School Catering
Procurement Timetable
| Ref | Procurement Activity | Responsibility | Timescale |
|
Section 1: Procurement Preparation |
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| 1.1 | Agree timetable and procurement process | Project Team/Governing Body | 1 Day |
| 1.2 | Prepare PQQ (Pre Qualification Questionnaire) - in particular the technical questions | Project Team Procurement Unit |
1 Day |
| 1.3 | Issue PQQ Start preparing the specification |
Procurement Unit Project Team |
30 days |
| 1.4 | Prepare terms and conditions of contract - These are generic and not scheme specific. Scheme specific will be worked up as specification develops. | Procurement Unit | 5 Days |
| 1.5 | Request workforce information from current provider for TUPE 'The transfer of undertakings (Protection of Employment) regulations'. This applies when the service the employees work in is transferred from one employer to another and the service retains its identity. | Procurement Unit | 5 Days |
| 1.6 | Evaluate the PQQs and draw up a short list of companies to be invited to tender | Procurement Unit Project Team |
1 day |
| 1.7 | Complete the specification and identify the tender evaluation criteria & evaluation model. | Project Team | 5 Days |
| 1.8 | Seek approval from school governors for the school's specification. | School | 1 Day |
| 1.9 | Agree contract start date | School/Governing Body/ Procurement Unit | 1 Day |
|
Section 2: Invite Tenders |
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| 2.1 | Issue Confidentiality Agreement to shortlisted tenderers (in conjunction with TUPE). | Procurement Unit | 1 Day |
| 2.2 | Prepare remaining tender documents (invitation to tender letter, form of tender, instructions to tenderers, certificates, labels & pricing schedules). | Procurement Unit | 2 Days |
| 2.3 | Invite tender bids - tender period (SCMS) | Procurement Unit | 35 Days |
| 2.4 | Issue workforce information as and when the signed confidentiality agreements are returned by prospective tenderers. | Procurement Unit | 1 Day |
| 2.5 | Tenderers site visits. Prospective tenderers will need to visit the school kitchens. Members of the project team may wish to visit schools where the prospective tenderers are already providing a catering service. | School/Tenderer | 1 Day |
| 2.6 | Last date for submission of tender bids (12.00 noon). | 35 Days from issue. | |
|
Section 3: Tender Evaluation |
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| 3.1 | Desk top analysis of quality method statements. | Project Team | 3 Days |
| 3.2 | Tender quality interviews. | Project Team | 1 Day |
| 3.3 | TUPE/Fair Employment evaluation. | Corporate HR | 1 Day |
| 3.4 | Price Evaluation. | Project Team | 1 Day |
| 3.5 | Overall price/quality evaluation. | Project Team | 1 Day |
| 3.6 | Draft tender evaluation report. | Project Board | 1 Day |
| 3.7 | Take the tender evaluation report to governors for them to nominate the preferred contractor. | School | 1 Day |
| 3.8 | Alcatel process - inform all tenderers of intention to award the contract | Procurement Unit | 10 days |
| 3.9 | Award Contract* | School/Procurement Unit | 1 Day |
| 3.9 | Inform unsuccessful tenderers. | Procurement Unit | 1 Day |
|
Section 4: Contract Mobilisation - specific dates to be agreed |
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| 4.1 | Meet with Contractor to agree mobilisation plan. | Contractor/School/Corporate Procurement Unit/CPBD | 1 Day |
| 4.2 | Prepare contract management procedures. | School/Procurement Unit/CPBD | 1 Day |
| 4.3 | Contractor prepares & implements mobilisation plan. | Contractor/School | 60 Days |
| 4.4 | TUPE consultations | Current Employer/Contractor | Included in 4.3 |
| 4.5 | Contract commencement | 60 days from 4.3 | |
| Schools should bear in mind that the timescales above are the minimum only. Any school wishing to go out to tender to change their catering provider should ideally allow the timescale of an academic year or similar. | |||
