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UK-Belfast: telecommunications services

Prior Information Notice

General Information
Country:   United Kingdom
City/Locality:   BELFAST
Notice/Contract Number:   eu:95043-2009
Publication Date:   Apr 4, 2009
Buyer:   DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PERSONNEL (CENTRAL PROCUREMENT DIRECTORATE) ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT (DETI)
Original Language:   English

Contact Information
Address:   DEPARTMENT OF FINANCE AND PERSONNEL (CENTRAL PROCUREMENT DIRECTORATE) ON BEHALF OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ENTERPRISE, TRADE AND INVESTMENT (DETI)
BELFAST, NORTHERN IRELAND
United Kingdom
Web Site:   http://cpdni.gov.uk

Goods, Works and Services

 

Summary

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Notice Type: 2200 - Prior Information Notice
Regulation of Procurement: European Communities, with participation by GPA countries
EU Official Journal Publication: 66/2009, #95043-2009
Contract Nature: Service contract
Procedure Type: Prior information or periodic indicative notice
Type of Bid Required: Global or partial tender
Awarding Criteria: Not applicable

Original Text

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PRIOR INFORMATION NOTICE
Services
SECTION I: CONTRACTING AUTHORITY
I.1) NAME, ADDRESSES AND CONTACT POINT(S): Department of Finance and
Personnel (Central Procurement Directorate) on behalf of the Department of
Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI), Clare House, 30 Airport Road
West, Attn: Diarmuid McLaughlin, UK-Belfast BT3 9ED. Tel. +44 2890816515.
E-mail: Diarmuid.mclaughlin@dfpni.gov.uk. Fax +44 2890816964.
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: http://cpdni.gov.uk.
Address of the buyer profile: http://detini.gov.uk.
Further information can be obtained at: As in above-mentioned contact
point(s).
I.2) TYPE OF THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY AND MAIN ACTIVITY OR ACTIVITIES:
Ministry or any other national or federal authority, including their
regional or local sub-divisions.
General public services.
Other: Public Procurement.
The contracting authority is purchasing on behalf of other contracting
authorities: yes.
SECTION II.B: OBJECT OF THE CONTRACT (SUPPLIES OR SERVICES)
II.1) TITLE ATTRIBUTED TO THE CONTRACT BY THE CONTRACTING AUTHORITY: Next
Generation Broadband Project.
II.2) TYPE OF CONTRACT AND PLACE OF DELIVERY OR OF PERFORMANCE: Services.
Service category: No 5.
Main place of performance or of delivery: Northern Ireland, UK.
NUTS code: UKN.
II.3) SHORT DESCRIPTION OF NATURE AND QUANTITY OR VALUE OF SUPPLIES OR
SERVICES: This voluntary notice has been placed for advertising purposes
only to inform the market of the current intention to launch this upcoming
competition.
The Executive in Northern Ireland has put together a plan published in The
Programme for Government 2008–2011 and Investment Strategy 2008–2018 to
ensure the development of modern, efficient infrastructure which is
essential for economic and social development. One of the Department of
Enterprise, Trade and Investment’s (“DETI”) targets in this regard is to
“increase the availability of next generation broadband speeds to 85 % of
businesses by 2011”.
It is currently intended in line with these objectives and targets to
launch a competition under which European Regional Development Fund grant
funding, in particular, will be offered by the DETI to suitably qualified
organisations or consortia to invest in the delivery of high-speed
broadband services and infrastructure, subject to certain conditions.
Indicative grant funding of 15 000 000 GBP is to be used as gap funding,
as necessary, to maximise coverage throughout Northern Ireland. It is
possible that further grant funding may be available although this is not
known at this stage and is by no means certain.
The contract will not be to provide services to the contracting authority.
By way of indicative summary only, the selected service provider(s) chosen
by the DETI pursuant to this competition will be required to provide
high-speed broadband services in Northern Ireland to the rural and urban
business community, in particular, in specified areas within a defined
timeframe. It is anticipated that the selected service provider(s) will be
required to ensure that the services it provides are affordable,
sustainable and scalable with a view to ensuring that end users are
provided with a broadband service to a specification which is an
improvement to the current broadband services typically available to end
users in various areas of Northern Ireland. There will be a requirement
for the selected service provider(s) to provide a wholesale service, at an
appropriate wholesale price, which will be available to other service
providers in the market.
It is currently intended for the grant funding to only support the
provision of improved broadband services in areas not served, or unlikely
to be served by the market with a particular focus on business end users.
The selected service provider(s) will own, lease or otherwise have access
to all network infrastructure and be responsible for the roll out of the
network and the operation and maintenance of the network.
A Competitive Dialogue procedure will be used to select the successful
service provider(s). It is expected that the final contract with the
selected service provider(s) will set out the terms upon which the service
provider(s) will be able to claim a grant based on the eligible
expenditure incurred in the investment, and open book accounting
principles. It is currently envisaged that the contract will expire and
