Telecommunications services

Tender description

The objectives of this call for ‘Expressions of Interest’ is to identify potential suppliers for the ‘Provision of Fibre Infrastructure Business’. Orbit is a leading UK housing group, providing solutions to housing problems, offering high quality, affordable homes to rent and buy across the Midlands, the East and South East. Building 2 000 new homes every year and managing a portfolio of 43 000 properties; Orbit provides a range of maintenance and support services that help enrich the lives of their customers. Orbit believes in making profit for a purpose; the more we make, the more we invest into improving our services as we play a significant role in driving UK housing growth. The scope of this ‘Expression of Interest’ covers the following key requirements: The installation of a broadband infrastructure to all Orbit residential and communal properties across its property portfolio in the UK geographies of the Midlands, the East and South East: — estates 2 085, — blocks 2 516, — domestic properties 42 831. Potential suppliers whom have the capability to fulfil each of the below key requirements are invited to express their interest: (i) physical broadband infrastructure cabling — FTTH/P where possible, FTTC/ FTTN where not, including associated way leave agreements for all of Orbit’s properties within a reasonable timeframe; (ii) connection to the national broadband backbone; (iii) provision of ISP services, routers, modems as required; (iv) provision of a gigabit connection at each site to allow Orbit to connect other services without an ISP (e.g. remote monitoring systems, Orbit internal systems); (v) provision of customer support service; (vi) willingness to support Orbit in conducting a consultation exercise and a limited pilot of the above in a few nominated locations, prior to roll-out across its property portfolio. Orbit is particularly interested to understand any funding schemes already in place which would support a viable and economically advantageous solution, along with recommendations for ISP services, including customer pricing plans, customer choice restrictions & contract term commitments. Potential suppliers who respond to the PIN will be invited to presentations, seminars or interviews. Orbit shall present and discuss in more detail its objectives and requirements in terms of sustainably innovative product and/or service solutions and to explore the market potential to fulfil these requirements. The presentations, seminars or interviews are expected to commence in August 2019. Responding to this PIN will automatically lead to invitations to these supplier engagement activities. This PIN is a separate process to the tendering activity which will take place at a later date (indicatively September 2019). Currently there is no need to register for the tendering process but responding to the PIN allows the Contracting Authority (Orbit) to keep you continuously informed about the activities relating to appointing a supplier for the ‘The Provision of Fibre Infrastructure Business’. At this current time it is envisaged that the opportunity will not be tendered, by way of subdivision into lots and will be undertaken as a competitive with negotiation procedure, however following the exploration of the market potential, Orbit reserves the right to select an alternative procedure and/or to divide into lots. Inclusion of any potential supplier in any supplier engagement entails no obligation on the part of the Contracting Authority concerning the award or conclusion of any contract or order. All ‘Expressions of Interest’ must be submitted through the Orbit Pro-Contract ‘Housing Procurement Portal’ (https://www.housingprocurement.com) by fully completing and uploading the document attached to the portal ‘Expression of Interest Response — Fibre Infrastructure Business’ by no later than 12:00 noon (GMT) on 19.7.2019. Please see the portal for attached document ‘Additional Information’. Should you experience any technical difficulties in using the Pro-Contract system, please contact the supplier support helpline on 03300050352.