Policy paper

Smart Infrastructure Pilots Programme competition: clarification questions with responses (updated 7 July 2023)

Updated 20 September 2023

This was published under the 2022 to 2024 Sunak Conservative government

Briefing materials

Can the recording and slides from the briefing event be shared?

Please see the slides or watch the recording.

SIPP briefing.

Is it possible to provide a list of attendees at the briefing event?

Due to GDPR legislation, we are unable to share any personal data relating to individuals who have attended any of our events without specific consent.

Eligibility

Is Northern Ireland excluded from the competition due to the responsibility for street infrastructure sitting with the Department for Infrastructure, rather than with local authorities?

The competition is open to all UK-based local authorities, including those in Northern Ireland. We understand that local authorities in Northern Ireland retain responsibility for street lighting and furniture in certain circumstances, for example in public parks.

We advise local authorities in Northern Ireland to check internally and engage with the Northern Ireland Department for Infrastructure to explore opportunities for taking part in the competition.

Do PAS 191 columns have to be installed or can existing street furniture be utilised?

This competition is specifically to test the design and procurement of new multi-function columns to the PAS 191 specifications.

Does deployment of small cell networks have to be carried out?

We would expect to see the deployment of advanced networking connectivity equipment, e.g. 5G small cells, on the columns. Additional equipment, such as IoT devices enabled by existing public network services, can be added as an extra use case for the column.

Does consultancy support qualify as eligible expenditure for the DSIT grant? (updated 28 June 2023)

We expect the grant funding to be used by authorities to procure smart multi-purpose columns, and that the grant will only be used to support this objective. We therefore expect that the majority of grant spend will be on the direct cost of infrastructure. However, it would not be unreasonable for some costs to be paid to consultants, provided those costs were associated with the procurement of the columns and not the cost of the use case infrastructure and the associated costs of trialling the use case on the columns.

Would a Combined Authority, with responsibility for a number of LAs, be eligible to submit an application which might cover one or two locations?

“Combined authorities” are included in those bodies that are defined as “local authorities” - for the purposes of section 31 funding - as defined in section 33(1) of the Local Government Act 2003. Provided an application meets the requirements of the competition, deployment across multiple areas would be eligible.

Is evidence of Wireless Telegraphy Act authorisation needed as part of the bid?

Any mobile network operator or other network provider providing spectrum and network capabilities to the proposed SIPP project, will be required to comply with all relevant regulations and requirements as set out in the Wireless Telegraphy Act 2006, and all other relevant legislation.

Do we have to procure large monopole designs (20 metres plus) or could we use the grant to procure multi-purpose lighting columns for EV and small cell? (added 28 June 2023)

The DSIT grant award is for the design and procurement of multi-function columns that meet the requirements set out in the PAS 191 standard. Provided they meet those specifications, the described columns would be eligible. Large monopole designs are not in scope.

Are assets embedded into the fabric of buildings eligible for this competition? (added 3 July 2023)

PAS 191 specifies design, installation and maintenance requirements of multifunctional columns or columns based on one or more core functions, such as lighting columns, CCTV columns, sign poles, cantilever masts, traffic signal poles and other mast type structures. Any other assets are out of scope for this competition.

Finding suppliers

Can DSIT direct applicants to a platform where battery energy storage systems and hybrid power backup solutions are appropriate? (added 28 June 2023)

Please refer to UKTIN’s supplier directory: https://uktin.net/navigate-uk-telecoms/supplier-directory.

Do local authorities need to have all of the partnerships in place for the application stage? (added 28 June 2023)

Bids will be assessed on evidence provided, including what partnerships will be established. Assessors will need to be confident that, if suppliers have not yet been fully confirmed, there is sufficient evidence that they will be in place, come project delivery.

Does the application need to demonstrate that a Mobile Network Operator or Neutral Host provider is on board and wishing to use the columns? (added 3 July 2023)

DSIT would expect to see one small cell deployment alongside at least one other use case per column. As such, we would expect to see applicants provide a description of the partnership agreements they will establish with those deploying equipment on the multi-purpose columns, including i) connectivity and digital services providers, e.g. Mobile Network Operators and/or Neutral Host providers and ii) use case providers, e.g. organisations responsible for Internet of Things (IoT) devices and applications, CCTV, electric vehicle charging etc. Applicants are also expected to describe what spectrum and network capabilities they have to deliver the project, and the experience and expertise to know which spectrum is most appropriate. If they do not currently have access, DSIT expects them to describe how they will acquire it in a timely manner.

