New Zealand"s Advanced Network has taken another step towards go-live with the issue of a tender for managed international network services.

The tender, issued last week, is one of a series of RFP "subsidiary documents", each dealing with a different aspect of the planned high speed network for tertiary and research institutions.

The tender document notes: "the supplier shall provide the international network services over a managed international network", including "dedicated Southern Cross cable bandwidth, dedicated edge routers installed in telehousing premises in Australia and the U.S., local tail circuits [at those premises], backhaul links between the edge routers and Southern Cross cable stations in Australia and the US and network management, monitoring and reporting systems and facilities."

Respondents are also required to outline how they will use peering to connect the network with overseas research networks. Implementation dates before the end of 2005 "would be preferable", the document says.

The tender process for the Advanced Network has been broken down into components, rather than presented as one big RFP, because, according to tender guidelines, "it is the intention of the project to enter into separate supply arrangements for each aspect of the provision and operation of the Advanced Network".