--- title: "PRE-MARKET ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (PME) for CAT-26-002 Sustainable Catering Disposables and Packaging" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-0781fa" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0781fa" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0781fa.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0781fa.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Education Authority NI" published: "2026-10-06" --- # PRE-MARKET ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (PME) for CAT-26-002 Sustainable Catering Disposables and Packaging Buyer: Education Authority NI Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-0781fa [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-0781fa) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0781fa.json) ## Summary The Education Authority (Northern Ireland) is exploring a contract for sustainable catering disposables and packaging products, including disposable catering supplies. The products are intended for catering operations; the Authority is seeking market views to help shape a robust, value-for-money arrangement and inform its internal planning. This is a single-lot requirement for goods, with the Authority as buyer. The process relates to Northern Ireland, and the buyer is based in Belfast. The proposed scope centres on sustainable disposable catering and packaging products rather than catering services or works. Suppliers of relevant products, including manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors, may find the planned requirement relevant and can contribute views during the scoping exercise. This is at the planning stage: the Education Authority is conducting preliminary market engagement, not inviting tenders. Suppliers wishing to take part are asked to complete and return the signed questionnaire through eTendersNI by 21 October 2026 at 3pm. The buyer expects a subsequent notice on 11 January 2027. The estimated value is £6 million excluding VAT (£7.2 million including VAT). The planned contract period is 1 June 2027 to 31 May 2029, with possible extension to 31 May 2031. The requirement is one lot. Market responses will inform planning and any later procurement; they will not be assessed in a future tender evaluation, and participation or non-participation is not intended to affect suppliers’ position in a future competition. The requirement is marked as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises and voluntary, community and social enterprises, so suppliers of different sizes and types may have a route into the eventual competition. It is most relevant to businesses able to supply sustainable catering disposables and packaging products at scale and to support a value-for-money contract for the Education Authority. The market questionnaire offers suppliers a chance to inform the buyer’s understanding of the market and help shape its planning before a formal procurement is considered. This stage does not award work or provide a tender opportunity. Product manufacturers, wholesalers and distributors with a relevant sustainable range are well placed to contribute practical insight on supply, product options and the market, then monitor for a subsequent procurement. No specific accreditation or technical qualification is indicated in the planning information. ## Notice This is not a tender exercise by the Education Authority. The Education Authority Northern Ireland (EANI) wishes to engage with the market to seek their views on establishing a robust, value for money contract for the provision of sustainable catering disposables and packaging products . Any information gathered through this market consultation exercise will inform internal business planning and any possible subsequent procurement process and will NOT be appraised in any future tender evaluation exercise. Please note that participation or non-participation in this preliminary market consultation exercise shall not prevent any supplier from participating in any potential procurement process, nor is it intended that any information supplied shall place any supplier at an advantage or disadvantage in any forthcoming procurement process. For the avoidance of doubt, this is the scoping phase of the project and is not part of a formal procurement process. Suppliers who wish to participate in the market engagement exercise should complete the pre-market engagement questionnaire. Further information including the questionnaire can be downloaded from CfT documents. The Questionnaire must be completed and PME Document signed and returned via the Messaging function of eTendersNI by no later than 3pm on Wednesday 21 October 2026 (deadline) in accordance with the instructions detailed in the PME Questionnaire document. There are no formal tender documents to be completed other than the questionnaire. ### Planning Information PRE-MARKET ENGAGEMENT QUESTIONNAIRE (PME) for Sustainable Catering Disposables and Packaging products for the Education Authority. Interested suppliers are asked to complete and return the questionnaire. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094409-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | Procurement category | Goods | | Procurement method | Not Specified | | Procurement method details | Not specified | | Tender suitability | SME, VCSE | | Awardee scale | Not specified | | All stages | Planning | ## Dates | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication date | 6 Oct 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 11 Jan 2027 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 1 Jun 2027 - 31 May 2029 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £6,000,000 | | Lots value | Not specified | | Awards value | Not specified | | Contracts value | Not specified | ## Status | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender status | Planning | | Lots status | Planning | | Awards status | Not specified | | Contracts status | Not specified | ## Buyer | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Main buyer | Education Authority NI | | Locality | BELFAST | | Postcode area | Northern Ireland | | Postcode | BT1 2NQ | | Country | Northern Ireland | | ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland | | ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland | | ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast | | Local authority | Belfast | | Electoral ward | Duncairn | | Westminster constituency | Belfast North | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 39 - Furniture (incl. office furniture), furnishings, domestic appliances (excl. lighting) and cleaning products ### Codes - 39222000 - Catering supplies - 39222100 - Disposable catering supplies ## Release History - 6 Oct 2026 at 16:08 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094409-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/094409-2026 6th October 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - 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-0781fa. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-0781fa.json.