Effective Procurement and Contract Management: Reprocuring a Single Grounds Maintenance Service Provider for a Multi Academy Trust

Successful procurement and contract management process undertaken by a Multi Academy Trust (MAT) and Value Match to reprocure a single grounds maintenance service provider for all 11 schools within the MAT.  The MAT recognised the need to review their current provision due to the expiration of contracts and the presence of multiple providers across the schools.  Value Match provided strategic support to the MAT to streamline processes, increase visibility of deliverables, and achieve procurement compliance and cashable savings.  Through a competitive tender process, the MAT was able to appoint a single provider that met both their technical and social value requirements, resulting in cost savings, standardisation across all schools, and access to a range of social value initiatives.  The project was completed within 15 weeks, ensuring the schools were fully mobilised in advance of the contract start date.

Challenge

The MAT commissioned Value Match to provide strategic procurement and commercial support to reprocure a single grounds maintenance service provider to maintain all 11 schools currently within the MAT.

The MAT recognised the need to review the current provision due to their current contracts coming to a natural end and a number of schools having different providers.

The MAT objectives were to

• Appoint a single provider to streamline processes and create efficiencies with contract management
• Obtain a single point of contact, supported by proactive account management structures to improve the overall service delivered to the trust
• Create increased visibility of deliverables on term-by-term basis
• Enter into a contract that could support the growing aspirations of the MAT
• Achieve procurement compliance and obtain cashable savings where possible

The MAT were looking to receive bids that demonstrated both robust technical capability to deliver the service and innovative social value proposals that would support the MAT in achieving their sustainability aspirations as well as curriculum link support.

Solution

Value Match provided strategic support during this procurement which included:

1. Identified and reviewed the possible routes to market, providing an options appraisal detailing the most appropriate and cost-effective route to market for the MAT
2. Utilising a Dynamic purchasing system to run a competitive tender process to provide a quick and compliant route to market to meet the Trust’s deadlines.
3. Provided advice and guidance on contractual documentation to ensure they reflected the MAT’s needs and did not impose any unnecessary risk
4. Engaged with the MAT, and a range of stakeholders across all schools, to gain a detailed understanding of the need
5. Developed a high quality, fit for purpose specification which clearly articulated the requirements to the market
6. Compiling the appropriate documentation and managing the end-to-end process to ensure compliance with procurement legislation, equal treatment of bidders and transparency
7. Providing evaluation training to the panel of school staff
8. Managing the technical, commercial and moderation evaluation process
9. Providing project management and weekly briefings to the school to ensure they were continually updated on the process through to effective delivery
10. Preparing evaluation reports and supplier debriefing letters/discussions
11. Managing the contract award process including drafting contract documentation and publishing the award notices.
12. Facilitated the contract mobilisation process
13. Providing ongoing contract management to ensure service delivery is in line with the contract.

 Outcome

As a result of this procurement, the MAT were able to

1. Complete a compliant, cost-effective procurement process resulting in the most economically advantageous tender being awarded.
2. Created standardisation across all schools with the introduction of new service specifications.
3. The introduction of an online system to increase the communication between supplier and MAT to provide visibility of all activity and confirmation of deliverables being completed.
4. The MAT have access to a range of social value initiatives such as family Trees initiative, installation of herb gardens and supply and installation of a variety eco habitat environmental at schools
5. The MAT can benefit from curriculum and education support to its students who could access works experience placements and training to students to understand horticultural for a better understanding of this career path.
6. Achieved 12% saving over a 4-year contract period by utilising a competitive process

The project was completed with 15 weeks ensuring the school were able to fully mobilise in advance of the contract start date.