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Milk and Milk Products

the Education Authority

This public procurement record has 3 releases in its history.

Award

16 Jun 2026 at 15:46

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Tender

27 Apr 2026 at 16:19

UK4 - Tender Notice
Planning

17 Dec 2025 at 14:02

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Education Authority in Belfast has recently awarded contracts for the supply and delivery of milk and milk products, following an open procurement procedure. This initiative falls under the industry category of goods, specifically dairy products, with a total estimated contract value of £21,000,000. Three suppliers, Dale Farm Limited, Drayne's Dairy Limited, and Grove Dairy Ltd, have been appointed after a competitive tender process that involved pre-market engagement and tendering stages. The contract, commencing on 1st July 2026, will run for four years with possible extensions up to two additional years. The procurement covers the Northern Ireland region and aligns with local devolved regulations, offering flexibility for educational establishments under the EA’s scope to participate at any time during the contract’s lifespan. Key dates include the provision of assessment summaries sent on 16th June 2026 and a standstill period ending on 25th June 2026, prior to the contract's operational start date.

This contract offers substantial growth opportunities for businesses involved in the dairy supply chain, particularly those located in Northern Ireland. With a significant budget allocated for high-demand dairy products including milk and cream, businesses specializing in dairy production and supply can expand their market presence by catering to numerous educational institutions across the region. The open procurement method ensures a fair opportunity for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) to compete, allowing them to leverage their local insights and capabilities in product supply and distribution. Companies with a robust framework in managing food safety and supply logistics, such as Grove Dairy Ltd and Drayne's Dairy Limited, who tendered successfully, are well-positioned to capitalize on this opportunity, effectively contributing to their business growth and market expansion.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Milk and Milk Products

Notice Description

Supply and Delivery of Milk and Milk Products. The initial period will be for 4 years from the Start Date (anticipated to be July 2026) with options to extend for any additional period(s) of up to and including 24 months. This Contract is established by the Education Authority and is open to the EA, including NI educational bodies as follows, who at some point, during the life of the Contract may wish to utilise the agreement and should have access at any point, with the permission of EA. This Contract is not intended to replace any current agreements that participating or nonparticipating institutions may already have in place. Department of Education - Schools Plus https://www.educationni.gov.uk/services/schoolsplus Primary and Post Primary schools under the control of the EA, Catholic Maintained Schools Independent Schools in NI, Irish Medium Schools in NI, both Controlled and Voluntary Grammar Schools, Nursery School for NI (both controlled, and Catholic Maintained), Schoolmeals kitchens on-site at all of these schools, and Controlled Youth Centres. Further Education Colleges in NI : https://www.nidirect.gov.uk/contacts/furthereducationfecolleges NICIE - https://nicie.org Grant Controlled Integrated Education Schools in NI Independent Schools in NI https://www.isc.co.uk/schools/northern-ireland/ EA Teachers' and Educational Centres Council for the Curriculum, Examination and Assessment NI (CCEA) Armagh Observatory and Planetarium Middletown Centre for Autism Controlled Schools Support Council (CSSC) Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE) Pre-Schools and Nurseries included within the EA Pre-School Education Programme (PSEP) The value detailed under each contract is estimated. There is no commitment as to the usage, volume or value of products required under this contract. The EA reserves the right to reallocate any values between all contracts/suppliers where required throughout the period of the Contract, within the limit of the overall awarded Contract value (PS21,000,000).

Lot Information

Lot 1

Options: The right to additional purchases while the contract is valid. Additional items may be added to the Contract throughout the Term with the agreement of both the Buyer and the Supplier.

Renewal: options to extend for any additional period(s) of up to and including 24 months

Planning Information

PRE-MARKET ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (PME) for Milk and Milk Products for the Education Authority. Interested suppliers are asked to complete and return the questionnaire.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-05f7f7
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/056761-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Planning, Tender, Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Open
Procurement Method Details
Open procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Large, SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

15 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

CPV Codes

15500000 - Dairy products

15510000 - Milk and cream

15511000 - Milk

15511100 - Pasteurised milk

15511300 - Skimmed milk

15511400 - Semi-skimmed milk

15511500 - Full-cream milk

15512000 - Cream

15550000 - Assorted dairy products

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£21,000,000 £10M-£100M
Lots Value
£21,000,000 £10M-£100M
Awards Value
£7,000,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
16 Jun 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
26 May 2026Expired
Future Notice Date
14 Jan 2026Expired
Award Date
16 Jun 20262 months ago
Contract Period
1 Jul 2026 - 30 Jun 2030 4-5 years
Recurrence
2032-03-01

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
the Education Authority
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BELFAST
Postcode
BT1 2NQ
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN06 Belfast
Delivery Location
Not specified
Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Duncairn
Westminster Constituency
Belfast North

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
3
Supplier Names

DALE FARM LIMITED

DRAYNE'S DAIRY LIMITED

GROVE DAIRY LTD

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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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