IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

Tender description

The Connecting Cheshire Partnership strives to provide the best broadband connectivity possible across its programme area. Cheshire East Council is acting as lead authority for the initiative with Cheshire West and Chester Council, Warrington Borough Council and Halton Borough Council as supporting partners. Our efforts are also supported by Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership. We are currently in the process of seeking further funding, up to 6 000 000 GBP, to help towards our ambition of full coverage to support our bid. It is the intention of the Connecting Cheshire Partnership to procure Next Generation Access solutions. see II.2.4) for more information. The Connecting Cheshire Partnership strives to provide the best broadband connectivity possible across its programme area. Cheshire East Council is acting as lead authority for the initiative with Cheshire West and Chester Council, Warrington Borough Council and Halton Borough Council as supporting partners. Our efforts are also supported by Cheshire and Warrington Local Enterprise Partnership. We are currently in the process of seeking further funding, up to 6 000 000 GBP, to help towards our ambition of full coverage to support our bid. It is the intention of the Connecting Cheshire Partnership to procure Next Generation Access solutions. As part of this new procurement process, we are now commencing an open market review to establish existing and planned (next 3 years) commercial coverage of broadband services across the Connecting Cheshire Partnership area by all existing and any prospective, NGA broadband infrastructure providers. We consider that early market engagement at this stage is an essential and extremely important part of our early market research. Once we have defined these intervention areas, we will be conducting a minimum 1 month State Aid public consultation on our proposed intervention areas. We are planning to launch an ITT at the earliest opportunity to conclude when funding is formally confirmed. At this stage we invite interested suppliers to express an interest in this bid. We would then carryout discussions as part of early market engagement to support the final procurement route.