Official UK procurement notice
Provision of Foods and Beverages: Ambient, Chilled, and Frozen
Authority: Norse Commercial Services Limited (Public body)·Consortium: 4 public authorities
What is being bought2 lots · detail below
Published requirement descriptionNorse Commercial Services are completing a procurement process for the supply of ambient, chilled, and frozen foods and beverages across the East of England, the South East, and the South West regions for Norse catering establishments, which includes education, non-education, the workplace, corporate, hospitality, leisure, and healthcare - the majority of Norse catering establishments within the education sector.
The Contract is planned to commence 15th February 2027.
CPV: Food, beverages, tobacco and related products
Lots and requirements (2)Procurement structure
2 lots · all with a published value (£20,000,000 together) · same evaluation weights on every lotLot #1OPTION 1 = 5 LOTS / OPTION 2 = 3 LOTS / OPTION 3 = 2 LOTSRenewalPublished value£20,000,000
AS DETAILED BELOW AND WITHIN THE TENDER DOCUMENTATION;
OPTION ONE:
LOT ONE - East of England - Ambient, chilled, and frozen
LOT TWO - East of England - Fresh Meat
LOT THREE - South West - Ambient, chilled, and frozen
LOT FOUR - South West - Fresh Meat
LOT FIVE - South East - Ambient, chilled, and frozen
OPTION TWO:
LOT ONE - East of England - Ambient, chilled, and frozen (including fresh meat)
LOT TWO - South West - Ambient, chilled, and frozen (including fresh meat)
LOT THREE - South East - Ambient, chilled, and frozen
OPTION THREE:
LOT ONE - East of England and South West - Ambient, chilled, and frozen (including fresh meat)
LOT TWO - South East - Ambient, chilled, and frozen
- Economic & financial standing
- CreditSafe score of 40 or above
- Insurance levels as below;
a. Employer’s (Compulsory) Liability Insurance* = £10,000,000
b. Public Liability Insurance = £10,000,000
c. Product Liability Insurance = £10,000,000
- Technical & professional ability
FULL MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR THIS CONTRACT ARE DETAILED WITHIN THE ITT INFORMATION PACK AND RELEVANT APPENDICES.
CONDITIONS OF PARTICIPATION FOR THIS CONTRACT INCLUDE THE BELOW;
- Third party certification in respect of food safety and/or for the storage and distribution of food. For example, BRC Global Standard for Food Safety/Storage & Distribution, STS Public Sector Code of Practice/Code of Practice for Small & Regional Suppliers, Safe and Local Supplier Approval (SALSA), or equivalent.
- HACCP based formal, documented quality system specifically in respect of food safety and the storage and distribution of food.
- Norse Catering in the East of England and the South West require all delivery personnel of the Successful Supplier(s) in relation to this Contract to have an enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check completed or if enhanced DBS checks are not currently completed for delivery personnel, should your Tender Submission be successful, enhanced DBS checks will be completed ahead of the Contract Commencement Date.
Lot #2PLEASE REFER TO DETAIL ABOVE (LOT NO. 1) ON VARIOUS OPTIONS AND LOT STRUCTURERenewalPublished value£0
PLEASE REFER TO DETAIL ABOVE (LOT 1) ON VARIOUS OPTIONS AND LOT STRUCTURE
FULL DETAIL STATED WITHIN TENDER DOCUMENTATION
- Economic & financial standing
PLEASE REFER TO DETAIL ABOVE (LOT 1) ON VARIOUS OPTIONS AND LOT STRUCTURE
- Technical & professional ability
PLEASE REFER TO DETAIL ABOVE (LOT 1) ON VARIOUS OPTIONS AND LOT STRUCTURE
What it takes to wini
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Evaluation split and conditions of participation as published; the tender pack may add morei
How this buyer will score bids.
The evaluation criteria and weights exactly as published on the notice, grouped by family (price, quality, social value and so on).
Published sub-criteria (3)
- SERVICE DELIVERY: 30%
- PRICING SCHEDULE AND ON-COST: 60%
- SOCIAL VALUE: 10%
Published award criteria (3)
- SOCIAL VALUE: MSQ
- SERVICE DELIVERY: MSQs
- PRICING SCHEDULE AND ON-COST: COST
No conditions of participation were published on the notice; check the tender documents.
- Price carries 60 of 100 points: a 10% discount moves about 6 points. This one is won on the number: sharpen the price before polishing the prose.
- Turnover usually expected: about £19,972,641 per lot (twice each lot's annual value).
Price arithmetic assumes straight proportional scoring; the tender pack may use another formula. Turnover is an indicative market norm (≈2× annual value), not a published condition.
Competition analysis · published record, not a forecast of who will bid
How Norse Commercial Services Ltd buys Food, drink, tobacco (CPV 15), and who usually turns up
Norse Commercial Services Ltd’s own published record, next to the published market for the same work. Frameworks and DPS are kept out: they attract a different number of bids. Whole-market view: Food, drink, tobacco (CPV 15) →
How the contest usually goes
Winner shares use published awards; bid and price charts use contested lots.
i
How often small and medium firms win.
Share of awards where the winner’s size is known.
The counts under this question show how many awards have a known supplier size.
Small firms have won here. Neither number says whether you qualify; it describes who has been winning.
i
How often local firms win similar work.
Winners with a registered address in the delivery region, out of awards with a known address.
A local branch does not count if the registered address is elsewhere.
Most of this buyer’s recorded winners are registered outside the delivery region.
i
How long buyers here take to decide after bids close.
Middle value in days from the deadline to the first award notice, on competitions that published both dates.
Only decided tenders count, so slow ones still waiting are not in.
Half of these awards were announced within 21 days of the bid deadline.
i
How often work is awarded with no recorded rival.
Direct awards and tenders where every published lot count shows one bid.
The buyer’s share is a minimum: some awards have no bid count.
Thin markets produce this too; it is not proof of a tailored specification.
Missing bid counts may hide more single-bid awards. This share is a minimum.
How many bids did past lots attract?
i
How many bids past lots received.
Each colour is a bid-count range. Only competed lots with a published count are included.
Past bids do not predict this tender.
1 bid21%
2–326%
4–645%
7+8%
How did awards compare with estimates?
i
Where winning prices landed against estimates.
Each colour shows awards below, close to or above the published estimate, one lot at a time.
Past prices are a guide, not a bid price.
Below estimate53%
Within ±2%31%
Above estimate16%
Assess each lot i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
i
What past awards tell you about each lot.
See the forecast, this buyer’s earlier suppliers and firms with relevant wins.
No supplier is confirmed as a bidder.
Open a lot for its forecast, this buyer’s previous supplier and possible competitors, from published award history, not a bid list
Lot #1OPTION 1 = 5 LOTS / OPTION 2 = 3 LOTS / OPTION 3 = 2 LOTSCPV 15000000Published estimate£20m
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid19%
2–354%
4–624%
7+3%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
Based on 8 comparable awards. Each lot reflects its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Middle 50%£20m
Estimate£20m
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barsby Produce Worked for this buyer | Fresh Produce 2023 - East of Englandnotice published Sept 2023 | — | — | Similar wording and category |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
BFS GROUP LIMITEDLarge | £879m19 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 6 live · £40m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=3 |
Turner Price LimitedLarge | £105m12 awards in 36m · last 8 months ago | 1 live · £176k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | no comparable pairs |
| £17m5 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 1 live · £12m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=1 | |
| £1.3m22 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 12 live · £2.5bn iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=6 | |
BrakesLarge | £3.4m2 awards in 36m · last 13 months ago | 1 live · £3.1m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=8 |
Lot #2PLEASE REFER TO DETAIL ABOVE (LOT NO. 1) ON VARIOUS OPTIONS AND LOT STRUCTURECPV 15000000No real estimate
i
How many bids this lot may attract.
The forecast uses similar past competitions. The bar shows either that forecast or past bid counts; the line below says which.
Each lot shows its own forecast based on its own category; forecasts for different lots of the same notice are not comparative.
A forecast, not a list of bidders.
1 bid16%
2–345%
4–634%
7+4%
i
Where the award price may land.
The forecast uses similar awards and the buyer’s estimate. The band covers the middle half of likely prices.
No comparable awards for this lot yet.
A statistical guide from past awards, not a price to bid.
Who has supplied this buyer on similar work? i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
i
Who has done similar work for this buyer.
Past contracts are matched by buyer, title and type of work.
A past supplier may not bid again.
| Supplier | This buyer’s earlier contract | Lot | Award value | Why listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barsby Produce Worked for this buyer | Fresh Produce 2023 - East of Englandnotice published Sept 2023 | — | — | Similar wording and category |
| MJ Baker FoodserviceWorked for this buyer | Fresh Produce 2024 - South Westnotice published Aug 2024 | — | — | Similar wording and category |
Who could compete for this lot? i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
i
Who could compete for this lot?
Firms with relevant past wins. On a framework, we show firms on that agreement.
None is confirmed as a bidder.
| Supplier | Won in this category | Live contracts | Award vs estimate |
|---|---|---|---|
BFS GROUP LIMITEDLarge | £879m19 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 6 live · £40m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=3 |
Turner Price LimitedLarge | £105m12 awards in 36m · last 8 months ago | 1 live · £176k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | no comparable pairs |
BidfoodLarge | £16m11 awards in 36m · last 7 months ago | 1 live · £168k iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | 3% below n=14 |
| £17m5 awards in 36m · last 4 months ago | 1 live · £12m iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=1 | |
| £1.3m22 awards in 36m · last 1 months ago | 12 live · £2.5bn iPublic contracts this supplier still holds. Its awards whose published end date is still in the future, with their values. Many contracts publish no end date, so this is a floor, not the whole book. Unexpired says nothing about spare capacity. | at estimate n=6 |
About this data
- Source. Official UK public procurement notices (Find a Tender), reused under the Open Government Licence v3.0. New notices arrive through the day; the figures are rebuilt nightly.
- Two views, kept apart. The authority’s own track record and the wider market for the same kind of work sit side by side and are never mixed. Where the local picture is too thin, a figure widens to a broader market and says which one it used.
- Forecasts are labelled. The price forecast and its range, possible competitors and the earlier-work matches are our estimates from past awards: not published facts, not win chances and not price advice. Official notices do not say who is bidding.
- Every figure shows what it rests on. Not every notice publishes a bid count, a value or a delivery region, so each figure carries the number of records behind it, and one built on few records is marked as such. The on a figure explains it; the counting rules are in the methodology. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.
Procedure terms & legal framework
From the official record- Procedure method
- Open procedure
- Legal basis
- UKPGA · 2023/54 Procurement Act 2023
- Procurement category
- Goods
- Notice status
- Open for tender
- Procurement threshold
- Above threshold (FTS publication)
- Regulatory regime
- Standard
- Commercial structure
- Stand-alone contract (no framework)
- Competition type
- Competitive procedure
- GPA / WTO covered
- Yes (GPA, CPTPP)
- Recurring procurement
- Unspecified in notice
- First published
- 23 Jun 2026, 16:51 BST
- Last source update
- 15 Oct 2026, 09:03 BST
- Award evaluation window
- Submission end – 11 Dec 2026
- Authority reference
NGRP0144- FTS notice number
2026/S 000-096039- Latest notice
- Tender notice (UK4)
- Classification (CPV)
- Delivery area
- Official registry OCID
ocds-h6vhtk-06bb82Find a Tender- Contract terms summary
Please refer to the ITT Pack
- Risks
Please refer to ITT Pack
How to participate & submission route
Official notice Submit via Delta eSourcing- Requests to participate (first stage)
- —
- Tender submission deadline
- 12 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Clarification deadline
- 26 Oct 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission channel
- Official e-sourcing portal
- Electronic submission
- Allowed
- Accepted languages
- en
Timeline
23 Jun 2026 → 15 Feb 2027 · 8 dates- Planning notice published119 days ago23 Jun 2026, 16:51 BST
- Next notice expected11 days ago9 Oct 2026, 23:59 BST
- Tender notice published8 days ago12 Oct 2026, 12:37 BST
- Latest notice published5 days ago15 Oct 2026, 09:03 BST
- Today20 Oct 2026
- Clarification questions byin 6 days26 Oct 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Submission deadlinein 23 days12 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT
- Award decision expected byin 52 days11 Dec 2026, 23:59 GMT
- Contract startsin 117 days15 Feb 2027
Notice history
13 events · 7 releases on Find a Tender · since 23 Jun 2026- Pipeline notice published23 Jun 2026, 16:51 BSTUK1
- Planned procurement notice published7 Aug 2026, 14:04 BSTUK3
- Deadline published: 1 Oct 2026, 11:00 BST7 Aug 2026, 14:04 BST
- Planned procurement notice published26 Aug 2026, 14:59 BSTUK3
- Deadline moved to 14 Oct 2026, 11:00 BST26 Aug 2026, 14:59 BST+13 days · was 1 Oct 2026, 11:00 BST
- Planned procurement notice published16 Sept 2026, 11:42 BSTUK3
- Deadline moved to 27 Oct 2026, 11:00 GMT16 Sept 2026, 11:42 BST+13 days · was 14 Oct 2026, 11:00 BST
- Planned procurement notice published6 Oct 2026, 16:25 BSTUK3
- Deadline moved to 18 Nov 2026, 11:00 GMT6 Oct 2026, 16:25 BST+22 days · was 27 Oct 2026, 11:00 GMT
- Tender notice published12 Oct 2026, 12:37 BSTUK4
- Status changed to active12 Oct 2026, 12:37 BST
- Deadline moved to 12 Nov 2026, 12:00 GMT12 Oct 2026, 12:37 BST-6 days · was 18 Nov 2026, 11:00 GMT
- Tender notice published15 Oct 2026, 09:03 BSTUK4
Published amendments (3)
****Release date for the Tender Notice and associated tender documentation is now estimated to be released circa W/C 7th September 2026****
****Release date for the Tender Notice and associated tender documentation is now estimated to be released circa W/C 28th September 2026****
The Contract Commencement Date amended to 15th February 2027 The Tender is estimated to be released circa 9th October 2026
Routine re-releases (7)
- 2026-09: 1 release · 16 Sept 2026
- 2026-08: 2 releases · 7 Aug 2026, 26 Aug 2026
- 2026-06: 1 release · 23 Jun 2026
Commercial outcome & contract awards
Nothing awarded yet- Awards (0)
- No award published
- Contracts (0)
- No contract published
- Bid statistics
- No aggregate bid statistics published
Contracting authority & participating public bodies
4 public bodies on the noticeConsortium members and other public bodies
- Medway Norse LimitedContracting authorityPublic undertaking
- Norse Eastern LimitedContracting authorityPublic undertaking
- Norse South West LimitedContracting authorityPublic undertaking
Official documents & specifications (8)
Official links; attachments are not copiedTender pack and attachments
Notices published for this procedure
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Tender notice Tender notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Planned procurement notice Planned procurement notice on Find a Tender
- Pipeline notice Pipeline notice on Find a Tender