Drones Sensor Network for the Solent Transport FTZ Programme

Description

Portsmouth City Council on behalf of Solent Transport is undertaking a soft market testing exercise in preparation for tendering a contract for the supply and installation of sensors for Solent Transport FTZ drone sensor network. The Council is aiming to commence formal tender of the contract during December of this year in order to achieve a contract award date of February 2024. The Council is keen to discuss potential approaches with experienced market leading organisations prior to commencing formal tender. This will help ensure that the tendering and subsequent contracting strategy adopted will allow for optimum bid solutions. The aim of the market testing is to: • Explore the innovation, capability and capacity available in the market • Inform Solent Transport on placement and density of sensors required based on the Geography of the Solent • Explore compatibility and synergies with the wider project • Feedback on our approach Our key considerations are: 1. How the solution captures the data and how it is then uploaded to the Soton UAV servers to complete delivery (spec of server to be provided) 2. How long infrastructure and sensor supply lead times are as well as responsiveness to any issues 3. Assurance of provision of back up sensors and sensor data in the event of failure 4. Viewing the suggested solution at supplier test site or virtually with own drone system 5. How both hardware and data security is managed 6. Solent Transport and our partners will provide sites for installs in advance where possible, but sensors, installs, decommissions may be required throughout the project as locations become available 7. The FTZ funding is until June 2025. All work must be completed by May 2025. Suppliers are invited to intend an online event via TEAMS Thursday 2nd November 10:00-11:30 to find out more about the drones project and the required sensor network. Attending the event will be: Rob Gloyns - Solent Transport - FTZ Theme Lead for Sustainable Logistics Carla Toomer - Solent Transport - FTZ Drones Project Manager Dr Mehmet Erbil - University of Southampton (Soton UAV) - Principal Experimental Officer Bryce Allcorn - Consortiq - Global Operations Director Richard Lock - Portsmouth City Council Procurement Manager Lisa Adamson - Portsmouth City Council Procurement Professional The event will be recorded and made available via the council's e-sourcing solution In-tend. Agenda for this event is as follows: 1. Introductions and what we will cover 2. Solent Transport FTZ programme background 3. Drones Project progress 4. Sensor Network: What are we trying to achieve? i. Expected locations 5. Procurement Process, Programme and Contracting Strategy 6. Questions 7. Questions to the attendees Following the online event, suppliers will have the opportunity to meet with Solent Transport on a one to one basis. Meetings will be held online via TEAMS and will be limited to 1 hour. Meetings can be accommodated between 6th - 19th November. Meetings can be requested prior to the initial online event. All requests for places at the initial TEAMS event scheduled for 2nd November and request subsequent 1-1 meetings are to be made via the In-tend system which can be accessed via the link below: https://intendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/ProjectManage/4899 Suppliers must ensure that they express interest in the specific In-tend project which has been created for the administration of the market consultation process. The link above should direct suppliers straight through to the project which is titled Drones Sensor Network for Solent Transport FTZ Programme - Market Consultation (P00004899). Suppliers are to make requests via the project using the systems correspondence function and must provide delegate names, positions and contact details including for email addresses. Lot 1: Solent Transport is a strategic partnership of four local authorities in South Hampshire; Southampton City Council, Portsmouth City Council, Hampshire County Council and the Isle of Wight Council. The Solent Transport Future Transport Zone has been awarded £28.8m from the DfT to run numerous tests and trials of innovative approaches to transport across the Solent region, on behalf of the four partner local authorities. This procurement is related to the FTZ's Drones for Medical Logistics Project. This project aims to research how drones could facilitate medical logistics in the Solent and improve the quality of residents' lives by trialling beyond visual line of sight deliveries of time sensitive and regulated medical goods for the NHS. This is to support research on airspace use and how sensors can be used for uncooperative aircraft detection in the Solent. Solent Transport are seeking to test a variety of different sensor types in the area. We are therefore seeking partnership solutions; the successful supplier will either have access to their own supply of sensors or be able to utilise supply chains to offer us the most variation and innovation in sensor. Solent Transport is supported by our Technical Project Manager Consultants, Consortiq. It is anticipated that they will be responsible for operational project management of this commission with Solent Transport acting as contract managers. In addition, Solent Transport are also working with Soton UAV (University of Southampton). Soton UAV will lead on all aspects of data management and support Solent Transport's implementation and management of the project, particularly with respect to data management. The aim of this procurement is to provide the complete technical and physical solution (including installation, relocation and decommission to deliver a map of maximum coverage within the proposed TDA TECHNICAL SCOPE A sensor or sensors that meet the following high-level requirements: 1. Supply, ongoing sensor refinement, maintenance and installation of sensor(s) that can detect non cooperative traffic through radar, acoustic or other 2. Sensors to be placed in various IoW and mainland locations in the Solent Region that must be able to operate within a marine environment (salt water) (they may get wet but not be submerged) 3. Ability to receive data and upload to main server automatically, capturing data in real time 4. Power will also be a requirement for the sensor network to operate EQUIPMENT & ASSOCIATED INFRASTRUCTURE Maintenance • Be available to provide maintenance and support to own equipment as required Data management • Be able to interface with UoS data network seamlessly using any necessary hardware or data connection (which may require suppliers Wi-Fi solution) Supply • Install the required sensor(s) within timescales as agreed • Power supply to an elevated solution such as a mast or building • Provide a mast which will be required to house these sensors and therefore a provider will need to understand and advise on the appropriate equipment needed to ensure success Decommission • Uninstall and safely remove all equipment at any time throughout the sensor network period of delivery ensuring all areas are made good Solent Transport have instructed Consortiq to identify suitable sensor sites and to manage the team at Vantage to complete the necessary surveys to confirm site viability. This work continues as we move towards site approval and landowner agreements. We anticipate having some sensor sites confirmed by the end of November 2023, however we will continue to seek sensor sites on an ongoing basis as the data we will capture will be able to inform us of other areas where sensors may be required. Please see the link below which shows the Trial Airspace proposed and the area in which the sensors will need to be located. https://airspacechange.caa.co.uk/PublicProposalArea?pID=525 Solent Transport envisage a partnership working model. This procurement is not currently split into lots but this may not be the final position. The value of this procurement is estimated at £150,000 - £250,000. Although we are currently unable to be specific regarding the value, this will be informed by the market consultation exercise. The Council will provide a baseline contract based on our standard services and supply contract. This will be issued to potential suppliers for review and comment during the market testing phase of the procurement. Indicative procurement timetable: Online market testing event Thursday 9th November Supplier 1:1s w/c 6th November Mini competition issued 8 December 2023 Deadline for tender submissions 12 January 2023 Evaluations completed 31 January 2023 Contract award 16 February 2023 Contract commencement March 2023