Nursery Provision of Early Years & Childcare for RAF Valley and RAF Honington

The Royal Air Force are seeking a supplier to deliver high quality, flexible and affordable 0-5 early years provision and wrap around childcare and holiday delivery for 4-11 years for service families at the following RAF stations: RAF Valley, Holyhead, Wales and RAF Honington, Bury St Edmunds.

Are you passionate about supporting the lives of service children? Would you like to extend your portfolio of nursery and childcare provision and enable children to reach their full potential?

This could be the opportunity to make a positive difference and contribution to ensure our military personnel have a safe, secure, and high-quality nursery to meet theirs and their children's needs. The services must be compliant with the National Minimum Standards for Regulated Childcare and Care Inspectorate Wales; and the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Framework, and Ofsted as applicable.

The Authority intends to run a Tender process for the provision of RAF Nurseries using Open Competition with Lots. The Tender will be open for 30 Calendar days. The 2 locations will be split into 2 Lots as outlined below:

Lot 1 to include RAF Valley

Lot 2 to include RAF Honington

Suppliers can bid for one lot or both lots within the Tender.

Additional information: Description of the procurement:

The below provides a brief illustration of the current provision and operational delivery of the nursery site. Please note this is an illustration and detail can be subject to change. There will be scope to work with each station to adapt the operational delivery and outputs of the setting to meet the needs of service families and the station's statement of requirements.

RAF Valley

The nursery operates out of a purpose-built single-story nursery that is located outside of the wire at RAF Valley, Holyhead, Anglesey, LL65 3LW. The nursery is open Mon - Fri from 08.00 - 18.00 for 51 days of the year providing up to 68 places for children aged 0-5 years, including an offer of full, half day and sessional options to meet the needs of service families living and working at RAF Valley. There are currently 76 children on roll. There are 21 staff employed to work with the children. Where capacity permits and is identified additional provision including wraparound childcare and holiday provision for 4 - 11 years should be provided.  This is needed to support the workforce of RAF Valley (Military, Civil Servants, and Contractors) and to also deliver childcare support to the wider local community.

RAF Honington

The nursery operates outside the wire at RAF Honington, Bury St. Edmunds, Suffolk IP31 1EE. The nursery is open Mon - Fri from 07.45 to 18.00, 51 weeks of the year providing up to 75 places for children aged 0-5 years, including an offer of full, half day and sessional options to meet the needs of service families living and working at RAF Honington. There are currently 87 children on roll. There are 21 staff employed to work with the children. The nursery accepts funding to provide free early education for children aged two, three and four years. Wraparound childcare and holiday provision (4 - 11 years) has been identified as a requirement where capacity permits. This would ideally be reinstated to support the workforce of RAF Honington (Military, Civil Servants, and Contractors) and to also deliver childcare support to the wider local community.

TUPE consideration will apply to this contract.

The Authority intends to run a Lotted Open Competition with the Tender being run for 30 Calendar days. Tender dates and timelines are subject to change. Please express and interest or follow the PIN to find out when the Invitation to Tender opens.

Please note that, once the contract is awarded, there will be a lease or licence agreement in place with Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO).

An online briefing with further details about the tender and the tender process will be held via Microsoft Team on Monday 25 March 2024 at 1400. Please register your interest by emailing Stephen Crawley: [email protected]