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 2 releases in its history.

Planning

23 Feb 2026 at 12:16

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
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) has initiated a tender process as they plan to commission a research project titled "Sustainable Healthy Diets and Pathway to Net Zero: Assessing the Role of Dietary Transitions in UK Food System Decarbonisation". This project is categorized under research and development consultancy services and focuses on the UK region, offering services expected to commence in April 2026 and conclude by March 2027. The procurement stage is currently in the planning phase, with engagement milestones scheduled for completion by 20th March 2026. Interested parties are invited to submit bids through detailed guidance provided at Defra's online portal. The project's approach involves modelling complex interactions within the food system to aid policy development towards Net Zero 2050. Defra encourages consortium and collaborative applications, potentially including academia, research institutes, NGOs, and other industry partners.

This tender represents a significant opportunity for businesses specialising in food systems sustainability, greenhouse gas accounting, and advanced systems modelling. Companies with expertise in developing complex modelling frameworks and conducting rapid evidence assessments may find this project to be a lucrative prospect. Innovative collaborations, particularly those involving academia or sectoral bodies, are likely to be well-positioned to contribute valuable insights and methodologies to the study. The project aligns with broader initiatives within the UK to meet Net Zero emissions targets, allowing businesses the chance to participate in influential policy-shaping activities and potentially secure a substantial contract valued at £225,000. This is an excellent opportunity for SMEs and VCSEs to demonstrate their capabilities, engage with governmental procurement processes, and expand their market presence in the sustainability 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.

Planning Information

Notice Purpose Call for Competition: The tender is now live and interested parties are invited to submit bids. To obtain further information, including all documentation, please follow these steps: 1. Locate the opportunity using https://atamis-9529.my.salesforce-sites.com/?searchtype=Projects 2. Click to view documents to view the full Bidders Pack, including the Specification of Requirements 3. To submit a bid, click register your interest and log in or create a supplier account Procurement Regime Exempted Contract - Schedule 2, Part 2, Paragraph 22 - R&D Services. No notices will follow this UK2 Call for Competition.

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/016028-2026
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
23 Feb 20262 months ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
20 Mar 2026Expired
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
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
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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