This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Tenders invited for rural broadband
18/11/2002
The formal procurement process for broadband services in the South of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands - areas designated by the Executive for priority action - is now underway with the placing of contract notices for potential suppliers.
In Skye, Deputy Finance and Public Services Minister Peter Peacock said it was an important step forward in achieving the Executive's aim of broadband connections for all schools, local government and health services in rural communities.
Broadband gives reliable high-speed access to the Internet and telecoms services. The Executive believes it offers considerable opportunities for the improved delivery of public services.
Mr Peacock said:
"This is a very significant step towards achieving broadband connections for education, local government and health services in the South of Scotland and the Highlands and Islands.
"Broadband provides such a boost for rural areas as it effectively removes geographical disadvantage. It will enable pupils to access the highest quality on-line information and provide video connections to support learning. It allows health and local government services to transfer data quickly.
"It offers the opportunity for different parts of the public sector to work together more effectively and also provides real opportunities for local government services to be delivered more easily to customers.
"The placing of the Contract Notices now signals the start of the formal process. We look forward to service providers responding positively to this procurement. Our aim is to announce the successful bidder by the end of summer 2003, which we hope will allow for implementation on the ground in 2004.
"Reaching this stage of the project has only come about by excellent partnership working between the Executive and local authorities and other organisations involved and I would like to thank everyone involved for their hard work and enthusiasm."
The contract notices have been placed in the the Official Journal of the European Community and potential bidders have until December 23 to note their formal expressions of interest in tendering.
Aggregated procurement is a new approach to telecoms procurement for the public sector. It was decided to test this approach first in two Pathfinder areas - the Highlands & Islands and the South of Scotland.
Both of these areas were selected on the basis that the market was unlikely to meet anticipated demand under current procurement practices. It will cover the requirements of schools, libraries and other local authority services as well as those of the health services including GPs, pharmacies and dentists.
It is anticipated both projects will be signed towards the end of next summer for operational implementation in 2004.