Projects
Hercules C-130J Through Life Support Project
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Background Work Packages Current Project Status Contacts |
What is the C-130J Through Life Support Project?
This project was initiated in October 2005 to establish a performance based C-130J Through Life Support contract. DMO will deliver this contract via a competitive restricted tender process consistent with the Australian Defence Aerospace Sector’s Strategic Plan. The goal of the C-130J Project is to deliver:
- Improved delivery of sustainment services.
- A performance based support arrangement through to C-130J Planned Withdrawal Date of 2030.
- A long term relationship with industry to deliver improved value for money.
- Full price disclosure with profit related to risk and performance.
- A meaningful transfer of risk from the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) to the contractor.
The Project’s Acquisition Concept was approved in June 2006 and its Procurement and Proposal Submissions were approved in April 2007 and August 2007 respectively.
On 31 August 2007, two restricted Requests for Tender (RFT) were released to Industry to enable tenderers to bid for:
RFT 1 ASD 10/2006
- Total support of the C-130J Platform including the engine system, with the engines element to be costed separately and able to be excised, or
RFT 2 ASD 16/2007
- Support of the engine system.
Background
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Current Support ArrangementsThe current support arrangements for the C-130J platform are provided through a complex network of over seven interim contracts with different companies. The three primary contractual arrangements in support of the C-130 platforms contain varying degrees of logistic support with the dominant services provided being:
- C-130 Weapon System Business Unit (WSBU) – Qantas Defence Services – Aircraft Deeper Maintenance, Engineering, Technical Support, Hydraulics, Propulsions and Overhaul, Deeper Maintenance Spares.
- C-130 Avionics Business Unit (AVBU) – Raytheon – Repairable Items Management, Engineering, Pipeline Management.
- AE2100D3 – Interim Contract Support Services – Standard Aerospace- engine and propulsion system support.
Air Lift Systems Program Office (ALSPO) as the Logistics Manager is responsible for:
- supply chain management,
- program and project management,
- engineering management,
- configuration management,
- technical support,
- maintenance requirements determination and
- governance activities.
Under the current arrangements, all risk related to aircraft and Repairable Item (RI) availability is borne by ALSPO as the systems integrator.
C-130J Aircraft
The C-130J platform was acquired from Lockheed Martin Aerospace Corporation (LMAC) with the first aircraft delivered in September 1999. An initial 3-year support package was provided by Lockheed as part of the aircraft acquisition.
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) C130J Fleet consists of twelve Lockheed Hercules C-130J-30 aircraft operated by 37 Squadron. The fleet is maintained at two levels:
- Operational Maintenance (OM) performed by 37 Squadron and
- Deeper Maintenance (DM) performed by approved contractors.
The aircraft is a cargo and troop carrying aircraft designed to operate unsupported out of austere airfields. The aircraft has a ‘glass cockpit’ based on a MIL-STD-1553 data bus architecture. It is powered by four Rolls Royce AE 2100D3 engines driving Dowty R391 composite material six-bladed propeller assemblies.
The C-130J-30 is an aircraft designed to provide an exceptional strategic transport capability to the ADF and has already shown its capabilities in operations from medical evacuation in Bali, through to in-area support operations and resupply to Allied Forces in Iraq.
Industry Brief
A restricted Industry Brief was conducted on 12 September 2007 following the release of the RFT on 31 August 2007. Attendance of the Industry Brief was limited to invited short listed companies only. Extracts from the industry briefing are placed on the website below to assist small to medium enterprises to identify where they could best add value in the future support of the C-130J platform.
Click here to download
the Industry Brief 12 Sep 2007 (pdf 3.33Mb)
Performance Based Contracting
The RFT development utilised the Aerospace Systems Division Performance Based Contracting Manual (version 2) which can be downloaded from the following DMO website location:
Defence Materiel Organisation - Performance Based Contracting Manual
Defence and Industry Policy Statement 2007
Defence procurements are required to conform to the principles of the Australian Government’s Australian Industry Capability (AIC) policy which was articulated by The Hon. Dr Brendan Nelson MP, Minister for Defence in the Defence and Industry Policy Statement released in March 2007. The policy places emphasis on the maintenance of a sustainable and capable domestic industry supporting the Australian Defence Force (ADF). This policy document can be downloaded from the following Defence website location:
Defence and Industry Policy Statement 2007
Whilst the C130J Through Life Support project currently has no specific Industry capability outcomes, the policy reiterates the importance of general in country support principles, for example:
‘Defence 2000 – Our Future Defence Force identified the Government’s highest priority areas for Australian defence industry as:
- combat and systems software and support
- data management and signal processing, including for information gathering and surveillance
- command control and communications systems
- systems integration
- repair, maintenance and upgrades of major weapons and surveillance platforms
- provision of services to support the peacetime and operational requirements of the ADF.’
‘We must have a local industry base that can maintain, repair and modify the equipment we purchase from overseas, and design, manufacture and adapt equipment to meet the unique requirements of the ADF’.
‘The underlying reasons for Australia to maintain a capable in-country defence industry have not changed. The ADF needs ready access to repair and maintenance services that, for practical reasons, can only be delivered by in-country providers. The ADF also needs in-country industry to adapt, modify and, where necessary, manufacture equipment that is suited to Australia’s unique operating environment and military doctrine.’
Current Project Status
Source selection has been made and all tenderer's have been advised of their status. Negotiations have commenced and subject to negotiating an outcome that achieves value for money for the Commonwealth, contract signature is expected in early 2009.
Project Schedule
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| Close of Tenders | 13 December 2007 |
Tender Evaluation |
January 2008 – September 2008 |
Source Selection |
October 2008 |
Contract Negotiation |
November 2008 – December 2008 |
| Contract Approval | February 2009 |
| Contract Signature | February 2009 |
| Transition Completes | July 2010 |
Note: Project Schedule is subject to change.
Work Packages
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The work packages are very broadly:Functional Area |
General Scope |
Platform (RFT1) |
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Engine (RFT2) |
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The work packages will generally exclude operational maintenance and simulator activities, C-130H support and development of major upgrades (such as the Block upgrades), though some non-routine activities might be tasked as ad-hoc requirements.
Contacts
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Air Lift Systems Program Office (ALSPO) - C-130J Through Life Support Project TeamProject Manager
Ms
Bev Kerr
Email: c130j.tls@defence.gov.au
Telephone: (02) 4587 3931
Building 106
RAAF Base
Percival Street
Richmond NSW 2755
Last updated: 11 November 2008
