Latest News from ADA-Vic

Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States have together reached another significant AUKUS milestone, with the signing of an agreement to enable cooperation that is essential to Australia’s capacity to safely build, operate and maintain a conventionally‑armed, nuclear-powered submarine capability.

The Agreement Among the Government of Australia, the Government of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and the Government of the United States of America for Cooperation Related to Naval Nuclear Propulsion has been tabled in the Australian Parliament today.

The agreement will enable the UK and the US to transfer submarine-specific material and equipment for Australia’s future nuclear‑powered submarines.

It will also allow the continued communication and exchange of information related to nuclear-powered submarines among AUKUS partners.

The agreement will be central to Australia’s acquisition of a sovereign nuclear-powered submarine capability from the 2030s, with the transfer of Virginia class submarines from the US to Australia, and the transfer of equipment from the UK for use in Australia’s SSN‑AUKUS submarines.

It will also enable Australia to prepare for Submarine Rotational Force-West at HMAS Stirling from 2027, supporting the rotational presence of up to four Virginia class submarines from the US and one Astute class submarine from the UK.

Consistent with the commitment of AUKUS partners, the agreement will see Australia uphold the highest standards for safety, security and non-proliferation.

Future SSN-AUKUS submarines will be built at Osborne in South Australia, using sealed, welded power units that will not require refuelling over the life cycle of the submarine.

Australia is committed to the global nuclear non-proliferation regime. The agreement expressly rules out enriching uranium or reprocessing spent nuclear fuel in Australia as part of AUKUS and prevents AUKUS partners undertaking any activity that would contravene international non-proliferation obligations.

Importantly, the agreement re-affirms, and is consistent with Australia’s international non-proliferation obligations, including under the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, the South Pacific Nuclear Free Zone Treaty and our safeguards agreements with the International Atomic Energy Agency.

As a responsible nuclear steward, Australia will manage all waste generated by its own Virginia class and SSN-AUKUS submarines. Australia will not process spent nuclear fuel or reactors from the US, UK or other countries.

The agreement will replace the Exchange of Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information Agreement, which entered into force in 2022.

Read full press release >

Finalists For This Year’s Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards Announced

Congratulations from ADA-Vic to all the finalists chosen from among 129 nominations across 14 competitive award categories, especially ADA members:

A.W. Bell Machinery (Dandenong South)

Stahl Metall (Knoxfield)

Winners will be announced at the Victorian Manufacturing Hall of Fame Awards gala dinner on Wednesday 9 October at the Palladium at Crown.

To attend the gala dinner purchase your table or tickets here through the Hall of Fame webpage at Business Victoria.

See full list of finalists >

Melbourne Event

The Office of Defence Industry Support invites you to attend the ODIS Forum 2024 to be held in Melbourne on Tuesday 27 August.

These forums will be supported by senior ADF officers and will be attended by:

Department of Defence representatives
defence industry leaders
key defence contractors
business experts.

Registration is open now until capacity is reached.

Find out more >

Lockheed Martin Industry Engagement

The Victorian Government is organizing an industry engagement event with U.S.-based Lockheed Martin’s Global Supply Chain Program Office of Australian Participation at the Investment Centre Victoria, Level 46/55 Collins Street, Melbourne. The event will occur on Monday, 9 September, from 1100 to 1230.

Lockheed Martin will present the capabilities they seek and how to access their supply chain.

Please respond to this email to let us know if you are interested in attending: karen.loughran@global.vic.gov.au

Global Supply Chain Program: Pitch To The Primes!

Australian suppliers will have an opportunity to meet all participating GSC Primes at Land Forces 2024 during the GSC Program – Pitch to the Primes.

Date: Wednesday 11 September
Time: 1200 – 1400
Registration: This event is open to all Land Forces trade visitors, exhibitors and conference delegates
Location: Meeting Room 203, Convention Level 2, Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre

NOTE: While attendance to this session is free for all participants, entry is not guaranteed. Seating will be assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, and once the venue reaches its maximum capacity, access will be closed.

