Research and Development Testbed – Wireless Mesh Equipment
The project involves the design and build of a new open, programmable, digital data-communications infrastructure deployed across the City of Bristol. This infrastructure will be configured as a discreet test-bed for research, development, test and experimentation.
United Kingdom-Bristol: Internet network
2014/S 086-149813
Contract notice
Supplies
Directive 2004/18/EC
Section I: Contracting authority
I.1)Name, addresses and contact point(s)
Helen Bream
Contact point(s): https://proactisplaza.com
BS1 5TR Bristol
UNITED KINGDOM
Internet address(es):
General address of the contracting authority: http://www.bristol.gov.uk
Address of the buyer profile: https://proactisplaza.com
Electronic access to information: https://proactisplaza.com
Electronic submission of tenders and requests to participate: https://proactisplaza.com
Further information can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Specifications and additional documents (including documents for competitive dialogue and a dynamic purchasing system) can be obtained from: The above mentioned contact point(s)
Tenders or requests to participate must be sent to: The above mentioned contact point(s)
I.2)Type of the contracting authority
I.3)Main activity
I.4)Contract award on behalf of other contracting authorities
Section II: Object of the contract
II.1.1)Title attributed to the contract by the contracting authority:
II.1.2)Type of contract and location of works, place of delivery or of performance
NUTS code
II.1.3)Information about a public contract, a framework agreement or a dynamic purchasing system (DPS)
II.1.5)Short description of the contract or purchase(s)
The project involves the design and build of a new open, programmable, digital data-communications infrastructure deployed across the City of Bristol. This infrastructure will be configured as a discreet test-bed for research, development, test and experimentation.
The purpose of the test-bed is to enable individuals and organisations of all types, but particularly innovative SMEs, to undertake experimentation with new pre-commercial digital technologies and applications as required to de-risk the introduction of new products and services at city scale. The test-bed will link client organisations directly with citizens i.e. their target consumers, going about their daily activities using state of the art fixed and wireless technologies. Clients will also be able to access sensor feeds from across the city supplying real-time data, historic data sets and a variety of assets linked directly from the test-bed. The test-bed will be available from a range of different venues facilitating a broad range of different experimental objectives and models.
Creating this R&D test-bed exploits Bristol’s unique potential for synergy between creative, microelectronics and high-tech manufacturing sectors. It also builds on existing publically owned citywide infrastructure reducing the overall cost of deployment. The test-bed will link to national and international infrastructure creating the potential for this resource to be accessible from elsewhere in the UK and from overseas. Testing demand, developing expertise, producing business cases for future markets and enabling real time monitoring and collection data are essential processes relating to emerging Smart & Future City systems. The test-bed will accelerate scientific, technological, economic, ethical and societal development and understanding.
Expected Outcomes
– High speed (GB/sec +) testbed connectivity available for R&D clients/partners
– No conflicting commercial service traffic requirements enables test-bed to be “breakable” enabling innovation at the leading edge
– Multiple use cases and scenarios delivered
– Skills development in nationally significant sectors
– Builds on proven initiatives that have delivered economic impact
– Economic and societal benefits validated by citizen engagement
– Job creation in SMEs, large corporates, academia, public sector and education
– Reduced time to market and lower associated risk for new products and services
– Expansion of existing digital innovation ecosystem to a scale previously unachievable
Further to Prior Information Notice 257542-2013, issued on 1.8.2013, Bristol City Council are seeking to procure active network equipment in order to provide connectivity as part of a Research and Development high speed testbed as highlighted above.
Wireless Mesh Network Equipment
We are seeking expressions of interest from suitably experienced organisations for the provision and supply of components to create a mesh network. This network is intended to provide connectivity for a distributed array of data sources including sensors and potentially to provide point to point connectivity. This network will integrate into and form part of the R&D testbed.
