Planning

Veterinary Delivery Partnership

ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Planning

13 May 2026 at 14:53

Planning

13 May 2026 at 14:44

Summary of the contracting process

The Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) is in the planning stage for the reprocurement of its Veterinary Delivery Partnership (VDP), a significant opportunity in the veterinary services industry. This initiative is crucial for maintaining key veterinary services throughout England and Wales, including TB testing and support during animal disease outbreaks. Organisations interested in participating should take note of the key market engagement sessions scheduled via MS Teams, with the presentation on 17th June 2026 and one-on-one sessions on 24th June 2026. The tender process, set to officially commence in Autumn 2026, will lead to contracts that are planned to begin in April 2027 and fully operational by 1st September 2027. The total estimated contract value is £600 million, underscoring the substantial scale and importance of this opportunity.

This tender is ideally suited for companies in veterinary, animal husbandry, agricultural services, and similar sectors that have the capacity to deliver comprehensive services across multiple regions of the United Kingdom. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs), are encouraged to apply, as the procurement method—competitive flexible procedure—supports a broad range of competencies within these sectors. Engaging in this process can enhance business credibility, expand operational capacity across regions, and develop long-term partnerships with a key government body, fostering significant business growth and sector influence.

Find more tenders on our Open Data Platform.
How relevant is this notice?

Notice Title

Veterinary Delivery Partnership

Notice Description

This notice is published to call for interested parties regarding our upcoming Veterinary Delivery Partnership ("VDP") reprocurement to: 1. Attend a market engagement presentation, to be held via MS Teams, on Wednesday 17th June 2026 at 3 pm - 5pm. 2. Attend a 1-on-1 market engagement session, to be held via MS Teams, on Wednesday 24th June 2026. This will be your opportunity to provide feedback regarding the market engagement presentation to our commercial, contract management & veterinary colleagues. Depending on demand, we anticipate allocating a 45 minute slot to each supplier / party. To register your interest in the above, please contact Tom Redfearn (contact information is below). By way of context, and as described in our prior notice: * APHA is anticipating going to market in Autumn 2026 to retender our long standing VDP contracts. * VDP is APHA's primary mechanism for contracting with the veterinary sector in England & Wales to deliver key veterinary services, including routine TB testing of cattle and the provision of veterinary resource to support APHA during animal disease outbreaks. * The length of the contract we tender for will be determined during market engagement. Presently, APHA is open to a range of options. * We are seeking to have new contracts commence in April 2027, with full service commencement on 1 September 2027.

Planning Information

We are calling for interested parties regarding our upcoming Veterinary Delivery Partnership (“VDP”) reprocurement to: 1. Attend a market engagement presentation, to be held via MS Teams, on Wednesday 17th June 2026 at 3 pm – 5pm. 2. Attend a 1-on-1 market engagement session, to be held via MS Teams, on Wednesday 24th June 2026. This will be your opportunity to provide feedback regarding the market engagement presentation to our commercial, contract management & veterinary colleagues. Depending on demand, we anticipate allocating a 45 minute slot to each supplier / party. To register your interest in the above, please contact Tom Redfearn (contact information is below).

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-069810
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/044081-2026
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
Competitive flexible procedure
Tender Suitability
SME, VCSE
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

03 - Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products

75 - Administration, defence and social security services

77 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

85 - Health and social work services


CPV Codes

03000000 - Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products

75130000 - Supporting services for the government

77000000 - Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services

77100000 - Agricultural services

77110000 - Services incidental to agricultural production

77500000 - Animal husbandry services

85200000 - Veterinary services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
£500,000,000 £100M-£1B
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
13 May 2026Yesterday
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
1 Oct 20265 months to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
31 Mar 2027 - 31 Mar 2032 Over 5 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Planned
Lots Status
Planned
Awards Status
Not Specified
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY
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
TLC North East (England), TLD North West (England), TLF East Midlands (England), TLG West Midlands (England), TLH East (England), TLJ South East (England), TLK South West (England), TLL Wales

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

Download

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.

