Montserrat issues RFP for submarine fiber-optic cable project

The government of Montserrat, a Caribbean island within the Leeward Islands, is inviting all qualified companies to participate in a request for proposal (RFP) for the installation and operation of a submarine fiber-optic cable representing the island’s first international fiber connection since the mid-1990s. The eruption of the Soufriere Hills Volcano led to the decommissioning of the island’s only undersea cable connection, so the government is looking for a replacement.

The new submarine cable system will reconnect Montserratian consumers, businesses, and government users to the global fiber network grid, allowing them the benefits of affordable, reliable, high-quality telecommunications and Internet services.

“The Montserrat Submarine Fiber-Optic Cable Project will put the island on an equal bandwidth footing with its neighbors throughout the region and allow Montserratians to take advantage of key digital initiatives, such as telemedicine, distance education, and research networks,” says Denzil West, director of Montserrat’s department of information, technology and eGovernment services. “This project represents a significant step in improving Montserrat’s access and connectivity to the ultrafast international networks and positions Montserrat to attract new and different types of businesses on the island.”

The RFP is available for download via the MyTenders Portal at https://www.mytenders.co.uk as well as from the Government of Montserrat’s website at www.gov.ms/tenders. Proposals are due by March 6, 2019. Following a period of negotiations with the chosen supplier, construction of the cable system should be underway during the first half of 2019.

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