Aylesbury Vale Academy (AVA) is a large all-through academy based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire, with approximately 1,900 students enrolled. Although relatively new (established 11 years ago), the Academy serves students aged 2-18 and is currently expanding its 6th Form. AVA is a forward-thinking Academy with a focus on providing diverse services for its students.
Background
This catering contract is the third collaboration between Aylesbury Vale and Minerva over the past two years, following successful partnerships in PPM (Planned and Preventative Maintenance) and cleaning services. This ongoing collaboration highlights the trust and positive relationship built between the Academy and Minerva.
As the catering contract approached its re-tender phase, Minerva maintained continuity by engaging the same Procurement Account Manager who had worked on previous contracts. This ensured the Academy’s needs were well understood, the process remained seamless and the strong working relationship between all parties could be continued.
Key Priorities and Insights
Discussions between the Academy’s Business Manager and Minerva revealed some clear priorities for the catering services:
- Flexibility for Free School Meal (FSM) students: ensuring FSM students had appropriate meal options.
- Sixth Form involvement: The academy wanted Sixth Form students to have the opportunity to work with the catering contractor, promoting responsibility and involvement.
- Onsite support and communication: Consistent support and clear communication from the caterer were crucial for smooth day-to-day operations.
These insights were essential in helping Minerva to draft the tender documents to reflect the Academy’s specific needs and expectations.
Results and Outcomes
The tender process was a success, with nine catering contractors submitting a first stage Selection Questionnaire (SQ) response. After careful evaluation, five contractors that looked to best suit the needs of the Academy were shortlisted to the Invitation to Tender stage of the process. Of those five, three were further shortlisted and invited a presentation day. The panel, which included the Head Teachers of both the Primary and Secondary schools, the Business Manager, and a Governor, evaluated the submissions. The Student Council was also involved, with 15 members participating in food sampling sessions and providing valuable input via feedback forms.
Thanks to great collaboration between Minerva and the Academy, the tender documents were crafted to meet their precise needs. This contributed to some really strong bid submissions and ultimately led to Harrison Catering Services being re-appointed to deliver catering services at the Academy.
Key achievements of the re-tender process included:
- Innovation: The new contract featured innovations such as faster service, mobile trailers, new food concepts, and a dining room makeover.
- Flexibility for FSM students: The FSM students’ needs were catered for with affordable meal options and flexibility around budget allocation, especially during breaks.
- Sixth Form participation: Sixth Form students to be given the opportunity to operate tills as part of their work experience.
Customer Feedback
Suzanne Cooper, Business Manager at Aylesbury Vale Academy, shared her experience:
“Minerva have been a huge support to us in the catering tender. Everyone at Minerva is so helpful and efficient. They are always on hand to answer any question or query at any point in the process. Nothing is too much trouble. Working with Minerva ensures we are fully compliant, saves us so much time and ensures we can concentrate on the ‘day job’. I’m confident that using Minerva aids us in getting the best outcome from the tender, benefiting the Academy and our students”.
