News Review: Defence Headquarters prime systems integrator contract awarded | ADM Feb 07

1 February 2007

Defence has selected Thales Australia as the contractor to deliver the integrated suite of command, control, communications, computing and intelligence (C4I) systems for their new purpose-built $300 million Headquarters Joint Operations Command (HQJOC) facility near Bungendore, NSW.

The value of the contract will be up to $58.5 million.

There were five companies short listed; BAE Systems Australia, KAZ Technology Services Pty Ltd, Raytheon Australia Pty Ltd and RLM Systems Pty Ltd.

"Thales Australia will be responsible for the design, build and test of the C4I systems required to support the headquarters.

"The majority of the systems will be built and tested off-site in the period leading up to the headquarters being completed in July 2008.

"The C4I systems will then be installed in time for Defence staff to commence stepping up in late 2008," said Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Senator Sandy Macdonald.

Praeco Pty Ltd, a consortium comprising Leighton Contractors Pty Ltd and ABM AMRO Australian Limited, will deliver the new facility and then provide a range of support services under a Public Private Partnership (PPP) financing arrangement over a 30 year contract term.

In late 2005, the Queanbeyan-based Codarra Advanced Systems won a three-year, $7 million contract to provide project management and systems engineering services to assist Defence in delivery of the C4I systems into the facility, and has been instrumental in bringing the C4I contract to fruition.

Since Prime Minister John Howard turned the first sod at the Headquarters site on 3 November, construction work is progressing on the primary access road and large intersection linking the facility with the Kings Highway.

The headquarters design process is now well advanced.

"I am impressed with the progress being achieved for this vital project, which will provide Defence with its first fully integrated, state-of-the-art command and control headquarters," Senator Macdonald said.