PLAHI Opens Market Opportunity for New Submarine Cable Infrastructure

The Ministry of Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure (PLAHI) today announced the launch of a Notice of Opportunity (NOO) for the Cayman Islands Submarine Cable Modernisation Project, a critical initiative aimed at strengthening the resilience, capacity and long-term security of the country’s international telecommunications infrastructure.

The NOO is now live on the Cayman Islands Government’s Bonfire procurement portal and invites suitably qualified international organisations and consortia to participate in the next stage of procurement for the development, construction, operation and commercialisation of new submarine fibre-optic cable connectivity serving the Cayman Islands.

The project will deliver additional international connectivity through a new submarine cable connection to Grand Cayman, with an option for an additional link between Cayman Brac and Grand Cayman. The investment is intended to enhance redundancy, improve resilience against outages, and support the continued growth of the Islands’ digital economy and critical national services.

Commenting on the launch, the Minister for Planning, Lands, Agriculture, Housing & Infrastructure, Hon. Johany “Jay” Ebanks, said:

“Resilient international connectivity is essential to the Cayman Islands’ economic stability, national security and everyday life. This Notice of Opportunity represents a decisive step towards securing our digital future by attracting experienced global partners capable of delivering critical, long-term submarine cable infrastructure. We are seeking organisations with the technical expertise, commercial capability and financial strength to deliver this nationally significant project with confidence and at scale.”

Under the NOO process, prospective bidders are required to demonstrate, on a pass/fail basis:

• Proven experience and capability in constructing and commercially operating submarine fibre-optic cable systems or international telecommunications networks, including sales and marketing, revenue assurance and financial control;
• A corporate structure that evidences the scale, strength and resources necessary to deliver a critical national infrastructure project with a high degree of confidence; and
• Completion of a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

Organisations that successfully meet the NOO requirements will be granted access to the subsequent Request for Proposals (RFP), which has already been prepared and will be made available immediately to qualified respondents.

The Cayman Islands Government does not intend to enter the telecommunications market directly. Instead, through PLAHI, it is seeking to partner with an experienced international wholesale operator and, in recognition of the strategic importance of the infrastructure, is prepared to offer a one-time grant subsidy as a financial incentive to support delivery of the project.

The deadline for NOO submissions is 2 March 2026. Full details of the opportunity, including submission instructions and key dates, are available on the Bonfire procurement portal at:
https://cayman.bonfirehub.com/opportunities/221079

Interested parties are encouraged to review the NOO documentation carefully and submit their responses in accordance with the published requirements.