Borderlands 5G Innovation Region

Description

The purpose of this PIN is to alert potential suppliers to an opportunity in respect of services likely to be procured. Cumberland Council intends to procure a supplier of 5G Networks and associated services on behalf of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal partners. The supplier will provide the survey, design, implementation and operation of a hybrid 5G and advanced wireless network and the delivery of use cases across five initial tourism venues in the Borderlands region (Windermere Ferry, Stranraer Marina, Tweed Trail at the Crook Inn, Kielder Castle, The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall). The procurement will cover the following activities: • survey, design, construction, installation and testing of the private 5G network • solutions for the identified use cases • integration of the use case technology with the 5G private network • supplying the necessary hardware, software and devices to support the network and the use cases • ongoing maintenance & support • network capacity for growth in data consumption to enable delivery of further use cases through expansion of the scope over time • support the five venues to implement the use cases • support for benefits realisation, lessons learned and the development of playbooks to encourage wider use and adoption Further information can be obtained from the Council’s procurement portal at https://www.the-chest.org.uk/ Lot 1: The purpose of this PIN is to alert potential bidders to an opportunity in respect of services likely to be procured. Cumberland Council intends to procure a supplier of 5G Networks and associated services on behalf of the Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal partners. The supplier will provide the survey, design, implementation and operation of a hybrid 5G and advanced wireless network and the delivery of use cases across five initial tourism venues in the Borderlands region (Windermere Ferry, Stranraer Marina, Tweed Trail at the Crook Inn, Kielder Castle, The Sill at Hadrian’s Wall). The planned procurement will cover the following activities: • survey, design, construction, installation and testing of the private 5G networks • solutions to address the core identified use cases, associated benefits & costs savings • integration of the use case technology with the established 5G private network • network capacity for growth in data consumption to enable delivery of further use cases through expansion of the scope over time • support the five tourism sites to implement the use cases • supplying the necessary hardware, software and devices to support the network and the use cases • ongoing maintenance & support • participation in regional showcase events and development of playbooks to encourage wider use and adoption The opportunity will be open to all suitably qualified bidders able to deliver the requirements over the long term, either as single suppliers or as a prime contractor using subcontractors to deliver some of the elements. The council intends to issue an invitation to tender in March 2024 with a view to awarding a contract in May be expected to deliver the 5G private networks and accompanying use case implementation at the five sites by the end of March 2025. It is anticipated that the term of the contract will be for seven years. There may be opportunities to expand the scope of services at the initial sites and/or additional sites during the contract term if further funding becomes available. Further information can be obtained from the Council’s procurement portal at https://www.the-chest.org.uk/. An online market information webinar will be held on 11th March 2024. All potential bidders are invited to attend to hear and discuss the Borderlands 5G Innovation Region’s current procurement plans, to ask questions, and to suggest improvements that could be made to the plans. The Council will provide an opportunity for short 1:1 discussions, so that commercially sensitive topics may be addressed privately. These private sessions will be conducted to the same agenda, with each organisation given equal access time to the Council. Potential bidders wishing to attend the webinar can do so by registering through the following link: https://events.teams.microsoft.com/event/95cbf456-c3a2-4f01-8b92-487a6b27f20a@ac4b077e-a758-4bc5-9465-35c192007704 To participate in a 1:1 session, potential bidders are asked to register by submitting a response form, provided in the supplementary document ‘Supplier Response Template 1.0, through the Chest portal at https://www.the-chest.org.uk/. Potential Bidders may submit clarification questions through the Chest Portal at any time up to 13th March 2024