Defence bonanza worth millions
Defence plea to firms
NORTH Queensland businesses will be in the running to tender for dozens of Department of Defence contracts worth millions of dollars as part of the next stage of the Australian Singapore Military Training Initiative. In a webinar last week businesses were told they could tender for early works and main works packages over the next eight years, each one valued up to $20 million.
THE Department of Defence has revealed there will be dozens of contracts worth millions of dollars for local businesses to tap into as part of the next stage of the Australian Singapore Military Training Initiative (ASMTI).
North Queensland firms were told in a webinar last week they would be able to tender for early works and main works packages over the next eight years, each one valued up to $20 million.
A Charters Towers Chamber of Commerce and Mines spokesman said while some businesses may be put off by the scale of the tenders and contracts, they shouldn’t be discouraged from registering their interest and capabilities.
“Some of the companies tendering for the management contract have spoken to some of the bigger contractors in town and they know those contractors aren’t big enough to do the work, but they are in a prime position to be able to do smaller works within the bigger project packages.
“We’d encourage any Charters Towers business, whether a chamber member or not, to contact us, the council or Defence Department direct to get help in proving their capability to do the work that will become available.”
ASMTI business and community liaison Mick Reilly said the webinar aimed to help regional businesses understand the opportunities on offer.
“We encourage businesses to submit capability statements,” he said.
Three firms – CPB Contractors, Laing O’rourke and Lend Lease – have been short-listed for the $800 million management contract for the Greenvale site.
It is anticipated local contractors will be involved in the early works over the next few years.
Aurecon project manager Dave Patterson said early works on the Greenvale military site would include boundary signage, firebreaks for the training area, removal of infrastructure such as dams, sheds, fences and contamination remediation.
He said while some of the works had already begun, there would be many more added to the defence packages this year and next year when the agistment agreements with landholders were finalised.
Department of Defence program development and delivery director Ese Rainey said one of the evaluation criteria that would determine the managing contractor would be how it would work with local businesses and community. She said that meant there would be smaller contracts, with payment guarantee for industry, that would come through from the managing contractor.
“You’re probably talking about the order of 200 trade packages – heading up to $25 million and everything in between,” she said.
>>To find out more visit www.defence.gov.au/initiatives/asmti/