Information

Tender reference number	SMART 2014/0011.
Title	Study on 'Review of the scope of universal service' - SMART 2014/0011.
Description	The objective of the study is to provide a factual and solid socio-economic assessment which will allow, together with data to be collected from NRAs, to decide on whether or not, and how, to change the scope of the universal service at EU level. Therefore the study has inter alia to assess: (i) the socio-economic, direct and indirect benefits and costs of providing a (minimum) quality of broadband service at EU level; (ii) to what extent the market and policy initiatives (other than universal service) are likely to provide users with broadband connections (e.g. considering LTE deployment and national broadband plans; EU structural funds; State aid), (iii) the appropriateness of current universal service requirements and modalities; (iv) a possible reduction of current universal service obligations to the extent the market delivers these services (e.g. access to publicly available telephone services, directory and directory enquiry service, public payphones). In addition to that, the study will assess the affordability of tariffs within the universal service regime, as well as the possibility of additional universal service broadband obligations, namely the feasibility and costs of connecting public places of specific interest such as schools, libraries and health care centres. Besides that, the positive and negative aspects of the different financing mechanisms for universal service will be assessed (e.g. by public means, financial contributions from the electronic communications sector or other beneficiaries, and/or by consumers of fixed-line and wireless services in the form of extra charges).
Contract type	Services
Procedure type	Open procedure
Status	Closed
Published on TED
Award method	N/A

Milestones

TED publication date	15/04/2014 00:00
Time limit for receipt of requests for documents or accessing documents	N/A
Question deadline	N/A
Answer deadline	N/A
Time limit for receipt of tenders	12/05/2014 16:00
Conditions for opening tenders (date)	19/05/2014 10:30

Lots

The call for tenders has no lots.

Notices

Reference	Notice type	Publication date
2014/S 074-127001	Contract notice	15/04/2014 00:00