---
title: "Extending the Cost of Food Crime Analysis: Additional Case Studies and Assessing the Impact of NFCU Activity"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-078808"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-078808"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078808.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078808.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Tender"
buyer: "Food Standards Agency"
published: "2026-10-15"
---

# Extending the Cost of Food Crime Analysis: Additional Case Studies and Assessing the Impact of NFCU Activity

Buyer: Food Standards Agency  
Current stage: Tender  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-078808

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## Summary

The Food Standards Agency is seeking research services to extend its analysis of the cost of food crime and assess the impact of the National Food Crime Unit’s (NFCU) activity. The work is intended to develop a robust, evidence-based framework and methodology for ongoing impact assessment and communication. Food crime includes adulteration, substitution, misrepresentation, illegal processing and other forms of fraud affecting food authenticity and integrity. Required outputs are a final research report with a practical ongoing assessment methodology, an updated and expanded methodological framework, and repeatable public-facing impact measures with practical implementation. The research is for the Agency’s UK-wide work; the procurement data identifies the buyer in York but does not set out a separate delivery location.

The buyer invited offers through a below-threshold open competition. The procurement is for one lot. Questions were due by 29 October 2026 at 12:00 UTC, and tenders by 12 November 2026 at 12:00 UTC. The contract is scheduled to run from 1 December 2026 to 31 March 2028, with an option to extend by up to six weeks, to 12 May 2028. The estimated value is £100,000 excluding VAT (£120,000 including VAT). Evaluation gives technical quality 80% and commercial pricing and value for money 20%; technical assessment covers capability, methodology, experience, resources and delivery approach. The contract includes an interim review and a break clause allowing termination at that point.

This opportunity suits research and consultancy providers with experience designing and delivering applied research, survey and data-analysis work, particularly in food crime, food authenticity, fraud or public-sector impact evaluation. Strong bids will need to set out a credible methodology for assessing the NFCU’s effect, demonstrate relevant experience and technical capability, and show that the team has the resources and delivery approach to produce a practical framework and repeatable measures. Suppliers should be able to turn findings into clear public-facing measures that communicate realised impacts, as well as deliver a final report and an expanded methodology. Small and medium-sized businesses and voluntary, community and social enterprises are identified as suitable participants. The single-lot requirement and weighted technical assessment favour teams able to bring together research design, analysis and effective communication.

## Notice

Food crime poses a significant cost to the UK economy, estimated to be between PS410 million and PS1.96 billion per year . Food crime encompasses a broad range of activities, including adulteration, substitution, misrepresentation, illegal processing and other forms of fraud that undermine food authenticity and integrity. The impacts of food crime extend beyond direct economic losses, affecting consumer confidence, public trust in the food system and the reputation of the UK food sector. Tenderers are invited to submit proposals setting out how they would deliver research to develop a robust, evidence-based framework and methodology for assessing and communicating the impact of the NFCU on an ongoing basis. The proposal should provide a detailed description of the proposed methodological approach and include a set of clearly defined deliverables comprising: * A final research report, setting out a practical methodology for the ongoing assessment of NFCU impact; * An updated and expanded methodological framework; and * A suite of repeatable public-facing impact measures with practical implementation enabling communicable realised impacts.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Renewal: The contract will run for an initial period of 16-18 months from 1 December 2026 to 31 March 2028 / May 2028. The Authority may extend the contract by up to 6 weeks if required. In addition, an interim review will be undertaken during the contract term, and the Authority reserves the right to terminate the contract at that point in accordance with the break clause provisions set out in the contract documentation.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097241-2026 |
| 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 | 15 Oct 2026 |
| Submission deadline | 12 Nov 2026 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 1 Dec 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 |
| Postcode area | 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

- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support
- 73 - Research and development services and related consultancy services
- 79 - Business services: law, marketing, consulting, recruitment, printing and security

### Codes

- 72316000 - Data analysis services
- 73110000 - Research services
- 73210000 - Research consultancy services
- 79311000 - Survey services
- 79311300 - Survey analysis services
- 79315000 - Social research services

## Release History

- 15 Oct 2026 at 07:00 - Tender - UK4 - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097241-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/097241-2026
  15th October 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-078808. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-078808.json.