Notice Information
Notice Title
Framework for Watercourse Maintenance
Notice Description
The Framework for Watercourse Maintenance will encompass five Measured Term Contracts to deliver watercourse maintenance in the following Contract Areas: A. WME1 (Armagh); B. WME2 (Lisburn and Greater Belfast); C. WMW1 (Coleraine); D. WMW2 (Omagh); and E. WMW3 (Fermanagh). Within each Contract Area, the works to be undertaken under this Contract may include, but not be limited to, the following Principal Work Activities which are provided by way of example: A. Maintenance of Watercourses; B. Riverbank & Flood Defence maintenance and scrub clearance; C. Tree felling/removal; and D. Provision of labour/plant. Further ancillary works may be asked of the successful Supplier such as: A. Treatment of aquatic weed/invasive species. Within each Contract Area, the successful Supplier will be required to carry out any such works instructed by a Works Order, issued under the provisions of the Contract. Such works will require a standard of works delivery consistent with that defined in the Procurement Documents. Reimbursement to the successful Supplier for such works will be paid generally on the basis of an applicable Schedule of Rates and Prices (SoRP), adjusted in line with permitted price-fluctuation-factor provisions. For each Contract Area, it is likely that the successful Supplier will be required to work at more than one location at any one time in order to meet the requirements of the programme of work for each Contract Area. Successful Suppliers will be expected to have sufficiently skilled and available resources necessary to meet the requirements of such a programme and will be required to include in its rates and prices for the inevitable peaks and troughs that will be inherent in any such programme. Such peaks and troughs may result from a variety of circumstances, not all within the control of the Department. The financial limits for individual Works Orders under this Contract shall generally be between PS1 - PS250,000 GBP.
Planning Information
As part of this Pre Market Engagement (PME) exercise, interested suppliers are invited to complete a short online questionnaire hosted on the Citizen Space platform. The purpose of this questionnaire is to gather early insight from the market to help inform the development of our proposed requirements and future procurement approach. To participate, please access the PME questionnaire via the following link: https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/dfi-1/t-1162-watercourse-maintenance-framework/ Suppliers should provide their responses through the Citizen Space portal no later than 23:59 on Friday 6 March 2026. All responses will be treated confidentially and used solely to support the planning and design of any potential future procurement. Completion of the questionnaire does not constitute a commitment to participate in any subsequent tender process and does not guarantee inclusion in future procurement opportunities. Any requests for clarification relating to this exercise must be communicated via email to TRAMprocurement@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
Notice Details
Publication & Lifecycle
- Open Contracting ID
- ocds-h6vhtk-065984
- Publication Source
- Find A Tender Service
- Latest Notice
- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015784-2026
- Current Stage
- Planning
- All Stages
- Planning
Procurement Classification
- Notice Type
- UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice
- Procurement Type
- Framework
- Procurement Category
- Works
- Procurement Method
- Not Specified
- Procurement Method Details
- Not specified
- Tender Suitability
- SME
- Awardee Scale
- Not specified
Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)
- CPV Divisions
45 - Construction work
-
- CPV Codes
45240000 - Construction work for water projects
45246000 - River regulation and flood control works
Notice Value(s)
- Tender Value
- Not specified
- Lots Value
- Not specified
- Awards Value
- Not specified
- Contracts Value
- Not specified
Notice Dates
- Publication Date
- 20 Feb 20262 days ago
- Submission Deadline
- Not specified
- Future Notice Date
- 6 Mar 20262 weeks to go
- Award Date
- Not specified
- Contract Period
- 30 Sep 2026 - 30 Sep 2030 4-5 years
- Recurrence
- Not specified
Notice Status
- Tender Status
- Planning
- Lots Status
- Planning
- Awards Status
- Not Specified
- Contracts Status
- Not Specified
Buyer & Supplier
Contracting Authority (Buyer)
- Main Buyer
- DFI TRANSPORT AND ROAD ASSET MANAGEMENT (TRAM)
- Contact Name
- Not specified
- Contact Email
- tramprocurement@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
- Contact Phone
- Not specified
Buyer Location
- Locality
- BELFAST
- Postcode
- BT7 2JA
- Post Town
- Northern Ireland
- Country
- Northern Ireland
-
- Major Region (ITL 1)
- TLN Northern Ireland
- Basic Region (ITL 2)
- TLN0 Northern Ireland
- Small Region (ITL 3)
- TLN06 Belfast
- Delivery Location
- TLN Northern Ireland, TLN0 Northern Ireland
-
- Local Authority
- Belfast
- Electoral Ward
- Central
- Westminster Constituency
- Belfast South and Mid Down
Further Information
Notice Documents
-
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015784-2026
20th February 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender
Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)
View full OCDS Record for this contracting process
The Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS) is a framework designed to increase transparency and access to public procurement data in the public sector. It is widely used by governments and organisations worldwide to report on procurement processes and contracts.
