Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment

Tender description

This PIN is for market pre-engagement only and is not a call for competition. The Liverpool City Region (LCR) Combined Authority (CA) expects to run a tender for the deployment and management of a resilient, futureproofed fibre network across the Liverpool City Region. At this stage, the (CA) is considering all options for the funding, ownership and commercial management of the network, including the potential of a joint venture. The CA is seeking to engage with civils providers, backhaul providers and digital infrastructure investors. We expect to run 2 market engagement events on the 30.7.2019 in London and 1.8.2019 in Liverpool. Further details of this project and how to book a place on the pre-market engagement — supplier day for digital connectivity across Liverpool City Region can be located via The North West Portal — www.the-chest.org.uk This PIN is for information only and is not a call for competition. It may, however, be used to reduce time limits for responses for any future tender exercises associated with this PIN. No procurement documents are therefore available until formal call for competition. The tender is expected to include procurement of a fibre network which may include the procurement of a joint venture partner who will be involved in the deployment and management of digital infrastructure across the Liverpool City Region. Liverpool City Region Combined Authority expects to run a tender exercise to select the best model to deploy and manage a core fibre network across the Liverpool City Region. The Liverpool City Region contains 1 600 000 residents across 6 local authorities, each of which is a member of the Combined Authority. The CA has an ambition to create extensive backhaul network of fibre loops across Liverpool City Region that will expand capacity in the city centre and into key under-served areas, such as low-income housing and key industrial and enterprise zones. GVA growth in the city region reached 5 % last year, 1,5 % above the national average, with above average productivity growth, too. The economy has globally significant competitive advantages in high-performance computing and AI, research on infectious diseases, materials chemistry and advanced manufacturing. Key assets include the SciTech Daresbury National Science and Innovation Campus and Knowledge Quarter Liverpool, which brings together 3 of its 4 universities. The City Region also has a devolution deal under which the Combined Authority (each local authority is a member) manages devolved policy making and funding and is able to plan for economic growth into the long-term. The Combined Authority expects to invest up to 500 000 000 GBP in economic development, including long-term infrastructure, in the next 4 years. Digital infrastructure in the City Region is average for the UK. This hugely understates its potential. With several transatlantic fibre landing points along the Sefton coast, 1 of 2 national supercomputers located in Halton, the UK’s highest rated computer science department by research excellence, a health focused 5G testbed and an exponentially growing creative and digital sector, the opportunity for better digital infrastructure to capitalise on growth is significant. The Combined Authority wishes to facilitate and potentially to co-fund this opportunity. The combined Authority has a digital infrastructure programme that covers both physical deployment of infrastructure and supporting measures to help residents and businesses benefit from the infrastructure. The infrastructure programme has the following objectives: — a commercially viable project, — futureproof and resilient backhaul network, — operate at the wholesale passive layer with open access infrastructure, — enable future expansion by either the JV or by 3rd parties, — reach at least 1 major economic cluster in each borough. The CA believes that a digital infrastructure partnership could result in the: — increase in coverage of ultrafast broadband across the region (by penetration, speed of deployment, availability of services, potential for innovation), — potential to increase fibre connectivity to businesses and residents. Market engagement: The CA invites potential partners and other interested parties to attend a market engagement day on the 30.7.2019 in London and 1.8.2019 at Mann Island, Liverpool. Only 1 day needs to be attended and early booking advised (www.the-chest.org.uk). The CA specifically wants to hear from civils providers, wholesale backhaul providers and digital infrastructure investors. The CA wants to explore what key assumptions or criteria the project would need for it to attract commercial investments and what would be required of the CA as a partner in the project.