RFI - VHF FM Transmission Equipment / FM Transmitters

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION: BBC World Service expects to undertake a procurement exercise for the supply of FM broadcast transmission equipment for its terrestrial Global Radio Network. During any future exercise, the BBC expects to assess equipment manufacturers capability to satisfy its requirements before selecting a preferred supplier or suppliers.

The BBC operates re-broadcast FM relays across a range of territories and operating environments. Many sites are located in remote or hard to access locations and may be exposed to demanding environmental and electrical conditions, including significant temperature fluctuations, high humidity, condensation, dust ingress, corrosive atmospheres, and inconsistent power quality. Local technical support resources may be limited, while the procurement and delivery of equipment and spare parts can present logistical challenges and incur significant costs. Consequently, transmitters designed for enhanced resilience in such environments including the use of conformal coating for improved protection against moisture, dust, and corrosion would be highly advantageous.

The BBC is therefore seeking information from manufacturers and suppliers able to provide robust, maintainable and supportable VHF FM transmitter systems that can be installed, operated, fault found and maintained with minimal specialist intervention, while supporting simplified module replacement and long-term operational resilience.