The Southwestern Integrated Fibre Technology (SWIFT) Network launched it’s procurement process today by officially releasing a two-stage Request for Pre-Qualification (RFPQ).
Successfully prequalified respondents will be invited to respond to subsequent Request for Proposals (RFPs) to begin investing nearly $300 million in building broadband for everyone in Southwestern Ontario, Caledon, and Niagara Region.
The RFPQ process will contain two stages and will be used to establish a list of prequalified respondents to submit proposal(s) in response to subsequent RFP(s) for the network construction. The network will be competitively bid and designed through a RFP process.
Stage one of the RFPQ process will require respondents to share information about the exact location of their existing infrastructure and known service gaps, as well as their business structure and financial plans. The RFPQ will begin the process of establishing critical network standards and eligibility criteria for building the SWIFT network.
The location and amount of fibre-optic infrastructure built in each community will be determined by the final overall design of the project, as informed by the RFPQ process. The final proposed project design will be released through RFP in late 2017 and confirmed when respondents are selected to build out the project. SWIFT is using this multi-stage process to ensure the goals of the project are achieved within our projected timeline.
In order to participate in the RFP, interested respondents must participate and be prequalified through the RFPQ process.
Stage 1 of the RFPQ process is expected to close on June 30, 2017, with a short-list of eligible respondents to be released on July 11, 2017.
The RFPQ is posted on Bonfire along with details of all bid opportunities posted on www.biddingo.com/simcoe as they are released. All information will be cross-posted and shared through our website and mailing list.
