Connected Coast Project reaches new benchmark, with Request for Proposals issued by CityWest and Regional District of Strathcona

A look at the proposed footprint for the fibre optic project known
as the Connected Coast Project, a partnership between CityWest and
the Strathcona Regional District on Vancouver Island
(Map from Connected Coast Project)

After a fair bit of silence on its progress of late, Prince Rupert based CityWest and the Strathcona Regional District on Vancouver Island have issued a Request for Proposals for the much anticipated Connected Coast Project,  with the two organizations seeking out the services of a contractor towards the ambitious fibre optic communication infrastructure development.

That work will see a fibre optic backbone put in place between Prince Rupert,  to northern and central Vancouver Island and Haida Gwaii as well as a network connection to Vancouver.

The RFP was posted to the BC Bid website on Friday afternoon and highlights the key elements of the project, one which will provide for additional fibre optic redundancy for internet users in Prince Rupert and along the CityWest network in Northwest BC.

The addition of a second source for communication services, will serve to ensure that Northwest users will be better protected from potential outages along the current network as was seen earlier this year.

Towards the development of that new fibre optic backbone, CityWest has created a subsidiary company, to be known as CityWest Connected Coast Network Corporation, which will construct and operate its section of the Connected Coast project.

click to enlarge

As part of the project description, CityWest observes that they and Strathcona Regional District are the sponsors of the project, with both the Province of British Columbia and Federal government having indicated their receptivity to offering financial support for the Connected Coast Project, subject to formal application and approval.

As well, both levels of government have requested their support align with the responsibilities of the local governments who are sponsoring the Project.

Interested contractors will be expected to provide four key elements of the services required: 

Final Design

Source and provide all materials required in the Final Design and As Built design

Construction Services

Warranty Services

Click to enlarge

The original RFP was posted on August 14th, with an amended version posted on Friday. 

The deadline for proponents to deliver their bids and express interest is 2PM on September 8th.

You can review the full BC Bid package here.

More on the project can be reviewed here.

We last made note of the project back on July 10th, with a look at some of the consultation that was conducted by Strathcona Regional District towards the project.

Earlier this summer we also provided a thumbnail guide to the progress of the project to early July, the RFP process that is now underway takes the project one step closer towards development.

For more notes related to CityWest see our archive page here.