Derisking the Fiber Construction RFP

When approaching a construction Request for Proposal (RFP) as a telecommunications or utility network owner, knowing how to define the project scope, delivery, and build priorities will mitigate risk and ensure you have the right partners to achieve the most successful delivery. 

The purpose of this article is to share a framework of considerations that can be applied in the project feasibility stage of a fiber network build. It covers essential criteria to be considered before starting the construction RFP process as well as methods to monitor progress, manage priorities, and mitigate risks throughout the build.

Guiding principles for your RFP

 Key considerations for a successful RFP

Five key considerations when planning a large-scale fiber RFP are outlined below.

Delivery model planning matrix

1. What is the best delivery model? As illustrated in the chart, delivery models can be categorized into light, medium, or heavy touch, depending on the market environment, the network owner's level of expertise, and desired engagement.
2. Design determines construction success. The network design is the key deliverable to scope construction accurately. A data-driven network design enables a feasible deployment, and its accuracy enables the ability to deploy with speed and efficiency.
3. Clarity of project scope definition. Clarity around scope definition and commercial requirements are paramount for accurate RFP pricing and delivery. The quality of the RFP will generally guide the quality of the responses. Key areas of clarity in a quality RFP include design requirements, performance metrics, technology, and business terms.
4. Delivery obligations are realistic and achievable. Owners and contractors work best as a business partnership. To minimize the risk of conflict, network owners benefit by linking everyone's interests to quality results, from margins to completion schedules. These linkages can be established throughout the deployment lifecycle with win-win incentives based on the overachievement of operational milestones.  
5. Flexibility for changing priorities and optimal build. Although it is important to be guided by an overall strategy, it is also important to have the ability to adjust to changing market conditions. For example, at the beginning of a deployment, the priority might be to connect as many under-served customers as possible. By the middle of the project, the emphasis could shift to connecting the most densely populated areas as possible to maximize revenue growth. It's essential to build an agreed and manageable mechanism into the construction RFP to allow contractors to respond to changing build priorities without dramatically impacting progress.

Risk mitigation & efficiency drivers enabled by an end-to-end digital network deployment, including for RDOF & CAF II

Unmitigated risks on large fiber deployments can cause significant delays, customer dissatisfaction as well as trigger financial penalties when they are associated with government-funded project milestones such as those for CAF II or RDOF. Such risks can escalate as projects increase in size and complexity with many design and construction partners involved. To efficiently and effectively manage such large projects and multiple stakeholders, a digital approach is recommended. A digital approach enables the efficient management of all phases of the project lifecycle from RFP through customer activation while mitigating risks throughout the process.

A digital approach combined with geospatial intelligence improves transparency, eliminates paper, and increases operational efficiency. As a result, all partners stay aligned towards common goals throughout the project. One solution that enables team alignment, project derisking, real-time geospatial intelligence, and over-achievement of large deployment goals is the Render Networks Digital Network Construction platform.

About the Author

Frank DeJoy is a telecommunications executive with thirty years of experience deploying and operating large scale networks during tenures at Teleport Communications Group, AT&T Wireless, General Dynamics, Quanta Services, and Dycom Industries. Frank holds MBA & BSEE degrees from Rutgers University, is a Senior Member of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), and currently serves as VP Network Deployment at Render Networks.

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I would be glad to discuss the RFP process and capabilities of digital deployment technology with readers of this article. Feel free to contact me by clicking this link.