Leisure Management/Operating Services

Description

1. The primary purpose of this prior information notice (PIN) is to alert potential suppliers to an opportunity in relation to leisure services management in Windsor and Maidenhead. At present, it is envisaged the services will cover six leisure centres. We are also inviting suppliers to provide any instructive documentation regarding their experiences in agency arrangements (please see [8] below). 2. The opportunity is likely to have a minimum term of 10 years (with extension options). 3. Amongst others, the services should contribute to a number of local strategic outcomes including increasing resident physical activity, decreasing obesity in Year 6 children and contributing to resident wellbeing more generally. 4. This is a leisure operating contract wherein the supplier is responsible for the management and day-to-day operations of various leisure centres, paying the authority a 'management fee' (a fixed amount). Notwithstanding the management fee, the supplier is entitled to all income gained from managing the services. 5. Historically, income generated from the services has yielded approximately £10,000,000 per annum. 6. At present, it is envisaged that the procurement will not be lotted to engender greater consistency across the services and resident experience. 7. Tentatively, RBWM is interested in utilising the competitive negotiation procedure and envisages a contract notice and SQ invitation to be published in early July 2024, with tendering and negotiation stages running through to late November 2024. Contract commencement is expected to be no later than April 2025. 8. RBWM are committed to making the contract as VAT efficient as possible to maximise value for money for its residents. New VAT guidance (found in HMRC's Revenue and Customs Brief 3 (2023)) enables local authorities to take advantage of the 'non-business' treatment of income from leisure services. We have an ambition to utilise an agency model in the procurement to allow contractors to collect income on our behalf, remaining non-business and meaning no irrecoverable VAT would be paid. If you have experience with these arrangements, we would be extremely grateful for detail and any example contracts you may have used. Please forward any information to: joey.stanford@rbwm.gov.uk. 9. In addition to the above, we would be grateful for: a. An indication of whether you would be interested in tendering for the contract; b. Your views on suitable contract types; and c. Any other information that you think would be helpful to bring to our attention.