Research funding and partnership opportunities

We commission our own research via FSS or Scottish Government frameworks or on a contract basis via open tender.

Opportunities to apply for Food Standards Scotland contracts are advertised on the Public Contracts Scotland website. If you wish to see the opportunities, it is recommended that you sign-up to Public Contracts Scotland.

We work with the Food Standards Agency (FSA) to design and fund research that is relevant to our shared responsibilities at UK level. This helps to make sure surveys and studies include a sample set which is relevant to Scotland, or to reflect any differences in diet or risks associated with our food chain. 

In Scotland, we also partner with Public Health Scotland (PHS) to research the health impacts of diet and foodborne illness. We support the Scottish Government’s Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture Strategic Research Programme, delivered by the Scottish Environment, Food and Agriculture Research Institutions (SEFARI). 

We work with UK Research and Innovation (UKRI) to share our research priorities, helping shape funding opportunities in areas important to FSS.

These partnerships help us get the best value and impact from research, making sure UK projects on food safety, standards, and nutrition are effectively targeted, make best use of resources and avoid duplication.