Preliminary Market Engagement Notice to Identify organisations to support Wrexham University’s potential ANW Advanced Wireless funding application

Background

Wrexham University is considering participation in the Ambition North Wales (ANW) Advanced Wireless funding opportunity. Before deciding on a formal bid, we are seeking expressions of interest from organisations with relevant expertise in advanced connectivity solutions.

This PME is intended as an entry point for engagement. It does not constitute a tender or a commitment to procure.

Purpose of This PME

The purpose of this Preliminary Market Engagement is to enable Wrexham University to evaluate whether to proceed with an application for the Ambition North Wales (ANW) Advanced Wireless funding. Through this process, we aim to understand the scope, approach, indicative costs, and delivery considerations involved, as well as how best to structure both the funding application and any future procurement activities.

Therefore, through this PME, we seek to

• Gauge market interest and understand what services and capabilities potential partners can offer.
• Identify organisation’s willing to support macro-level feasibility and gap analysis of wired and wireless infrastructure across:

o University campuses

o Immediate surrounding areas

• Understand current infrastructure coverage, performance, and limitations.
• Understand how our R&D and Knowledge Transfer activities could be enhanced.
• Receive high-level recommendations on what infrastructure is needed to meet the gaps.
• Understand indicative cost estimates for infrastructure development and deployment.
• Understand private investments available to co-fund the development and deployment.
• Support the development of the funding proposal, where applicable.
• Explore operational models and processes for managing and sustaining the infrastructure.
• Identify any other relevant activities required to create a robust business, commercial, and impact case for the ANW Advanced Wireless funding application.

What We Expect From You

Through the PME, we expect to understand the following from you.

• Your Interest and Capabilities
• Ability to provide wired and wireless connectivity solutions in and around our campuses.
• Approach to assessing our requirements (i.e., current gaps, future growth, new buildings, occupancy plans, etc).
• Willingness to engage with local stakeholders including councils, businesses and other neighbouring organisations and conduct site walkthroughs, if applicable.
• Any existing partnerships and/or collaborations you have that would be beneficial.
• Any experience with Ambition North Wales funded applications for projects of similar scope.
• Potential Support Activities
• Feasibility surveys and gap analysis by engaging with relevant stakeholders (including but not limited to University’s IT department, estates team, R&D team) in addition to any external relevant stakeholders.
• Development of high-level solution options and indicative costs to meet the gaps.
• Potential private investment to contribute towards the project.
• Understanding of ownership models, sustainability and associated costs of the infrastructure post-bid.
• Indicative Timelines
• Any phased approach to be undertaken to conduct the feasibility studies – this would include any planning permissions needed and the phased timelines for such.

Important Notes

• This PME is non-binding and for information gathering only.
• All engagement activities during this phase will be at no cost to support bid preparation.
• It is our intention to pursue a formal procurement process if funding is secured.

A proposed schedule is defined below

• Launch Date: Tuesday 23rd December 2025
• Closing Date: Friday 6th March 2026
• Submissions of interest due by: 16th January 2026
• Tender Questions due by: 5pm Weds 20th January 2026, Wrexham University’s response due by: 5pm Friday 23rd January 2026.
• Meeting 1 (by invitation for those that have expressed interest by the deadline above): on Tuesday 27th January 2026.
• Meeting 2 (by invitation for those that have expressed interest by the deadline above): Wednesday 28th January 2026.
• Meeting 3 (by invitation for those that have expressed interest by the deadline above): Friday 30th January 2026.
• Meeting 4 (by invitation for those that have expressed interest by the deadline above): Monday 2nd February 2026.
• 2nd Feb until 6th March 2026 (by request for those that have expressed interest by the deadline above): Open for subsequent site visits or additional meetings upon request.
• Site visits are permitted throughout the window, until Friday 6th March, by prior arrangement with Enterprise department at enterprise@wrexham.ac.uk
• Meetings will be held on the main Wrexham University campus (Mold Rd, Wrexham LL11 2AW) and remotely by MS Teams. Exact times will be confirmed nearer the date.

All engagement at this stage is informal and non-binding, intended to inform the University’s potential funding application and future procurement strategy. The University does not commit to any future contracts or other commercial activity resulting from this Preliminary Market Engagement, nor is any commitment expected from other parties in the process.