{
    "tag": [
        "compiled"
    ],
    "id": "ocds-h6vhtk-069810-2026-05-13T15:53:41+01:00",
    "date": "2026-05-13T15:53:41+01:00",
    "ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-069810",
    "initiationType": "tender",
    "planning": {
        "documents": [
            {
                "id": "044071-2026",
                "documentType": "plannedProcurementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK1",
                "description": "Pipeline notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/044071-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-05-13T15:44:23+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            },
            {
                "id": "044081-2026",
                "documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
                "noticeType": "UK2",
                "description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
                "url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/044081-2026",
                "datePublished": "2026-05-13T15:53:41+01:00",
                "format": "text/html"
            }
        ],
        "milestones": [
            {
                "id": "engagement",
                "type": "engagement",
                "description": "We are calling for interested parties regarding our upcoming Veterinary Delivery Partnership (\"VDP\") reprocurement to: 1. Attend a market engagement presentation, to be held via MS Teams, on Wednesday 17th June 2026 at 3 pm - 5pm. 2. Attend a 1-on-1 market engagement session, to be held via MS Teams, on Wednesday 24th June 2026. This will be your opportunity to provide feedback regarding the market engagement presentation to our commercial, contract management & veterinary colleagues. Depending on demand, we anticipate allocating a 45 minute slot to each supplier / party. To register your interest in the above, please contact Tom Redfearn (contact information is below).",
                "dueDate": "2026-06-24T23:59:59+01:00",
                "status": "scheduled"
            }
        ]
    },
    "parties": [
        {
            "id": "GB-PPON-PBHC-6261-BLLQ",
            "name": "ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY",
            "identifier": {
                "scheme": "GB-PPON",
                "id": "PBHC-6261-BLLQ"
            },
            "address": {
                "streetAddress": "Seacole Building, 2 Marsham Street",
                "locality": "London",
                "postalCode": "SW1P 4DF",
                "country": "GB",
                "countryName": "United Kingdom",
                "region": "UKI32"
            },
            "contactPoint": {
                "name": "Tom Redfearn",
                "email": "tom.redfearn@defra.gov.uk",
                "telephone": "+44 7920053570"
            },
            "roles": [
                "buyer"
            ],
            "details": {
                "url": "https://defra-family.force.com/s/Welcome",
                "classifications": [
                    {
                        "id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
                        "scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
                        "description": "Public authority - central government"
                    }
                ]
            }
        }
    ],
    "buyer": {
        "id": "GB-PPON-PBHC-6261-BLLQ",
        "name": "ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH AGENCY"
    },
    "tender": {
        "id": "P-36625",
        "legalBasis": {
            "id": "2023/54",
            "scheme": "UKPGA",
            "uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
        },
        "title": "Veterinary Delivery Partnership",
        "description": "This notice is published to call for interested parties regarding our upcoming Veterinary Delivery Partnership (\"VDP\") reprocurement to: 1. Attend a market engagement presentation, to be held via MS Teams, on Wednesday 17th June 2026 at 3 pm - 5pm. 2. Attend a 1-on-1 market engagement session, to be held via MS Teams, on Wednesday 24th June 2026. This will be your opportunity to provide feedback regarding the market engagement presentation to our commercial, contract management & veterinary colleagues. Depending on demand, we anticipate allocating a 45 minute slot to each supplier / party. To register your interest in the above, please contact Tom Redfearn (contact information is below). By way of context, and as described in our prior notice: * APHA is anticipating going to market in Autumn 2026 to retender our long standing VDP contracts. * VDP is APHA's primary mechanism for contracting with the veterinary sector in England & Wales to deliver key veterinary services, including routine TB testing of cattle and the provision of veterinary resource to support APHA during animal disease outbreaks. * The length of the contract we tender for will be determined during market engagement. Presently, APHA is open to a range of options. * We are seeking to have new contracts commence in April 2027, with full service commencement on 1 September 2027.",
        "items": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "additionalClassifications": [
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "85200000",
                        "description": "Veterinary services"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "77500000",
                        "description": "Animal husbandry services"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "03000000",
                        "description": "Agricultural, farming, fishing, forestry and related products"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "75130000",
                        "description": "Supporting services for the government"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "77100000",
                        "description": "Agricultural services"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "77110000",
                        "description": "Services incidental to agricultural production"
                    },
                    {
                        "scheme": "CPV",
                        "id": "77000000",
                        "description": "Agricultural, forestry, horticultural, aquacultural and apicultural services"
                    }
                ],
                "deliveryAddresses": [
                    {
                        "region": "UKC",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKD",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKF",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKG",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKH",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKJ",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKK",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKL",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKC",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKD",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKF",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKG",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKH",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKJ",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKK",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    },
                    {
                        "region": "UKL",
                        "country": "GB",
                        "countryName": "United Kingdom"
                    }
                ],
                "relatedLot": "1"
            }
        ],
        "value": {
            "amountGross": 600000000,
            "amount": 500000000,
            "currency": "GBP"
        },
        "procurementMethodDetails": "Competitive flexible procedure",
        "mainProcurementCategory": "services",
        "aboveThreshold": true,
        "lots": [
            {
                "id": "1",
                "suitability": {
                    "sme": true,
                    "vcse": true
                },
                "contractPeriod": {
                    "startDate": "2027-04-01T00:00:00+01:00",
                    "endDate": "2032-03-31T23:59:59+01:00",
                    "maxExtentDate": "2037-03-31T23:59:59+01:00"
                },
                "hasRenewal": true,
                "status": "planned"
            }
        ],
        "communication": {
            "futureNoticeDate": "2026-10-01T23:59:59+01:00"
        },
        "status": "planned"
    },
    "language": "en"
}