---
title: "Framework for Watercourse Maintenance"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-065984"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-065984"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065984.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065984.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Planning"
buyer: "DFI TRANSPORT AND ROAD ASSET MANAGEMENT (TRAM)"
published: "2026-02-20"
---

# Framework for Watercourse Maintenance

Buyer: DFI TRANSPORT AND ROAD ASSET MANAGEMENT (TRAM)  
Current stage: Planning  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-065984

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## Summary

The procurement process, initiated by DfI Transport and Road Asset Management (TRAM), involves a framework for watercourse maintenance across Northern Ireland. This process, currently in the planning stage, aims to establish five Measured Term Contracts covering areas such as Armagh, Lisburn and Greater Belfast, Coleraine, Omagh, and Fermanagh. The framework focuses on construction work for water projects and river regulation and flood control works, with a procurement method entailing a framework agreement. Administrative aspects are governed by Northern Irish devolved regulations. An important date to note is the Pre Market Engagement (PME) exercise deadline on 6 March 2026, inviting interested suppliers to complete a questionnaire to aid the planning and design of the future procurement.

This tender presents substantial opportunities for businesses involved in the works category, particularly those specialising in watercourse maintenance and environmental services. With individual works orders ranging financially between £1 and £250,000, this opportunity is highly suitable for small and medium enterprises. Businesses capable of performing maintenance of watercourses, including tree felling, invasive species treatment, and flood defence maintenance, can particularly benefit from this contract. The ability to manage multiple locations simultaneously while addressing peaks and troughs in demand will be integral to success within the framework's duration, which runs from October 2026 to September 2030.

## Notice

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

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015784-2026 |
| 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 |
| All stages | Planning |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 20 Feb 2026 |
| Submission deadline | Not specified |
| Future notice date | 6 Mar 2026 |
| Award date | Not specified |
| Contract period | 30 Sep 2026 - 30 Sep 2030 |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | Not specified |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Planning |
| Lots status | Planning |
| Awards status | Not specified |
| Contracts status | Not specified |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DFI TRANSPORT AND ROAD ASSET MANAGEMENT (TRAM) |
| Locality | BELFAST |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT7 2JA |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast |
| Local authority | Belfast |
| Electoral ward | Central |
| Westminster constituency | Belfast South and Mid Down |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland, TLN0 Northern Ireland |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 45 - Construction work

### Codes

- 45240000 - Construction work for water projects
- 45246000 - River regulation and flood control works

## Release History

- 20 Feb 2026 at 15:34 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015784-2026

## Documents

- https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/015784-2026
  20th February 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender

## Notice URLs

- http://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk
- https://consultations2.nidirect.gov.uk/dfi-1/t-1162-watercourse-maintenance-framework/
- https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/2023/54/contents

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-065984. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-065984.json.