The Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) is part of the Department of Defence and exists to meet the Australian Defence Force's (ADF) military equipment and supply requirements as identified by Defence and approved by Government.
The CASG leadership team has a good balance of private and public sector experience, as well as extensive military domain knowledge. It is a strong and successful team with outstanding qualifications and ample expertise to lead CASG now and into the future.
To be recognised and respected as a global leader in defence materiel solutions.
We are accountable to:
- The Australian Government through the Defence Ministers (our owner).
- The Secretary of Defence and Chief of the Defence Force.
- The women and men of the ADF through the capability managers (our customers).
- Defence industry (our partners).
CASG is the key delivery agency for Defence capability and in delivering on our purpose we strive to:
- Reform, implement and embed the First Principles Review recommendations
As part of One Defence, CASG is delivering on the recommendations of the First Principles Review (FPR) with a focus on performance outcomes.
We effectively collaborate and partner with the three Services and other Defence groups to uphold One Defence behaviours and attitudes in all our activities in order to achieve whole of Defence outcomes.
We are reforming our operational efficiency and effectiveness in line with the FPR, through a CASG Business Framework which comprehensively explains the organisation and the roles and responsibilities within it.
- Improve our relationship with our owners (Government) and customers (capability managers)
CASG strives to build and maintain trusted relationships with our owners and customers. This is achieved through full capability cost and performance transparency. We actively engage in mature and consistent dialogue regarding cost/capability trade-offs at all levels and effectively implement our fundamental inputs to the capability integration role.
- Improve our strategic level partnerships with industry
We take responsibility for the integration of fundamental inputs to capability for our customers. Industry is a fundamental input to capability, as are our internal Defence service providers (and their industry partners). We include them as part of our program management strategy across the entire asset lifecycle and depend on them to support our business.
We listen to each other and seek win-win collaboration outcomes which help ensure a sustainable industry base to support Defence capability.
- Achieve full cost and performance transparency of our projects and operations
We take responsibility for the integrity of cost and key performance indicator metrics.
We facilitate trusted information sharing, throughout the capability life cycle, between our owners, customers, industry partners and suppliers in order to better understand and manage the cost of doing business for CASG and industry partners.
- Develop, support and professionalise our people
We build confidence in our people by empowering decision making at appropriate delegated authority. We provide the necessary support, skills, tools, knowledge and experience to professionalise our people in order to achieve improved outcomes for our customers.
We strive to achieve a diverse and balanced work force.
The FPR envisaged a CASG where a core group of skilled people manage the 'smart buyer' function. The smart buyer model is reliant on an enhanced relationship with industry which would provide expertise in managing projects in the acquisition and sustainment phases. The implementation of a smart buyer model allows CASG to focus on planning and governance, while industry focuses on execution.
A vigorous, productive, innovative, sustainable and profitable industry is necessary to equip and sustain Defence. Defence works closely with industry to ensure contracts provide effective capability solutions for Defence and value for money for the Australian taxpayer. This requires an open and ethical business relationship.
Industry support for Defence is required to be both effective (meeting contracted requirements) and efficient (delivering on agreed cost reduction targets over the life of contracts). Defence and industry continue to work together to strengthen relationships while improving performance and innovate relationships.
Defence operates within the Australian Government policy, to implement the Defence White Paper and the Defence Industry Policy Statement.