Thurston Community College is a thriving mixed 11-18 comprehensive school located just outside Bury St Edmunds in Suffolk. The original College was built in 1973 and serves a large rural catchment area. The College is now based on 2 sites, the Thurston Campus and the Thurston Sixth, Beyton Campus, which are separated by a distance of 2 miles. A school bus is used to move staff between sites as necessary.

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 for the 1 600 students on roll and 230 teaching and support staff, with a focus on exciting new food concepts to satisfy a wide range of pupil tastes and dietary requirements. The client would wish the successful supplier to review the current range of services offered and make recommendations accordingly.

The contract being tendered is for 3 years in duration from 1.8.2019 to 31.7.2022 with an option to extend for a further 2 years.

The academic year is based on a calendar of the legal minimum of 190 days. In addition, there are up to 5 staff professional development days per year where catering is required. The contract offered covers the scope for the provision of all catering services within the College, which currently includes breakfast, morning break, lunch, an all-day service at Beyton Campus, all hospitality and free issue requirements. Free school meals and hospitality will be charged based on consumption.

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 expects the successful supplier to enable the continued development of catering through the provision of an innovative, healthy food service, with fresh, seasonal, locally sourced ingredients where possible being prepared on-site. The client expects the successful supplier to evidence, through their bid, how they shall support and complement its values and support its mission statement “Inspire; empower; achieve”.

As a school who are continually seeking ways to improve and develop the ethos and environment for students and staff, to give them the facilities they deserve and need to meet the challenges of the 21st century, any consideration regarding inward capital investment as part of the supplier’s tender submission would be welcomed. The client would wish for the supplier to look at making this investment within the existing kitchens. The client is also seeking to open a new outlet on the Thurston Campus to service a recently created outdoor eating area.

Further information is provided in the SQ Documentation.