The City of Sydney has called for more submissions for its street furniture contract, set to expire in 2019, with its 10-year replacement being hailed as the biggest outdoor contract Australia has ever seen.
JCDecaux currently holds the contract, as it has since 1998.
Covering some 2,500 pieces of street furniture, with a potential five-year extension attached, City of Sydney has called for the new pieces to be WiFi enabled, offering visitors and residents free internet, with a view to displaying emergency information, along with real-time event and transport information on bus shelters.
The biggest players in outdoor are teaming up with major telcos to provide the technology needed for the contract, Australian Printer understands Adshel is combining its bid with Singtel, owners of Optus, with JCDecaux combining with Telstra, and APN Outdoor partnering with TPG Telecom.
JCDecaux is currently attempting to purchase APN Outdoor, along with oOh!media buying Adshel, with both deals to be ruled on by the ACCC on August 30, the closing date for submissions to City of Sydney is in July, meaning all companies would need to make independent pitches.
With the deadline extended to allow for refined bids, there have been rumours that an interim one-year extension would be granted to JCDecaux, currently set to expire in 2019. Australian Printer contacted City of Sydney, for confirmation, and was told by a spokesperson, “There will be a meeting on August 13 to discuss the JCDecaux contract, and submissions.”
Australian Printer followed up on the future of print within the new contract when City of Sydney originally requested submissions in December, and was told, ““All conforming EOI submissions will be considered. The existing advertising assets are a mix of digital and print ads, and it is expected that they will be replaced with new assets serving a similar purpose. The City will work with the successful service provider to determine the optimal arrangement of the assets. There is no defined expectation as to the mix of digital and print media.”
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