CPV 156 – Grain Mill Products, Starches and Starch Products

CPV 156 covers public procurement of flour, grain, cereals, pasta, starches and milled grain products for institutional catering and food processing in the public sector.

What does CPV Group 156 cover?

CPV Group 156 (15600000) classifies public contracts for grain mill products, starches and starch products. This group covers a broad range of processed grain and cereal products: wheat and rye flour, whole grain and specialty flours, rolled oats and muesli, rice and pasta products, semolina and polenta, breadcrumbs and croutons, as well as industrial starches (potato starch, corn starch, modified starches) used in food processing.

In institutional catering, grain mill products form a cornerstone of large-scale meal production. Hospitals, care homes and military catering services procure flour, rice and pasta in large volumes as essential ingredients. Pasta and rice are also common staple items in school meal programmes across the EU. Framework agreements with quarterly call-off options and requirements for specific quality grades (e.g. durum wheat semolina for pasta, type 550 wheat flour for bread production) are typical.

Some public procurement under CPV 156 also involves animal feed components (discussed under CPV 157) and industrial applications for modified starches in sectors such as textile printing and paper production, though food applications dominate.

Further information on the CPV system is available from the European Commission (SIMAP) and Regulation (EC) No 213/2008 amending the CPV.

Typical Services in CPV 156

Wheat and rye flour in institutional packaging
Rice (white, brown, parboiled) in bulk and portioned formats
Dried pasta products (spaghetti, penne, fusilli) in catering sizes
Rolled oats, muesli and breakfast cereals
Breadcrumbs, croutons and coating starches
Modified and food-grade industrial starches

Examples of Tenders with CPV 156

Rice and pasta supply for a hospital catering group: A hospital group procures durum wheat pasta and parboiled rice in 5 kg catering packs for use in its centralised cook-chill kitchen, delivered bi-weekly over a two-year period.
Flour supply for prison bakery operations: A correctional facility with an in-house bakery tenders supply of wheat flour (type 550 and 1050) in 25 kg sacks for daily bread production.
Breakfast cereal assortment for a care home group: A public care home operator procures a range of breakfast cereals, rolled oats and muesli varieties for resident breakfast service across ten facilities.

Current tenders with CPV 156 are published on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) and on national procurement platforms such as the German Procurement Portal (DTVP).

Who is CPV 156 relevant for?

Public Contracting Authorities

Hospital kitchen operations, military catering services, prison catering units, school meal services and care home operators are the primary buyers under CPV 156. Quality specifications relating to flour type, protein content and moisture levels are common in tender documentation for these products.

Companies and Bidders

Grain wholesalers, flour mills, pasta manufacturers and food service distributors are the main bidders in this category. Consistent quality across seasonal grain harvest variation, reliable delivery schedules and bulk storage logistics are key competency requirements. Certification to relevant food safety standards (ISO 22000 or equivalent) strengthens tender bids.

Information on eligibility criteria and procurement procedures is available from the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action (BMWK).

How does Bond help with CPV 156?

Tender Match – Automatically Find Tenders (CPV 156)

With tender.match, grain wholesalers, flour mills and food service distributors automatically receive all relevant tenders with CPV 156 directly in their dashboard. BOND indexes tenders from over 1,000 procurement portals in the EU – from TED to national platforms and regional contracting authorities. Instead of manually searching dozens of portals every day, matching grain and milled product contracts are filtered and delivered by industry, competency, region, and company profile. An automated gap analysis immediately shows where the company meets the requirements and where gaps exist. This ensures companies never miss a deadline and can focus on preparing their bids.

Company Match – Find the Right Partners and Suppliers (CPV 156)

For companies looking for suppliers, subcontractors, or consortium partners for grain product supply projects, company.match provides direct access to qualified firms from an EU-wide database of over 28 million companies. Especially for larger institutional catering contracts that a single company cannot handle alone, company.match automatically identifies suitable partners for bidding consortia and partial services – increasing the chances of winning the contract.

Frequently Asked Questions about CPV 156

What does the CPV code 15600000 mean?

The CPV code 15600000 covers the group "Grain Mill Products, Starches and Starch Products" in the EU's Common Procurement Vocabulary. It classifies public contracts for the supply of flour, rice, pasta, cereals and starch products to public catering institutions and food production facilities operated by public bodies.

How do I find tenders with CPV 156?

Tenders with CPV 156 are published at EU level on TED. Below-threshold contracts are commonly found on national platforms such as DTVP. Bond aggregates all sources and delivers targeted results.

What are the requirements for participating in tenders with CPV 156?

Requirements typically include food law compliance, HACCP documentation, quality grade certifications, reliable bulk delivery logistics and references for comparable institutional supply. Details are governed by the VgV or the UVgO depending on contract value.