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Buying Better Foods 2

Crown Commercial Service · Central government

In brief

Crown Commercial Service has announced plans to buy food and drink and catering work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.

It is a framework worth up to £800,000,000 excluding VAT: the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers, not one contract.

The contract runs for 2 years, up to 4 years with extensions, starting 30 April 2027.

Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.

Can I win this?

Competition

Usually high: a median of 22.5 bids per contract for this buyer (from 130 awards in the last 12 months).

Framework

Winning puts you on a list of suppliers the buyer can call on; it does not guarantee work. The £800,000,000 is the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers over the framework's life, not one contract.

What the notice says

This will be a replacement agreement to follow RM6279 Buying Better Food and Drink framework, which expires on 22/01/2028. Of the £4.9bn, total Public Sector food spend, the Government Commercial Agency (GCA) has a market share <0.3%. The procurement is planned as a single supplier framework (as per the current RM6279 agreement), where the opportunity for SMEs is a key benefit of the operational model, as buyers and the Tier 1 supplier can add SMEs to the supply chain for direct delivery supplies to customers at any time, via the Buyer Unique Line terms. The framework is designed to reduce barriers for SMEs to access public sector contracts to supply food and drink. The framework will be suitable for all Public Sector buyers including central government organisations, devolved administrations and wider public sector organisations in the United Kingdom.

How to bid

  1. Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
  2. Register your organisation on the Central Digital Platform (through Find a Tender) if you have not already. Suppliers need to be registered to take part in procurements under the Procurement Act 2023.
  3. Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.

Timeline

  1. Pipeline notice · UK1, notice 045042-2026

About the buyer

Procurements

70

Awards

31

Suppliers it has used most for food and drink

  1. S/WP - Food to Go

    Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation TrustNorth WestFood and drink supplies

    Open9 days leftLow competition3 lotsSuitable for SMEs

    £3.39mestimated
  2. Office Supplies (Stationery and Beverages)

    Great Places Housing GroupNorth West, Yorkshire and the HumberFood and drink supplies, Office supplies and equipment

    Open12 days leftSuitable for SMEs

    £221kestimated
  3. The Provision of Supply & Distribution of Various Foods for Adult Care Homes and Day Centres,

    Westmorland and Furness CouncilNorth WestFood and drink supplies

    Open22 days leftSuitable for SMEsFramework

    £2.24mframework ceiling
  4. Supply of Food Service- (Multiple Lots)

    Anchor Hanover GroupNorth East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South WestFood and drink supplies

    Open59 days left3 lotsSuitable for SMEs

    £88.4mestimated

From notice 045042-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 15 May 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.