A Swansea based organisation that runs day care nurseries across the region has won a £1.5m three year contract to deliver childcare services at the DVLA centre in Morriston.
Schoolhouse Daycare Ltd say the new contract will safeguard twenty jobs and create another five.
Schoolhouse Daycare is the largest independent childcare nursery operation in Wales employing 100 people and with 1000 children on its register. The company intends to extend its services in East Wales and aims to double the number of nurseries within seven years.
Directors Jocelyn Mort and Amanda Bennett, who took over the children’s nursery chain last year in a management buy-out, said support from the Welsh Assembly Government had been pivotal in successfully tendering for the DVLA contract.
“On-line tendering can be a complex procedure so the support that we had in understanding the process was very valuable,” explained Jocelyn.
They contacted the Assembly Government’s Supplier Development Service, which is supported by European Convergence funding and provides support to help small and medium sized Welsh businesses bid for public and private sector contracts. Mid and West Wales Chamber is contracted to deliver the service in the region.
Jocelyn said they were given help in understanding and meeting the requirements of the pre qualification questionnaire and when they successfully passed that stage, they were given additional one-to-one support to complete the tender document.
“Our final presentation ran to 300 pages and although it required a lot of work it was well worth it. We have gained a lot of valuable experience and are delighted to have been successful as the contract is extremely important for the business,” she said.
Ieuan Wyn Jones, Minister for the Economy and Transport, said the importance of ensuring small and medium companies were in a position to bid for public sector procurement services was highlighted in the Economic Renewal programme.
“It‘s therefore good news to hear a local company has won this significant contract and is already creating new jobs as a result and I am also pleased to hear they have benefited from the supplier development programme.”
The DVLA nursery is based in a purpose-designed centre that has eco-status and benefits from large landscaped gardens. The nursery is open to both DVLA staff and the public and a play scheme is available for school age children in the holiday periods.
It operates from five sites including the DVLA at Morriston, The Princess of Wales Hospital, Bridgend, Neath Port Talbot Hospital, Glangwili Day Nursery at West Wales General Hospital and a private nursery at Singleton.
Since taking over the nursery chain last year Jocelyn said they have re branded the business, updated the website, designed new staff uniforms and re-tendered for contracts:
“We have had quite an amazing year since taking over the business, our first priority was to review all policies and procedures and staff contracts and staff handbooks.
“It has been incredibly busy, we’ve seen a lot of changes, have achieved a lot but it is a great area to work in. We have a strong management team and ambitious plans to expand.”
The business aims to renew its Investors in People charter later this year and update its e-Quality Counts Assurance Award from the National Day Nursery Association.