Where can I find suppliers for PAS 191 multi-function columns? (added 7 July 2023)

Please refer to UKTIN’s supplier directory.

Funding

Can the DSIT grant award be used for use cases, with the local authority providing match funding for the procurement of the columns? (added 28 June 2023)

The DSIT grant award must be used for the procurement and design of the multi-function columns. The match is for the cost of the use case infrastructure and the associated costs of trialling the use case on the columns.

Can we bid for less than £250,000? (added 28 June 2023)

Given our ambitions for the programme, we have set the DSIT grant award at £250,000. We expect to award up to six grants. While we consider that smaller grants (such as for £100,000) are unlikely to deliver the anticipated impact, we invite bids to justify why a smaller award is appropriate in their response. We expect any unspent funds to be returned to DSIT.

Would Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) funding be seen as match funding? (added 28 June 2023)

LEVI funding would not be eligible as match funding as it is central government funding.

If we are successful in our application but, subsequently, our designs are not approved by our planning Department, would we have to return the funds in a set time period? (added 28 June 2023)

Bids will be assessed on evidence provided, including the deliverability of the project upon grant award. Assessors will need to be confident that relevant approvals will be in place, come project delivery. In the described scenario, if approvals were not given when expected, DSIT would aim to work with the project in resolving the issue. Ultimately, however, failure to deliver against the agreed objectives would result in early project closure and clawback of any grant award. We would expect return of funds 1) as soon as possible following confirmation that the project is not going ahead, and 2) within the funding period.

We therefore recommend that applicants fully engage with their planning departments prior to submitting their bid.

Does the match funding have to come purely from government or can it come from private funding? (added 3 July 2023)

The DSIT grant award must be used for the procurement and design of the multi-function columns. The match is for the cost of the use case infrastructure and the associated costs of trialling the use case on the columns. The match must come from the local authority or their suppliers.

When does the match funding need to be committed? (added 3 July 2023)

Applicants must confirm and demonstrate their compliance with 1:1 match funding when submitting their bid (in question D2 of their application form). Specifically, an applicant’s response must provide a high-level cost breakdown of forecast expenditure on the project; explain how the costs have been calculated; and set out how they will meet the 1:1 match funding requirement.

Are local authority labour costs around use case deployment / integration on the PAS 191 columns eligible as match funding? (added 3 July 2023)

Yes. The match is for the cost of the use case infrastructure and the associated costs of trialling the use case on the columns.

Is the integration of PAS 191 columns within a council’s existing rollout of changes or improvements to existing infrastructure eligible as match funding? (added 3 July 2023)

Yes. Including the new columns in ongoing or planned rollouts of changes or improvements to existing infrastructure is eligible as match funding.

Could a use case supplier consultancy costs be eligible for DSIT grant expenditure? (added 3 July 2023)

No. The DSIT grant award must be used for the procurement and design of the multi-function columns.

Are infrastructure costs (materials and civils) to connect the PAS 191 columns to the council’s open access duct and fibre network eligible for DSIT grant expenditure? (added 30 June 2023)

Yes. - civils for installing the masts are included in the DSIT grant.

Would a University’s provision of in-kind support relating to work around use cases be eligible as match funding? (added 7 July 2023)

Yes - provided the University is contributing to the costs of supplying the use case infrastructure and/or the associated costs of trialling the use cases on the multi-purpose columns they would be eligible.

Can a portion of the DSIT grant be used for operational and maintenance costs throughout the duration of the project? Can we share operational and maintenance costs with partners? (added 7 July 2023)

The DSIT grant award must be used for the procurement and design of the multi-function columns. The match is for the cost of the use case infrastructure and the associated costs of trialling the use case on the columns. The match must come from the local authority or their suppliers.

Applying

Is there a possibility of an extension to the competition window? (added 3 July 2023)

There is no possibility of extending the competition window.

In the supplementary information section of the application form, it requests the addresses of the key locations in which activities will take place. Are the specific locations of all deployed assets required at this stage? (added 3 July 2023)

DSIT does not expect applicants to provide specific locations of all deployed assets at this stage. Applicants should provide the main address of the local authority or authorities where assets will be deployed.