First round tenders for the Australian Department of Defence's new satellite ground infrastructure project have attracted at least seven bids with a shortlist due to be released in five weeks.
The A$70 million ($35 million) requirement closed at the end of March with BAE Systems Australia, Boeing Australia, Clough Engineering, Raytheon Australia and Tenix Defence Systems seeking prime contractorship. Other potential candidates include ADI as well as Cable and Wireless Optus, possibly teamed with RLM Systems.
Defence plans a maximum shortlist of five for the Joint Project 2008 Phase 3E Advanced SATCOM Terrestrial Infrastructure Systems with a second round "winner take all" tender to commence by October.
The new infrastructure is to support transmission of secure command and control information between Defence headquarters and deployed command units via the new Optus C1D satellite, which is due for launch in May 2002.
Project requirements include an upgrade to the satellite earth station at Canberra, a deployable Theatre Injection Facility, the design and installation of satellite communication facilities for 11 warships, a prototype suite for the navy's Minehunter coastal force, 28 deployed HQ compact receive suites and seven compact transmit/receive suites.
Source: Flight International
