NEPO407 - Food Supply
The Association of North East Councils Limited · Local or regional public body
In brief
The Association of North East Councils Limited is looking for suppliers for food and drink work (North East, North West).
It is a framework worth up to £200,000,000 excluding VAT: the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers, not one contract.
The contract runs for 4 years, starting 1 August 2027.
It is split into 11 lots, so a supplier can bid for part of the work.
The buyer says it is suitable for small and medium-sized businesses.
Bids close at midday, Monday 7 December 2026.
Built from the notice's own fields. Always check the official notice before you bid.
Can I win this?
Key dates
- Questions by
- midday, Monday 30 November 2026
- Bids by
- midday, Monday 7 December 2026
How bids are scored
Quality 45% · Price 50% · ESG 5%
A balance of quality and price.
Competition
Typical: a median of 3 bids per contract for this buyer (from 33 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 £200,000,000 is the most the buyer expects to spend across all suppliers over the framework's life, not one contract.
Conditions
- Suppliers pay a fee of 3% of the value of work won through this framework.
What the notice says
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…Read the full description
Should I bid?
Tick what applies to you. Nothing is saved.
How to bid
- Read the full notice on Find a Tender, including any tender documents it links to.
- 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.
- Follow the submission instructions in the notice; it does not name an e-tendering portal.
- Send clarification questions before midday, Monday 30 November 2026.
- Make sure your bid arrives before midday, Monday 7 December 2026. Late bids are usually rejected.
Lots
| Lot | Trade | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-Temperature (Ambient and Frozen Products) - Newcastle upon Tyne 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £32,000,000 |
| Multi-temperature (Ambient and Frozen Products) - Gateshead, Sunderland & South Tyneside 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £40,000,000 |
| Multi-Temperature (Ambient and Frozen Products) - Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, Stockton-on-Tees 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £35,000,000 |
| Multi-Temperature (Ambient and Frozen Products) - North Tyneside & Northumberland 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £13,000,000 |
| Fresh Produce (Fruit, Vegetables and Short Life Products) 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £32,000,000 |
| Fresh Meat (Poultry, Beef and Meat Products) 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £18,000,000 |
| Nursery Milk - Direct Delivery 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £6,000,000 |
| Bulk Milk & Kitchen Milk 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £5,000,000 |
| Organic Milk 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £1,000,000 |
| Meal Concepts & Food to Go 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversSupply 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. | Food and drink supplies | £18,000,000 |
| Exception and Contingent Arrangements 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 What this lot coversAll 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. | Food and drink supplies | — |
Timeline
- Preliminary market engagement notice · UK2, notice 057527-2026
- Tender notice · UK4, notice 105134-2026
About the buyer
Procurements
35Awards
10Suppliers it has used most for food and drink
- Constellia Public Ltd2 contracts
Similar open tenders
All open food and drink tenders- £88.4mestimated
From notice 057527-2026 on Find a Tender, first published 18 June 2026, last updated 5 November 2026. We last checked for changes on 5 November 2026.