---
title: "Effectiveness of interventions taken by UK slaughterhouses and cutting plants in response to unsatisfactory process hygiene criteria (PHC) results"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY"
published: "2026-05-18"
---

# Effectiveness of interventions taken by UK slaughterhouses and cutting plants in response to unsatisfactory process hygiene criteria (PHC) results

Buyer: FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3

[View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3)  
[Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3.json)

## Summary

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is initiating an open procurement process for a study on the "Effectiveness of interventions taken by UK slaughterhouses and cutting plants in response to unsatisfactory process hygiene criteria (PHC) results". This project, situated in the United Kingdom specifically covering England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, falls under the services category of research and development, with additional implications in social and market research services. The tender stage is currently active with an end date for submissions set for 29th June 2026. Interested parties must submit proposals through the health-family single e-Commercial System by this deadline. The tender process is open and below threshold with no geographical restrictions, inviting wide participation.

This tender represents a strategic opportunity for businesses specialising in research and consultancy within the food safety and compliance sectors. Small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and voluntary, community, and social enterprises (VCSEs) are particularly encouraged to apply, as the project explicitly mentions suitability for these types of organisations. The budget for the project ranges up to £120,000 GBP gross, offering significant potential revenue for successful bidders. The project's requirement for capturing qualitative and quantitative data, as well as conducting critical reviews, makes it appealing to research firms with expertise in food safety, process improvement, and regulatory compliance. Businesses can leverage this opportunity to establish or reinforce their presence within the public sector by contributing to improving health standards and consumer safety. The contract, with its structured phases and potential for renewal, provides a stable engagement over an 18-month term with an option for a 6-month extension.

## Notice

FSA would like to commission a study to assess the effectiveness of interventions typically carried out by red meat and poultry slaughterhouses and cutting/processing plants within England, Wales and Northern Ireland following unsatisfactory PHC findings. The evidence generated will be used to inform strategic risk assessments on the relative risk to consumers of meat from Size 5 slaughterhouses and cutting plants that processes equal or less than 2 metric tonnes of meat per week which are currently exempt from sampling, when compared to those slaughterhouses and cutting plants which do currently sample, and support the FSA in improving regulatory compliance. In addition, the published results of this survey may be used by FBOs to support decision-making on interventions following unsatisfactory PHC findings. The objective of the microbiological food safety research themes is to provide robust information on the presence, growth, survival and elimination of pathogenic microorganisms throughout the food chain; the extent, distribution, causes, risks and cost of foodborne disease will also be considered where appropriate. Phase 1. Design and carry out interviews of slaughterhouse and cutting plant stakeholders to determine which interventions are carried out by meat processing establishments in response to unsatisfactory PHC results. Phase 2. A critical literature review of the effectiveness of interventions identified in Phase 1 in correcting unsatisfactory PHC results. The final output of the project will be a technical report consisting of anonymised findings from the survey of slaughterhouse and cutting plant stakeholders (Phase 1) and the critical review of efficacy for each identified intervention (Phase 2).

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: 18 months, with a break clause at conclusion of Phase 1. (September 2026 to March 2028). This project will consist of two phases. Progression to Phase 2 will not be automatic and will be subject to review and approval of Phase 1 outputs, and confirmation that Phase 2 remains within scope. It is expected that both Phase 1 and Phase 2 will be completed within 18 months. The Contract will contain an optional 6-month extension.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045184-2026 |
| Notice type | UK4 - Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Below threshold - open competition |
| Tender suitability | SME, VCSE |
| Awardee scale | Not specified |
| All stages | Tender |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 18 May 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 29 Jun 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 31 Aug 2026 - 31 Mar 2028 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £100,000 |
| Lots value | £100,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Active |
| Lots status | Active |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | FOOD STANDARDS AGENCY |
| Locality | YORK |
| Post town | York |
| Postcode | YO1 7PR |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLE Yorkshire and The Humber |
| ITL 2 | TLE2 North Yorkshire |
| ITL 3 | TLE21 York |
| Local authority | York |
| Electoral ward | Guildhall |
| Westminster constituency | York Central |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 73000000 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79310000 - Market research services
- 79315000 - Social research services

## Release History

- 18 May 2026 at 07:19 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045184-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/045184-2026
  18th May 2026 - Tender notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- https://health-family.force.com/s/Welcome
- https://www.food.gov.uk/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-069aa3.json.