Closed ATM View - RFT 2016-0001
Upgrade of Satellite Communication Research and Development Facility
The Defence Science and Technology Group (DST Group) currently operate a satellite communication (SATCOM) ground station facility at its laboratories in Edinburgh, South Australia. It can be reconfigured flexibly and quickly to support unusual, urgent and unforeseen requirements in a manner that is not possible for operational SATCOM anchor stations. The DST Group SATCOM Facility was granted temporary access onto the Wideband Global Satellite Communication (WGS) satellite constellation under a waiver without demonstrating an ability to meet WGS certification requirements, however this waiver period has now ended and transmission to WGS satellites is no longer permitted. The DST Group SATCOM Facility antennas are obsolete and importantly, it is not possible to certify the antennas for WGS access due to technical limitations.
To adequately progress DST Group SATCOM research and support client needs, an upgrade of the DST Group SATCOM Facility is required. As WGS will be the primary Australian military wideband SATCOM system for the foreseeable future the ability to operate on the WGS capability is essential. DST Group is looking to acquire a minimum of one Military X/Ka-band satellite communications terminal for operation on WGS with the option of a second terminal based on a value for money assessment of the capability.
An industry briefing will be conducted at Defence Science and Technology Group, West Avenue, Edinburgh South Australia commencing at 10:00 am on 14 April 2016.
Representatives of prospective tenderers at the briefing will be limited to two personnel. Nominations to attend the briefing are to be forwarded in writing to the Contact Officer by 09:00 am local time on 12 April 2016.
Tenderers are advised that contract award will depend not only on value for money being demonstrated, but on approval by the Minister of Defence.
The Commonwealth will exclude a tender from further consideration if the Commonwealth considers that the tenderer does not comply with:
a. the tender response, including all attachments and supporting documentation, being written in English;
b. the provision of a signed Tenderer’s Deed of Undertaking in the form required at Annex A to Attachment A Response Volume: Overview - Tenderer’s Deed of Undertaking;
c. the Commonwealth's security requirements set out at clause 2.5 to the Conditions of Tender;
d. the requirement for the tendered terminal to appear on the Wideband Global Satellite Communication Certified Terminals list or be substantively progressed in the Wideband Global SATCOM certification process; and
e. an essential requirement identified in Part 3 Statement of Work, Annex A Specifications clause 13.1 to the draft Conditions of Contract.
The planned completion date of the contract is 28 February 2019.