Planning

Meals on Wheels

TOWER HAMLETS

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

06 Mar 2026 at 12:30

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

The London Borough of Tower Hamlets is planning a procurement process for the provision of a 'Meals on Wheels' service, aiming to deliver daily nutritious meals to residents addressing food insecurity and social isolation. This service falls under the catering and welfare services industry categories, with a focus on high-quality delivery within Tower Hamlets and neighbouring boroughs. The procurement process is currently in the planning stage, with the preliminary market engagement notice issued on 6th March 2026. Interested providers are encouraged to submit their responses by 27th March 2026, as part of the engagement exercise. The tender is set for a three-year contract starting on 31st August 2026. Further details and questions are accessible via the Proactis Procurement Portal, with the next notice anticipated on 15th April 2026.

This tender represents a significant business opportunity for food suppliers with expertise in catering services and welfare delivery, particularly those capable of meeting strict nutritional standards and providing diverse menu options. Small to medium enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) with the capacity to sustain reliable meal delivery services would be well-suited to compete. The contract value is estimated at £3,600,000, offering a lucrative opportunity for growth in a sector critical to community welfare and support. Suppliers with logistical capabilities and a strong local presence should leverage this opportunity to expand their operations within the borough.

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Notice Information

Notice Title

Meals on Wheels

Notice Description

This service will provide a selected group of residents with daily, nutritious hot meals delivered straight to their homes, primarily to address food insecurity and, secondarily, to ease social isolation. Therefore, the London Borough of Tower Hamlets is seeking a food supplier with a proven track record, within the borough or direct neighbouring boroughs, with the logistical capacity to sustain a reliable, high-quality delivery service. All meals must meet rigorous nutritional standards and accommodate a wide range of dietary and cultural requirements, while offering residents daily choice and flexibility in meal selection. This is for a 3 year contract.

Planning Information

The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement Notice is to provide advance notice to the marketplace for the upcoming tender opportunity. The intention of the London Borough of Tower Hamlets is to engage with potential providers to help the Council understand the current market and to help develop a robust and attractive tender and to identify interested providers to ensure the submission of strong bids. Providers wishing to participate in this market engagement exercise should register their interest free of charge via the Proactis Procurement Portal www.londontenders.org (Project Reference No. DN804600) where the Market Engagement Brief containing further details, along with the questions, will be available. Suppliers should submit their responses to the questions via the Proactis message function no later than 5pm on Friday 27th March 2026.

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06640e
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/020345-2026
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

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

85 - Health and social work services

CPV Codes

55520000 - Catering services

85312400 - Welfare services not delivered through residential institutions

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£3,000,000 £1M-£10M
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
6 Mar 20261 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
15 Apr 20262 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
30 Aug 2026 - 30 Aug 2029 3-4 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
TOWER HAMLETS
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
E1 1BJ
Post Town
East London
Country
England
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLI London
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLI4 Inner London - East
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLI42 Tower Hamlets
Delivery Location
TLI4 Inner London - East
Local Authority
Tower Hamlets
Electoral Ward
Whitechapel
Westminster Constituency
Bethnal Green and Stepney

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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