Tender for provision of cafe at Craig y nos Country Park

Descriptions

The Brecon Beacons National Park Authority is currently looking for a partner to deliver an innovative, sympathetic and consistent catering facility at Craig y nos Country Park.Craig y nos Country Park is situated in the west of the Brecon Beacons National Park on the A4067, adjacent to Craig y nos Castle and is less than a mile away from the popular Dan Yr Ogof Show Caves complex. The Country Park covers 40 acres and currently attracts over 100,000 visitors per year. It is also a key educational centre for the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority with both indoor and outdoor classroom activities. The site has a pay and display car park, toilet facilities, and is currently host to three local artistic businesses. The Country Park is famous for its diverse range of wildlife and plant life, along with its fascinating cultural history, notably its ownership by the world renowned opera singer Adelina Patti, whose vision dominates the Victorian parkland that is present today.The vision for the catering facility is to further enhance the experience of visitors to Craig y nos Country Park by delivering a high quality catering offer, providing a further compelling reason to visit the Country Park. It is also expected that the quality and reputation of the catering offer will ensure that locals and day visitors continue to return to the Country Park again and again. Visitors to the Country Park are aware that it is owned by the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority, and the successful tender will need to demonstrate how the quality of its delivery will match and enhance the reputation of the Authority, and reflect the special qualities of the National Park.The premises available for lease forms part of the ground floor of the main building situated at the top of the car park, on your left as you enter the site and this is outlined in red on the attached building plan. There is also a terraced area outside of the main building which can be used as an outdoor eating area. The interior of the building consists of a trading space which is split into two areas of potential dining space and a small kitchen area which has a number of commercial catering appliances included.The Country Park holds a number of diverse events throughout the year, and the successful tender must also show its commitment to providing a quality catering experience to support these events.The tender will be for a three year period with an annual rent of £10,000 per annum, which will not include any utilities or business rates. At present the lease is expected to be available from the 1st May 2016.If you are interested in tendering for this opportunity please send us an outline of your ideas for the catering operation in the form of a detailed business plan. Your business plan must include and address the following key areas.1.Full profits, loss and cash flow projections for at least the first two years of operationDetailed budgeted accounts should be included that are fully costed and realistic.2.Management structure and how you will approach working within a partnership.How will the operation be managed on a day to day basis and how it is intended to work with a “spirit of co-operation” with the Authority’s team at Craig y nos to ensure a consistent visitor experience. We currently have a full time estate warden, part-time administration assistant, cleaner and an onsite educational team working out of the Country Park3.Evidence of operating a viable, sustainable and reputable catering operation.Provide specific evidence of delivering a catering operation that has been financially viable and sustained. Also evidence of delivering a quality level of service through customer endorsements, trip advisor ratings or similar would be beneficial.4.Outline of the food and beverage products you would offer.A sample menu or menus of the food and catering products that you propose to sell, along with evidence of your ability to produce these to a consistently high quality.5.Demonstrate an understanding of the catering needs of visitors to the Country Park, and how your operation would meet these needs.Demonstrate an understanding of the type of visitor to the Country Park, and how you believe your products and service level matches the needs of these visitors.6.Purchasing and procurement policiesThe Brecon Beacons National Park Authority has a legal duty to “…seek to foster the economic and social well-being of local communities with the National Park…” Evidence of your approach to the sourcing of products and services to meet this duty should be included.7.Demonstrate your approach to training and developing staff.The business plan must demonstrate commitment to the training and development of its staff to ensure they gain personal development and are able to deliver a quality service while maintaining a safe and hygienic working environment.8.Demonstrate a commitment to customer service that will match and enhance the reputation of the Country Park and of the Brecon Beacons National Park Authority.All staff will be expected to deliver a high level of customer service that exceeds the expectations of our visitors and helps further enhance the reputation of the catering operation, the Country Park and the Brecon Beacons as a visitor destination.9.Demonstrate robust policies to deliver Health and Safety legislationEvidence of strong policies and procedures with regards health and safety legislation must be provided, along with a robust plan of monitoring and continuous improvement. All relevant qualifications and/or certifications should be provided.10.Demonstrate robust policies to deliver Food Hygiene and Food Handling legislationEvidence of strong policies and procedures with regards food hygiene and food handling legislation must be provided, along with a robust plan of monitoring and continuous improvement. All relevant qualifications and/or certifications should be provided.11.Give consideration to environmental and sustainability matters.Examples of how the management of your operation will ensure environmental good practice, such as safe use of materials, conservation of energy and approach to recycling etc.ASSESSMENTThe timetable leading up to appointment is as follows –• Tender Issue – 21/08/2015• Tender Return – 30/09/2015• Tender Analysis and Recommendation – w/c 05/10/2015• Appointment – 23/10/2015 (provisional), or as soon as possible thereafterThe commission is expected to start with an inception meeting as soon as possible after the decision to appoint.All tender providers will be entitled to ask specific questions of the client body in writing (by e-mail – see contact section below), after receipt of the Brief and before 25/09/15. The client body will then respond to the specific questions electronically by the end of 28/09/15 providing precisely the same information to all tender providers who have expressed an interest in submitting a tender.Tenders will be assessed on the basis of quality and price, as set out in the evaluation framework- set out above:EVALUATION STAGEAll tenders will be evaluated by a tender evaluation panel, which will utilise a scoring matrix based on the 11 key elements identified above to be addressed within the business plan.APPOINTMENTThe appointment of the successful tender provider will be made by entering into a Contract for provision of the catering service, as normally used by the BBNPA. A copy of the standard contract is attached. This Brief and the quotation received from the successful tender provider will form part of the contract.It will be a condition of the appointment that the tender provider indemnifies the client against any claims arising from the commission, whether caused by negligence or otherwise. Confirmation will be required that the tender provider carries professional indemnity insurance for the minimum sum of £5,000,000 and public liability insurance for the minimum of £5,000,000.The client body is not bound to accept the lowest or necessarily any tender, and reserves the right to accept any tender in whole or in part.If there are any additions or deletions to the tender considered necessary by the selection panel prior to the date for the submission of quotations, these will be issued to tenderers and deemed to be part of the tender.Tenderers’ attention is drawn to the “Notice relating to the Freedom of Information Act 2000” accompanying the Tender documentation. Tenderers MUST complete the portion at the end of the Notice and return the same WITH their tender quotation, thereby confirming that they acknowledge the provisions of the Act and how the Act may apply to their tender.The Selection Panel shall not be liable for any costs incurred by the tenderers in preparation of the tender quotations.CONTACT POINTSInterested parties must submit a physical and electronic copy of their business plan, ensuring that they have discussed and addressed all the elements laid out in the above. These should be addressed to:Wayne LewisThe Commercial ManagerPlas y FfynnonCambrian WayBreconPowysLD3 7HPTel: 07854 997517E-mail: wayne.lewis@beacons-npa.gov.uk