Managed lettings services for The Sir John Brunner Foundation

The Sir John Brunner Foundation Multi-Academy Trust (Cheshire) is undertaking pre-market engagement in relation to a proposed procurement for the management of community lettings and facilities hire across part of its estate.

The initial scope is expected to include Middlewich High School and Sir John Deane's Sixth Form College, with the possibility of future extension to other Trust sites, subject to suitability, value for money and operational requirements. The Trust's wider estate includes The County High School, Leftwich and (from November) primary academies in the Northwich area. The Trust is seeking to understand the market for managed lettings services and to inform the development of its final specification, procurement route and commercial model. The proposed requirement is expected to involve the management, marketing, booking, administration and operational delivery of lettings and community use of school and college facilities outside core educational hours.

The Trust's objectives are to:

increase utilisation of facilities outside normal school and college hours;

improve and expand access for local clubs, voluntary organisations and community groups;

support sustainable community use, particularly for local and regular users;

ensure safeguarding, site security, supervision and operational control during lettings activity;

reduce the administrative and operational burden on academy staff;

protect the condition, readiness and availability of facilities for core educational use;

increase income through improved utilisation and broader use of facilities, rather than relying solely on price increases; and

establish a professional, compliant and scalable lettings model capable of operating across multiple academy sites where appropriate.

The facilities potentially within scope include, but are not limited to, indoor sports halls, outdoor pitches, all-weather/3G or astro facilities, playing fields, performance and assembly spaces, classrooms, specialist teaching areas, changing rooms, car parking and ancillary facilities. The final list of facilities will be confirmed following engagement with the market.

The Trust is particularly interested in engaging with providers able to deliver one or more of the following models:

a fully managed lettings service, including marketing, bookings, customer management, income collection, staffing, supervision, safeguarding, compliance and reporting;

a managed bookings and staffing model, including provider-led marketing, customer management and revenue administration, with operational delivery agreed between the provider and the Trust; and/or

advice on appropriate commercial structures, including revenue share, guaranteed income, management fee or hybrid models.

At this stage, the Trust does not intend to pursue a software-only booking platform as the primary solution, as the requirement includes a need for operational delivery, staffing and site supervision, particularly at Middlewich High School. However, the Trust welcomes feedback on systems and technology used to support managed lettings services.

The Trust anticipates that any future contract would require the successful provider to demonstrate robust arrangements for:

on-site staffing and supervision;

safeguarding, site security and incident escalation;

access control, opening, closing and site handover;

cleaning, facility reset and reporting of damage or defects;

customer service and complaints management;

protection and transition of existing community users where possible;

pricing strategy and affordability for local community users;

financial reporting, reconciliation, VAT information and income remittance;

performance reporting and attendance at formal contract review meetings; and

orderly exit and transfer of booking/customer data at the end of the arrangement.

The Trust is considering a phased implementation approach, with Sir John Deane's Sixth Form College and non-pitch lettings at Middlewich High School potentially commencing first, followed by Middlewich High School pitch or astro lettings at a later stage to allow appropriate transition and notice for existing users.

The estimated value of the initial opportunity is currently expected to be in the region of £420,000 to £480,000 or more over an initial three-year period, based on estimated gross lettings income across the sites. This estimate is indicative only and will be reviewed as the commercial model, scope and contract structure are developed. The final classification and value of any subsequent procurement will be confirmed before the formal tender stage.

The purpose of this pre-market engagement is to:

understand supplier capability and capacity in the managed school and college lettings market;

test the proposed scope, delivery model and phasing;

understand appropriate commercial models and risk allocation;

identify key operational, safeguarding, staffing and financial considerations;

inform the Trust's final specification and procurement documents; and

ensure that any subsequent procurement is proportionate, transparent and capable of delivering best value.

Participation in this pre-market engagement will not confer any advantage in any subsequent procurement process. Information shared by the Trust will be made available on a consistent basis where appropriate, and any future competition will be conducted in accordance with the Trust's procurement obligations, including the principles of transparency, equal treatment and non-discrimination. Interested providers are invited to respond to this notice and may be invited to participate in a site visit. Any future procurement opportunity will be advertised separately, and the Trust reserves the right not to proceed to procurement following this engagement.