--- title: "Quarrying - North District" ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-06f6cf" canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f6cf" markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f6cf.md" json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f6cf.json" source: "Find A Tender Service" current_stage: "Planning" buyer: "Forestry Commission" published: "2026-09-10" --- # Quarrying - North District Buyer: Forestry Commission Current stage: Planning OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-06f6cf [View canonical contract page](https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-06f6cf) [Download OCDS JSON](https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f6cf.json) ## Summary The Forestry Commission is planning a quarrying framework for Northumberland in the north of England. The work will extract and process aggregate from four, possibly five, hard-rock quarries, with associated drilling and blasting. Materials will mainly support Forestry England civil engineering, particularly the construction and maintenance of forest roads used for timber harvesting. Operations will take place close to where materials are needed, with extraction generally carried out for several weeks each year and materials stockpiled for later use. The framework is intended to have two areas of work: drilling and blasting; and extraction, quarry development and crushing. The scope includes quarry operations, aggregate processing, haulage and restoration. This is a works requirement involving specialist quarrying and earthmoving capabilities. The procurement is at the planning and market-engagement stage; it is an intention to procure, not an invitation to tender. The buyer expects to publish the next notice by 5 October 2026. It has asked interested suppliers to register interest for one or both areas of work by 21 September 2026, including their organisation details and relevant experience, so it can assess market capacity and shape the procurement approach. The planned framework is expected to run from 2 November 2026 to 1 November 2030. Its estimated gross value is £2.4 million. The procedure is expected to be a framework divided into two lots, although the structured procurement information currently confirms only the overall framework and one planned lot. The main work category is construction and quarrying works. This will suit specialist quarrying contractors, drilling and blasting companies, and suppliers able to combine extraction, crushing, screening, haulage and quarry-development services. The drilling and blasting work is likely to require competent personnel including an explosives supervisor, shotfirer, driller, blast designer, face profiler and, where needed, a trainee shotfirer. Suppliers would also need capability in explosives handling and transport, blasting surveys, and provision of the required plant, equipment, fuels, explosives and accessories. The extraction and processing scope would suit operators with mobile crushing and screening plant, excavation and haulage capacity, and experience maintaining quarry floors, roads, safety features and drainage or egress routes. Relevant suppliers should be prepared to work under the Quarries Regulations 1999, the Explosives Regulations 2014 where applicable, and the client’s quarry health and safety requirements. The buyer has identified the requirement as suitable for small and medium-sized enterprises, so capable specialist firms may be well placed to prepare for the future competition. ## Notice Quarrying works in the north of England (Northumberland) comprise extraction and processing of aggregate from 4 (maybe 5) hard rock quarries, including associated drilling and blasting works. Materials are extracted in relatively small quantities and used in various Forestry England civil engineering applications, mostly for the construction and maintenance of forest roads for the purposes of facilitating timber harvesting. Quarrying operations are therefore undertaken in a number of specific locations, in close proximity to the point of use of the extracted materials. Typically, extraction of materials will take place over a period of a few weeks each year, with material then stockpiled within the quarry, or at other designated locations for use as and when needed. This Framework will be divided in to two Lots: 1. Drilling and blasting 2 . Extraction and quarry development and crushing Lot 1 - Drilling and blasting The Supplier carries out all drilling and blasting operations, in accordance with the Quarries Regulations 1999 particularly Part V and the Explosives Regulations 2014 , and the quarry Health and Safety Document. Blasting activities typically take place at 2 to 5 sites per year, with tonnages between 20,000 and 35,000T per blast. The Client (The Operator) will retain 8.1.(c) responsibilities during blasting operations. The supplier's named individual will be appointed as the 8.1. (d) and the client will also appoint the supplier's named individual as the Explosives Supervisor under regulation 25 of the Quarries Regulations for the duration of the Work Order. This requires the Supplier to have capability in the following areas: 1. Provide suitably qualified, competent and qualified personnel to undertake the following duties. Explosives Supervisor Shotfirer Driller Blast Designer Face profiler Trainee Shotfirer (if required) Handing of explosives Transportation of explosives Provide all required survey work relating to the blasting operation. Provide all plant and equipment required including fuels, oils, transportation, explosives and accessories. Lot 2 - Extraction and quarry development and crushing The Supplier carries out all extraction and processing, in accordance with the Quarries Regulations 1999, and the quarry Health and Safety Document. The Client (The Operator) will retain 8.1.(c) responsibilities during operations. The supplier's named individual will be appointed as the 8.1. (d) deputy quarry manager to supervise the works for the duration of the Work Order. The Client requires the Supplier to carry out the following services to facilitate the extraction and processing of aggregates at Forestry England quarries: 1. Removal of material from processed stockpiles and blast piles. 2. Excavation of raw materials 3. Processing of raw materials including crushing and screening. 4. Provision of stemming material and plant for movement and placement 5. Maintenance and reinstatement of quarry floor and safety features 6. Maintenance and reinstatement of egress and quarry roads, during quarrying operations 7. Crushing of as blasted material. 8. Loading of aggregate during quarry operations 9. Haulage of aggregate to forest locations 10. Daily inspections as required by the Quarries Regulations in accordance with the client's requirements. 11. Soil and overburden excavation, haulage within the quarry and tip creation. 12. Restoration works. ### Planning Information We are using this Market Engagement to assess initial interest in each of the two Lots and determine the number of potential suppliers capable of meeting the requirements. This will help to inform the procurement approach and level of competition expected. Suppliers interested in this opportunity are invited to register their interest by contacting Commercial Services at commercial.services@forestryengland.uk with the title Quarrying - Market Engagement. Expressions of interest should include the organisation name, contact details, which Lot(s) you are interested in and a brief overview of relevant experience. ## Key Details | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Publication source | Find A Tender Service | | Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085882-2026 | | Notice type | UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice | | Procurement type | Standard | | 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 | 10 Sep 2026 | | Submission deadline | Not specified | | Future notice date | 5 Oct 2026 | | Award date | Not specified | | Contract period | 2 Nov 2026 - 1 Nov 2030 | | Recurrence | Not specified | ## Values | Field | Value | | --- | --- | | Tender value | £2,400,000 | | 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 | Forestry Commission | | Locality | BRISTOL | | Postcode area | Bristol | | Postcode | BS16 1EJ | | Country | England | | ITL 1 | TLK South West (England) | | ITL 2 | TLK5 West of England | | ITL 3 | TLK52 Bath & North East Somerset and South Gloucestershire | | Local authority | South Gloucestershire | | Electoral ward | Stoke Park & Cheswick | | Westminster constituency | Filton and Bradley Stoke | | Delivery location | Not specified | ## CPV Codes ### Divisions - 45 - Construction work ### Codes - 45111000 - Demolition, site preparation and clearance work - 45112000 - Excavating and earthmoving work - 45120000 - Test drilling and boring work ## Release History - 10 Sep 2026 at 13:26 - Planning - UK2 - Preliminary Market Engagement Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085882-2026 ## Documents - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085882-2026 10th September 2026 - Preliminary market engagement notice on Find a Tender ## Notice URLs - 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-06f6cf. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-06f6cf.json.