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Project to Improve School Food Procurement Practices

DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS

This public procurement record has 4 releases in its history.

Planning

23 Oct 2026 at 13:48

UK1 - Pipeline Notice
PlanningUpdate

20 Aug 2025 at 16:25

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
PlanningUpdate

31 Jul 2025 at 10:28

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Planning

31 Jul 2025 at 09:40

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) plans to commission a project to improve food procurement and catering practices in schools in England. The contractor will design and deliver support that helps schools set stronger food specifications and choose caterers able to improve food quality and sustainability without increasing costs. The project is intended to reduce food waste, support healthier eating and engage pupils with the food system. It will also develop a framework to monitor and report progress, establish evaluation baselines where needed, and produce evidence to inform future education and public sector food procurement work. The service is relevant to suppliers working in school catering, food procurement improvement, sustainability, nutrition, evaluation or public-sector programme delivery. The work is for schools across England.

This is at the planning stage: Defra has stated an intention to procure, but has not issued an invitation to tender. It expects to use an open procedure and planned publication of the next notice on 28 October 2026. The anticipated contract is due to run from 11 January 2027 to 31 March 2028, with a possible extension to 31 March 2029. Defra has provisionally allocated £2 million excluding VAT (£2.4 million including VAT) for 15 months. The procurement is planned as one lot. Defra previously sought market interest, with an expression-of-interest deadline of 22 August 2025. The project is intended to support the government’s ambition for half of public sector food to be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards.

The work could suit small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community or social enterprises, which Defra identifies as suitable suppliers. It is aimed at organisations able to combine practical school food procurement expertise with programme design and delivery, monitoring and reporting, evaluation, and evidence generation. Experience helping schools or public bodies strengthen specifications and select catering suppliers would be relevant, particularly where this can improve nutrition, sustainability and food quality while controlling costs. Defra has not prescribed a delivery model: the appointed contractor is expected to use professional judgement, consider innovative approaches and agree a detailed delivery plan with Defra after appointment. Suppliers that can demonstrate a credible approach to measuring progress and producing insights for wider education and public-sector food policy are likely to be well placed. No specific accreditation or qualification requirement is stated in the current plans.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Project to Improve School Food Procurement Practices

Notice Description

Background The Government seeks to improve public sector food procurement (PSFP). Subject to legal constraints, it aims for half of all public sector food to be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. The new National Procurement Policy Statement, published in February 2025, sets expectations for government contracts to favour products meeting higher environmental standards. This project supports these ambitions by improving school food procurement practices which will lead to enhanced food quality and sustainability, reduced food waste and primary and secondary pupils being better engaged with the food system. Schools account for approximately half of public sector food and catering expenditure and are therefore central to delivery of PSFP ambitions. This is particularly important given childhood obesity and persistent health inequalities. In England, about one in three children leave primary school overweight or obese; those in the most deprived areas face more than twice the risk of those in the least deprived; and lower-income children consume substantially less fruit, vegetables, oily fish and fibre. As packed lunches rarely meet the School Food Standards (SFS), school meals can improve nutrition, establish healthier food habits and support long-term wellbeing. Because most schools use external caterers, they need stronger procurement capability to set robust specifications and appoint suppliers able to deliver these outcomes without driving up costs. The project also supports the Government's Good Food Cycle and the Plan for Change by promoting healthier, more affordable food and a sustainable, resilient supply chain. Defra has provisionally allocated PS2 million RDEL over 15 months, based on comparable initiatives such as Food for Life Served Here. Aims The successful contractor will: * design and deliver a project that improves school food procurement practices; * establish a robust framework to monitor and report progress, including evaluation baselines where required; and * generate evidence and insights to inform future education and PSFP activity. Defra has not prescribed the delivery approach. The contractor is expected to apply professional judgement, identify effective options and consider innovation. Following appointment, the contractor will agree a detailed delivery plan with Defra.

Planning Information

Defra is seeking expressions of interests in delivering a project to support schools in England improve their food procurement standards and catering practices. Interested suppliers are asked to register their interest by completing the following form: https://forms.office.com/e/m89KSDYv9x This should be completed and submitted no later than 17:00 on the 22/08/2025. If you have any questions or issues with the form, please email emily.hayes@defra.gov.uk.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-0569c3
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/100509-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK1 - Pipeline Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

CPV Codes

55524000 - School catering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£2,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
23 Oct 20264 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
28 Oct 20261 day to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
11 Jan 2027 - 31 Mar 2028 1-2 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD & RURAL AFFAIRS
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 4DF
Postcode Area
South West London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI3 Inner London - West
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI35 Westminster and City of London
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Westminster
Electoral Ward
St James's
Westminster Constituency
Cities of London and Westminster

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.

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