---
title: "The Provision of a BT Exchange Space & Power"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-031c95"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-031c95"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-031c95.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-031c95.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY"
published: "2022-09-26"
---

# The Provision of a BT Exchange Space & Power

Buyer: GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-031c95

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## Summary

The Greater Manchester Combined Authority has completed the award process for the provision of a BT Exchange Space & Power. This procurement falls under the services category, focusing on IT services such as consulting, software development, and internet support. The procurement was initiated through a tender process, with a specific aim to enhance the digital infrastructure of Greater Manchester. The GMCA has chosen Virgin Media Business as the supplier for this project. Key activities involve installing networking equipment in 33 BT Exchange sites to create a GM Wide Network Platform connecting various public sector sites in the region.

This tender presents an opportunity for businesses in IT services, networking equipment, and telecommunications sectors to engage with the Greater Manchester Combined Authority. The GMCA aims to expand its digital infrastructure by leveraging the services of Virgin Media Business. Businesses with expertise in providing BT Exchange space and power solutions are well-suited to compete in this tender. The timeline for this procurement indicates that the project is expected to commence in early April, following the selection of the preferred supplier in December.

## Notice

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.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

Virgin Media Business are in the process of installing Fibre to connect circa 1600 sites across Greater Manchester. GMCA have recently selected a Supplier to "light" the fibre and provide a GM Wide Network Platform connected the GMCA/FRS, TfGM, Bury Council, Oldham Council, Rochdale Council and Stockport Council sites. GMCA's Supplier will be providing and installing Cisco Networking equipment in each of the BT Exchange sites to create a Core Network between the BT Exchange site and terminate the fibres connected the GMCA/FRS, TfGM, Bury Council, Oldham Council, Rochdale Council and Stockport Council sites. GMCA require a Partner to provide space and power in 33 BT Exchange sites to house Cisco Networking equipment as detailed in the table below and provide fibre connectivity from the Virgin fibre to the Cisco Network equipment.

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026858-2022 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Open |
| Procurement method details | Open procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | Large |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 26 Sep 2022 |
| Submission deadline | 31 Mar 2022 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 26 Jun 2022 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | Not specified |
| Lots value | Not specified |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £1,613,455 |

## Status

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender status | Complete |
| Lots status | Cancelled |
| Awards status | Active |
| Contracts status | Active |

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | GREATER MANCHESTER COMBINED AUTHORITY |
| Locality | MANCHESTER |
| Post town | Manchester |
| Postcode | M1 6EU |
| Country | England |
| ITL 1 | TLD North West (England) |
| ITL 2 | TLD3 Greater Manchester |
| ITL 3 | TLD33 Manchester |
| Local authority | Manchester |
| Electoral ward | Deansgate |
| Westminster constituency | Manchester Central |
| Delivery location | Not specified |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | VIRGIN MEDIA BUSINESS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

### Codes

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

## Release History

- 26 Sep 2022 at 12:21 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/026858-2022
- 1 Mar 2022 at 17:34 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/005625-2022

## Notice URLs

- http://www.virginmediabusiness.co.uk
- https://www.greatermanchester-ca.gov.uk/
- https://www.the-chest.org.uk/

## Provenance

This Markdown file is an alternate public rendering of the D3 Tenders contract record. The canonical page is https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-031c95. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-031c95.json.