NEPO has launched its new £240 million Food Supply Framework (NEPO407), creating opportunities for businesses supplying food, fresh produce, meat, dairy products and prepared meal solutions to public sector organisations.
The framework will support schools, academies, care settings, leisure facilities and other public sector establishments, primarily across the North East of England. With separate geographical and product-based lots, it provides opportunities for food distributors, specialist producers and businesses offering managed catering supply solutions.
The tender submission deadline is 12 noon on 7 December 2026. Suppliers considering this opportunity will need to demonstrate reliable distribution arrangements, food safety compliance, supply chain resilience and competitive pricing.
NEPO407 Food Supply Framework overview
The North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) is establishing a multi-supplier framework to support the purchase and distribution of food and food-related products. The new agreement is intended to succeed the existing NEPO407 Food and General Provisions arrangement, providing an updated structure for public sector food supply from August 2027.
The framework is designed to accommodate different food categories and delivery requirements while providing participating authorities with access to dependable suppliers. These suppliers will be expected to manage ordering, distribution, customer relationships and ongoing contract support, alongside maintaining appropriate quality and food safety standards.
Detail | Information |
|---|---|
Contracting authority | North East Procurement Organisation (NEPO) |
Framework reference | NEPO407 |
Estimated value | £200 million excluding VAT / £240 million including VAT |
Framework duration | 1 August 2027 to 31 July 2031 |
Lot structure | Six main lot groups, with geographical and product sub-lots |
Evaluation criteria | 50% price, 45% quality, 5% ESG |
Enquiry deadline | 30 November 2026, 12 noon |
Submission deadline | 7 December 2026, 12 noon |
What does the NEPO407 framework cover?
The procurement is divided into six main lot groups, several of which are further separated by geographical area or product category. This allows suppliers to focus on particular types of food supply or regional distribution arrangements.
Lot 1: Multi-temperature food supply
Lot 1 covers the supply and distribution of ambient and frozen food products, including groceries, packaged goods, baking ingredients, condiments, snacks and other catering provisions. Suppliers will need appropriate storage, stock management and temperature-controlled distribution arrangements.
The lot is divided into four geographical areas:
- Lot 1A: Newcastle upon Tyne
- Lot 1B: Gateshead, Sunderland and South Tyneside
- Lot 1C: Darlington, Durham, Hartlepool, Middlesbrough, Redcar and Cleveland, and Stockton-on-Tees
- Lot 1D: North Tyneside and Northumberland
This regional structure provides an opportunity for distributors with established delivery networks in particular areas. However, suppliers should review the required product ranges and service levels carefully before selecting the sub-lots they wish to pursue.
Lot 2: Fresh produce
Lot 2 covers fresh fruit, vegetables, prepared produce and other short-life products required by public sector customers across the North East.
Suppliers will need to demonstrate appropriate handling, packaging, quality assurance and delivery processes. Particular attention should be paid to maintaining freshness, ensuring sufficient remaining shelf life and reducing product waste through effective stock rotation and distribution.
Lot 3: Fresh meat
Lot 3 includes fresh meat, poultry and associated products, including prepared and processed meat products. The requirements may also involve specialist product standards relating to provenance, accreditation, animal welfare and dietary requirements.
Food safety, traceability and temperature control will be important considerations for suppliers. Businesses should demonstrate how they manage product sourcing and compliance throughout their supply chain, including arrangements for responding to product recalls or supply disruption.
Lot 4: Milk and dairy
Lot 4 covers milk and dairy products, with three separate sub-lots:
- Lot 4A: Nursery milk, direct delivery
- Lot 4B: Bulk milk and kitchen milk
- Lot 4C: Organic milk, focused on the Tees Valley
Suppliers will need to meet the relevant cold-chain, storage and food safety requirements. Where products are supplied to educational establishments, compliance with applicable school food standards and government milk scheme requirements may also be necessary.
Lot 5: Meal concepts and food to go
Lot 5 covers ready-to-eat food products and meal solutions for public sector catering, hospitality, education, leisure and retail environments. Products may include sandwiches, wraps, salads, meal boxes, hot food concepts and associated packaging or promotional materials.
This lot differs from several of the others because NEPO intends to appoint an unlimited number of qualifying suppliers. Individual customer requirements will normally be procured through further competition, allowing providers to compete on specific food concepts and service proposals.
Lot 6: Exception and contingency arrangements
Lot 6 provides resilience and contingency arrangements when a supplier appointed under another lot cannot meet a customer's requirements. It is intended to protect continuity of supply and provide flexibility when circumstances change.
Suppliers appointed to Lots 1 to 4 will automatically be appointed to Lot 6. Call-offs under this lot will be made through further competition, meaning the ability to respond to urgent or alternative supply requirements could create additional opportunities.
