The new contract is for a further 17 years and nine months (with a ten year benchmarking clause) and is worth £730m over the initial ten year period.
Sodexo has held the Living Accommodation Services contract since it began in 2006 and its 1,450-strong team is responsible for feeding over one third of the British Army. Sodexo has developed food services which are modern, flexible and tailored to the unique needs of military personnel whilst reflecting the latest trends from the high street.
Project Allenby/Connaught is one of the largest infrastructure Private Finance Initiatives (PFIs) ever let by the MOD. Since 2006, the 35-year contract has been improving living and working environments for British soldiers through provision of modern, high-quality, fully-serviced and purpose-built accommodation in Aldershot and across Salisbury Plain.
Paul Anstey, chief executive of Government at Sodexo UK & Ireland, said: “ADS has been resolute in its commitment to the welfare of those living and working on the different sites and we are proud to have collaborated with them throughout to ensure that the services we deliver support the health, safety and wellbeing of all.”
Sodexo’s operations increased significantly in 2020 following a major infrastructure programme to accommodate around 4,000 personnel relocating to garrisons across Salisbury Plain as part of the joint Army and DIO Army Basing Programme (ABP).
Its contract includes the provision of Living Accommodation Services for:
- 11,000 en-suite single living accommodation rooms
- 43 officer, warrant officer and sergeants’ messes
- 14 junior ranks diners, including seven super diners, each feeding up to 2,000 military and civilian personnel
- 15 Costcutter convenience stores, 16 coffee shops, two workplace diners, five pubs and three mobile catering units
Mark Baker, chief operating officer for Defence at Sodexo UK & Ireland, added: “We have an exciting programme of facilities improvements to support an even better lived experience for the military and will see the garrisons within Project Allenby/Connaught more widely recognised as centres of excellence for service delivery in defence.”