Telecommunications network

Tender description

HM Coastguard are required to monitor VHF and MF Radio transmissions from vessels at sea and provide assistance in case of emergency to prevent loss of life within the UK’s jurisdiction. In order to do this, the current network consists of 155 Remote Radio sites (RRS), situated around 11 000 miles of UK coastline. This network facilitates all communication transmissions to and from vessels at sea and to the HM Coastguard Watch Officers based at our 10 Coastguard Operation Centres around the UK and the National Maritime Operations Centre in Fareham via 2 Data Centres. The existing network that links these remote radio sites to the HMCG Operations Centres needs to be replaced; the reason is that the analogue Kilostream product that underpins the existing network is being withdrawn from the market in March 2020 by BT in line with a wider OFCOM deregulation of low bandwidth analogue point-to-point product types across the telecommunications industry. Lot 1 will be for a 10-year term covering network design, build and rental for the 10 years and include a transition support requirement for the initial 3 years where most of the implementation and network transition is expected to be undertaken. MCA are looking to replace the existing kilostream network with a resilient Ethernet service that can be used for this voice-element of the service (by utilising VoIP technologies) as well as for other data services. Lot 2 will be for a 7-year managed service requirement which will conterminously end with Lot 1 at the end of the 10-year period. Lot 2 contract will be to provide ongoing support of the system to maintain its availability. All maintenance activities will be conducted by the supplier and the MCA is to be provided with details of how this will be coordinated. Any maintenance activities that incur a reduction in service are to be agreed in advance with the MCA, who will have the right to veto the timing of such activities if they occur within known periods of high activity for the MCA.