How will suppliers be appointed?
NEPO's appointment model varies between lots. In several categories, a primary supplier will be supported by a contingency supplier, providing additional resilience if the primary supplier cannot meet customer requirements.
Lot | Proposed appointment structure |
|---|---|
Lot 1 | One primary and one contingency supplier per geographical sub-lot |
Lot 2 | One primary and one contingency supplier |
Lot 3 | One primary and one contingency supplier |
Lot 4 | One primary and one contingency supplier per sub-lot |
Lot 5 | Unlimited appointments, with further competition for call-offs |
Lot 6 | Automatic appointment for successful suppliers under Lots 1 to 4 |
This model makes lot selection particularly important. Suppliers should consider whether they have the geographical coverage, product range and operational capacity to compete successfully in their selected categories.
For organisations new to public sector frameworks, Thornton & Lowe's framework tendering resources explain how these agreements operate and why winning a framework place is only one stage of securing public sector work.
What are the evaluation criteria?
The framework will be awarded through an open procedure, with tenders evaluated against three published criteria:
Evaluation criterion | Weighting |
|---|---|
Price | 50% |
Quality | 45% |
Environmental, social and governance (ESG) | 5% |
Price carries half of the overall evaluation, making commercial competitiveness important. However, the combined quality and ESG weighting means suppliers must also demonstrate reliable operations, appropriate compliance arrangements and the ability to support the framework's wider objectives.
The detailed questions and pricing schedules may differ by lot, so businesses should review the specific requirements for the categories they intend to bid for.
What should food suppliers focus on in their bids?
Food safety and traceability
Food safety compliance is fundamental to this procurement. Suppliers should prepare evidence of their food safety management systems, temperature monitoring, stock rotation procedures, allergen controls and product traceability arrangements, where applicable to their proposed lot.
The submission should explain how these systems operate in practice, including how problems are identified, escalated and resolved. Relevant audits, certifications and performance records may help establish confidence in the supplier's ability to maintain the required standards.
Reliable delivery and supply chain resilience
Public sector food supply requires dependable deliveries to establishments with different operational demands. Schools, care settings and other customers may have restricted delivery windows, varying order volumes and specific product requirements.
Bidders should demonstrate how they manage vehicle availability, distribution routes, supplier relationships, stock levels and contingency arrangements. Measurable evidence of on-time delivery performance, order accuracy and issue resolution will be more persuasive than general assurances about service reliability.
Pricing and commercial sustainability
Commercial responses should reflect the cost of serving each selected lot, including product sourcing, storage, transport, fulfilment and account management. Suppliers should also account for NEPO's contract rebate arrangements, which permit a rebate of up to 3% of relevant invoiced value.
The notice provides for a price validation exercise before the framework starts, with evidence of material market movements to be submitted by 31 May 2027. Suppliers should review those provisions carefully while preparing a competitive but sustainable pricing schedule.
Environmental performance and ESG
ESG contributes 5% of the evaluation, giving suppliers an opportunity to demonstrate relevant environmental and social practices. These could include reducing food waste, improving packaging efficiency, minimising distribution emissions, supporting responsible sourcing and developing local employment opportunities.
Any commitments should be proportionate to the service and supported by measurable delivery arrangements. Thornton & Lowe's social value guide explores how businesses can develop realistic commitments and demonstrate their delivery after contract award.
Relevant contract evidence
Suppliers should select case studies that reflect the size, geographical coverage and product requirements of their target lots. Examples from schools, public sector catering, hospitality or comparable multi-site supply contracts may be particularly useful.
Strong examples should demonstrate how the organisation maintained product quality, met demanding delivery schedules and responded to operational challenges. Our bid writing guide provides further advice on developing evidence-led answers that respond directly to evaluation criteria.
How to apply for NEPO407
Suppliers must register and submit their tenders through NEPO's Open eTendering platform. Applications cannot be submitted by email or post, so organisations should allow sufficient time to register, access the documentation and complete all required schedules.
The key deadlines are:
- 30 November 2026, 12 noon: Deadline for clarification enquiries
- 7 December 2026, 12 noon: Tender submission deadline
The procurement documents and submission instructions can be accessed through:
Suppliers should confirm the lot requirements, appointment arrangements, pricing schedules and applicable framework terms before submitting their responses.
Preparing a competitive NEPO407 submission
The NEPO407 Food Supply Framework offers opportunities for a range of businesses, from established regional distributors to specialist food producers and meal solution providers. However, the limited number of primary appointments in several lots means that suppliers will need to demonstrate a clear and competitive service proposition.
Thornton & Lowe supports businesses with framework applications, technical responses, evidence development and tender reviews. Our bid writing team can help food suppliers structure their submissions, address evaluation criteria and communicate the strengths of their delivery model.