Stand Out and Grow Your Business at Land Forces 2024

Maximise your investment in Land Forces 2024 by differentiating your business from the competition. Developing a deeper understanding of your customer’s problems, and how you solve them better than anyone else, is the key to success.

For ADA members who want to seize opportunities and accelerate their growth in the defence industry, 25eight is offering an exclusive 20% discount on their Trade Event Ready Program - Land Forces 2024

Identify your competitive advantage and incorporate in your sales and marketing communications using proven frameworks to help you stand out and be memorable
Develop a concrete plan for before, during, and after the event to proactively maximise all opportunities from this event.
Gain introductions to key industry stakeholders and Primes to increase your chances of developing new engagements

Over 500 defence related companies have been through 25eight’s program with many reporting that they secured significant defence contracts or engaged new customers.

Learn more and submit your expression of interest (https://www.25eight.co/trade-event-ready-program-landforces).

If you are not an ADA member and want to become one to take advantage of this great opportunity please apply at Join ADA-Vic (australiandefencealliance.org.au)

Intellectual Property and Advanced Manufacturing - Expressions of Interest for Industry Briefing

The Australian Army is seeking to engage with defence Industry on the topic of additive manufacturing to improve Army’s supply chain resilience and diversify supply chain channels. Conducted by Director Logistics Plans - Army, COL John Bouloukos, these sessions aim to establish a baseline understanding of defence industry requirements when requesting, purchasing, using, protecting and disposing of intellectual property that will be used in additive manufacturing.

Two sessions will be run during Land Forces on the 11 and 12 September, concluding with a Q&A event on Friday 13 September. Successful applicants will be notified by no later than 16 August 2024.

Note - you must have registered to attend Land Forces 2024 at landforces.com.au to gain entry to the venue and event.

Invitation to Join ICCPM Defence Industry Development - Skilling Grant Application

We are contacting you as an Australian SME providing services to defence.

The International Centre for Complex Project Management (ICCPM) was established by the Department of Defence to build capability in complex project management. We maintain the Complex Project Leadership Competency Standards on behalf of the Commonwealth of Australia and delivery training to develop the competencies defined in the standards.

As a recognised Defence Industry Association, ICCPM can apply for  Defence Industry Development Grant – Skilling funding on behalf of its SME Members.

We invite you to join our next application to cover 50% of the total fee of courses in the first half of 2025. ICCPM will prepare the grant application, and if successful, administer the contract and complete the reporting obligations. The scheme is assessed on a 2-month batch cycle, with the next deadline at the end of September. To join the ICCPM application, all documentation must be received by:

Friday 13 September 2024

(no extension is possible)

Find out more about the grant program, eligibility criteria, available courses, register your Expression of Interest NOW to receive the application pack including prices.

FIND OUT MORE

If you are not an ICCPM Organisation or SME Member,
we hope you’ll take advantage of our 25% discount.

If you are a Team Downer SME or a supplier to Thales, BAE Systems or Boeing, you can access a complimentary ICCPM SME Membership as a benefit of their ICCPM Corporate Partnership.

Contact n.mathers@iccpm.com
for more information and to join now

The EMDG program provides grants to Australian small and medium enterprises and their representative bodies to:

market and promote their goods and services globally
undertake export training

The EMDG Round 4 will be the next round to open for applications. There will be different opening dates for representative bodies and each tier. The times and dates are: 

Representative bodies, applications open AEDT 10am on 6 November
Tier 1 – ready to export, applications open AEDT 10am on 12 November
Tier 2 – exporting within existing markets, applications open AEDT 10am on 12 November
Tier 3 – exporting to new key markets, applications open AEDT 10am on 12 November.

For detailed information on Round 4, read the Round 4: EMDG Grant Guidelines here.

The JOSCAR-AU system was established following an initiative led by a growing number of prime contractors as registered buyers together with the Commonwealth Government.

