DfC — Provision and Delivery of Bulk Foodstuffs and Everyday Items to Food Banks

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic continues to have ongoing significant detrimental effects on many vulnerable and economically deprived people and families across Northern Ireland. In particular, as the impact of the second ‘wave’ of the virus has taken hold, it has become increasingly evident that many of the most vulnerable in our society require urgent and ongoing assistance to access suitable and nutritious foodstuffs and everyday items. To provide assistance to vulnerable people, The Department for Communities (DfC) aims to work with various Northern Ireland organisations to distribute foodstuffs and everyday items to those most in need. These organisations will include but are not limited to, food banks, social supermarkets, councils and other similar types of entity. The department shall purchase the required bulk, wholesale or palletised quantities of foodstuffs and other everyday items from suitable contractor(s). These shall then be delivered to locations across Northern Ireland or held at the contractors warehouse locations to be called for delivery as requested by the department or Food Bank.

The Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic continues to have ongoing significant detrimental effects on many vulnerable and economically deprived people and families across Northern Ireland. In particular, as the impact of the second ‘wave’ of the virus has taken hold, it has become increasingly evident that many of the most vulnerable in our society require urgent and ongoing assistance to access suitable and nutritious foodstuffs and everyday items. To provide assistance to vulnerable people, the Department for Communities (DfC) aims to work with various Northern Ireland organisations to distribute foodstuffs and everyday items to those most in need. These organisations will include but are not limited to: food banks, social supermarkets, councils and other similar types of entity. The department shall purchase the required bulk, wholesale or palletised quantities of foodstuffs and other everyday items from suitable contractor(s). These shall then be delivered to locations across Northern Ireland or held at the contractors warehouse locations to be called for delivery as requested by the department or Food Bank.

The justification for the use of the accelerated open procedure relates to the immediate need for foodstuffs and everyday items to be provided to vulnerable people via various community and voluntary sector organisation. Demand for these items is unprecedented with more and more families facing financial hardship at this time. This is despite a number of government interventions including the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme which had been expected to minimise the number of people facing such hardships during the pandemic.

Contract