The de Ferrers Academy ~ Tender for Cleaning Services.

Following on from 10 years as a specialist Technology College, de Ferrers became an Academy in January 2012. It has grown into a large, split-site, co-educational institution catering for the full range of students from ages 11-18. In 2015 de Ferrers became the first school of The de Ferrers Trust (a Multi Academy Trust).

There are over 2 100 students on roll, including an expanding Sixth Form of 360 and each Year 7 entry since 1985 has been oversubscribed.

The two campuses are less than 1 kilometre apart and the Academy day is punctuated by breaks, which allow time for travel between sites.

The tender project is seeking to appoint a Supplier whose initiative and innovation will be welcomed for the provision of cleaning services within the facilities for The de Ferrers Academy. The high quality service levels proposed, should maintain excellent standards throughout, resulting in a pleasant environment for both the students and staff.

The basis and rationale that the Client requires the successful Supplier to operate to at all times, is being able to provide an environment that is fit for purpose and that the Supplier is proactive in the management of the contract, thus ensuring that all specifications are achieved and that the frequency of cleans is as detailed within the Tender Specification.

The contract being tendered is for 3 years in duration from 1.8.2017 until 31.7.2020, with the option to extend the contract term for a further 2 years and will be fixed price in nature, with the Supplier invoicing the Client for 1/12th of the annual cost on a monthly basis.

It should be noted that the successful Supplier will be expected to bring to the contract: innovation; new equipment; and cleaning methods, with BICSc standards being achieved as a minimum, thus ensuring that the highest levels of cleanliness are maintained in all areas at all times and also ensuring that the productivity of the cleaning operatives is enhanced moving forward into the new contract term.

The value of the current cleaning contract is circa 247 000 GBP + VAT. It is proposed that additional contracts are brought into the cleaning contract, including wash-room services circa 3 490 GBP, window cleaning twice per annum circa 1 800 GBP and waste collection, including skips circa 23 000 GBP.

Whilst the Client prioritises value for money as a key objective of the Competitive Tender Process, the Governing body is not obliged to accept the lowest price.

The Client's objectives:

- To build upon the standards of cleanliness within the Academy;

- To receive a service that complies with the service standards;

- To receive consistently high quality cleaning standards, via a motivated and fully staffed workforce;

- To generate an improved learning environment for all students, within the Academy;

- To receive pro-active management support for the cleaning staff;

- To hold regular review meetings with the successful Supplier;

- To achieve overall value for money.

Additional information: Interest in the selection process should be expressed via email only to [email protected] 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: https://www.litmuspartnership.co.uk/project/the_de_ferrers_academy

The closing date for receipt of the Selection Questionnaire is 31.3.2017 (12:00). Suppliers are required to ensure that documents are obtained and returned to The Litmus Partnership Limited, by email to [email protected] 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 [email protected] 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.