Planning

Ask AI about this notice

Summarise, research or assess it with AI

View Markdown

Share this notice

Send this contract to a colleague

Pre-Market Engagement Exercise relating to Food and Drink Programme 2027-2029

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council

This public procurement record has 1 release in its history.

Planning

01 Sep 2026 at 16:27

UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Summary of the contracting process

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is preparing a Food and Drink Programme, procuring catering services from a supplier. The programme is intended to support the council’s food and drink activities through a service contract, with the potential scale and scope described as significant. Work will be delivered in the Lisburn and Castlereagh area of Northern Ireland. This is a service procurement rather than a goods supply or construction project. The relevant classification is CPV 55520000, catering services. Suppliers should therefore be involved in catering, food service or related food and drink programme delivery, and able to provide a service across the council’s area rather than a single one-off product.

This procurement is at the planning stage: the council has declared its intention to procure but has not yet invited tenders. It expects to use a dynamic purchasing system for one lot. The planned contract period is from 1 May 2027 to 31 March 2028, with renewal possible up to 31 March 2030. The procurement is above the applicable threshold. Before launching the procurement, the council is running a pre-market engagement exercise to test supplier interest. Interested businesses are expected to submit a questionnaire through the eTendersNI portal by 22 September 2026. This is an engagement exercise, not a tender deadline; the future competition will be initiated separately after the council has completed its preparation.

The process is likely to suit catering companies, food-service operators and other suppliers with the operational capacity to deliver a substantial food and drink programme for a public-sector customer. Relevant preparation includes demonstrating experience of planning and delivering catering or wider food and drink services, managing service delivery across the Lisburn and Castlereagh area, and responding to the requirements of a dynamic purchasing system. The council is specifically seeking to understand how much market interest exists before finalising the procurement, so suppliers can use the engagement stage to explain their capability, delivery model and likely interest in participating later. Businesses that can support a multi-year programme and adapt to the council’s eventual specification should monitor the next procurement stage.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

Pre-Market Engagement Exercise relating to Food and Drink Programme 2027-2029

Notice Description

Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council (LCCC) is currently preparing to initiate a procurement process to establish a contract with a Supplier for a Food and Drink Programme 2027 - 2029 The potential scale and scope of this service is such that it offers a significant opportunity to bidders. Prior to initiating the procurement, LCCC wishes to establish the level of market interest in participating in the procurement process through a Pre-Market Engagement (PME) exercise.

Planning Information

Questionnaire to be submitted via the eTendersNI portal

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-06efea
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/082829-2026
Current Stage
Planning
All Stages
Planning

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
Procurement Type
Dynamic
Procurement Category
Services
Procurement Method
Not Specified
Procurement Method Details
Not specified
Tender Suitability
Not specified
Awardee Scale
Not specified

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

55 - Hotel, restaurant and retail trade services

CPV Codes

55520000 - Catering services

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
Not specified
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
1 Sep 2026Today
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
22 Sep 20263 weeks to go
Award Date
Not specified
Contract Period
1 May 2027 - 31 Mar 2028 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
Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
LISBURN
Postcode
BT27 4RL
Postcode Area
Northern Ireland
Country
Northern Ireland
Major Region (ITL 1)
TLN Northern Ireland
Basic Region (ITL 2)
TLN0 Northern Ireland
Small Region (ITL 3)
TLN0E Lisburn and Castlereagh
Delivery Location
TLN0E Lisburn and Castlereagh
Local Authority
Lisburn and Castlereagh
Electoral Ward
Hillhall
Westminster Constituency
Lagan Valley

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

View full OCDS Record for this contracting process

JSON Markdown

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.

Loading OCDS record...