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DfI TRAM - Supply and Delivery of Ground Rock Salt

DfI Transport and Road Asset Management (TRAM)

This public procurement record has 2 releases in its history.

Award

22 Sep 2026 at 15:38

UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Award

22 Sep 2026 at 14:05

UK5 - Transparency Notice
Summary of the contracting process

DfI Transport and Road Asset Management (TRAM), part of Northern Ireland’s Department for Infrastructure, procured the supply and delivery of ground rock salt for spreading on highways. The salt is used to de-ice carriageways and footways, supporting winter road maintenance. This is a goods requirement rather than a construction or consultancy service. Delivery is required in the United Kingdom, with the buying organisation based in Belfast. The procurement covers one requirement and is identified under CPV 14410000, rock salt. It is suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises. The selected supplier, The Irish Salt Mining and Exploration Company Limited, is based in Carrickfergus and is classified as an SME.

The procurement is complete and has been awarded through a direct award to The Irish Salt Mining and Exploration Company Limited. The award date was 22 September 2026. Its value is £9,000,000 excluding VAT and £10,800,000 including VAT. The contract period runs from 2 October 2026 to 1 October 2029. The buyer justified the direct award under the technical-reasons route, stating that only a particular supplier could provide the required goods, with no reasonable alternatives. The award was above the relevant threshold. A standstill period ends on 1 October 2026, and the planned contract signature date is 2 October 2026. The award is recorded as pending.

This award demonstrates recurring public-sector demand for bulk rock salt and the associated delivery capability needed for highway and footway de-icing. A credible future competitor would need dependable access to suitable ground rock salt, the capacity to supply large public-sector requirements, and logistics arrangements capable of delivering reliably to the buyer’s operational requirements across the United Kingdom. Experience in supplying road-maintenance materials, managing seasonal demand and maintaining continuity of supply would strengthen a supplier’s position. Because the buyer used a direct award on the basis of technical reasons and no reasonable alternatives, competitors would also need to show clearly how their product and supply arrangements meet the required technical and operational needs.

How relevant is this notice?

Notice Information

Notice Title

DfI TRAM - Supply and Delivery of Ground Rock Salt

Notice Description

Supply and delivery of rock salt for spreading on highways for de-icing carriageways and footways.

Procurement Information

A competitive tendering procedure is the default for most public procurements. The Department may only directly award a public contract when section 41 (and one or more of the justifications in Schedule 5), section 42 or section 43 apply. There are derogations to award a contract to a single supplier where the supplies or services can only be supplied by a particular supplier. (Schedule 5, Para 6. The following conditions are met in relation to the public contract: (a) due to an absence of competition for technical reasons, only a particular supplier can supply the goods, services or works required, and (b) there are no reasonable alternatives to those goods, services or works.)

Notice Details

Publication & Lifecycle

Open Contracting ID
ocds-h6vhtk-077795
Publication Source
Find A Tender Service
Latest Notice
https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/089766-2026
Current Stage
Award
All Stages
Award

Procurement Classification

Notice Type
UK6 - Contract Award Notice
Procurement Type
Standard
Procurement Category
Goods
Procurement Method
Direct
Procurement Method Details
Direct award
Tender Suitability
SME
Awardee Scale
SME

Common Procurement Vocabulary (CPV)

CPV Divisions

14 - Mining, basic metals and related products

CPV Codes

14410000 - Rock salt

Notice Value(s)

Tender Value
Not specified
Lots Value
Not specified
Awards Value
£9,000,000 £1M-£10M
Contracts Value
Not specified

Notice Dates

Publication Date
22 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Submission Deadline
Not specified
Future Notice Date
Not specified
Award Date
22 Sep 20262 weeks ago
Contract Period
2 Oct 2026 - 1 Oct 2029 3-4 years
Recurrence
Not specified

Notice Status

Tender Status
Complete
Lots Status
Complete
Awards Status
Pending
Contracts Status
Not Specified

Buyer & Supplier

Contracting Authority (Buyer)

Main Buyer
DfI Transport and Road Asset Management (TRAM)
Contact Name
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Email
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →
Contact Phone
Available with D3 Tenders Premium →

Buyer Location

Locality
BELFAST
Postcode
BT7 2JA
Postcode Area
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
Not specified
Local Authority
Belfast
Electoral Ward
Central
Westminster Constituency
Belfast South and Mid Down

Supplier Information

Number of Suppliers
1
Supplier Name

Irish Salt Mining and Exploration Company Limited-The

Further Information

Notice Documents

Open Contracting Data Standard (OCDS)

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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.

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