Deadline: 7-Jul-23
The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) is offering a total of up to £1.5 million for six local authority-led pilots, to be matched by smart service providers working with the participating local authorities.
Through this funding, they will enable successful pilots to procure and test “smart” multipurpose columns for mobile and wireless connectivity services, and other relevant uses, which will help them make efficiency savings and increase connectivity for their local communities.
The “Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme” (SIPP) supports the government’s vision set out in the Digital Strategy for a competitive and innovative digital economy, and delivers on the Science and Technology Framework and the commitment to grow the economy.
The programme supports the implementation of the UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, which sets out a clear vision for how advanced wireless infrastructure can become an integral part of the fabric of the UK’s economy and society by 2030, and how they want people, business and public services across the UK to realise the full benefits of 5G and other advanced wireless connectivity.
Competition Objectives
- SIPP supports delivery of the government’s UK Wireless Infrastructure Strategy, which sets out a clear vision for how advanced wireless infrastructure can become an integral part of the fabric of the UK’s economy and society by 2030, and how they want people, business and public services across the UK to realise the full benefits of 5G and other advanced wireless connectivity.
- Projects applying to this competition are expected to address and meet the primary competition objective of improving the understanding and realisation of the benefits of utilising street furniture and other assets for network deployment.
- The programme is designed to help promote greater knowledge of future demand and requirements for infrastructure and services, as well create efficiencies in network rollout; new opportunities across the supply chain; and innovative commercial models for deploying infrastructure. Through promoting the use of publicly owned assets for new advanced digital networks, projects will help improve wireless connectivity services for local communities.
- DSIT expects this to be met by each of the six pilots doing the following:
- Procuring multi-purpose columns, as defined by the PAS 191 specification, and deploying them in their area to meet local mobile coverage / capacity requirements and other use case needs (e.g. EV charging, IoT, CCTV etc) – and, by doing so, unlocking efficiencies in their network deployments, as well as new opportunities across the supply chain and innovative commercial models.
- As a result of this activity, gaining greater knowledge of future demand and requirements for their infrastructure and services, which in turn leads to improvements in local mobile coverage and contributes to the wider economic benefits that wireless connectivity provides.
- Likely benefits to be realised as a result of SIPP include: accelerating the design and deployment of smart multi purpose columns; improving partnership working between local authorities and a range of businesses; creating, aggregating and demonstrating demand for increased connectivity; testing, proving and/or creating evidence for refining PAS 191, e.g. understanding the complexities and limitations of the new standard and in relation to market demand and requirements; as well as improving wireless network connectivity services for communities through promoting the use of public sector assets.
- For local authorities, this means an improved understanding of maximising the use of their assets; for MNOs and Neutral Host providers it means more opportunities to deploy infrastructure; for communities, it means accelerated and improved access to connectivity and the benefits that brings and for government, it means increased potential to accelerate the benefits from innovative new technologies across a range of areas, e.g. electric vehicles, 5G deployment, IoT systems etc.
Scope
- DSIT will provide six local authorities £250,000 each to become a ‘Smart Infrastructure’ Pilot, which will test and pilot procurement, based on PAS 191, and rollout of smart multi-purpose columns in each area.
- Funding is to be used by the local authority to procure new smart multi-purpose columns or lampposts (instead of single-use street furniture) and combined infrastructure adopting the PAS 191 standard. It will involve the development of a preferred supplier network for multipurpose infrastructure, thereby creating a local supply chain for this type of infrastructure.
- DSIT expects that local authorities will deploy a mixture of small and large multi-purpose columns or lampposts, depending on their needs. This split should be achieved in varying situations, possibly across multiple geographical areas or all in one locality. There should be one small cell deployment along with at least one use case deployment (EV charging, IoT, Wifi, CCTV FWA, etc) per column. In all cases, multiple use cases should be tested across an area.
- Applicants must confirm and demonstrate their compliance with 1:1 match funding when submitting their bid. Grant awards are contingent upon this. The match funding should cover the cost of the use case infrastructure and the associated costs of trialling the use case on the multi-purpose columns.
- Local authorities will be the sole grant recipients for this competition. However, DSIT expects them to procure services and instruct suppliers in order to deliver the required outputs and outcomes of SIPP. Relevant suppliers include: street furniture manufacturers, Mobile Network Operators, Neutral Host providers, EV charging suppliers, IoT suppliers, CCTV providers etc.
- Once the multi purpose street furniture is procured and installed, it will become part of the mapped local authority assets. Local authorities should keep a register of fixed assets acquired or improved with the grant.
- Knowledge and benefits are to be widely shared across the UK for the benefit of other LAs.
Funding Information
- There is up to £1.5 million of capital funding available from the Department of Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT) – via a continuation of the government’s Shared Outcomes Fund.
- DSIT will make available grant funding of up to £250,000 to each individual project.
- All grant funded activities must be completed by 31 March 2025.
Eligibility Criteria
- This competition is open to applications from UK-based local authorities.
- Applicants should demonstrate the following. Failure to meet any of these criteria immediately makes a bid ineligible:
- Applicants must be a UK-based local authority.
- Applicants must confirm and demonstrate their compliance with 1:1 match funding when submitting their bid, i.e. the DSIT grant is for the procurement of multi-purpose columns. Local authorities will be expected to secure equivalent (or higher) funding from suppliers for the cost of the use case infrastructure and the associated costs of trialling the use case on the multi purpose columns. Grant awards are contingent upon demonstration that this funding is secured.
- High risk vendors (HRVs) are not permitted to participate in projects: please refer to the NCSC advice on the use of equipment from high risk vendors in UK telecoms networks. Public funds must not be used to pay for any HRV products or services through the competition. They understand that, in the case of MNOs with pre-existing HRV equipment in their networks, these networks may reasonably be used to build testbeds. However, funding must not be used to buy additional equipment or services from HRVs.
- This competition will not fund any procurement, commercial, business development or supply chain activity with any Russian and Belarusian entity as lead, partner or subcontractor. This includes any goods or services originating from a Russian and Belarusian source.
For more information, visit SIPP.
