Media Release

The Defence/industry body, the Capability Development Advisory Forum (CDAF), discussed at its most recent meeting a number of defence industry involvement matters including the development of rules for industry involvement in Integrated Project Teams.

Subordinate Defence/industry working groups, established throughout 1999 as an integral part of the consultative Capability Development process, reported on their work to date at the meeting in Canberra on Wednesday (17/11) chaired by ADF Headquarters' Rear Admiral Chris Ritchie and the Executive Director of Australian Business, Mr Brian Weston.

After these reports, the Forum agreed that the Working Groups would pursue four essential themes to advance industry involvement in the Capability Development process:

• The development of business rules for industry involvement in Integrated Project Teams (IPTs);
• Examination of processes for continuing early industry involvement in Capability Development;
• Examination of the adaptation of Command, Control and Communications research to the Capability Development context; and
• Further development of the Private Financing Initiatives (PFI) in the Capability Development context.

The CDAF concept was foreshadowed in the industry policy statement released by the then Minister for Defence Industry, Science and Personnel in June 1998.

It is a Forum sponsored by the Head of Capability Systems of Australian Defence Headquarters, to provide a conduit for industry to be involved early in the Defence Capability Development process, and to enable Defence to test the technological viability of its capability proposals at an early stage.

The CDAF meets twice a year to provide oversight and guidance for the working groups and other CDAF activities.

Further information regarding the meeting can be obtained from the CDAF Secretariat (contact Mr Tony Warner) on tony.warner@cbr.defence.gov.au or
phone (02) 6265 6361.

Issued by the Defence Public Affairs Organisation, Department of Defence, Canberra, ACT, 2600

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