Sri Lanka’s Government has called bids for 1,000 brand-new, automatic-transmission, four-wheel-drive diesel double-cab vehicles, in the largest of several vehicle and heavy-equipment procurements launched by the Ministry of Finance, Planning and Economic Development.
The tender was advertised on 29 September, with bids due by 22 October 2026. According to the Colombo-based Sunday Times, the ministry has separately called tenders for 175 tractors, 100 backhoe loaders, 100 gully emptiers and 160 tippers.
The latest double-cab tender differs significantly from a procurement issued by the Finance Ministry in October 2025 for 1,775 new 4WD automatic diesel double-cabs. That tender allowed only 12 days, or seven working days, for submissions and was questioned after allegations that its technical specifications appeared to leave only one vehicle supplier eligible. The 2025 procurement was not pursued.
Several of the technical thresholds have now been reduced. The minimum engine capacity has been lowered to 2,400cc from 2,500cc, while the minimum engine power requirement has been cut by 7 per cent compared with last year’s tender. The minimum torque requirement has also been reduced by 12.5 per cent.
Ground-clearance requirements have been eased as well. While the 2025 specification required clearance of more than 300mm, the current tender requires more than 220mm. The changes could allow a broader range of vehicles to qualify for the procurement.
The revised specifications therefore permit vehicles with smaller engines, lower power and less pulling capacity than those allowed under the previous tender. Torque is a measure of a vehicle’s pulling capability and its ability to handle demanding conditions.
Eligibility requirements relating to after-sales service and previous sales have also been changed. Under the new tender, bidders must have 10 local service centres, but only five are required to be owned by the bidder; franchise and dealership facilities are now permitted. The previous tender required bidders to own all 10 service centres, including five located outside the Western Province.
The Government has also reduced the previous sales requirement. Bidders previously needed experience selling 1,000 units of the proposed vehicle make, whereas the new tender sets the threshold at 500 units. The required average annual turnover has likewise been reduced from Rs 10 billion to Rs 8 billion.
At the same time, the financial requirements have become substantially higher in some areas. Bid security has increased fivefold, from Rs 50 million under the previous tender to Rs 250 million under the latest procurement. Bidders must also demonstrate Rs 5 billion in financial resources through credit facilities or liquid assets.
The procurement comes alongside the ministry’s separate calls for tractors, backhoe loaders, gully emptiers and tippers, but the 1,000 double-cab vehicles constitute the largest single purchase among the tenders announced.
