Planning

Sustainable Healthy Diets and Pathway to Net Zero: Assessing the Role of Dietary Transitions in UK Food System Decarbonisation

DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

11 Feb 2026 at 14:37

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) is planning a procurement process for a research project titled "Sustainable Healthy Diets and Pathway to Net Zero," focusing on the role of dietary transitions in decarbonising the UK food system. The project is scheduled for the planning stage, with key engagement dates set for 20th February 2026, and a potential formal tender process by the end of February 2026. This procurement falls under the category of Research and Development Consultancy Services and aims to quantify the effects of a sustainable, healthy diet on UK greenhouse gas emissions. Located in London, the initiative seeks expressions of interest from suppliers with expertise in sustainability and complex system modelling. The indicative contract period spans from April 2026 to March 2027, with potential renewal options extending to June 2027.

This tender presents significant business growth opportunities for companies with technical expertise in food systems sustainability, greenhouse gas accounting, and systems modelling. Suppliers with advanced modelling capabilities and the ability to synthesize evidence through government standard approaches are particularly suitable. This procurement project invites consortia and collaborations, encouraging partnerships with academia, research institutes, NGOs, and industry players. Suitable businesses include those experienced in developing systems dynamics models and integrated economic assessments, as well as those capable of addressing supply chain impacts and consumer behavioural changes. By participating, businesses can contribute to shaping policy-driven transitions towards meeting Net Zero goals, thereby fostering innovation and expanding their market presence in this critical sector.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Sustainable Healthy Diets and Pathway to Net Zero: Assessing the Role of Dietary Transitions in UK Food System Decarbonisation

Notice Description

Scope Defra is seeking to commission a research project to quantify how a transition to more sustainable and healthy diets, driven by current consumption trends and potentially enhanced by future demand side policies may influence UK territorial greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the food system in the run up to Net Zero 2050. The study should explore a suite of policy driven and trend driven dietary transition scenarios and assess consequential effects on: * UK agricultural production patterns * Trade flows and import/export exposure * Land use and land use change * Herd sizes and protein production * Energy use and food system infrastructure * Broader system feedbacks (market responses, consumer acceptance, technological shifts) The project is expected to address these issues through robust modelling, integrating economic, system-dynamic, behavioural, and physical modelling where appropriate, and using both attributional and consequential Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) approaches. Required Expertise Suppliers (or consortia) should demonstrate: * Technical expertise in food systems sustainability, greenhouse gas accounting, systems modelling, life cycle assessment. * Advanced modelling capability, including development and/or application of: o Systems dynamics models o Agent-based models o Integrated assessment or economic models o Other complex modelling frameworks appropriate for long term scenario design * Ability to synthesise evidence using government standard approaches, including Quick Scoping Reviews and Rapid Evidence Assessments. * Critical appraisal skills to articulate uncertainties, limitations, methodological trade-offs, and data gaps. Consortia and collaborations with academia, research institutes, NGOs, sectoral bodies, and industry partners are welcomed. Additional Context This project is informed by a growing evidence base demonstrating that demand side dietary change is likely to be essential for meeting the UK's Net Zero goals, as supply side agricultural efficiencies alone are insufficient. However: * Existing UK modelling often uses outdated datasets, * Many studies apply simplified trade assumptions, and * Few explicitly model the pathways from policy - consumer behaviour - production - territorial emissions. This project intends to fill these gaps by developing a credible, future facing modelling framework capable of capturing complex interactions across the food system and assessing the role of different policy packages. Defra has separately commission ADAS to examine the climate implications of market expansion in the UK alternative protein sector (outputs expected May 2026). Alignment between this study and the AP study is encouraged. Procurement Regime Exempted Contract - Schedule 2, Part 2, Paragraph 22 - R&D Services

Planning Information

Defra is seeking expressions of interests from prospective suppliers that may be able to deliver a research project to quantify how a transition to a more sustainable, healthy diet, driven by consumption trends and potentially enhanced by future demand-side policies, will affect UK territorial GHG emissions from the food system in the run-up to Net Zero 2050. We anticipate an Invitation to Tender at the end of February 2026. Indicative timescales for the study are April 2026 – March 2027. Consortium applications, and collaborations with industry and/or commercial partners, are welcomed. Interested suppliers are asked to register their interest by completing the following form: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/e/U70J2Ngnj3 If you have any questions or issues regarding this notice and engagement exercise, please do not hesitate to contact emily.hayes@defra.gov.uk

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-064e0a
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/012475-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

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

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services

CPV Codes

73200000 - Research and development consultancy services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£225,000 £100K-£500K
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
11 Feb 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
27 Feb 20264 days to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
12 Apr 2026 - 31 Mar 2027 6-12 months
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
DEPARTMENT FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOOD AND RURAL AFFAIRS
Contact Name
Defra group Commercial
Contact Email
emily.hayes@defra.gov.uk
Contact Phone
Not specified

Buyer Location

Locality
LONDON
Postcode
SW1P 4DF
Post Town
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

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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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