School Council

Expression of Interest (EOI)

Outside school hours care (OSHC) service at Eppalock Primary School

Submissions must follow the format attached, including the completion of all Forms, plus supporting documentation and any additional requested information.

CONDITIONS

Eppalock Primary School does not warrant the accuracy of the content of the EOI.  The School will not be liable for any omission from the EOI document.

The School may require persons and organisations wishing to access or obtain a copy of this EOI (or information relevant to this EOI) to execute a deed of confidentiality in a form required by, or satisfactory to, the School before or after access is granted.

Whether or not execution of a deed of confidentiality is required by the School, all persons obtaining or receiving this EOI and any other information in connection with the EOI must keep the contents of the EOI and such other information confidential and not disclose or use that information except as required for the purpose of developing a response to this EOI.  

All responses to the EOI and any accompanying documents will, upon submission, become the property of the School.  The School will not return any of these documents.

By submitting a response to this EOI, the service provider licenses the School to reproduce the whole or any portion of the documents which it has submitted for the purposes of, or in connection with, its evaluation, notwithstanding any copyright or other intellectual property rights that may subsist in those documents.

Enquiries concerning the EOI must be made to the following Contact Person:

Name:​Andrew King

Title:​Principal​

E-mail:​Andrew.king2@education.vic.gov.au

All enquiries concerning the EOI must be in writing and can only be made up to three (3) days prior to the Closing Time.  

The School will respond to enquiries correctly lodged in accordance with the above conditions in writing and the response from the School will be provided to all parties that have requested a copy of the EOI document.

Should a service provider contact any person other than the Contact Person nominated above (including but not limited to: any parents and School Council member or office bearer, employee, school employee, departmental officer or an employee of the current provider) in regards to this EOI, it may be disqualified from the EOI process and may be ineligible for consideration.

If an EOI is lodged after the Closing Time, it may be disqualified from the EOI process and may be ineligible for consideration unless:

The determination of the School as to the actual time that the service provider’s response is lodged is final. All EOIs lodged after the Closing Time will be recorded by the School. The School will inform service providers whose EOI was lodged after the Closing Time of their ineligibility for consideration.

If an EOI does not include all the information in the format required by the EOI or is incomplete in any way as determined by the School in its sole discretion, it may be rejected.

An EOI will be valid for acceptance by the School for a period of 90 business days from the Closing Time. This period may be extended by mutual agreement between the parties.

Bidders are required to meet or exceed the government’s supplier code of conduct - http://www.procurement.vic.gov.au/Suppliers/Supplier-Code-of-Conduct

Service providers are required to direct all communications through the Contact Person, unless advised otherwise by the Contact Person or the School.Unauthorised communication and/or seeking to obtain assistance of employees, agents or contractors of the School in preparation of their proposal may, in the absolute discretion of the School, lead to disqualification of an EOI submission.

The School reserves the right to, in its absolute discretion, refuse to consider or accept any EOI or all EOIs. The School will not necessarily accept the lowest priced EOI nor any other EOI.  The School further reserves the right to:

Selection as a preferred service provider does not give rise to a contract (express or implied) between the preferred supplier and the School Council for the supply of Services.  No legal relationship will exist between the School and the preferred supplier until such time as a binding agreement is executed by both parties.

When submitting its submission, the service provider must declare any actual or potential conflicts of interest which may arise between the service provider and the School or the School and any subcontractor which the service provider proposes to engage in respect of the supply of Services.

EOI DETAILS

“As a recipient of the Victorian Government Outside of Schools Hours Care (OSHC) Establishment Grant, Eppalock Primary School is required to complete an acquittal to the Department of Education and Training. The successful service provider will be required to agree with the requirements of Schedule 5 in the Licence and Agreement that specifies the Establishment Grant Funding arrangement between the school and the Licensee to allow the school to acquit the funding annually.”

Eppalock School is in the North West Region which services a small residential area and surrounding community of Axe Creek approximately 10 km from Strathfieldsaye and 20 km from Bendigo. The school has a current enrolment of 63 students in years Prep-6. It is expected that enrolment will increase over the next 5 years.

