Super-Connected Cities Project

Proposal template

Guidance on the Application Process is available at: www.dcms.gov.uk

Bids should be no more than twenty-five pages long.  In addition, you may append mapping information and project plans. 

December 2011

Our aim is to improve the quality of life for all through cultural and sporting activities, support the pursuit of excellence, and champion the tourism, creative and leisure industries.

CONTENTS
NOTES ON COMPLETING THE APPLICATION FORM
APPLICANT INFORMATION
SECTION A – SHORT-FORM BUSINESS CASE
SECTION B – DIGITAL-LED ECONOMIC GROWTH
SECTION C – COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES
SECTION D - STIMULATING TAKE UP & DEMAND
SECTION E – STREAMLINING PLANNING PROCESSES
SECTION F – COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AID RULES
SECTION G – FUNDING
SECTION H – DELIVERY
SIGN OFF

NOTES ON COMPLETING THIS FORM.
1.	Throughout the form ‘superfast’ means broadband with a headline download speed of at least 24Mbps (megabits per second).  ‘Ultra-fast’ means broadband with a headline download speed of at least 100Mbps, with no upper limit.  ‘Ultra-fast’ includes technologies, principally fibre to the cabinet (FTTC), that are capable of up to 80Mbps and are ultimately up-gradable to 100Mbps.
2.	The format of this form should be followed and the answers to all questions made clear for assessment purposes.
3.	Applications should be sent to DCMS by 10am on 13 February 2012.  Proposals ideally should not exceed twenty-five pages in length.  In addition mapping information and essential diagrams may be supplied, but no other supplementary material will be considered. 
Three hard copies of proposals, maps and diagrams should be sent to: 

Ms Susan Hawker
Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS)
2-4 Cockspur Street
London
SW1Y 5DH
Envelopes should be marked:  ‘Submission for Ultrafast Broadband Fund’. 
An electronic copy should also be submitted to urbanbroadbandfund@culture.gsi.gov.uk

APPLICANT INFORMATION

Project Name: 

Lead organisation - include address with postcode:

Lead Contact Details (Name) and position held: 

Contact telephone number:  

Email address:  

Postal address:     	

If the bid is a joint proposal, please enter the names of all participating bodies and specify the co-ordinating authority

Proposed start Date of Project: (day/month/year)

Proposed end Date of Project: (day/month/year)

SECTION A – SHORT-FORM BUSINESS CASE

A1.	Define the strategic objectives, measures of success and targets of the proposal with respect to:
          A1.1	Economic growth
          A1.2	Take-up of broadband services
          A1.3	Social objectives
          A1.4	Other local objectives
A2.	Set out the rationale for public investment:
          A2.1	What are the specific needs you are addressing?
          A2.2	Have all options to meet these needs by the stimulation and encouragement of private sector investment been explored?
          A2.3	What resources and skills are you uniquely placed to contribute to the project?
A3.	Outline the information, education and demand-stimulation (consumers, business, public sector and third sector) activities to be undertaken (more detail should be given in Section D).
A4.	What new infrastructure does your proposal require?
          A3.1	Fixed.  (Fibre, cable, &c)
          A3.2	Wireless connectivity.
A4.	Define the area(s) over which ultra-fast or superfast broadband is to be delivered:
          A4.1	By existing networks and already-announced rollouts by existing communications service providers
          A4.2	By investment in in-fill (areas not covered by commercial suppliers)
          A4.3	By new networks
          A4.4	Wireless connectivity 
A5.	What funding from the Ultrafast Broadband Fund are you requesting?  (Details in Section G.)
A6.	Briefly set out what additional funds will be contributed to the project (more detail to be given in Section G): 
          A6.1	by Local Authorities
          A6.2	from the EU  
          A4.2	by other partners.
A7.	Any physical resources the city or its partners are contributing to the project.  (Details in Section C.)

