Broadband: Rural Areas

(asked on 2nd February 2015) - View Source

Question to the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport:

To ask the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, what steps he took to develop and cost other procurement frameworks for phase 2 of the rural broadband project.


Answered by
Lord Vaizey of Didcot Portrait
Lord Vaizey of Didcot
This question was answered on 9th February 2015
Before commencing phase 2 of the programme, BDUK undertook extensive engagement with the market to consider alternative delivery approaches. No suppliers other than BT were identified with the capacity, capability and interest to deliver at national scale. It was therefore decided to continue with the same delivery model as for phase 1 of the programme. Using the existing delivery model allows Local Bodies to use the existing broadband framework contract, to use new OJEU procurements, or to undertake a change request within their existing contracts (if within materiality limits). 43 of 47 Local Bodies have opted to use BDUK’s procurement framework for most or all of their phase 2 funding. Ten Local Bodies which have chosen to use the framework are considering keeping a small proportion of their funding back, which they may use for other procurements outside of the framework.
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