I’ve recently been working with Suffolk ACRE on shaping up two key tenders for the county – one a small but very important fibre project in the village of Parham, the other a model for wireless broadband to ensure everyone in East Suffolk has access to good, reliable broadband wherever they may live.

Beyond simply delivering broadband in challenging areas, the goal for both is also to learn – to create models and case studies which will influence the way broadband can be delivered in rural areas everywhere. The Parham fibre project, for example, is as much about creating a sustainable balance of roles between the local community and network operators as it is about simply delivering super-fast broadband.

The tender is seeking companies who are keen to demonstrate innovation in the way customer connections can be installed both in terms of technology advances as well as process and business innovation.

My own feeling is that these could be very important projects – ones which help develop our understanding of how we can deliver true next generation services more widely through smarter collaboration between the public sector, industry and the community.

Suffolk ACRE’s formal notice is as follows:

“Suffolk ACRE has issued two invitations to tender for the design, installation and operation of a wide area wireless next generation broadband network in east Suffolk and also a fibre to the premise network in Parham. Companies interested in bidding should in the first instance email: broadbandbids@suffolkacre.org.uk. Closing date for bid submission is 9am on the 12^th September 2011.”

So if you’d like to be considered for either of these exciting tenders, please contact Suffolk ACRE directly at broadbandbids@suffolkacre.org.uk.

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