Customer Service / Broadband CoWs for Western Sydney - TELCO/23745

The establishment of resilient and responsive connectivity infrastructure in Western Sydney is essential to ensure that communities are not left isolated during emergencies.

The overarching goal of this RFP is to restore connectivity seamlessly and efficiently for the community in times of emergencies.

Cells on Wheels (CoWs) are a potential avenue for achieving this goal, however, it is essential to emphasise that this RFP initiative remains open to exploring a diverse range of innovative approaches. This openness reflects the commitment to finding the most effective and suitable solutions that can be tailored to the specific needs of the community, allowing for efficient restoration of connectivity in flood-prone areas.

Refer to Additional Details / Instructions

Request for Proposals - An invitation for expressions of interest / seeking preliminary proposals. In many cases these may be used as a basis for shortlisting tenderers, along with other criteria such as expertise and experience. Prospective tenderers are initially evaluated for their proposal against the relevant selection criteria. A number of those who best meet the criteria are invited to tender. For complex or some other types of procurement, where the product or service outcomes are highly dependent on the content of the proposals received from Tenderers, the outcome may be negotiated.

The Broadband CoWs initiative stems from the Government’s commitment to ensure that connectivity remains accessible and reliable in Western Sydney, especially in flood prone areas during emergency situations. This initiative is primarily driven by the need to address the urgent and critical gaps in communication infrastructure caused by the loss of service from Mobile Network Operators (MNOs) during emergencies. It aims to provide a lifeline of dependable connectivity for the affected communities not only during the emergencies themselves but also in the post-disaster recovery phase.

During disasters like floods and bushfires, the existing commercial carrier networks, designed for everyday use, often become unreliable. This unreliability has far-reaching consequences, affecting not only technological infrastructure but also deeply impacting the human aspect of the affected communities. The lack of dependable connectivity leaves the community isolated, without essential means to call for help or access vital information.

While permanent infrastructure is undergoing repairs or is rendered inoperable due to disasters, it is imperative to supply the community with temporary, easily deployable connectivity solutions. These solutions serve as a critical bridge to maintain continuous and reliable communication, effectively addressing the communication gap during disasters.

Location:

The initiative's primary focus is the flood-prone areas of Western Sydney. The landscape of the Hawkesbury – Nepean Valley has the area the highest flood exposure in NSW. Refer to Statement of Requirements, section 9.3 for further information.

 

Questions / Clarifications:

Send any questions or clarifications regarding this tender to TelcoAuthorityRfx@customerservice.nsw.gov.au

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