Provision of Engineering Services to Parallax Project

The Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) is undertaking a major initiative known as the Corporate Enabling Research Program (CERP). The CERP aims to provide "future proofing" for Defence by investigating new technologies which can make an advanced contribution to Defence Capability.

DSTO is seeking to partner with an advanced industry Cyber technology developer in order to provide technical services for the development of advanced technologies for countering emerging Cyber threats. DSTO seeks expert prototyping services which include specialist digital hardware design, software engineering, and RF engineering involving wireless communications.

The focus of the DSTO Cyber Security research program includes the following areas:

1. Assured operation of ICT systems where those systems are manufactured from untrusted commercial components;
2. Integrity of information and information flows within and Government systems; and
3. Machine reasoning systems capable of analysing and verifying system policies, procedures, and security architectures particularly in support of evolving network boundaries and security threat posture.

It should be noted that DSTO may increase funding to the program, subject to program priorities, funding availability, approvals, and Commonwealth procurement policies. Any such funding will be made at DSTO's absolute discretion. The successful tenderer must not have any expectation nor rely upon any further funding being made available.

DSTO intends to undertake with the successful tenderer:

·An expenditure of $2,200,000, subject to satisfactory performance of the services, comprising of $220,000 in the first year and $660,000 each year for the remaining three years for access to the aforementioned specialist services.

·Preferential access via sole license to pre-designated Intellectual Property to be developed in the Cyber component of the CERP for transition to market if elected by the tenderer for transition.

In recognition of the proposed industry 'partnering' in the DSTO Cyber Security Research program, the DSTO commitment to funding identified above, and Contractor access to the pre-designated Intellectual Property for commercialisation,DSTO requires Respondents to make direct investment of their own resources over the four year period in the Cyber component.Such investment may take the form of their own funding into the program, additional access to services (e.g. additional labour), other in-kind contributions, or direct identified collaboration methods. Tenderer's own investment will be a key criteria in the assessment of tender responses. Tenderer's background intellectual property may be offered to the program, but will not be counted as part of the criteria attributable to the Tenderer's own investment.