DfE School Food Strategy Market Engagement

Contracts Finder - Open Opportunities

Published March 27th, 2026

Detected March 27th, 2026

Summary

The UK Department for Education is conducting market engagement with existing school catering providers regarding the expansion of Free School Meal eligibility. This engagement is not a procurement opportunity and aims to gather insights into school food delivery before September 2026.

View original document View source feed page

What changed

The Department for Education (DfE) has initiated a market engagement process with current school catering providers. This engagement is part of the DfE's preparation for the planned expansion of Free School Meal eligibility to children in households receiving Universal Credit in September 2026. The process is explicitly stated as not being a call for competition or a procurement opportunity, but rather an effort to gather insights into the delivery of school food and catering services.

Interested catering providers are invited to complete a questionnaire via an online form by 12 PM on May 1, 2026. This engagement is intended to inform the department's strategy and understanding of the market. While the engagement itself does not lead to a contract, it is a precursor to potential future policy or procurement activities related to school meals.

What to do next

Complete the DfE School Catering Suppliers Questionnaire by May 1, 2026, if currently providing school catering services.

Source document (simplified)

Published date: 27 March 2026

Open opportunity - This means that the contract is currently active, and the buying department is looking for potential suppliers to fulfil the contract.

Watch this notice Print this notice Closing: 1 May 2026, 12pm

Contract summary

Industry

School meals - 15894210
School catering services - 55524000

Location of contract

North East, North West, Yorkshire and the Humber, East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London, South East, South West

Value of contract

£0

Procurement reference

tender_497265/1563530

Published date

27 March 2026

Closing date

1 May 2026

Closing time

12pm

Contract start date

4 May 2026

Contract end date

5 May 2027

Contract type

Not applicable

Procedure type

Other: This notice is not a call for competition and will not result in a Contract opportunity

Contract is suitable for SMEs?

Yes

Contract is suitable for VCSEs?

Yes

Description

Department for Education School Food and Catering Market Engagement Process

The Department for Education is seeking market engagement with existing Catering providers of School Catering that already have contracts with School(s). This is a crucial part of the Department's wider efforts to build on existing knowledge and gain further understanding of the school food market ahead of the planned expansion of Free School Meal eligibility to all children in households in receipt of Universal Credit in September 2026.

The Department plans to run a market engagement process over the coming months. This Market Engagement shall NOT result in a procurement opportunity and is solely intended to give Caterers the opportunity to offer valuable insight into how School Food and Catering is delivered.
This market engagement is part of a wider programme of engagement by the Department with schools, Local Authorities and other stakeholders.

If you are a current provider of school catering interested in engaging with the Department, please complete the questionnaire in the online form - link attached.
The closing date for completing the questionnaire is 12PM on Friday 1st May 2026.