JOSCAR-AU is a cross-sector collaborative solution that reduces the time, cost, resources and duplication currently needed to provide information to major prime customers. Holding common supplier information in a central system, the JOSCAR-AU accreditation system allows information to be accessed by all participating buying organisations.

JOSCAR-AU is designed to make the process of pre-qualification or accreditation as efficient as possible – saving your company a significant amount of the time, effort and cost associated with working for multiple clients.

Hellios enables more effective compliance with client requirements for business through a single process. Your initial registration will determine the level of pre-qualification or accreditation that your clients require, based on an automated risk profile.

Expert advice is provided throughout the process to guide you including identifying potential business improvement opportunities that may increase your competitive advantage.

Registration on JOSCAR-AU is either by invitation from your registered JOSCAR-AU buyer or via self nomination. If your buyer has asked you to complete the JOSCAR-AU questionnaire, they will contact Hellios directly on your behalf. Hellios will then process this request and send a link to the questionnaire for you to complete. If you would like to self nominate, please reach out at joscar@hellios.com.au.

BAESA/GAP Industry Training: Estimating For Defence

BAE Systems Australia and the Global Access Program are pleased to once again offer Estimating & Pricing Industry Training during 2024.

Delivering competitive and defendable proposals for Defence requires a variety of estimating techniques to build robust, credible and defendable Basis of Estimates. Learn how to challenge your cost base, supplier quotes, estimates and price, and submit a compliant proposal that meets customer requirements, represents value for money, and can survive a cost investigation.

Estimating For Defence is a two day course developed by Estimating & Pricing (E&P) at BAE Systems Australia, and delivered in partnership with the Global Access Program (GAP).

To register, please click on the BAE Systems supplier portal link now - http://BAESystemsSupplierPortal.icn.org.au

If you require any further information, please contact Megan Allan directly on megan.allan@baesystems.au.

Open to Industry partners Based in Australia, Canada, and the UK

The Defense Industrial Base Consortium (DIBC) aims to coalesce and expand the defense industrial base (DIB) in support of the Manufacturing, Capability Expansion, and Investment Prioritization Directorate (MCEIP) critical sectors and additional areas of interest. To align with the recent modification to the definition of Domestic Source for Title III of the Defense Production Act, and in keeping with the MCEIP vision of delivering a resilient U.S. supply chain and workforce able to respond in times of national security crisis, DIBC is excited to announce that we are opening membership to Industry partners in Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia. This increased level of collaboration will aid the DIBC in achieving MCEIP’s mission and vision.

The application to become a DIBC member can be found here. International members will need to apply for a NCAGE Code and UEI prior to joining DIBC. To apply for a NCAGE code, each organization will need to register at https://sam.gov/. Instructions on how to register can be found here.

If you have questions about the application process, please feel free to reach out to dibconsortium@ati.org.

SME Connect Programs

Australia’s national science agency, CSIRO, has announced a $20 million investment to provide small to medium enterprises (SMEs) with greater access to vital research and development (R&D) opportunities to accelerate their growth.

The funding will allow CSIRO’s SME Connect team to support up to 750 SMEs through a range of programs and initiatives that provide facilitation, training, dollar-matched funding and support to start-ups and SMEs seeking to engage in company-led research projects.

One of the programs being supported is SME Connects flagship program, CSIRO Kick-Start. Since its inception in 2017, the Kick-Start program has facilitated over 280 company-led R&D projects, with alumni companies collectively holding a market value exceeding $2 billion.

Dr Doug Hilton, CSIRO’s Chief Executive, emphasised the significance of this investment and the transformative impact it would have for Australia’s critical SME sector.

The Victorian Land Systems Fund – Supply Chain Uplift Program will support Victorian defence industry businesses to work with Hanwha Defense Australia (Hanwha) as part of its supply chain. The program will help build businesses’ capabilities so they can help Hanwha deliver the Commonwealth Government’s $1 billion Land 8116 Self-Propelled Howitzer program.

Funding will support eligible Victorian businesses to:

gain relevant accreditations and meet industry specific compliance requirements
prepare tenders
undertake minor facilities upgrades and equipment fit outs
develop new or enhance current defence products or services
undertake defence R&D
participate in trade missions to pursue collaboration and export opportunities.

