NACE 56.2 – Event Catering and Other Food Service Activities | Public Tenders

Definition: NACE 56.2 covers the provision of catering services for communities and the catering industry. This includes school catering, canteen operation for public authorities, event catering and catering in hospitals, care facilities and at the Bundeswehr.

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

What does NACE 56.2 cover?

NACE 56.2 (Event catering and other food service activities) classifies undertakings that provide catering for community facilities and events — one of the highest-volume areas in public procurement in the services sector.

Group 56.2 within Section I (Accommodation and food service activities) and Division 56 is broken down into the following classes:

Public contracting authorities in the NACE 56.2 area are schools and school authorities (districts, municipalities), the Bundeswehr (Bundeswehr catering management), hospitals and clinics in public ownership, prisons and federal and regional authorities with their own canteens.

Public Tenders: Activities under NACE 56.2

Catering services are among the most frequent tender subjects for municipal contracting authorities — school catering and canteen operation are regularly tendered EU-wide.

Typical types of contract

• School catering: Lunches for primary schools, secondary schools, all-day schools; often as cook-and-serve hot meals or as cook-and-freeze concepts
• Canteen operation for authorities: Management of authority canteens by tenants or catering companies; often as a concession or service contract
• Bundeswehr catering: Mass catering of barracks, exercise camps, overseas operations; centralised through the Federal Office for Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and Services of the Bundeswehr
• Hospital catering: Patient catering (meal production and distribution), staff canteens in public hospitals
• Catering in prisons: Full catering for prisoners and staff in correctional facilities
• Event catering: Receptions, conferences, parliamentary dinners

Thresholds and procedure types

Catering service contracts above EUR 221,000 (threshold 2024/2025) must be tendered EU-wide. Canteen operation as a concession is subject to concession law from EUR 5,538,000. For school catering, framework agreements with several bidders for different school sites are common.

Relevant CPV codes for NACE 56.2

Current tenders can be found on TED (Tenders Electronic Daily) as well as on national procurement platforms.

For whom is NACE 56.2 relevant in public procurement?

Public contracting authorities

Districts and municipalities, as school authorities, are the most frequent contracting authorities for school catering. The Federal Office for Infrastructure, Environmental Protection and Services of the Bundeswehr (BAIUDBw) awards catering contracts for barracks and military properties. Hospital companies in public or mixed ownership are significant contracting authorities for hospital catering. Many federal states and municipalities have also introduced sustainability standards for community catering (organic share, regional food).

Companies and bidders

Catering companies wishing to win public tenders typically have to meet the following requirements:

• Food hygiene: HACCP concept, certifications (DIN EN ISO 22000, IFS Food)
• Staff qualification: Evidence of trained kitchen staff, hygiene training
• Capacity evidence: References on comparable catering contracts (number of meals, sites)
• Sustainability evidence: Organic certification, Fairtrade evidence, CO₂ balances where required

NACE 56.2 in context: Section I and Division 56

• NACE I – Accommodation and food service activities: Parent section covering all accommodation and food service activities
• NACE 56.1 – Restaurants, food service establishments and snack bars: Stationary food service
• NACE 56.3 – Beverage serving activities: Bars, beverage outlets
• NACE 55.1 – Hotels and similar accommodation: Accommodation with catering

Frequently asked questions about NACE 56.2 and public tenders

Does school catering always have to be tendered EU-wide?
Only where the estimated contract value exceeds the EU threshold. For smaller schools or short-term contracts, the national sub-threshold procurement rules may apply. The contracting authority must estimate the total value of all school sites in aggregate.

Can canteen operation be awarded as a concession?
Yes. Where the economic risk is fully transferred to the tenant (revenue risk), there is a services concession. This is subject to the Concession Procurement Ordinance (KonzVgV) above the threshold.

What particularities apply to Bundeswehr catering?
The Bundeswehr procures catering services centrally through BAIUDBw. Special requirements relate to staff security clearance and the ability to provide catering also in exercise situations or during overseas operations.

How are sustainability requirements implemented in procurement procedures?
Through technical specifications (minimum organic share), award criteria (evaluation of the organic share) or contract performance conditions (mandatory Fairtrade coffee). Taking sustainability criteria into account is expressly permitted under § 97(3) GWB.

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