Sodexo awarded new five-year deal at MOD sites in Cyprus

​The Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO), part of the Ministry of Defence (MOD), has chosen to retain Sodexo’s Government business for the new soft facilities management services, supporting 10,000 Armed Forces personnel and their families based at six UK military bases across the island of Cyprus.

The contract, which has been awarded for an initial five years with an option for it to be extended for a further two following a competitive tender process, covers the MOD’s entire estate within the Sovereign Base Areas on the island.

The new contract, which provides catering, retail and leisure services, will see Sodexo transform four large leisure facilities on the island to improve the lived experience and service delivery for civilians, military personnel and their families, living and working on the six bases – RAF Akrotiri, Episkopi Garrison, Dhekelia Garrison, Ayios Nikolaos Station, Troodos Station, and Nicosia.

The leisure facilities will be redesigned and updated to create family friendly social spaces serving food and drink under Sodexo’s new ‘Chelona’ concept which includes a diverse food and drink offering with regular organised unique events.

The new facilities will also see Costa Coffee introduced in addition to vending machines by local coffee brand Clock Coffee. Other food services delivered within the contract include the inflight catering for military flights to and from the island, function and event hospitality as well as up to 2,000 school meals a week during term time.

A retail investment programme will include the modernisation of the retail environment and the introduction of new technology including e-commerce capability to enable click and collect/delivery and self-service tills with a total investment of nearly €2M from Sodexo. The Forces Store supermarket concept will be improved to include ranges from a variety of UK stores such as Co-op, Greggs and TGI Friday. Subway franchise outlets will be introduced at three of the bases.

Military dining will be delivered at six restaurants under Sodexo’s Junior Ranks Dining offer, as well as the provision of catering at 11 messes.

Soft FM services covered by the contract include cleaning and housekeeping, helpdesk, tailoring, laundry, accommodation booking, stores and logistics as well as waste management.

As with all public sector contracts social value is embedded in the contract and as a purpose-led business Sodexo will ensure that through its services it will deliver €12.3 million in social value every year. Sodexo employs around 750 people on the island with the vast majority recruited from the local communities, it also partners with local charities such as SSAFA, suppliers such as Clock Coffee and supports local schools with environmental projects.

Mark Baker, Chief Operating Officer, Defence, Sodexo UK & Ireland said: “We are very proud of our long-standing relationship with the DIO and British Forces Cyprus. We have enjoyed a highly successful partnership for over 20 years, and we look forward to this new opportunity to enhance the lived experience of serving & civil service personnel, families and contractors on the island with exciting new developments planned for the services which our hard-working teams deliver every day.”

Sodexo has delivered services on the island since 2003 when it held a small contract supporting the United Nations in Nicosia. In 2007, Sodexo was awarded the Cyprus Multi-Activity Contract for the Sovereign Base Areas (SBA’s) through a first-generation outsource programme and retained this contract in 2014.