Project to Improve School Food Procurement Practices

What the buyer is asking for

The Government seeks to improve public sector food procurement (PSFP). Subject to legal constraints, it aims for half of all public sector food to be locally produced or certified to higher environmental standards. The new National Procurement Policy Statement, published in February 2025, sets expectations for government contracts to favour products meeting higher environmental standards. This project supports these ambitions by improving school food procurement practices which will lead to enhanced food quality and sustainability, reduced food waste and primary and secondary pupils being better engaged with the food system. Schools account for approximately half of public sector food and catering expenditure and are therefore central to delivery of PSFP ambitions. This is particularly important given childhood obesity and persistent health inequalities. In England, about one in three children leave primary school overweight or obese;

How this is scored

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

• 60%qualityTechnicalE01 - Outline of Business – Pass/Fail E02 - Organisational Experience, Capability and Resources – 15% E03 Understanding Project Objectives – 15% E04 Approach to delivery – 40% E05 Project Team – 15% E06 Project Management – 15%
• 10%qualitySustainability and Social ValueSV01- 100
• 30%priceCommericalTotal Cost

What you must already have

Conditions of participation. These are pass or fail, so check them before writing anything.

• economic

  Part One: Procurement Specific Requirements Part Two: Procurement Specific Requirements#

How contested is this?

Buyers publish how many bids they received. Across 34 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 published9 days ago

   28 Oct 2026, 14:10 GMT
2. Clarification questions byin 10 days

   16 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
3. Submission deadlinein 19 days

   25 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
4. Award decision expected byin 45 days

   21 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT

Commercial outcome and contract awards

Nothing awarded yet

Notice history

2 events · 2 releases on Find a Tender

1. Pipeline or early engagement notice23 Oct 2026, 13:48 BST100509-2026
2. Tender notice28 Oct 2026, 14:10 GMT102127-2026

Documents

• Tender notice on Find a Tender