The government is on a mission to deliver lightning-fast, reliable broadband to everyone in the UK and is investing £5 billion in Project Gigabit to ensure that hard-to-reach communities are not left out.
Building Digital UK (BDUK) is carrying out an Open Market Review (OMR) in 6 areas including Lot 30 – Wiltshire, South Gloucestershire and Swindon to help identify premises that may be suitable for future public funding for gigabit-capable broadband.
BDUK is seeking information and supporting evidence from suppliers – in relation to the presence of gigabit capable broadband infrastructure within the project areas. If you have existing network coverage or plan to build infrastructure within the next three years, we actively encourage you to respond to this OMR.
This consultation opens on 20 October 2021 and closes on 22 November 2021 at 5pm.
To respond to this Open Market Review, and for more information, see BDUK’s page below:
Project Gigabit: Open Market Review request for information – Second release of Phase 2
Following the government’s Project Gigabit Summer Update on 2 August 2021, this Open Market Review (OMR) Request for Information (RFI) is being run to confirm where gigabit capable broadband infrastructure currently exists or is planned to be built in the next 3 years across the geographical areas outlined below.
The goal is to ensure the parts of the country that would legitimately benefit from government support are targeted first. By working with the government, you will:
- help to maximise the use of public subsidy to help provide ever faster, better connectivity across all parts of the UK
- help the government to identify areas which will be left out because they are not commercially viable, therefore bringing significant benefits to the UK economy
This is important to ensure the right areas are targeted and to avoid over-building commercial infrastructure.
If you have existing coverage, or plan to build infrastructure within the next three years in the areas listed below, we actively encourage you to respond to this OMR.
These areas are:
- East Sussex (Lot 16)
- Bedfordshire, Northamptonshire and Milton Keynes (Lot 12)
- Derbyshire (Lot 3)
- Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire (inc Swindon) (Lot 30)
- Lancashire (Lot 9)
- Surrey (Lot 22)
Note that Lot areas are not restricted to Local Authority (LA) boundaries, and in some cases, a small number of premises in neighbouring Local Authorities may be included in the Lot. Therefore if you are operating in a neighbouring LA, please consider responding to this OMR too.
The Open Market Review request for information is available at: https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/1026959/2B_OMR_RFI_Template_V3.1._1_.pdf
The closing date for responses is 22 November 2021 by 5pm.
For additional information on the OMR/PR process and how BDUK classifies premises for subsidy, see the Project Gigabit: UK Subsidy Advice page which includes recently published Subsidy Control Guidance.
How to participate
Read through the Open Market Review request for information.
If you would like to participate, email ukgigabit@BDUK.Zendesk.com. You will be required to sign the Ordnance Survey Public Sector Geospatial Agreement (PSGA) Contractor Licence if you haven’t done so already. A blank copy of this licence can be found at https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/project-gigabit-programme-open-market-review-request-for-information-second-release-of-phase-2
Once received a Shared Area within our Google Drive will be created and shared with you to access the required information and provide your submission.
If you would like to have a Non Disclosure Agreement with BDUK and one is not already in place, email ukgigabit@BDUK.Zendesk.com to initiate this process.
Your data response and supporting documents will need to be completed and uploaded between 5pm, 20 October 2021 and 5pm, 22 November 2021.
If you have any questions about participating in this Open Market Review, email ukgigabit@BDUK.Zendesk.com.
Freedom of information
DCMS may be required to disclose information submitted to DCMS or BDUK under the Freedom Of Information Act (FOIA) or the Environmental Information Regulations (EIR). In respect of any information submitted that a supplier considers to be commercially sensitive the supplier should identify such information as commercially sensitive and explain the potential implications of disclosure of such information.
Where an applicant identifies material as commercially sensitive, DCMS will endeavour to maintain confidentiality. Applicants should note that even where information is identified as commercially sensitive, DCMS may be required to disclose such information in accordance with the FOIA or the EIR and the final decision to disclose shall sit with DCMS.