Catering Consultants - AJR and Associates Catering Consultancy >> Full tender management

A leading catering consultancy and a team of professional catering consultants serving the education sector in the UK.





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We visit the school/college and meet with the client to confirm and programme and timetable of actions to be taken.

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We familiarise ourselves with the services and current food offer and the design and constraints of the catering facility.

Together with the client, we plan the inclusion in the tender specification of additional services (such as breakfast, vending etc).

Information gathering by us includes the compilation of a survey document together with the client. This provides the qualitative and quantitative information to be included in the specification.

We compose a formal letter, which has to be sent by the school/college notifying the incumbent caterer or DSO of its intention to seek competitive tenders. An indication of the timeframe and informing them that they are under protective notice, including the proposed contract handover date.

The incumbent caterer/DSO are asked to provide an inventory of equipment together with details of any equipment that they claim ownership of.

The incumbent caterer/DSO are asked in a separate formal letter to provide the TUPE information required for their catering staff. This request is made by us issuing a form of words to the school who then write formally to them.

Copies of all relevant information including the tender specification are held by the school/college and us.

We compile the detailed tender specification incorporating all the relevant information to the existing and proposed catering service.

We select the caterers who will be asked to tender and write asking them to formally express their interest in bidding for the contract.

The chosen list of bidders (usually between 3 to 6) are then invited to attend a tender meeting at the school on a date agreed by ourselves and the client. On the day, they are given the opportunity to view the service in action, the layout of the facility and to ask any questions that they may have relating to the specification or things that they have seen.

It usually follows that after the tender meeting there is a number of requests for supplementary information. We therefore filter these requests and issue replies to the respective companies.

Each company provides the tender submissions in duplicate. The school/college are asked to make their own assessment, we on our part carry out a tender analysis on each submission and make our comments accordingly.

The next step is for us jointly to select a shortlist and request that those companies attend a clarification meeting in order that all parties are clear as to the offer on the table. Contract terms are also discussed at this meeting and clarification sought.

It is normal for references to be taken up on the shortlisted contractors, this is done either by phone or visits to a particular school/s. Contact with clients from other schools where the proposed contractors are operating can prove invaluable in the decision making process.

The preferred contractor is then invited to attend a final meeting for the purpose of clarifying any remaining points, which sometimes can include variations to the budget. This final part of the process is important as it ensures that both the school and contractor are clear as to the qualitative and quantitative objectives for the first year of operation.

Once the contractor has been notified by letter of intent that they have been successful, they should meet with the incumbent caterer and the catering staff. The unsuccessful caterers should also be written to informing them of the decision. Staff interviews are held as well as meetings with union representatives if applicable.

The run up to the contract start will take place in accordance with the mobilisation plan submitted as part of the tender and agreed with the school. Contracts should be signed during this period or within the initial weeks of operation.

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