NACE 10.4 – Manufacture of Vegetable and Animal Oils and Fats | Public Tenders

NACE 10.4: Oils and fats in public tenders. CPV codes, contracting authorities and tenders for edible oils, margarine and industrial fats.

Definition: NACE 10.4 covers the manufacture of crude and refined vegetable oils and fats (e.g. rapeseed, sunflower, olive oil) and animal fats (e.g. lard, tallow) and products derived therefrom, such as margarine, baking fats and edible fats. The manufacture of butter (NACE 10.5) is not included.

Legal basis: NACE Rev. 2 (Regulation (EC) No 1893/2006) · Last updated: April 2026

What does NACE 10.4 cover?

NACE 10.4 (Manufacture of vegetable and animal oils and fats) classifies businesses that process oilseeds and oil-rich fruits into edible and industrial fats — a segment of relevance both for public institutional catering and for industrial applications.

Group 10.4 of Division 10 covers the following classes:

Class	Title	Typical products
10.41	Manufacture of oils and fats	Rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, olive oil, palm oil, lard, tallow
10.42	Manufacture of margarine and similar edible fats	Margarine, baking fats, vegetable fat, frying fat

Public contracting authorities are mainly large kitchens, catering service providers for public institutions and industrial further-processors that themselves supply public contracting authorities.

Public Tenders: Edible Oils, Margarine and Fats

Edible oils and edible fats are basic components of every large kitchen and are regularly tendered under food framework agreements of public institutions.

Typical types of contract

Edible oils for large kitchens: Framework agreements for rapeseed, sunflower and olive oil in large containers (5-litre to 25-litre canisters) for canteens, hospitals and schools
Margarine and baking fats: Supply of spreadable fats and baking fats for baking operations of public institutions (e.g. bakeries in care homes)
Frying fats: Specific high-temperature fat for canteens with frying installations
Industrial fats for public operations: Technical fats and lubricants for public vehicle fleets and workshops (here: technical application, CPV codes from area 24900000)
Biofuels from vegetable oils: Public fleets procure biodiesel (FAME) based on rapeseed or soybean for vehicle fleets

Thresholds and procedure types

Supply framework agreements for oils and fats are awarded — depending on annual volume — in the open procedure or as national tender. Joint procurement bodies frequently bundle the requirements of several municipal facilities.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 10.4

CPV Code	Title	Area of application
15400000	Animal or vegetable oils and fats	Top category edible fats and oils
15411000	Animal or vegetable oils	Edible oils in general
15411100	Vegetable oils	Rapeseed oil, sunflower oil, corn-germ oil
15411110	Olive oil	Extra virgin olive oil, refined olive oil
15412000	Fats	Animal and vegetable fats
15412200	Vegetable fats	Coconut, palm-kernel, palm fat
15431000	Margarine and similar preparations	Spreadable margarine, baking fats

Current tenders can be found on TED and national procurement portals.

Contracting Authorities and Bidders

Public contracting authorities

Operators of public institutional kitchens — including schools, university refectories (Studentenwerke), municipal hospitals and care homes — typically procure edible oils and fats through framework agreements with terms of one to four years. The German armed forces and federal police procure centrally via Bundesbeschaffungs GmbH (Germany) and Bundesbeschaffung GmbH (Austria). Municipal fleets increasingly tender biodiesel and biofuels.

Companies and bidders

Oil mills, refineries and fat producers seeking public contracts require:

Food-law approval: Registration under Regulation (EC) 852/2004 and approval under Regulation (EC) 853/2004
Product-quality certificates: IFS Food, BRC or ISO 22000 for food safety
Specification compliance: Acid value, peroxide value, fatty-acid profile under EU regulations
Sustainability certificates: RSPO (Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil) for palm-oil products, ISCC for biofuels
Supply capacity in large containers: Tanker or canister delivery depending on offtake volume

Frequently Asked Questions about NACE 10.4 and Public Tenders

What sustainability requirements do contracting authorities apply to the procurement of edible oils? For palm oil, many contracting authorities require RSPO certification (sustainable palm-oil supply). Olive oil is frequently tendered with origin designations (PDO/PGI) and minimum quality grades (extra virgin). For rapeseed and sunflower oils, regional origin and GMO-free production are increasingly important criteria.

Can smaller oil mills and regional suppliers participate in tenders? Yes — particularly where contracting authorities tender regional or organically certified edible oils separately (e.g. school canteens with organic-share requirements). Bidder consortia of regional providers are possible; often wholesalers handle the bundling of regional products for public tenders.

NACE 10.4 in context: Section C and Division 10

NACE C – Manufacturing: Parent section
NACE 10 – Manufacture of food products: Food-production division
NACE 10.5 – Manufacture of dairy products: Butter, cheese and dairy products
NACE 10.8 – Manufacture of other food products: Seasonings, sauces, ready meals

Last updated: April 2026 All information is provided without guarantee. For legally binding advice, please consult a law firm specialising in public procurement law.