Research requirements

The Food Standards Agency commissions research and survey work to develop and support its policies on a contract basis. The Agency does not provide research grants or support for basic academic research.

The Agency publishes its requirements for new research, surveys and programme advisers approximately four times each year as Research Requirements Document (RRD) issues. This allows the Agency greater flexibility in commissioning work and speeds up the commissioning process.

This website will be updated as new tenders are issued. For the most recent research requirement document see link below. In addition, to receive direct e-mail notification when new requirements are published, researchers should send their e-mail address to: MB-RCU@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk, quoting 'Research e-newsletter'.

Not all research areas will be covered in every Requirements Document. However, this does not mean that we will not commission further work in that area. The Agency may be awaiting the results of ongoing research or requirements for research and surveillance work are still being developed.

The Agency may also issue individual tenders ('ad hoc' calls for proposals) for specific work throughout the year. These will also be published on this web page and notified directly to those registered, by e-mail.

The purpose of this web page is to inform potential applicants of planned activities in this area. Information cannot, however, be released about the nature or content of the Requirements Document prior to publication to ensure that the commissioning process is an open competition and all applications are treated equally and fairly.

Where the Agency has current requirements, these will be classified under the respective programme heading and shown below under 'Find out more'. For summaries of past and current Agency-funded projects and reports where available, view research programmes.

The Research Requirements Background and Instructions document contains important information for all applicants interested in responding to any of the Agency’s requirements. Other associated documents, including the Agency's contractual terms and conditions, that are necessary to make an application are available in the standard application form and guidance pack. These can be found at the links below.