SANFORD — City Manager Steve Buck will be talking about broadband today when he takes the microphone at a Mayors’ Coalition news conference in Augusta.

But Sanford is doing more than talking about broadband – it’s looking for vendors who want to be part of a public-private partnership to bring broadband to Maine’s newest city.

The city, through the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council, put out a call for proposals last week and so far 11 vendors have said they’ll submit bids, which are due May 28.

Broadband deployment is a top priority of both the city and the Sanford Regional Economic Growth Council board of directors.

“We are anxious to get through this process and secure a letter of intent this summer with the best private company that shares our vision for its own and Sanford’s future prosperity,” said Growth Council executive director Jim Nimon.

A new, high-speed broadband system designed with business attraction, growth and retention in mind has the potential to inject between $47 million and $192 million to Sanford’s economy over the next decade.

That was the nutshell from a study conducted for the city in 2014 by Tilson Technology Management. It goes on to say that communities that don’t have or get high-speed broadband will be left behind.

Broadband, proponents say, is an essential tool to attract business and industry from the Route 128 Massachusetts corridor and beyond.

Sanford is looking at ways to finance construction of the network that it would own and control, with operation in the hands of a third party, said Buck. He said connection to the Three Ring Binder will be an essential element of Sanford’s future systems.

Nimon said the city and the Growth Council are looking to partner with companies to take advantage of existing infrastructure and providers to create a system called an open-access non-discriminatory fiber network that would be owned and controlled by the city and then utilized by providers

“From reviewing literature around the U.S. and the world, we know that open-access arrangements can be the catalyst for encouraging competition, better consumer choices and lower prices; we want this opportunity and competitive advantage for Sanford, Maine,” said Nimon.

In the meantime, the city is monitoring several bills that may play a role in Sanford’s broadband quest.

L.D. 912, sponsored by Republican Rep. Robert Foley of Wells, would allow creation of utility districts and interlocal cooperation. Buck explained that Sanford has proposed building nine miles of fiber optic cable to connect to the Three Ring Binder .

“That cable will pass through Wells and offer close connectivity to West Kennebunk,” Buck said. L.D. 912 would allow for those initial communities to share in the creation and operation of this infrastructure.”

As well, Buck said Sanford’s fiber optic loop would also be available to provide future connectivity to communities north and west of Sanford.

“It’s difficult for small rural towns to attract broadband to expand in their area,” said Foley. “If we could create districts where towns could band together, we would have better opportunity.”

Foley pointed out that the Three Ring Binder touches portions of Wells, but not all of it..

L.D. 68, sponsored by Jim Campbell, a Newfield Independent, would provide a $10 million bond to expand high-speed Internet in Maine

L.D. 465 would require all money in the Broadband Sustainability Fund to be used to support municipal governments in developing plans to promote broadband in unserved or underserved areas.

— Senior Staff Writer Tammy Wells can be contacted at 324-4444 (local call in Sanford) or 282-1535, ext. 327 or [email protected].