Drones Sensor Network for the Solent Transport FTZ Programme

Portsmouth City Council on behalf of Solent Transport is undertaking a soft market testing exercise in preparation for tendering a contract for the supply and installation of sensors for Solent Transport FTZ drone sensor network. The Council is aiming to commence formal tender of the contract during December of this year in order to achieve a contract award date of February 2024. The Council is keen to discuss potential approaches with experienced market leading organisations prior to commencing formal tender. This will help ensure that the tendering and subsequent contracting strategy adopted will allow for optimum bid solutions. The aim of the market testing is to: • Explore the innovation, capability and capacity available in the market • Inform Solent Transport on placement and density of sensors required based on the Geography of the Solent • Explore compatibility and synergies with the wider project • Feedback on our approach Our key considerations are:

1. How the solution captures the data and how it is then uploaded to the Soton UAV servers to complete delivery (spec of server to be provided)
2. How long infrastructure and sensor supply lead times are as well as responsiveness to any issues
3. Assurance of provision of back up sensors and sensor data in the event of failure
4. Viewing the suggested solution at supplier test site or virtually with own drone system
5. How both hardware and data security is managed
6. Solent Transport and our partners will provide sites for installs in advance where possible, but sensors, installs, decommissions may be required throughout the project as locations become available
7. The FTZ funding is until June 2025. All work must be completed by May 2025. Suppliers are invited to intend an online event via TEAMS Thursday 2nd November 10:00-11:30 to find out more about the drones project and the required sensor network. Attending the event will be: Rob Gloyns - Solent Transport - FTZ Theme Lead for Sustainable Logistics Carla Toomer - Solent Transport - FTZ Drones Project Manager Dr Mehmet Erbil - University of Southampton (Soton UAV) - Principal Experimental Officer Bryce Allcorn - Consortiq - Global Operations Director Richard Lock - Portsmouth City Council Procurement Manager Lisa Adamson - Portsmouth City Council Procurement Professional The event will be recorded and made available via the council's e-sourcing solution In-tend. Agenda for this event is as follows:
8. Introductions and what we will cover
9. Solent Transport FTZ programme background
10. Drones Project progress
11. Sensor Network: What are we trying to achieve?
    i. Expected locations
12. Procurement Process, Programme and Contracting Strategy
13. Questions
14. Questions to the attendees Following the online event, suppliers will have the opportunity to meet with Solent Transport on a one to one basis. Meetings will be held online via TEAMS and will be limited to 1 hour. Meetings can be accommodated between 6th - 19th November. Meetings can be requested prior to the initial online event. All requests for places at the initial TEAMS event scheduled for 2nd November and request subsequent 1-1 meetings are to be made via the In-tend system which can be accessed via the link below: https://intendhost.co.uk/portsmouthcc/aspx/ProjectManage/4899 Suppliers must ensure that they express interest in the specific In-tend project which has been created for the administration of the market consultation process. The link above should direct suppliers straight through to the project which is titled Drones Sensor Network for Solent Transport FTZ Programme - Market Consultation (P00004899). Suppliers are to make requests via the project using the systems correspondence function and must provide delegate names, positions and contact details including for email addresses.