Rio Tinto Logistics Wins $995 Million DLA High-Purity Aluminum Contract

Rio Tinto Services Inc., doing business as Rio Tinto Logistics, has received a Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) contract to supply high-purity aluminum for the Army, Marine Corps, Navy, Air Force and Space Force. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity award has a maximum value of $995 million and a five-year performance period ending May 7, 2031. DLA Contracting Services Office in Columbus, Ohio, made the award.

High-Purity Aluminum Contract Details

Rio Tinto Logistics will supply high-purity aluminum as DLA places orders under the contract. The $995 million figure is the contract ceiling, rather than a quantity of aluminum ordered at award. The award notice identifies the military services that may use the material but does not establish delivery quantities.

High-purity aluminum is used to make alloys for defense applications. In a 2023 announcement on expanding production, the Defense Department identified aerospace platforms and tactical ground vehicles among its applications. That announcement provides context for the material DLA is buying, but it does not describe delivery requirements under Rio Tinto’s contract.

Award and Contractor Background

DLA awarded the contract on May 28, 2026, after a competitive acquisition that drew three responses. The award establishes a vehicle for purchases through 2031; the maximum value does not represent spending already committed.

The procurement follows broader federal attention to high-purity aluminum supply. In 2023, the Defense Department announced a $45.5 million investment in Arconic’s Davenport, Iowa, facility to increase production capacity, citing reduced U.S. output and the need for capacity during industrial mobilization. That investment addressed manufacturing capacity, while Rio Tinto’s award is for the supply of aluminum to DLA.

This award was disclosed by the DoW in its daily press release. Additional contract details will be available on HigherGov in approximately 90 days under SP800026D0009 after the contract is formally disclosed by the government.