Proposal for the award of a contract for the provision of high-speed data lines

This document concerns the award of a contract for the provision of high-speed data lines of a capacity of 45Mbps to the USA for the use of CERN and a number of partners. These partners are: IN2P3 (FR), the US Department of Energy (DoE) through Caltech University, the Canadian high-energy physics community through Carleton University and the World Health Organisation. Taking advantage of the deregulation of the telecommunications market, a market survey was carried out among 18 firms in six Member States and a call for tenders (IT-2724/IT) was sent on 11 October 1999 to eight firms. By the closing date, CERN had received six tenders. The Finance Committee is invited to agree to the negotiation, on behalf of the partners, of a contract for the provision of high-speed data lines of a capacity of 45Mbps to the USA with KPN-QWEST (NL), the lowest bidder, for a total amount of 2 009 621 Swiss francs, renewable for one year, not subject to revision, of which CERN?s contribution will not exceed 400 000 Swiss francs.