{
"tag": [
"compiled"
],
"id": "ocds-h6vhtk-065984-2026-02-20T15:34:54Z",
"date": "2026-02-20T15:34:54Z",
"ocid": "ocds-h6vhtk-065984",
"initiationType": "tender",
"parties": [
{
"id": "GB-PPON-PYQH-8789-DZPG",
"name": "DfI Transport and Road Asset Management (TRAM)",
"identifier": {
"scheme": "GB-PPON",
"id": "PYQH-8789-DZPG"
},
"address": {
"streetAddress": "James House, 2-4 Cromac Avenue",
"locality": "Belfast",
"postalCode": "BT7 2JA",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom",
"region": "UKN06"
},
"contactPoint": {
"email": "TRAMprocurement@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk"
},
"roles": [
"buyer"
],
"details": {
"url": "http://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk",
"classifications": [
{
"id": "publicAuthorityCentralGovernment",
"scheme": "UK_CA_TYPE",
"description": "Public authority - central government"
},
{
"id": "GB-NIR",
"scheme": "UK_CA_DEVOLVED_REGULATIONS",
"description": "Northern Irish devolved regulations apply"
}
]
}
}
],
"buyer": {
"id": "GB-PPON-PYQH-8789-DZPG",
"name": "DfI Transport and Road Asset Management (TRAM)"
},
"planning": {
"milestones": [
{
"id": "engagement",
"type": "engagement",
"description": "As part of this Pre Market Engagement (PME) exercise, interested suppliers are invited to complete a short online questionnaire hosted on the Citizen Space platform. The purpose of this questionnaire is to gather early insight from the market to help inform the development of our proposed requirements and future procurement approach. To participate, please access the PME questionnaire via the following link: https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/dfi-1/t-1162-watercourse-maintenance-framework/ Suppliers should provide their responses through the Citizen Space portal no later than 23:59 on Friday 6 March 2026. All responses will be treated confidentially and used solely to support the planning and design of any potential future procurement. Completion of the questionnaire does not constitute a commitment to participate in any subsequent tender process and does not guarantee inclusion in future procurement opportunities. Any requests for clarification relating to this exercise must be communicated via email to TRAMprocurement@infrastructure-ni.gov.uk",
"dueDate": "2026-03-06T23:59:59+00:00",
"status": "scheduled"
}
],
"documents": [
{
"id": "015784-2026",
"documentType": "marketEngagementNotice",
"noticeType": "UK2",
"description": "Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender",
"url": "https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015784-2026",
"datePublished": "2026-02-20T15:34:54Z",
"format": "text/html"
}
]
},
"tender": {
"id": "T-1162",
"legalBasis": {
"id": "2023/54",
"scheme": "UKPGA",
"uri": "https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents"
},
"title": "Framework for Watercourse Maintenance",
"description": "The Framework for Watercourse Maintenance will encompass five Measured Term Contracts to deliver watercourse maintenance in the following Contract Areas: A. WME1 (Armagh); B. WME2 (Lisburn and Greater Belfast); C. WMW1 (Coleraine); D. WMW2 (Omagh); and E. WMW3 (Fermanagh). Within each Contract Area, the works to be undertaken under this Contract may include, but not be limited to, the following Principal Work Activities which are provided by way of example: A. Maintenance of Watercourses; B. Riverbank & Flood Defence maintenance and scrub clearance; C. Tree felling/removal; and D. Provision of labour/plant. Further ancillary works may be asked of the successful Supplier such as: A. Treatment of aquatic weed/invasive species. Within each Contract Area, the successful Supplier will be required to carry out any such works instructed by a Works Order, issued under the provisions of the Contract. Such works will require a standard of works delivery consistent with that defined in the Procurement Documents. Reimbursement to the successful Supplier for such works will be paid generally on the basis of an applicable Schedule of Rates and Prices (SoRP), adjusted in line with permitted price-fluctuation-factor provisions. For each Contract Area, it is likely that the successful Supplier will be required to work at more than one location at any one time in order to meet the requirements of the programme of work for each Contract Area. Successful Suppliers will be expected to have sufficiently skilled and available resources necessary to meet the requirements of such a programme and will be required to include in its rates and prices for the inevitable peaks and troughs that will be inherent in any such programme. Such peaks and troughs may result from a variety of circumstances, not all within the control of the Department. The financial limits for individual Works Orders under this Contract shall generally be between PS1 - PS250,000 GBP.",
"items": [
{
"id": "1",
"additionalClassifications": [
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "45240000",
"description": "Construction work for water projects"
},
{
"scheme": "CPV",
"id": "45246000",
"description": "River regulation and flood control works"
}
],
"deliveryAddresses": [
{
"region": "UKN",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
},
{
"region": "UKN0",
"country": "GB",
"countryName": "United Kingdom"
}
],
"relatedLot": "1"
}
],
"mainProcurementCategory": "works",
"aboveThreshold": false,
"techniques": {
"hasFrameworkAgreement": true
},
"lots": [
{
"id": "1",
"suitability": {
"sme": true
},
"contractPeriod": {
"startDate": "2026-10-01T00:00:00+01:00",
"endDate": "2030-09-30T23:59:59+01:00"
},
"status": "planning"
}
],
"status": "planning"
},
"language": "en"
}