PIN - Test & Measurement tool requirement for SONIC Labs - RIC Tester

Description

Digital Catapult is the UK authority on advanced digital technology. Through collaboration and innovation, we accelerate industry adoption to drive growth and opportunity across the economy. Our goal is to accelerate new possibilities in everything we do and for every business we partner with the journey – breaking down barriers, de-risking innovation, opening up markets and responsibly shaping the products, services and experiences of the future. The SmartRAN Open Network Interoperability Centre Laboratories (SONIC Labs) - https://www.digicatapult.org.uk/expertise/programmes/programme/sonic/ - is a joint programme between Digital Catapult (DC) and Ofcom. The programme creates a range of platforms for existing and emerging vendors to test the interoperability and integration of open and software-centric networking solutions, starting with 5G Open RAN technology. Launched in February 2022, the DCMS-funded SONIC Labs will be deployed across indoor and outdoor locations, providing a unique opportunity for UK-based operators and Open RAN vendors to get involved and showcase their capabilities. Additionally, SONIC Labs provides a testing ground for longer-term advanced technologies, expanding to other use cases and open networking technologies. Within the SONIC Labs programme, our objective is to support the development of working end to end Open RAN systems and help products mature through earlier end-to-end integration and interoperability testing of fully formed Open RAN systems. To achieve this objective, we are continually developing our technical capabilities in the Oran Test and Measurement domain to conduct extensive testing and performance evaluation and validation for the future Open RAN. Digital Catapult is seeking to engage with vendors supplying RIC testing capability who have the capability to design complex scenarios, supply, Install, configure and integrate different RIC components. The vendor(s) shall provide services to build, implement and integrate the entire system. In addition, we require services for training, ongoing support and maintenance (two-year period following go-live). Lot 1: This opportunity specifically relates to the design, supply, implementation and support of a tool which can be used for Interoperability Testing of RIC across various INterfaces (E2, A1,O1) and also can be used for Testing and validating the various xAPPS and rAPPS deployed on the RIC for various innovative use cases mentioned in the Requirement document attached. Digital Catapult is seeking to engage with vendors supplying RIC testing capability who have the capability to design complex scenarios, supply, Install, configure and integrate different RIC components. The vendor(s) shall provide services to build, implement and integrate the entire system. In addition, we require services for training, ongoing support and maintenance (two-year period following go-live).