SECTION B – DIGITAL-LED ECONOMIC GROWTH

Demonstrate an ambitious vision for growth.  In particular: 
B1.	What job creation initiatives and strategies for attracting new businesses into the city are in your proposal including, where relevant, linkage to the delivery of a successful Enterprise Zone?
B2.	How will the proposed development enhance the capability of businesses, particularly SMEs, to increase efficiency and revenues?
B3.	What proposals are included for leveraging innovation and new broadband connectivity for the development and delivery of public services?
B4.	How do you propose to stimulate additional private sector investment in order to generate greater accessibility to faster broadband services by businesses and consumers?
B5.	What commitments to raise skills levels in the local population, providing greater accessibility to educational programmes to equip more people with better knowledge-based skills, will accompany this investment in faster broadband?
B6. Describe, where appropriate, how the project will dovetail with existing Local Broadband Plans (for projects in England with allocations from BDUK’s £530m superfast broadband programme) or with national plans for broadband rollout in Scotland and Wales.

SECTION C – COMMITMENT OF RESOURCES 

C1.	Detail those physical and administrative resources that will be committed to the achievement of objectives in this proposal (show financial resources in Section G – Funding):
          C1.1	from the city
          C1.2	from the private sector.
C2.	Provide evidence that the City Authority has access to the project management capability and strengths in programme governance to deliver the programme of work.
C3.	How will value for money be assured?
C4.	Broadband investment will lead to both quantifiable and non-quantifiable benefits.  Outline how you propose to measure and monitor the delivery of such benefits that are quantifiable.

SECTION D –STIMULATING TAKE UP AND DEMAND

D1.	Detail your proposals for education, information and demand building activities generating greater demand by businesses (including SMEs) and residences for ultra-fast broadband services, aiming for 50% take-up across all sectors.
D2.	How will the proposed investment be utilised to transform the delivery of public sector services by making as many services as possible available online?
D3.	Proposals for delivering social benefits, possibly including: online involvement in democratic processes; flexible working; more flexible local labour markets; changing patterns of work; more online commerce.

SECTION E – STREAMLINING PLANNING PROCESSES TO SUPPORT INFRASTRUCTURE ROLLOUT

E1.	Demonstrate how the Local Authorities involved will expedite the installation of new infrastructure by ensuring that wayleaves, streetworks and other permissions required for access to public land and properties are made available in a timely fashion.
E2.	Indicate how engagement with large private owners of properties and land will be used to facilitate access for the deployment of infrastructure.
E3.	Detail any other steps the Local Authorities will take to facilitate network deployment and up-grading.

SECTION F – COMPLIANCE WITH STATE AID RULES

F1.	Show how the proposed infrastructure investments and business models to be used will comply with State Aid rules.
F2.	Summarise any information you have received from the Commission that supports the view in F1.

SECTION G – FUNDING
G1.  Please complete this funding table detailing proposed funding make up and profile.  
Non-monetary resources to be contributed to the project should be set out in Section C.
Total capital funding required (GBP)	2012-2013	2013-2014	2014-2015	Notes	
£	millions	millions	millions		
Private sector investment					
UBF funding					
Other funding (Local Authority &c.)					
Other funding (European/ERDF)					
Totals					
Approximate number of premises, residential / non-residential, covered by the funding					

G2.	Funding Structure:
          G2.1	Describe any modelling that has been used to arrive as the funding estimate.  (Full details not required at this stage.)
          G2.2	How will the capital funding be spent and who will own the infrastructure?  For example, do you propose to lease equipment from a private sector contractor (cabinets) or own the capital investment (laying cable, installing wireless) or will the private sector contractor own the capital investment? 
G3.  Describe the commercial model that you propose to use.  Give the reasons for your choice and, if it is a JV/PPP or alternative model, the nature and key principles of the risk bearing arrangements.

SECTION H – DELIVERY
H1.	Timely development, procurement and delivery timescales to ensure delivery is completed no later than March 2015
H2.	Give the proposed timetable for procurement and demonstrate how cost effectiveness will be achieved.
H3.	The proposal should demonstrate its fit with the government’s approach to using SMEs in delivery.

Sign off by Local Authority CEO, Section 151 officer or Portfolio-Holding Executive Member 
Name of proposal:
I verify that this proposal to the Ultrafast Broadband Fund fits with corporate policy	
Signed:	
Name:  	
Job Title 	Date: