Published
Food and You 2: Waves 13-16
Notice number: ocds-h6vhtk-06d93f
KEY INFORMATION
- Submission deadline
- • Sep 25, 2026
- Location
- 🇬🇧 United Kingdom
- Contracting authority
- Food Standards Agency
- Accepted Languages
- English
- Tender type
- Services
- Contract Value
- Published date
- Jul 31, 2026
TENDER DESCRIPTION
This tender seeks an experienced research agency to deliver Waves 13-16 of the official statistic "Food and You 2" annual survey, covering the period 2026-2031 with an option for a two-month extension and annual break clauses. The comprehensive scope of work includes project management, questionnaire development (including piloting and cognitive testing), fieldwork across England, Wales, Northern Ireland, and potentially Scotland, data processing, dataset production, and the creation of final outputs and reports. Key technical requirements mandate the use of a secure online survey platform, compliance with NCSC Cloud Security Principles, UK Government Service Standards (Section 9 - Security), Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.1 Level AA, and the Welsh Language Act 1993, alongside Cyber Essentials Plus (CE+) and ISO 27001 certifications. Suppliers must also detail their weighting methodology and adhere to UK Government frameworks for any AI use, while meeting financial standing requirements of net assets greater than £0 and a group exposure ratio below a specified percentage.
TENDER BRIEF
The contract timeline is as follows:
The agreement covers Waves 13 to 16 over the period 2026-2031, with an option to extend for a further 2 months and an annual break clause. The contract period is defined as the term from the earlier of the Start Date or the Effective Date until the End Date. The Buyer has the option to extend the Contract for a period of up to 2 months by giving written notice to the Supplier prior to the Expiry Date.
Key milestones in the estimated project timetable include:
- Invitation to Tender (ITT) issued by the Agency: 31st July 2026
- ITT Clarification period opens: 31st July 2026
- ITT Clarification period closes: 28th August 2026 at noon
- Closing date for submission of ITT responses: 25th September 2026 at noon
- Evaluation of ITT responses: Week commencing (W/C) 28th September – W/C 12th October 2026
- Appraisal panel meeting held to consider clarified ITT responses: W/C 12th October 2026
- Tenderers notified of outcome of appraisal and preferred Tenderer identified: W/C 19th October 2026
- Standstill (8 working days): W/C 26th October 2026
- Contract awarded and signed: Start of November 2026
- Project initiation meeting takes place and project commences: As soon as possible following contract award
Sources
- 1Mid-Tier Schedule 02 Specification.pdf — “If the prices are fixed, we will calculate the overall contract value based on the per-wave costs multiplied by the expected number of waves over the four-year period. If inflation applies, please provide details of the…”
- 2Document 2 – Specification F&Y2 Waves 13-16.docx — “should clearly state whether VAT will be charged. Payments will be made against key milestones, and a 20% retention will be held against delivery of the final outputs for each survey wave. Please clarify whether the cost…”
- 3Mid-Tier Schedule 01 Definitions.pdf — “Award Form; the term of this Contract from the earlier of the: "Contract Period" (a) Start Date; or (b) the Effective Date, until the End Date; "Contract Value" the higher of the actual or expected total Charges paid or…”
- 4Document 5 – Draft Mid-Tier Contract Award Form.docx — “the end of each Contract Year by giving the Supplier not less than three (3) months' written notice. For the purposes of this clause, each Contract Year shall run from 1 January to 31 December. If such notice is not give…”
The core scope of work and statement of work summary for this tender involves the delivery of the full specification across all stages of the project. Key deliverables and areas of responsibility include:
- Project Management: This encompasses initial start-up meetings, maintaining a project timetable, providing weekly project updates (including fieldwork progress reports), managing regular meetings, and ensuring objectives and deliverables are met on time and within budget.
- Questionnaire Development: This stage involves reviewing and assisting the FSA in designing and finalizing survey questions and materials for each wave. It includes survey design and development, review/development of materials like invite letters, survey piloting, usability testing, and scripting of online and postal questionnaires. Cognitive testing and a summary report are also part of this phase.
- Fieldwork Delivery: Responsibilities include sampling, reserve sampling, printing and letter delivery, and incentive distribution. The scope covers England, Wales, and Northern Ireland, with the potential inclusion of Scotland.
- Data Processing: This involves the management of all incoming survey data, cleaning, weighting, and analysis.
- Production of Datasets and Supporting Documentation: This includes the production of wave and trend datasets in various formats, as well as metadata specifications and a questionnaire library.
- Production of Final Outputs/Reporting: This covers the production of cognitive testing reports/recommendations, technical reports, and supporting technical tables. Optional deliverables may include annual official statistic key findings reports, secondary analysis reports, and annual data tables.
- Quality Management: The contractor is responsible for quality assurance across all stages of project delivery.
Sources
- 1Document 2 – Specification F&Y2 Waves 13-16.docx — “summary and objectives and the approach/scope of work Please detail how you will manage the delivery of the full specification, including (but not limited to): Your proposed approach to delivering the full specification…”
- 2Mid-Tier Schedule 02 Specification.pdf — “language telephone query service. • Management of all incoming survey data , weighting, off Production of Review and • sign-off specifications- such as metadata specification Cleaning analysis • | survey materials into W…”
- 3Document 11- Food and You 2 waves13-16- cost breakdown annex.docx — “tables are required for Scotland) | | | Project management | Initial start-up meetings, project timetable, weekly meetings, weekly project updates including fieldwork progress reports | | Financial template 2 – Optional…”
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Unlock tender brief for freeTENDER DOCUMENTS
DIRECTORY • 38 FILES
- Document 9 - Wave 11 Technical report generalised tables (England, Wales +NI).xlsx101 KBXLSX
- Document 11- Food and You 2 waves13-16- cost breakdown annex.docx57 KBDOCX
- Mid-Tier Schedule 02 Specification.pdf489 KBPDF
and 31 other documents
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