NEPO407 - Food Supply

What the buyer is asking for

NEPO is seeking to establish a multi-supplier Framework for the supply and distribution of food and food-related products to participating Contracting Authorities. The Framework will support the delivery of food services across a range of establishments including schools, academies, care settings, civic facilities, leisure sites and other public sector environments. The Framework is structured across multiple Lots covering Multi-Temperature Food Supply, Fresh Produce, Fresh Meat, Milk and Dairy, and Food Concept Solutions. Suppliers will be required to provide reliable, compliant and fully managed supply arrangements, including ordering, delivery, account management, product sourcing and ongoing contract support. Products shall be supplied directly to individual establishments throughout the North East of England in accordance with agreed delivery schedules, service requirements and ordering arrangements. Suppliers shall maintain sufficient capacity, resilience and operational capability to meet fluctuating demand and support continuity of supply throughout the Framework term. The Framework is intended to support the evolving needs of Contracting Authorities. Suppliers will be expected to work collaboratively with NEPO and participating authorities to support changing demand profiles, product innovation, nutritional standards, sustainability objectives and future legislative or regulatory requirements.

How this is scored

Published by the buyer. A winning response is written to these weightings, not to the question.

• 45%qualityQuality
• 50%pricePrice
• 5%qualityESG

11 lots

You can usually bid for one lot without bidding for all of them.

• Multi-Temperature (Ambient and Frozen Products) - Newcastle upon Tyne£32m

  Supply and delivery of a broad range of ambient, chilled where applicable and frozen food and general provision products required by Contracting Authorities in the Newcastle upon Tyne area. Products may include, but are not limited to, dry store goods, canned and packaged goods, frozen food products, grocery items, baking ingredients, condiments, desserts, snacks, beverages and associated catering provisions. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must be capable of providing reliable, temperature-controlled storage, handling and distribution arrangements, ensuring products are delivered safely, in full, and within the agreed delivery windows to Contracting Authority establishments.

• Multi-temperature (Ambient and Frozen Products) - Gateshead, Sunderland & South Tyneside£40m

  Supply and delivery of a broad range of ambient, chilled where applicable and frozen food and general provision products required by Contracting Authorities in Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside areas. Products may include, but are not limited to, dry store goods, canned and packaged goods, frozen food products, grocery items, baking ingredients, condiments, desserts, snacks, beverages and associated catering provisions. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must be capable of providing reliable, temperature-controlled storage, handling and distribution arrangements, ensuring products are delivered safely, in full, and within the agreed delivery windows to Contracting Authority establishments.

• Multi-Temperature (Ambient and Frozen Products) - Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees£35m

  Supply and delivery of a broad range of ambient, chilled where applicable and frozen food and general provision products required by Contracting Authorities in Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees areas. Products may include, but are not limited to, dry store goods, canned and packaged goods, frozen food products, grocery items, baking ingredients, condiments, desserts, snacks, beverages and associated catering provisions. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must be capable of providing reliable, temperature-controlled storage, handling and distribution arrangements, ensuring products are delivered safely, in full, and within the agreed delivery windows to Contracting Authority establishments.

• Multi-Temperature (Ambient and Frozen Products) - North Tyneside & Northumberland£13m

  Supply and delivery of a broad range of ambient, chilled where applicable and frozen food and general provision products required by Contracting Authorities in North Tyneside & Northumberland areas. Products may include, but are not limited to, dry store goods, canned and packaged goods, frozen food products, grocery items, baking ingredients, condiments, desserts, snacks, beverages and associated catering provisions. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must be capable of providing reliable, temperature-controlled storage, handling and distribution arrangements, ensuring products are delivered safely, in full, and within the agreed delivery windows to Contracting Authority establishments.

• Fresh Produce (Fruit, Vegetables and Short Life Products)£32m

  Supply and delivery of fresh fruit, vegetables, prepared produce and other short-life products required by Contracting Authorities across the whole of the North East. Products may include, but are not limited to, whole and prepared fruit and vegetables, salads, herbs, fresh juices and other perishable produce. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must ensure that all produce is fresh, suitably graded, appropriately packaged and delivered with sufficient residual shelf life.

• Fresh Meat (Poultry, Beef and Meat Products)£18m

  Supply and delivery of fresh meat, poultry and associated meat products required by Contracting Authorities across the North East. Products may include, but are not limited to, beef, lamb, pork, poultry, sausages, burgers, minced meat, cooked meats and prepared meat products. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must ensure all products comply with relevant food safety, hygiene, traceability, animal welfare and labelling requirements. Where required, Suppliers must be able to provide products that meet specified provenance, accreditation, halal, higher welfare or other Contracting Authority requirements.

• Nursery Milk - Direct Delivery£6.0m

  Supply and direct delivery of nursery milk required by Contracting Authorities. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must ensure products are stored, transported and delivered in accordance with cold chain requirements and relevant food safety legislation. Products supplied to educational establishments must support applicable school food requirements and, where relevant, government milk scheme requirements.

• Bulk Milk & Kitchen Milk£5.0m

  Supply and delivery of milk and dairy products required by Contracting Authorities via either a nominated 3rd Party, Direct Delivery or an Integrated Solution in the North East of England. Products may include, but are not limited to, whole milk, semi-skimmed milk, skimmed milk, nursery milk, school milk, organic milk and other dairy products. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must ensure products are stored, transported and delivered in accordance with cold chain requirements and relevant food safety legislation. Products supplied to educational establishments must support applicable school food requirements and, where relevant, government milk scheme requirements.

• Organic Milk£1.0m

  Supply and delivery of milk and dairy products required by Contracting Authorities in the Tees Valley. Products may include organic milk and other organic dairy products. Suppliers appointed to this Lot must ensure products are stored, transported and delivered in accordance with cold chain requirements and relevant food safety legislation. Products supplied to educational establishments must support applicable school food requirements and, where relevant, government milk scheme requirements.

• Meal Concepts & Food to Go£18m

  Supply and delivery of concept-based meal solutions and ready-to-eat products that may be used by Contracting Authorities to support catering, hospitality, retail, education or leisure requirements. Solutions, products and services may include, but are not limited to, branded food offers, grab-and-go products, sandwiches, salads, wraps, meal boxes and hot food concepts. Solutions may include food products, packaging, consumables, promotional materials, point of sale support and any other components necessary to deliver the food offer. Due to the diverse nature products and solutions in scope of this Lot, Contracting Authorities will normally define their detailed requirements through a Further Competition Process.

• Exception and Contingent Arrangements

  All awarded Suppliers across the Framework Lots 1 - 4 will be automatically awarded to Lot 6. Suppliers may be utilised to protect supply where a Supplier in another Lot is unable to meet a Contracting Authority's requirement within the awarded category for any reason on a temporary or permanent basis. The purpose of this Lot is to provide resilience, flexibility and contingency arrangements across the Framework.

How contested is this?

Buyers publish how many bids they received. Across 55 comparable procurements we can tell you the typical field size, how often one of these goes uncontested, and whether the buyer awards on price or on quality.

Timeline

4 published dates · Europe/London

1. Tender notice publishedyesterday

   5 Nov 2026, 12:14 GMT
2. Clarification questions byin 24 days

   30 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
3. Submission deadlinein 31 days

   7 Dec 2026, 12:00 GMT
4. Award decision expected byin 157 days

   12 Apr 2027, 23:59 BST

Commercial outcome and contract awards

Nothing awarded yet

Notice history

2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender

1. Pipeline or early engagement notice18 Jun 2026, 12:21 BST057527-2026
2. Tender notice5 Nov 2026, 12:14 GMT105134-2026

Documents

• Tender notice on Find a Tender