Project & Programme Management
Borderlands 5GIR Programme
We supported the Borderlands Partnership in delivering strategic programme
and project management for the UK Government’s 5G Innovation Regions programme.
The Challenge
The Borderlands 5G Innovation Region was one of ten successful regional collaborations that secured £3.8 million of funding from the Department for Science Innovation and Technology (DSIT). We along with our strategic partners, Horseguards Consulting, were key contributors to this successful funding bid.
Following successful award, a structured programme was required to plan, design and deliver a successful and commercially sustainable investment; from market engagement, through requirements specification and use case design, into procurement of an advanced wireless provider and subsequent implementation.
Compounding this significant challenge were the need to align multiple local authorities, coordinate stakeholders across national boundaries, define and prioritise use cases and deliver within challenging timeframes.
Our Approach
We designed and led the programme and project delivery on behalf of the SRO and the partnership. We facilitated workshops across the region to co-develop use cases tailored to four distinct tourism-focused venues. These were selected for their potential to showcase the impact of 5G in rural settings.
As an integral part of the Programme team, we:
- Designed the delivery programme
- Developed the Programme Initiation Document (PID) and full delivery plan
- Managed engagement across English and Scottish local authorities, delivery partners, and technology suppliers
- Drafted technical specifications and service requirements
- Designed and managed the procurement for an advanced wireless supplier, and pre-procurement market engagement
- Provided specialist commercial, technical, financial and contractual support
- Managed the supplier on behalf of the programme
We also helped to shape a long-term vision for a Borderlands-wide 5G ecosystem, ensuring the programme’s benefits would extend well beyond the initial deployments.
The Impact
With our support the Borderlands region was awarded £3.8 million as one of the UK’s official 5G Innovation Regions. The programme is delivering 5G-enabled solutions across four landmark tourism venues:
- Windermere Ferry
- Kielder Castle and Forest
- Stranraer Marina
- Destination Tweed
These deployments will enable new services such as real-time visitor information, digital storytelling, and environmental monitoring – demonstrating the value of 5G in rural and cross-border contexts. Our expert support is helping to ensure the programme is strategically delivered, locally relevant, and nationally significant.
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