Modification of TRUSTnet contract

This VEAT notice relates to the proposed modification of the TRUSTnet contract between London Grid for Learning Trust (LGfL) and Virgin Media Business Limited (VMB) pursuant to Regulation 72(1)(b) of the Public Contracts Regulations 2015. LGfL proposes to extend the duration of the TRUSTnet contract for a period of 10 years from 2028 – 2038 in respect of the lease of dark fibre infrastructure procured under the original award for the balance of the useful life of that infrastructure. The modification will be limited to the lease and maintenance of the dark fibre cabling and will not include the additional services provided by VMB pursuant to the TRUSTnet contract. LGfL awarded a contract to VMB in 2014 for the supply and management of transmission services, including (but not limited to) leased circuits, dark fibre, wide area Ethernet and xDSL with bandwidths of 10Mbit/s and above. The dark fibre infrastructure, leased as part of the contract has a useful economic life of 25 years, extending considerably beyond the end of the current contract term, which ends in 2028. LGfL has concluded that it is necessary to modify the TRUSTnet contract to allow for the extended lease of the dark fibre infrastructure until 31 December 2038 because any alternative would be uneconomic and would cause significant disruption and inconvenience for users at a time when the users are already experiencing difficult cost pressures. LGfL has therefore determined that a limited modification of the TRUSTnet contract is necessary to protect the interests of the users.