Vehicle number plate printing to commence by June 10 under new contract: DMT

Colombo, May 19 (Daily Mirror) - The printing of vehicle number plates in Sri Lanka is scheduled to officially commence on or before June 10, 2026, under the terms of the newly awarded contract, Department of Motor Traffic (DMT) Acting Commissioner General K.P.N.T.N. Devapriya said.

Issuing a statement, he said the selected company has already installed the necessary machinery at the Werahera premises of the Department of Motor Traffic, with preparatory work now in its final stages ahead of commencement.

He further outlined the procurement and technical process followed to ensure transparency, compliance with public procurement regulations, and adherence to required technical standards.

According to the DMT, the initial procurement process launched in 2024 was cancelled as no bids were received, in line with public procurement procedures.

A fresh tender was then called through newspaper advertisements on March 7, 2025, with bid submissions opened on April 28, 2025. Four bidders participated in the competitive process.

To ensure technical compliance and product quality—given the national security implications of vehicle number plates—submitted samples were evaluated by the Department of Materials Science & Engineering and the Department of Mechanical Engineering of the University of Moratuwa. The evaluation process took approximately two and a half months.

Following appeals submitted by unsuccessful bidders, the Procurement Appeals Board (PAB) directed that additional independent testing be carried out. Accordingly, samples were further tested by the Industrial Technology Institute (ITI), with the process taking an additional two months.

The DMT said these steps were taken to ensure accountability and transparency in public procurement.

Based on the recommendations of technical experts, the Bid Evaluation Committee, and the Standing High-Level Procurement Committee (SHLPC), the contract was awarded to South Asian Technologies (Pvt) Ltd for a period of five years.

The contract was awarded on January 20, 2026, and formally signed on March 10, 2026.

Under the agreement, printing operations are required to commence within three months of signing, leading to the scheduled launch date on or before June 10, 2026, the DMT said.