Army Indigenous Development Program Education and Physical Training

The Army Recruit Training Centre (ARTC) is seeking a Supplier to work with the staff of the Recruit Development Wing (RDW) to deliver a specialised program that is aimed at improving the representation of lndigenous Australians in Army. “Indigenous”, in this context, refers to persons of both Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander descent. The Army Indigenous Development Program (AIDP) is for selected applicants with a view to bridging education and health standards as well as reinforcing individual resilience necessary to commence the Army Recruit Course (ARC). As such the program is to be delivered in an appropriate military environment in order to engender the requisite skills, knowledge and attitudes that will allow a successful transition to a military career.

Candidates for this program are selected through a competitive identification and screening process demonstrating a strong sense of values, commitment and a desire to serve. This recruiting process targets candidates who do not possess the requisite education levels for 'general entry' into Army, or at least the confidence in demonstrating them.

The Supplier will be contracted to deliver the educational and physical training components of the program in a culturally appropriate environment. “Culturally appropriate”, in this context, includes sensitivity to Indigenous requirements but also the acknowledgement and development of the military ethos that Army staff will be concurrently working to develop in candidates. Over the course of the program it is expected that the candidates will have improved self-esteem, develop greater resilience and robust coping mechanisms to meet the challenges they will experience in military life. They will start to develop the qualities expected of soldiers noting Army's core values of Courage, Initiative, Respect and Teamwork.

In 2019 this program is scheduled for delivery commencing 22 January for a period of 17 weeks. The education and physical training components, to be delivered by the Supplier, will total 52 days (13 weeks x 4 days per week). Army’s preferred cohort size is 40. At present there is volatility in the recruitment market that means numbers may fluctuate. In order to meet Defence’s criteria for value for money, suppliers are requested to price according to a minimum panel of 20, then, in increments of 5 up to 40 participants.