Businesses must engage with Hanwha and receive its support before applying.

Applications to the Victorian Land Systems Fund Supply Chain Uplift Program are now open and close on 30 June 2024 or until funds have been exhausted.

Defence Industry Development Grants Program

The Defence Industry Development Grants Program (the program) will award grants over four years from 2024-25 to 2027-28. The program was announced as part of the Defence Industry Development Strategy.

The objective of the program is to build the industrial base Australia needs to achieve Defence outcomes in areas of strategic priority.

The Defence Industry Development Grants Program funds four distinct grant opportunity streams tailored to address the program outcomes:

Sovereign Industrial Priorities
Skilling
Exports
Security.

These four grants opportunities will be assessed in batches. We will regularly update the closing dates for each batch on this page. You can apply at any time.

All projects are due to be completed by 31 Mar 2028.

About the streams

The Sovereign Industrial Priorities stream will assist eligible small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to purchase manufacturing plant and equipment which is used directly to develop and/or deliver programs that are in line with the Sovereign Defence Industrial Priorities (SDIPs) described in the Defence Industry Development Strategy.

The Skilling stream helps Australian defence industry to upskill and train in priority trade, technical and professional skillsets to develop a workforce with the right mix of qualified and experienced personnel to meet Defence requirements. The program will enhance the capacity and capability of Australian defence industry workforce to deliver SDIPs described in the Defence Industry Development Strategy.

The Exports stream provides support for small to medium enterprises (SMEs) to overcome export barriers and help defence industry build scale and competitiveness in defence capability priority areas as identified by the SDIPs described in the Defence Industry Development Strategy.

The Security stream helps Australian defence industry improve and maintain security in priority areas as identified by the SDIPs and in line with the Defence Industry Security Program.

More info >

Industry Growth Program - Support for Innovative SMEs to Commercialise and Grow their Business

The program supports innovative small and medium enterprises undertaking commercialisation and/or growth projects within the National Reconstruction Fund priority areas through advisory services and opportunities for matched grant funding. Minor changes or improvements to existing products or services are not considered innovative.

You will be connected to an Industry Growth Program Adviser who will provide tailored advice to support your commercialisation and/or growth project.

Once you have received this advice, you may also be able to apply for:

grants of $50,000 to $250,000 to support early-stage commercialisation projects
grants of $100,000 to $5 million for commercialisation and growth projects.

More info >

Australian Space Industry Capability Database

The Australian Space Industry Capability database will open for industry submissions from mid-July. Companies can upload information on their:

• Location

• Capability

• Workforce

The database has been developed by SIAA and is supported by the Australian Trade and Investment Commission (Austrade), the Australian Space Agency, the Office of Defence Industry Support and SmartSat CRC.

Australia Partner Network

Leidos Australia is focused on working with Australian Industry for delivery of all of our projects. We know the importance of supporting the growth of sovereign capability and would like to work with more Australian businesses at all stages of our delivery lifecycle.

We encourage Australian companies, who are interested in working with us on the opportunities identified above or on other business requirements as they arise, to complete the following registration form.

In your submission, you should highlight your experience with any relevant Defence, Intelligence, ICT and cyber capabilities and technologies. Our team will then be in touch to identify potential next steps.

ODIS provides a range of grants to support defence industry businesses. These grants help Australian small and medium enterprises grow to meet Defence capability needs and join global defence industry supply chains.

Click here to learn more about available grants

The ODIS Defence Business Readiness Tool (DBRT) is a platform used by our Industry Engagement Team to assess the Defence Readiness of Australian Small and Medium Enterprises. The DBRT is the first step in the journey to becoming a supplier to Defence.

To use this secure tool you must have an account. You can either sign in with an existing account or create a new one. You will need to provide your Australian Business Number (ABN) when registering your account.

Get Defence Ready with DBRT 2.0 and unlock the true potential of your SME within the Defence industry!