Ocala city in Florida, USA, has launched a tender process to develop fiber optic infrastructure through the PPP model.
The selected developer will be responsible for the design, build, finance, operate, manage, and maintain a "last mile" fiber to the premises (FTTP) network to businesses and residences in the city and surrounding areas. The city is seeking proposals which outline a plan that over time will provide citizens with universal access, affordability, and open network/consumer choice.
The city of Ocala serves as the county seat of Marion County, with an approximately population of 57,500 inhabitants. The city's Telecommunications Department operates with 10 personnel providing administration, engineering, support, and installation, and currently has more than 440 miles of fiber serving approximately 800 accounts comprised of city, utility, and business locations deployed in its municipal electric service area.
The next logical step is to leverage this fiber backbone and middle mile infrastructure to deploy a last mile infrastructure to serve households and business that desire fiber-based services and expand the service to those areas most suited to utilize telecommunication services.
The city will provide support and facilitation of any necessary processes and grant opportunities, access to existing city fiber resources, right-of-way (ROW) access, permitting assistance, and access to existing city and Ocala Utility Services (OUS) infrastructure.
Interested parties must submit their proposals on or before 5 February 2015.
See tender announcement: