Soft Grounds Maintenance for 11 Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Schools

The City Council is procuring a Contractor to undertake soft grounds maintenance service to the following PFI schools:

- Stocksfield Avenue Primary School - Thomas Bewick School - Kenton Academy - Walbottle Campus - Walkergate Primary School - Canning Street Primary School - West Jesmond Primary School - Gosforth Junior Academy - St Mary's Academy - Walker Riverside Academy - Sir Charles Parsons School • For the purposes of this contract the soft grounds maintenance service includes the following:

- Maintenance of all grassed areas within the school site, including general amenity areas; - Maintenance of all pitches, formal sports areas and outfields; - Markings, both temporary and permanent, for sports and games on grassed surfaces as detailed on the drawings for each school. These are to be changed between summer and winter markings within timescales specified by each school; - Maintenance of all trees, perennial plants and shrubs, including young, semi mature and mature trees; - Maintenance of all hedges; - Maintenance of any horticultural features, e.g., wildlife gardens, kitchen gardens, sensory gardens, allotments, wild flowers, heather gardens, herb gardens, habitat areas, - Maintenance of all ponds; - Reporting of: emergency works; sightings of Japanese Knotweed; Giant Hogweed; and animal pests.

The Contract period is 24 months plus 2 x 12 month options to extend subject to performance.