GMCA 894 5GIR

CJ Founds Associates (CJF) were directly engaged by GMCA in August 2023 to support a £3M bid to Government for Greater Manchester to host a 5G Innovation Region project pilot. CJF had previously programme managed and supported the GM Local Full Fibre Network project between 2019 and 2022 therefore had both insights into and experience of working across GM on digital infrastructure projects. They had also undertaking work for GMCA on digital infrastructure mapping across GM during 2023. GMCA were notified that they were successful in the 5GIR project bid in late November 2023 and an MOU was agreed in early January 2024. The purpose is to deliver a Greater Manchester 5G Innovation Region Smart Decarbonisation Network (GM 5GIR SDN). CJF supported the initial mobilisation work in and GMCA wishes to continue using them for overall programme management and support for the initiative which has a tight deadline of delivery by March 2025.