Planning

Pre Market Engagement for the Supply and Delivery of Sandwiches and Associated Products with Hospitality products for locations throughout Northern Ireland

THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

04 Feb 2026 at 15:39

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Education Authority of Northern Ireland is currently in the planning stage of a procurement process titled "Pre Market Engagement for the Supply and Delivery of Sandwiches and Associated Products with Hospitality products for locations throughout Northern Ireland." This initiative, under industry category goods, focuses specifically on sandwiches and related hospitality products. The procurement process is governed by Northern Irish devolved regulations and is part of the education sector's central government activities. Interested suppliers are invited to participate in a pre-market engagement questionnaire, which must be submitted by 16 February 2026. The project timeframe extends from July 2026 to June 2028, with potential for renewal up to June 2032.

This procurement presents a valuable opportunity for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) specialising in food supply and distribution to expand their business operations across Northern Ireland. As the Education Authority seeks to establish a cost-effective contract for the specified products, businesses with expertise in manufacturing or distributing prepared and packaged food items, particularly sandwiches, are well-suited to engage in this exercise. Participation can foster strategic insights and establish potential partnerships for future procurement processes within the public sector.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Pre Market Engagement for the Supply and Delivery of Sandwiches and Associated Products with Hospitality products for locations throughout Northern Ireland

Notice Description

This is not a tender exercise by the Education Authority. The Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI) wishes to engage with the market to seek their views on establishing a robust, value for money contract for the provision of Sandwiches and Associated Products with Hospitality Items to schools and EA locations in Northern Ireland. Any information gathered through this market consultation exercise will inform internal business planning and any possible subsequent procurement process and will NOT be appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise. Please note that participation or nonparticipation in this preliminary market consultation exercise shall not prevent any supplier from participating in any potential procurement process, nor is it intended that any information supplied shall place any supplier at an advantage or disadvantage in any forthcoming procurement process. For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase of the project and is not part of a formal procurement process. Suppliers who wish to participate in the market engagement exercise should complete the pre-market engagement questionnaire. Further information including the questionnaire can be downloaded from the documents question of the CfT on eTendersNI. The Questionnaire must be completed and PME Document signed and returned via the messaging function of the CfT on eTendersNI by no later than 3pm on Monday, 16 February 2026 (deadline) in accordance with the instructions detailed in the PME Questionnaire document.

Planning Information

PRE-MARKET ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (PME) for the Supply and Delivery of Sandwiches and Associated Products with Hospitality products for locations throughout Northern Ireland. Interested suppliers are asked to complete and return the questionnaire.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-064740
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/010107-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

15 - Food, beverages, tobacco and related products

CPV Codes

15811510 - Sandwiches

15811511 - Prepared sandwiches

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£7,500,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
4 Feb 20265 days ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
16 Mar 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Jun 2026 - 30 Jun 2028 2-3 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planning
Lots Status
Planning
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
THE EDUCATION AUTHORITY
Contact Name
Not specified
Contact Email
catering.procure@eani.org.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
BELFAST
Postcode
BT1 2NQ
Post Town
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

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

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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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