---
title: "DfE Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy - Regional Supplier Contract for Northern Ireland"
ocid: "ocds-h6vhtk-04b578"
canonical_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/?ocid=ocds-h6vhtk-04b578"
markdown_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b578.md"
json_url: "https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b578.json"
source: "Find A Tender Service"
current_stage: "Award"
buyer: "DEPARTMENT FOR THE ECONOMY"
published: "2025-12-23"
---

# DfE Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy - Regional Supplier Contract for Northern Ireland

Buyer: DEPARTMENT FOR THE ECONOMY  
Current stage: Award  
OCID: ocds-h6vhtk-04b578

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## Summary

The Department for the Economy has initiated the procurement process for the DfE Gigabit Infrastructure Subsidy, focusing on improving telecommunications services in Northern Ireland. This contract, integral to Project Gigabit, aims to address market failures by subsidising the extension of gigabit-capable broadband to underserved communities. The current procurement stage has culminated in the awarding of a contract valued at £81 million, as of 23rd December 2025, with FIBRUS LTD named as the supplier. The procurement method applied was a selective, restricted procedure, ensuring thorough selection of suitably qualified suppliers. This endeavour is crucial for enhancing Northern Ireland's digital infrastructure, making it competitive with counterparts in Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland.

This tender represents significant business growth opportunities, particularly for companies specialising in telecommunications infrastructure. It is ideal for businesses capable of managing large-scale network projects and those with experience in deploying advanced broadband solutions. Companies that can offer innovative and cost-effective solutions while meeting the technical standards set out in the selection criteria will find this project particularly valuable. With a focus on enabling connectivity in hard-to-reach areas, businesses investing in this project can strengthen their market position and contribute to the regional digital ecosystem's expansion, potentially opening avenues for inward investments and further contracts in the sector.

## Notice

The UK Government has committed GBP5bn to enable hard-to-reach communities to access gigabit-capable broadband. This is being spent through a package of coordinated and mutually supportive interventions, collectively known as Project Gigabit. Project Gigabit, is a UK Government intervention to provide a subsidy to support the deployment of a gigabit speed broadband network to cover premises across Northern Ireland that would otherwise not be provided with access to gigabit broadband speeds, as these premises do not present a commercially viable investment for a private sector operator. Project Gigabit is a strategically important initiative for Northern Ireland's society (people and businesses), is a key enabler for delivering the DfE Minister's Economic Vision, and will help to maintain Northern Ireland's connectivity and infrastructure at a level that is competitive with Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland and is attractive to inward investment. As part of this DfE, along with Building Digital UK (BDUK), is developing a procurement approach to incentivise the telecoms market to invest in delivering gigabit capable wholesale infrastructure in areas not considered to be commercially viable for new infrastructure. This procurement approach will be a successor to the much-needed Superfast broadband programme and DfE's broadband intervention, Project Stratum. The overarching aim of Project Gigabit is, simply stated, to provide universal, or near universal, gigabit-capable broadband coverage in Northern Ireland by increasing provision in areas which are currently poorly served and not capable of attracting wholly commercial investment. The project aim can be categorised into three key objectives: * Address market failure, whilst maintaining and promoting competition within the market. It is currently not commercially viable for telecoms service providers to extend gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure to many of the presently unserved premises in Northern Ireland. * Maximise gigabit-capable broadband coverage in a way that is balanced and supportive of rural areas and communities. * Choose procurement and delivery options which seek to maximise value for money (in terms of a balance of quality of technology/products, coverage, timescale and cost to Government), mitigate risk, incentivise performance and meet affordability criteria for Government and for end users.

### Lot Information

Lot 1

The UK Government has committed GBP5bn to enable hard-to-reach communities to access gigabit-capable broadband. This is being spent through a package of coordinated and mutually supportive interventions, collectively known as Project Gigabit. Project Gigabit, is a UK Government intervention to provide a subsidy to support the deployment of a gigabit speed broadband network to cover premises across Northern Ireland that would otherwise not be provided with access to gigabit broadband speeds, as these premises do not present a commercially viable investment for a private sector operator. Project Gigabit is a strategically important initiative for Northern Ireland's society (people and businesses), is a key enabler for delivering the DfE Minister's Economic Vision, and will help to maintain Northern Ireland's connectivity and infrastructure at a level that is competitive with Great Britain and the Republic of Ireland and is attractive to inward investment. As part of this DfE, along with Building Digital UK (BDUK), is developing a procurement approach to incentivise the telecoms market to invest in delivering gigabit capable wholesale infrastructure in areas not considered to be commercially viable for new infrastructure. This procurement approach will be a successor to the much-needed Superfast broadband programme and DfE's broadband intervention, Project Stratum. The overarching aim of Project Gigabit is, simply stated, to provide universal, or near universal, gigabit-capable broadband coverage in Northern Ireland by increasing provision in areas which are currently poorly served and not capable of attracting wholly commercial investment. The project aim can be categorised into three key objectives: * Address market failure, whilst maintaining and promoting competition within the market. It is currently not commercially viable for telecoms service providers to extend gigabit-capable broadband infrastructure to many of the presently unserved premises in Northern Ireland. * Maximise gigabit-capable broadband coverage in a way that is balanced and supportive of rural areas and communities. * Choose procurement and delivery options which seek to maximise value for money (in terms of a balance of quality of technology/products, coverage, timescale and cost to Government), mitigate risk, incentivise performance and meet affordability criteria for Government and for end users. Additional information: The Supplier should note that there may be future changes in the scale of the services required duringthe term of the Contract that could not be identified or foreseen at the time of this procurement exercise, but which are consistentwith the overall nature of the Authority's' current and future operational requirements for a gigabit speed broadband network to coverpremises across Northern Ireland as defined in the specification and associated documents/appendices. In such circumstances, theAuthority may seek to agree a modification to the Contract to facilitate the provision of such services by the Supplier, with the Charges.for such services to be determined in accordance with Clause 48 by reference to and consistent with the pricing parameters andassumptions used by the Supplier in its Financial Model and by reference to the mechanisms and protections provided in the Conditionsof Contract. It is envisaged that such modifications would be made without requiring a new procurement procedure in accordancewith Regulation 72 of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. An example of such changes could include future requirements to includepremises identified through OMR / PR as "White" but the Authority has decided to defer build until later in the contract, and/or premisesidentified through OMR / PR as "Under Review". Examples: * premises identified through OMR / PR as "White" which could be targeted.under a procurement but the contracting authority has decided to defer build until later in the contract for reasons which may include.the premises not being a priority for build within the Initial Scope; and/or * premises in areas where gigabit infrastructure may become.available through other means e.g. through commercial or voucher-funded build; and/or * premises identified through Open Market.Review / Public Review as "Under Review". The Local Area Review process will be used to monitor developments in the Lot on an annualbasis and if required further premises are added using contract change control subject to further funding being made available and that itrepresents VFM