Physical features of the school include 3 classrooms,kitchen building (to be used for OSHC) and an Art room. We have a grassed oval, vegetable patch and a number of outside creative playspaces.

The student population, assumed to be represented by a wide range of socio-economic backgrounds, is likely to be characterised by a reasonable percentage of families with both parents working.

The Outside School Hours Care (OSHC) Service is required to cater for the following approximate number of children of school age during both Victorian term periods and vacation periods.

Site visit: The Principal of Eppalock Primary School offers prospective providers an opportunity to view the school OSHC facilities on Friday, August 11th, 2023.Service providers are required to advise the Contact Person of their intention to attend by close of business Monday, August 14th, 2023. No more than two (2) attendees from the same service provider may attend the same site visit. All attendees must sign the attendance record which will be provided at each site visit.

A current OSHC Service existed however this contract is ceasing.

Facilities available for use by the successful service provider to deliver the services required include the kitchen building with designated storage and display space and areas around the school grounds including. There are outside learning areas, sandpits and ovals that can be used. Equipment available for use include sandpit and sports equipment and other negotiated equipment.

The School wishes to advise that currently the following practices occur that may impact on the numbers attending the service: students attending after school sport, types of activities that are offered will also impact attendance.

Further information regarding OSHC in schools can be found at:

www.education.vic.gov.au/school/teachers/management/Pages/oshc.aspx

Length of Service:

TO PROVIDE OUTSIDE SCHOOL HOURS CARE TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY FOR A 1 YEAR CONTRACT WITH AN OPTION FOR A 1 YEAR EXTENSION THROUGH 2025.

REQUIRED OPERATING HOURS:

THE PROVIDER WILL BE ALLOWED ACCESS TO THE SPACE 30 MINUTES BEFORE AND 30 MINUTES AFTER THE REQUIRED OPERATING HOURS TO PROVIDE OPPORTUNITY TO SET UP AND PACK UP THE AREA FOR OSHC USE.

SCHOOL COUNCIL STATEMENT:

THE SCHOOL COUNCIL WANTS THE OSHC TO PROVIDE AN EDUCATION AND CARE SERVICE TO THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY.

THE SCHOOL COUNCIL BELIEVE THAT OSHC SHOULD BE A PLACE FOR GROWTH, NURTURE AND BUILDING LONG-TERM LIFE SKILLS.

THE SCHOOL COUNCIL BELIEVE THAT ALL EMPLOYEES THAT WORK IN THE OSHC SERVICE SHOULD BE FACILITATORS OFPOSITIVE DEVELOPMENT WHO PROVIDE A SAFE, ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT ANDINTENTIONALLY SUPPORT POSITIVE SOCIAL, EMOTIONAL, LOGICAL THINKING, MORAL, AND LIFE SKILLS DEVELOPMENT; THAT THEY TEACH SOCIAL SKILLS AND NURTURE HEALTHY INTERACTIONS.

THE SCHOOL COUNCIL BELIEVE CHILDREN SHOULD HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO:

THE SCHOOL WILL LICENSE THE FOLLOWING FACILITIES:

REQUIRED REGULATORY COMPLIANCE:

IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SELECTED SERVICE PROVIDER TO COMPLY WITH THE NATIONAL LAW AND NATIONAL REGULATIONSAT ALL TIMES.  ANY UPDATES OR CHANGES TO THE FACILITIES TO MEET THESE REQUIREMENTS WILL BE THE COST/ RESPONSIBILITY OF THE SERVICE PROVIDER.PARTICULAR ATTENTION SHOULD BE PAID TO THE FOLLOWING:

CHILD SAFE STANDARDS:

AS OF 2016, ALL EARLY CHILDHOOD SERVICES (INCLUDING OSHC) AND SCHOOLS ARE REQUIRED TO COMPLY WITH CHILD SAFE STANDARDS.  CHILD SAFE STANDARDS WERE UPDATED IN 2022 AND THE STANDARDS ARE AS FOLLOWS:

THE SERVICE PROVIDER MUST ADVISE AS PART OF THE EOI SUBMISSION HOW THEY HAVE IMPLEMENTED, OPERATE AND COMPLY WITH THE CHILD SAFE STANDARDS. THE SERVICE PROVIDER MUST ATTACH WORKING WITH CHILDREN CLEARANCES AND ATTEST TO COMPLYING WITH THE VICTORIAN CHILD SAFE STANDARDS, INCLUDING:

CAPABILITY OF PROVIDER:

A person’s capability to operate an education and care service is of critical importance. Updates in the national law as of 2017 have been identified to address this through specifying:

THE SERVICE PROVIDER MUST ADVISE AS PART OF THE EOI SUBMISSION HOW THEYHAVE IMPLEMENTED, OPERATE AND COMPLY WITH THE CHILD SAFE STANDARDS.

FOOD AND DRINK:

The successful service provider will be required to provide food and drink to students as a part of the OSHC Service. Equipment available for the provision of food and drinks include. This includes access to a fully equipped kitchen.

ANY FOOD AND DRINK SUPPLIED MUST BE NUTRITIOUS, IN ADEQUATE QUANTITY AND TAKE INTO ACCOUNT THE CHILD’S GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENTAL NEEDS AND CULTURAL, RELIGIOUS AND HEALTH REQUIREMENTS (R.79). AN ACCURATE WEEKLY MENU MUST ALSO BE DISPLAYED (R.80).

CLEANING

THE PROVIDER HAS THE RESPONSIBILITY TO ENSURE THAT THE SPACES USED BY THE PROVIDER ARE LEFT CLEAN AND TIDY AT THE COMPLETION OF ALL SESSIONS.

MAINTENANCE / REPAIRS:

ANY MAINTENANCE OR REPAIRS REQUIRED, BEYOND REASONABLE WEAR AND TEAR, MUST BE PREPARED BY THE SERVICE PROVIDER.  IF THESE ARE NOT RECTIFIED IN A TIMELY WAY, THE SCHOOL COUNCIL MAY DO SO, AND ANY COSTS WILL BE INVOICED DIRECT TO THE SERVICE PROVIDER.

TRANSITION / IMPLEMENTATION PLAN:

THE SUCCESSFUL SERVICE PROVIDER, IF NOT THE INCUMBENT, IS REQUIRED TO PROVIDE A TRANSITION PLAN, WHICH INCLUDES BUT IS NOT LIMITED TO AN OUTLINE OF THE HAND OVER PROCESS, APPROPRIATE HANDLING OF CHILDREN DETAILS AND DATA, REMOVAL OF THE OUTGOING SERVICE PROVIDER’S EQUIPMENT AND CLEANING/MAINTENANCE REQUIREMENTS.

REFEREES:

SERVICE PROVIDERS ARE REQUIRED TO NOMINATE THREE (3) CUSTOMERS (PREFERABLY SCHOOLS) TO WHOM THEY CURRENTLY PROVIDE SIMILAR SERVICES.  THE SCHOOL RESERVES THE RIGHT TO ALSO CONTACT KNOWN CUSTOMERS OF THE SERVICE PROVIDER TO SEEK CUSTOMER FEEDBACK.  FEEDBACK WILL BE SOUGHT IN RESPECT OF, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE SERVICE PROVIDER’S PERFORMANCE, CHARGES, RESPONSIVENESS AND COMPLAINT RESOLUTION.

The service provider’s representative is required to meet, where requested, with a nominated representative, School Council or subcommittee once per quarter to review vacancies, complaints and waiting lists, at a minimum.

The service provider will be required to report to a nominated representative, School Council or subcommittee as follows:  

Quarterly on the following items:

       Within 30 days of commencing, and then on an annual basis a copy of the following:

An ad hoc basis, which would be required to be responded to within ten (10) business days:

Report the following within two business days:

Report a