Future opportunity

Research and Innovation Testbed in Brighton

  • Digital Catapult

F01: Prior information notice (prior information only)

Notice reference: 2021/S 000-017214

Published 21 July 2021, 2:24pm



Section one: Contracting authority

one.1) Name and addresses

Digital Catapult

101 Euston Road

London

NW1 2RA

Email

procurement@digicatapult.org.uk

Telephone

+44 3001233101

Country

United Kingdom

NUTS code

UKI31 - Camden and City of London

Internet address(es)

Main address

www.digicatapult.org.uk

Buyer's address

https://www.mytenders.co.uk/search/Search_AuthProfile.aspx?ID=AA37289

one.2) Information about joint procurement

The contract is awarded by a central purchasing body

one.3) Communication

Additional information can be obtained from the above-mentioned address

one.4) Type of the contracting authority

Body governed by public law

one.5) Main activity

Other activity

Research and Innovation


Section two: Object

two.1) Scope of the procurement

two.1.1) Title

Research and Innovation Testbed in Brighton

two.1.2) Main CPV code

  • 32400000 - Networks

two.1.3) Type of contract

Supplies

two.1.4) Short description

The aim of this procurement is to upgrade the 5G Brighton Testbed established by Digital Catapult, distributed across two locations in Brighton.

two.1.5) Estimated total value

Value excluding VAT: £350,000

two.1.6) Information about lots

This contract is divided into lots: No

two.2) Description

two.2.2) Additional CPV code(s)

  • 32412000 - Communications network
  • 32412110 - Internet network
  • 32412100 - Telecommunications network
  • 32418000 - Radio network
  • 32420000 - Network equipment
  • 32422000 - Network components
  • 32424000 - Network infrastructure
  • 48821000 - Network servers

two.2.3) Place of performance

NUTS codes
  • UKJ21 - Brighton and Hove
Main site or place of performance

Brighton

two.2.4) Description of the procurement

Digital Catapult wishes to find a partial or preferably a full solution for the requirements below.

The system should provide coverage in 4 indoor areas:

● Area 1: 1000 Sqm, Area 2: 40 sqm Area 3:75 sqm, Area 4: 200 sqm height 4m-8m;

The system should provide the following 5G configurations:

● 5G SA (3GPP Option 2), 5G NSA (3GPP Option 3x) -- optional, NB-IoT and LTE-M support (optional);

The system should provide the following services:

● eMBB with peak data rate of at least +3Gbps per cell;

● average user throughput 100Mbps downlink / uplink for up to 30 simultaneous users per cell and in total 60 simultaneous users across the coverage area (multiple cells);

● URLLC service with less than 4 ms (Round Trip) at local edge compute;

● 1000 connected IoT devices (optional);

The RAN should provide the following features:

● Support eMBB Channel BW of 100MHz;

● Indoor unit should be Ofcom compliant w.r.t radiation power, with ability to control radiation power in the range of -5dBm - 24 dBm;

The RAN should operate in the following spectrum:

● 5G SA n77 (3.8GHz-4.2GHz) (3.6GHz-3.8GHz Optional),

● 5G NSA n77(3.8GHz-4.2GHz) LTE B3 (1781.7-1785 MHz 1876.7-1880 MHz);

● LTE-M/NB-IoT Band 3 (1781.7 to 1785 MHz paired with 1876.7 to 1880 MHz) - optional;

● mmWave 24.25-26.5 GHz -optional

The 5G Core should provide the following capabilities:

● support for eMBB (>700Mbps per UE);

● support for ultra low latency networking (<1ms)/URLLC

● support MEC capability;

● support of NB-IoT and LTE-M (optional);

● with documentation and technical support;

● with OpenAPI support;

● support for 100+ users (1000 if NB-IoT and/or emulation for performance management);

● supporting the following 5GC service based architecture functions: AMF, SMF, multiple UPFs, AUSF, UDM, optional features: NRF, NEF, N3IWF, NSSF, NWDAF;

● clear upgrade roadmaps to future 3GPP releases or roadmap to support missing features;

The system should provide a WiFi solution with the following features:

● Support WiFi6 up at least 2.4Gbps per user (WiFi 6e optional);

● It should provide dual-band, dual-concurrent Wi-Fi 6 AP, supporting multiple spatial streams;

● Local-based Management application server. Note that the existing infrastructure is based on RUCKUS with a local management server;

The system should provide the following (not exhaustive list) of testing capabilities:

● Fully-support TDM/PDH to dual 10 G Ethernet, SONET, SDH, Fiber Channel, and OTN;

● support Automated, enhanced RFC 2544 and SAM Complete testing per ITU-T Y.1564;

● Supporting burst testing approach per MEF 34 and RFC 6349 True Speed TCP throughput testing;

● Supporting Integrated Timing/Synchronization testing including PTP/1588v2, SyncE, Wander, and One Way Delay test;

● Supporting Fronthaul Testing CPRI/OBSAI Layer 1/Layer 2 and emulation of Baseband and Remote Radio units Single- and dual-port;

● Supporting BBU emulation RFoCPRI;

The system should provide access to end user devices of different types including the following:

● Mobile UE support NSA and SA on requested spectrum;

● NB-IoT and LTE-M device - optional;

● CPE support NSA and SA on requested spectrum;

● 5G-ready AR/VR kit;

The system should provide the required computation functionality to support the additional services:

● Computing capability is required to support 5G NSA and SA solutions;

● In the case of the OpenRAN option it would require some servers for CU/DU with accelerator cards;

two.2.14) Additional information

It is not intended to divide this contract into lots at this time. However subject to outcome of the market engagement event this may change.

two.3) Estimated date of publication of contract notice

1 September 2021


Section four. Procedure

four.1) Description

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

The procurement is covered by the Government Procurement Agreement: Yes


Section six. Complementary information

six.3) Additional information

Digital Catapult intend to hold a market engagement event in the near future. If you would like to be invited to attend the market engagement event, please register your interest on myTenders.

NOTE: To register your interest in this notice and obtain any additional information please visit the myTenders Web Site at https://www.mytenders.co.uk/Search/Search_Switch.aspx?ID=223399.

(MT Ref:223399)