## Key Details

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication source | Find A Tender Service |
| Latest notice | https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085636-2025 |
| Notice type | Tender Notice |
| Procurement type | Standard |
| Procurement category | Services |
| Procurement method | Selective |
| Procurement method details | Restricted procedure |
| Tender suitability | Not specified |
| Awardee scale | SME |
| All stages | Tender, Award |

## Dates

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Publication date | 23 Dec 2025 |
| Submission deadline | 16 Dec 2024 |
| Future notice date | Not specified |
| Award date | 16 Dec 2025 |
| Contract period | Not specified |
| Recurrence | Not specified |

## Values

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Tender value | £81,000,000 |
| Lots value | £81,000,000 |
| Awards value | Not specified |
| Contracts value | £81,000,000 |

## Status

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

## Buyer

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Main buyer | DEPARTMENT FOR THE ECONOMY |
| Locality | BELFAST |
| Post town | Northern Ireland |
| Postcode | BT2 8FD |
| Country | Northern Ireland |
| ITL 1 | TLN Northern Ireland |
| ITL 2 | TLN0 Northern Ireland |
| ITL 3 | TLN06 Belfast |
| Local authority | Belfast |
| Electoral ward | Central |
| Westminster constituency | Belfast South and Mid Down |
| Delivery location | TLN Northern Ireland |

## Supplier

| Field | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Number of suppliers | 1 |
| Supplier names | FIBRUS |

## CPV Codes

### Divisions

- 32 - Radio, television, communication, telecommunication and related equipment
- 45 - Construction work
- 50 - Repair and maintenance services
- 51 - Installation services (except software)
- 64 - Postal and telecommunications services
- 65 - Public utilities
- 71 - Architectural, construction, engineering and inspection services
- 72 - IT services: consulting, software development, Internet and support

### Codes

- 32412100 - Telecommunications network
- 32412110 - Internet network
- 32420000 - Network equipment
- 32424000 - Network infrastructure
- 32425000 - Network operating system
- 32500000 - Telecommunications equipment and supplies
- 32510000 - Wireless telecommunications system
- 32520000 - Telecommunications cable and equipment
- 32521000 - Telecommunications cable
- 32522000 - Telecommunications equipment
- 32523000 - Telecommunications facilities
- 32530000 - Satellite-related communications equipment
- 32531000 - Satellite communications equipment
- 32532000 - Satellite dishes
- 32562100 - Optical-fibre cables for information transmission
- 32562200 - Optical telecommunication cables
- 32562300 - Optical-fibre cables for data transmission
- 32570000 - Communications equipment
- 32571000 - Communications infrastructure
- 32572000 - Communications cable
- 32572200 - Communications cable with coaxial conductors
- 45231600 - Construction work for communication lines
- 45232300 - Construction and ancillary works for telephone and communication lines
- 45232332 - Ancillary works for telecommunications
- 45232340 - Mobile-telephone base-stations construction work
- 45314000 - Installation of telecommunications equipment
- 45314300 - Installation of cable infrastructure
- 45314310 - Installation of cable laying
- 50330000 - Maintenance services of telecommunications equipment
- 50332000 - Telecommunications-infrastructure maintenance services
- 50334400 - Communications system maintenance services
- 51300000 - Installation services of communications equipment
- 64200000 - Telecommunications services
- 64210000 - Telephone and data transmission services
- 64227000 - Integrated telecommunications services
- 65300000 - Electricity distribution and related services
- 71316000 - Telecommunication consultancy services
- 72220000 - Systems and technical consultancy services
- 72222000 - Information systems or technology strategic review and planning services
- 72400000 - Internet services
- 72410000 - Provider services
- 72411000 - Internet service providers ISP

## Release History

- 23 Dec 2025 at 09:01 - Award - Award Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/085636-2025
- 11 Nov 2024 at 13:43 - Tender - Tender Notice - https://www.find-tender.service.gov.uk/Notice/036420-2024

## Notice URLs

- https://etendersni.gov.uk/epps
- https://fibrus.com/
- https://www.economy-ni.gov.uk
- https://www.finance-ni.gov.uk/topics/procurement

## 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-04b578. The underlying structured data is available as OCDS JSON at https://d3tenders.com/contract/ocds-h6vhtk-04b578.json.