terminate five (5) years after the date of successful
rollout/implementation of infrastructure/services.
Information and publicity will be in line with Article 69 of the Council
Regulation (EC) No 1083/2006.
Further information will be provided in the Contract Notice and tender
competition documents.
Division into lots: yes.
II.4) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV): 64200000, 72410000, 72315000,
64210000, 50334400, 45232332, 45231600, 32570000, 32562200, 32500000,
32424000, 32412100, 32412000, 32412110, 32420000, 32425000, 32510000,
32571000, 45232300, 50330000, 50332000, 51300000, 64227000, 72400000.
II.5) SCHEDULED DATE FOR START OF AWARD PROCEDURES: 8.4.2009.
II.6) CONTRACT COVERED BY THE GOVERNMENT PROCUREMENT AGREEMENT (GPA):
Yes.
II.7) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: The Contracting Authority intends to use an
eTendering system in this procurement exercise.
INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS
LOT No: 1
TITLE: Provision of next generation broadband services to areas of lower
business density.
1) SHORT DESCRIPTION: It is currently envisaged that Lot 1 will relate to
the provision of broadband services and infrastructure in areas of lower
business density to a specification which is an improvement to the current
broadband services typically available to end users in such areas.
2) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV): 64200000.
3) QUANTITY OR SCOPE: Indicative grant funding of between 8 000 000 GBP
and 12 000 000 GBP is to be used as gap funding, as necessary, to maximise
coverage of broadband services and infrastructure in areas of lower
business density. It is possible that the grant funding envelope may
change. It is also possible that further grant funding may be available
although this is not known at this stage and is by no means certain. The
scope of the services is otherwise as set out in II.3.
5) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS: The scope of each lot is indicative
only and subject to change. DETI reserves the right, in particular, to
increase or decrease the number of Lots or to increase or decrease the
level of grant funding available overall or in respect of any Lot.
LOT No: 2
TITLE: Provision of next generation broadband to areas of higher business
density.
1) SHORT DESCRIPTION: It is currently envisaged that Lot 2 will relate to
the provision of broadband services and infrastructure in areas of higher
business density to a specification which is an improvement to the current
broadband services typically available to end users in various areas.
2) COMMON PROCUREMENT VOCABULARY (CPV): 64200000.
3) QUANTITY OR SCOPE: Indicative grant funding of between 3 000 000 GBP
and 7 000 000 GBP is to be used as gap funding, as necessary, to maximise
coverage of broadband services and infrastructure in areas of higher
business density. It is possible that the grant funding envelope may
change. It is also possible that further grant funding may be available
although this is not known at this stage and is by no means certain. The
scope of the services is otherwise as set out in II.3.
5) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ABOUT LOTS: The scope of each Lot is indicative
only and is subject to change. DETI reserves the right, in particular, to
increase or decrease the number of Lots or to increase or decrease the
level of grant funding available overall or in respect of any Lot.
SECTION III: LEGAL, ECONOMIC, FINANCIAL AND TECHNICAL INFORMATION
III.1) CONDITIONS RELATING TO THE CONTRACT
III.1.1) Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or
reference to the relevant provisions regulating them: Not Applicable.
III.2) CONDITIONS FOR PARTICIPATION
III.2.1) Reserved contracts: No.
SECTION VI: COMPLEMENTARY INFORMATION
VI.1) CONTRACT RELATED TO A PROJECT AND/OR PROGRAMME FINANCED BY
COMMUNITY FUNDS: Yes.
Reference to project(s) and/or programme(s): The project will be funded
through the European Regional Development Fund in particular.
VI.2) ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: This process is being run by the Department
of Finance & Personnel (Central Procurement Directorate) for and on behalf
of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (“DETI”) although
the DETI may also be involved in the running of the process. The DETI is
the contracting authority and the selected service provider(s) will be
required to enter into contracts with the DETI.
It is envisaged that interested parties will be entitled to tender for any
or all of the Lots.
Interested parties should note that a single provider/consortium will be
required to provide a turnkey solution for each Lot and that the various
elements of the contract(s) for each Lot are not being procured
individually.
The Contracting Authority intends to use an eTendering system in this
procurement exercise.
Regulatory information on electronic communications may be obtained from
OFCOM- www.ofcom.org.uk.
VI.3) INFORMATION ON GENERAL REGULATORY FRAMEWORK: Relevant governmental
Internet sites where information can be obtained
Tax legislation: www.hmrc.gov.uk
Environmental protection legislation: www.ni-environment.gov.uk
Employment protection and working conditions: www.delni.gov.uk.
VI.4) DATE OF DISPATCH OF THIS NOTICE: 1.4.2009.
Please note that this notice is for your information only.
We try our best to have the most accurate and up-to-date information available on our web site, but we cannot guarantee that all of the information provided is error-free.
If you have any suggestions for updates/corrections for this notice, please let us know.