A further intention is that the testbed will be configured as a software defined network (SDN). This methodology will evolve, in due course, to encompass all components on the network and accessible through the network. As far as possible, all equipments should be capable of compliance with the requirements implicit in the SDN methodology, in particular, permitting the control of component hardware functionality from 3rd party systems.
The tender will result in the award of contract as highlighted above.
Suppliers wishing to participate in this tender will need to register on Bristol City Council’s tender portal; this can be found athttps://www.proactisplaza.com.
Once registered, suppliers will be able to download the relevant documentation.
The Authority has chosen to adopt a standard 2 stage restricted tender procurement process to ensure that all bidders are treated equally and fairly and will comply with all aspects of the Public Procurement Regulations 2006.
This tender process is subject to the Authority call in period for projects of this nature. Should approval to proceed not be granted, bidders will be informed.
The Authority will not be liable to pay anything towards bidder’s costs in the event of a call in and subsequent abandonment.
Research and Development Testbed
The Authority seek to offer contracts for supply, installation and setup of wireless mesh equipment in order to build a Research and Development (R&D) testbed.
The R&D testbed will facilitate Smart and Future City projects by providing essential infrastructure and access to real-time, dynamic sensor data but allows for testing and development of research models, innovative pre-commercial applications by organisations, particularly SMEs, and for academic research, utilizing a mix of wired and wireless technologies and supporting sensor and actuator data.
It should be noted that:
– The procurement will follow a supply model contract.
– Subject to the successful completion of the procurement process, the Authority intend to award contract(s) to the successful bidder(s).
Standards
Suppliers with following accreditation will be able to work on the Authorities Street Furniture and certification must be evidenced as part of the procurement process:
– HERS (NHSS8) accreditation to demonstrate that suppliers have competent engineers in Highway Electrical and Associated Works.
– G39 accreditation for working on lighting columns and CCTV Columns
– Health and Safety – Suppliers must use suitable mobile elevated platforms for working at height.
Wireless mesh devices must meet the following standards:
– ICNIRP (International Commission on Non-ionizing Radiation Protection) radiation standards.
II.1.6)Common procurement vocabulary (CPV)
32412110, 32424000, 32413000, 32571000
II.1.7)Information about Government Procurement Agreement (GPA)
II.1.8)Lots
II.1.9)Information about variants
II.2.1)Total quantity or scope:
II.2.2)Information about options
II.2.3)Information about renewals
Section III: Legal, economic, financial and technical information
III.1.1)Deposits and guarantees required:
III.1.2)Main financing conditions and payment arrangements and/or reference to the relevant provisions governing them:
III.1.3)Legal form to be taken by the group of economic operators to whom the contract is to be awarded:
III.1.4)Other particular conditions
III.2.1)Personal situation of economic operators, including requirements relating to enrolment on professional or trade registers
III.2.2)Economic and financial ability
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required: Please refer to the tender documentation.
III.2.3)Technical capacity
Please refer to the tender documentation.
Minimum level(s) of standards possibly required:
Please refer to the tender documentation.
Section IV: Procedure
IV.1.1)Type of procedure
IV.1.2)Limitations on the number of operators who will be invited to tender or to participate
Objective criteria for choosing the limited number of candidates: The 5 highest scoring bidders who pass the set thresholds will be taken through to the Invitation to Tender (ITT) stage, as set out in the tender documentation. In the case of a tie a sixth bidder may be taken through.
IV.2.1)Award criteria
IV.2.2)Information about electronic auction
IV.3.1)File reference number attributed by the contracting authority:
IV.3.2)Previous publication(s) concerning the same contract
Prior information notice
Notice number in the OJEU: 2013/S 148-257542 of 1.8.2013
IV.3.3)Conditions for obtaining specifications and additional documents or descriptive document
IV.3.4)Time limit for receipt of tenders or requests to participate
IV.3.6)Language(s) in which tenders or requests to participate may be drawn up
Section VI: Complementary information
VI.1)Information about recurrence
VI.2)Information about European Union funds
VI.5)Date of dispatch of this notice: