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Effectiveness of interventions taken by UK slaughterhouses and meat cutting plants in response to unsatisfactory process hygiene criteria (PHC) results

Food Standards Agency · Central government

In brief

Food Standards Agency has announced plans to buy research and marketing work. This is an early notice: there is nothing to bid on yet, but it tells you a tender may follow.

The estimated value is £100,000 excluding VAT.

The contract runs for 18 months, up to 19 months with extensions, starting 1 September 2026.

The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.

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

Can I win this?

Key dates

Questions by
midday, Tuesday 23 June 2026
Bids by
midday, Tuesday 7 July 2026

Competition

Usually low: a median of 1 bid per contract for this buyer (from 14 awards in the last 12 months).

What the notice says

Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 on the microbiological criteria of foodstuffs sets rules for sampling frequencies for process hygiene criteria (PHC) in slaughterhouses and cutting plants. The regulation grants sampling exemptions for small meat processing establishments; however, it is poorly understood how these exemption may affect risk to consumers. The FSA therefore is proposing to commission a project to assess the effectiveness of corrective actions typically taken by meat processing establishments following unsatisfactory PHC findings. This knowledge will be used to inform the risk to consumers from PHC sampling exemptions for small meat processing establishments, and support the FSA in…Read the full description
Regulation (EC) 2073/2005 on the microbiological criteria of foodstuffs sets rules for sampling frequencies for process hygiene criteria (PHC) in slaughterhouses and cutting plants. The regulation grants sampling exemptions for small meat processing establishments; however, it is poorly understood how these exemption may affect risk to consumers. The FSA therefore is proposing to commission a project to assess the effectiveness of corrective actions typically taken by meat processing establishments following unsatisfactory PHC findings. This knowledge will be used to inform the risk to consumers from PHC sampling exemptions for small meat processing establishments, and support the FSA in improving regulatory compliance. This project will consist of two phases: 1) semi-structured qualitative interviews of slaughterhouse and cutting plant stakeholders to determine which actions are taken by meat processing establishments in response to unsatisfactory PHC results; followed by 2) a critical literature review of the effectiveness of interventions identified in Phase 1 in correcting unsatisfactory PHC results. The final output of the project will be a technical report consisting of findings from Phases 1 and 2, for publication with the FSA. Tenderers should have expertise designing and conducting qualitative questionnaires and interviews, and experience conducting critical literature reviews. Experience of slaughterhouse and meat cutting plant hygiene processes and microbiological process hygiene criteria is highly desirable.

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.
  4. Send clarification questions before midday, Tuesday 23 June 2026.
  5. Make sure your bid arrives before midday, Tuesday 7 July 2026. Late bids are usually rejected.

Timeline

  1. Planned procurement notice · UK3, notice 041855-2026

About the buyer

Food Standards AgencyLast 12 months

Procurements

61

Awards

46

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From notice 041855-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 7 May 2026. We last checked for changes on 28 September 2026.