Now, if you submit an unsolicited offer, just give your proposal and if a company is willing to top your offer, then we proceed to Swiss challenge.

The Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) is set to release within the month the draft policy on common telecommunications tower.

DICT Secretary Gregorio Honasan II told reporters on the sidelines of a privately sponsored summit in Taguig City on Monday that the agency is crafting the first draft of the policy.

“Within the month we should already come out with the… draft of the… tower policy,” he said.

Honasan said the DICT conducted several stakeholders’ meetings with the tower builders to provide insights that are to be included in the draft.

The Duterte administration earlier eyed implementing a common tower policy to help unburden telco companies from costly capital expenditures in building towers and eventually reduce the cost of the service.

Once the draft is out, Honasan said the DICT will propose for the first tower to be built at the House of Representatives.

“We are asking for budget from the Congress. The first tower will be built at the House of Representatives, because you cannot give what you cannot get,” he said.

Meanwhile, the DICT is mulling over whether the mode for common towers will be done through bidding or unsolicited proposals.

But personally, he said he would prefer an unsolicited proposal, underscoring the slow bidding process during the search for the third telecommunications firm.

“Now, if you submit an unsolicited offer, just give your proposal and if a company is willing to top your offer, then we proceed to Swiss challenge. But what we are looking for here is the proof of concept — whether you are a foreign or local company, prove that your project is possible,” he said.