Tender

The Provision of a BT Exchange Space & Power

  • Greater Manchester Combined Authority

F02: Contract notice

Notice identifier: 2022/S 000-005625

Procurement identifier (OCID): ocds-h6vhtk-031c95

Published 1 March 2022, 5:34pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

GMCA Offices, 1st Floor, Churchgate House, 56 Oxford Street

Manchester

M1 6EU

Contact

Mrs Nicola Wadley

Email

Nicola.wadley@greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk

Telephone

+44 7926067765

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UK - United Kingdom

Internet address(es)

Main address

http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/

Buyer's address

http://www.manchesterfire.gov.uk/

one.3) Communication

The procurement documents are available for unrestricted and full direct access, free of charge, at

https://www.the-chest.org.uk/

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

Tenders or requests to participate must be submitted electronically via

https://www.the-chest.org.uk/

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Regional or local authority

one.5) Main activity

General public services


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

The Provision of a BT Exchange Space & Power

Reference number

DN598406

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

two.1.3) Type of contract

Services

two.1.4) Short description

When Greater Manchester’s Digital Blueprint was launched in February 2020 it included a specific ambition to Extend Our World Class Digital Infrastructure as a cross cutting enabler to underpin the city regions economic and social ambitions.

A key element of this has been the GM Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) “anchor tenancy” programme that is in the final stages of laying up to 2,700km of new fibre infrastructure across Greater Manchester leveraging DCMS funding plus investment from GMCA(FRS), TFGM and seven of the councils. This work will be complete by early 2022/23 and will connect approx. 1,600 public sites drive fibre into new areas of Greater Manchester.

‘Lighting’ the fibre is the next step, each of the public sector organisations that are part of the LFFN anchor tenancy programmes operate their own networks. Recognising that LFFN is providing a shared fibre infrastructure, in 2020 several of the partners considered the option for jointly procuring network services across the fibre infrastructure for their own organisational needs and to take advantage of the economies of scale.

A set of options were considered and it was agreed to collaboratively light the fibre with other LFFN partners giving high speed gigabit access to the GM region and all public sector bodies, by implementing a next generation, software-defined, integrated gigabit network.

Early in 2021 Bury, Oldham and Rochdale and Stockport Councils plus TFGM and GMCA(FRS) went to market to select a partner to design, build and operate the GM One Network via a competitive dialogue process. A preferred supplier was selected in December and GMCA are working with the preferred supplier with a view to signing contracts and commencing the project early in April.

The core network will be a segment routed network transport that that will be delivered on top of the LFFN network covering 33 BT exchanges around the Greater Manchester region.

• Each exchange will have a Cisco NCS-57C3-MOD platform providing the core Segment Routing and P/PE functionality for GM One. The platform is routed optical networking (RON) ready and can be expanded to provide FSN to FSN speeds of 400Gbps.

• The Cisco N540X-6Z18G-D will provide access aggregation for exchanges with a higher density of partner site connections.

Further details and information on submitting your application can be found on Due North/The Chest

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 72000000 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UK - United Kingdom

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

When Greater Manchester’s Digital Blueprint was launched in February 2020 it included a specific ambition to Extend Our World Class Digital Infrastructure as a cross cutting enabler to underpin the city regions economic and social ambitions.

A key element of this has been the GM Local Full Fibre Network (LFFN) “anchor tenancy” programme that is in the final stages of laying up to 2,700km of new fibre infrastructure across Greater Manchester leveraging DCMS funding plus investment from GMCA(FRS), TFGM and seven of the councils. This work will be complete by early 2022/23 and will connect approx. 1,600 public sites drive fibre into new areas of Greater Manchester.

‘Lighting’ the fibre is the next step, each of the public sector organisations that are part of the LFFN anchor tenancy programmes operate their own networks. Recognising that LFFN is providing a shared fibre infrastructure, in 2020 several of the partners considered the option for jointly procuring network services across the fibre infrastructure for their own organisational needs and to take advantage of the economies of scale.

A set of options were considered and it was agreed to collaboratively light the fibre with other LFFN partners giving high speed gigabit access to the GM region and all public sector bodies, by implementing a next generation, software-defined, integrated gigabit network.

Early in 2021 Bury, Oldham and Rochdale and Stockport Councils plus TFGM and GMCA(FRS) went to market to select a partner to design, build and operate the GM One Network via a competitive dialogue process. A preferred supplier was selected in December and GMCA are working with the preferred supplier with a view to signing contracts and commencing the project early in April.

The core network will be a segment routed network transport that that will be delivered on top of the LFFN network covering 33 BT exchanges around the Greater Manchester region.

• Each exchange will have a Cisco NCS-57C3-MOD platform providing the core Segment Routing and P/PE functionality for GM One. The platform is routed optical networking (RON) ready and can be expanded to provide FSN to FSN speeds of 400Gbps.

• The Cisco N540X-6Z18G-D will provide access aggregation for exchanges with a higher density of partner site connections.

Further information and details can be found via Due North/The Chest

two.2.5) Award criteria

Price is not the only award criterion and all criteria are stated only in the procurement documents

two.2.7) Duration of the contract, framework agreement or dynamic purchasing system

Duration in months

120

This contract is subject to renewal

No

two.2.10) Information about variants

Variants will be accepted: No

two.2.11) Information about options

Options: No

two.2.13) Information about European Union Funds

The procurement is related to a project and/or programme financed by European Union funds: No


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

four.1.1) Type of procedure

Open procedure

four.1.8) Information about the Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: No

four.2) Administrative information

four.2.2) Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate

Date

31 March 2022

Local time

12:00pm

four.2.4) Languages in which tenders or requests to participate may be submitted

English

four.2.7) Conditions for opening of tenders

Date

31 March 2022

Local time

12:00pm


Section six. Complementary information

six.1) Information about recurrence

This is a recurrent procurement: No

six.4) Procedures for review

six.4.1) Review body

Greater Manchester Combined Authority

56 Oxford Street

Manchester

M1 6EU

Country

United Kingdom