New future for Defence Test and Evaluation

The Morrison Government is giving Australia’s defence industry the opportunity to put forward innovative proposals on how it can play a key role in the way Defence tests and evaluates its equipment.

Minister for Defence Industry Melissa Price said a Request for Information (RFI) on Test and Evaluation (T&E) would be released on AusTender today, showing the Government’s commitment to work with industry to develop key Defence capabilities.

Minister Price said there was tremendous capability in the Australian defence industry that could be harnessed as part of the testing, evaluation, certification and systems assurance of Defence equipment.

“Our Government will build true partnerships with Australian-owned and controlled businesses to deliver sovereign Test and Evaluation capability for the ADF,” Minister Price said.

“It is essential that we build this sovereign capability at home so that the equipment in the hands of our troops meets the highest possible standards and can be used to keep Australians safe.

“Through this RFI we want to understand how we can form strategic partnerships with key Australian businesses to deliver Test and Evaluation for the ADF.

As part of the initial approach to industry, feedback on how Defence might best partner with stakeholders to implement the T&E Strategy is being sought.

Key areas of focus for the RFI include:

• seeking feedback on the preferred models for engagement with industry and other stakeholders that will support the realisation of the T&E Strategy, and encourage innovation and cooperation between Defence and across industry;
• seeking feedback on industry’s current and developing sovereign T&E capability, capacity and willingness to participate in achieving the goals of the T&E Strategy; and
• identifying opportunities and understanding the actions and investments required to accelerate the establishment of a sovereign T&E capability, inclusive of indicative time-frames.

The RFI will help Defence to consolidate an enterprise view of the Australian Defence T&E environment by the end of 2022, to serve as a basis for more substantial industry partnerships going forward.

Media note

The Defence Test and Evaluation RFI has been published on AusTender at https://www.tenders.gov.au/Atm/Show?Id=1d66bdd8-2eff-42df-bcc1-f95be933267f

For a copy of the Defence Test and Evaluation Strategy, go to https://www.defence.gov.au/about/publications/defence-test-evaluation-strategy