510dc88a-9590-495e-9b57-e1bdb5dfb5dd
  3rd October 2018 - Awarded contract notice on Contracts Finder
- https://www.contractsfinder.service.gov.uk/Notice/ab2697ff-1a3a-447f-b47c-e31c55fc6795
  29th December 2017 - Opportunity notice on Contracts Finder
- http://www.litmuspartnership.co.uk/project/the_active_learning_trust
  SQ Documentation ~ The Active Learning Trust

## Notice URLs

- http://www.activelearningtrust.org/

## Provenance

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