The TRENConnect Project

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The TREN-Connect Project

• Request-for-Proposal to provide
• Optical Fibre Network Tails
• on behalf of

Industry Briefing Session, Hobart, 2nd August 2005
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Introduction

• John Parry University of Tasmania
• Rod Bilson University of Tasmania
• Peter Fisher Department of Premier Cabinet

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What is TREN-Connect?

• A collaborative project, developing a
  Tasmanian Research and Education Network (TREN)
  to
• connect research higher education organisations
  via a high capacity WAN
• inter-connect to the Australian Research
  Education Network (AREN) via high capacity
  bandwidth across Bass Strait.

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TREN Stakeholders

• Australian Antarctic Division (AAD)
• Australian Maritime College (AMC)
• CSIRO
• University of Tasmania (UTAS)

Supported by - Australian Department of
Education, Science Training (DEST) - Tasmanian
Government - AARNet Pty. Ltd
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Overview

• TREN-Connect Project
• Background
• Approach
• TREN-Connect RFP
• Required Infrastructure / Services
• Your Responses
• Evaluation
• Options to proceed
• Questions

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TREN-Connect - Background

• Higher Education Bandwidth Advisory Committee
  (HEBAC) - strategic proposals for regional
  telecoms, contributing to AREN blueprint.
• Tasmanian submission to DESTs Systemic
  Infrastructure Initiative (SII) for project
  funding was successful ranked as a high overall
  priority.
• DEST sponsored Capital Development Pool (CDP)

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TREN-Connect Approach

• Seek leverage from other telecoms initiatives
  including
• TASGovNet States new optical-fibre
  infrastructure, constructed in parallel with
  natural gas pipeline rollout
• Basslink provision of 360km electricity
  inter-connector (plus optic-fibre cable) between
  Tasmania and Victoria, facilitating States
  participation in national energy market
• VERN Victorias AREN project will provide the
  final connectivity link - from Basslink
  termination point in Gippsland to the AREN
  backbone PoP in Melbourne

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TREN-Connect Approach

• Upgrade current UTAS WAN (ü)
• Upgrade AARNet Bass Strait link - 24 to 310Mbps
  (ü)
• Purchase capacity from TASGovNet to form
  state-wide backbone Points of Presence (PoPs)
• Develop infrastructure tails to inter-connect
  institutions with TASGovNet, forming state-wide
  WAN
• Purchase high bandwidth capacity from Basslink
  VERN optical fibres, once available, to reach
  national and international services gateways
  via AREN

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Burnie - Connection Paths
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Launceston - Connection Paths
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Hobart - Connection Paths(CBD)
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Sandy Bay Kingston Connection Paths
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RFP Requirements

• 100mm (or appropriate) conduit routes
• Pits - 900 x 600 x 600mm pits with lockable lids
• 24 core Single Mode Optical Fibre (SMOF)
• Up to 17 connection paths to reach stake-holders
  institutions / sites at
• Burnie - 1 site
• Launceston 4 sites
• Hobart 11 sites
• Terminate, test commission connection paths

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Supply Options

• Deliver overall requirement through
• Supply, construction commissioning of new
  infrastructure
• Use existing conduits pits plus supply, install
  commission new SMOF
• Use existing conduits pits plus existing dark
  fibre capacity or
• Combination of viable alternatives.

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Standards and Guidelines

• All relevant standards - listed in the RFP such
  as Legislation, Acts Standards
• Inter-connect with others where necessary
• Preferably underground routes - but aerial
  alternatives considered for appropriate routes
  (eg. Taroona - Kingston)
• Wherever possible, consistency with TASGovNet
  standards build

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Pricing Options

• Preference for long term lease or IRU
  arrangement, over app. 15 year period
• Other options include use of TREN funds to pay
  for infrastructure development
• Other options may comprise a combination of these
  models

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Connection Paths

• Specific requirements for each Connection Path
  stated in Section 9 - STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENTS
  in tables from 9.7.1 to 9.7.20
• From and..To points Respondents to propose
  exact route to best achieve TREN-Connects
  connectivity requirements
• Respondents to arrange ALL access approvals
  requirements on behalf of TREN-Connect
• Use TasGovNet PoPs

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Site Visits

• Any visits to stakeholder institutions to inspect
  Connection Path routes etc. must be co-ordinated
  through Rod Bilson of UTAS
• Rod.Bilson_at_utas.edu.au
• Only those parties submitting the Registration
  of Intent (as per Schedule 1 of RFP) will be
  able to visit any stakeholder institutions for
  these purposes

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Your Responses

• Registration of Intent form must be submitted
  to indicate your intentions and enable further
  communication with TREN-Connect to continue
• The Response Form must be submitted with your
  completed Response
• You must use template at Schedule 3 of the RFP
• Late responses not accepted

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Your Responses

• Communicate ONLY with the Contact Officer
• All questions / clarifications must be
  submitted in writing (ie. by letter, fax or
  email) only to the Contact Officer
• Responses to your questions will be made
  available all parties
• Electronic lodgement or physical lodgement of
  your response documents

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Please observe.

• Conditions for Submission of Responses (RFP
  Section 4)
• RFP Protocols (RFP Section 5)
• Conditions of Contract (RFP Section 6)
• Evaluation of Responses (RFP Section 7)
• Completion of all the information required in
  Schedules 1 to 8

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Evaluation Process

• Step 1 - Receipt of responses
• Step 2 - Check overall compliance
• Conditions for Submission of Responses
• Conditions of Contract
• Mandatory specifications

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Evaluation Process

• Step 3 - Evaluate Qualitative criteria
• Capability / RFP Requirements / Risk /
  Environmental considerations
• Step 4 - Price Criteria
• Lump Sum prices / unit rates
• Step 5 - Determine Value for Money
• From Qualitative Price Criteria findings

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Recommendation to Steering Committee

• Determine how to proceed
• form a short-list ?
• select Response / Responses that meet
  TREN-Connects needs ?
• accept multiple Responses for whole / any part ?
• negotiate over part of any Response for
  nominated requirements ?

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Contract Process

• Contract Negotiation Due Diligence
• Execution of Contract
• Advice to Respondents
• Debriefing
• Works commence

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Project Funding

• TREN-Connect jointly funded through the DEST SII
  CDP initiatives by the key stakeholders
• These funding initiatives impose some obligations
  on the TREN stakeholders which in turn need to be
  reflected in contractual requirements.

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Critical Timeline

• RFP released 25th July 2005
• Briefing Session 2nd Aug. 2005
• Registration of intent - by 5pm 5th Aug. 2005
• Respondent questions by 5pm 15th Aug. 2005
• RFP closes - 230pm Friday 19th August 2005
• Contract execution - October 2005
• Works commence January 2006
• Complete test May 2006

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The TREN-Connect Project - RFP

• Your questions?
• About scope
• About technical issues (detailed technical
  questions require a formal request from you)
• About the process

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• The TREN-Connect project acknowledges the support
  of the Systemic Infrastructure Initiative as part
  of the Commonwealth Governments
• Backing Australias Ability
• http//backingaus.innovation.gov.au/

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The TREN-Connect Project - RFP

• Thank you for attending
• This slideshow will be available from
• http//www.utas.edu.au/itr/tender/