Patrick Durrant | Sydney
Saab Australia has been conducting briefings around the country on the JP2060 Phase 3 Deployable Health Capability, for which it is competing as prime tenderer.
Capability manager Saab Australia Nathan Parsons said the program (which has been running since Brendon Nelson was Defence Minister) is about replacing Army and Air Forces’ full deployable health capability. “For instance everything they need a hospital or a clinic to work in any location,” he detailed.
“The scope includes anything you would expect to have in your local hospital, including the building itself.”
“The scope includes anything you would expect to have in your local hospital, including the building itself.”
Navy are outside of the scope of the project as it currently stands, primarily because vessels such as the new LHDs are mostly well equipped with either a hospital or a medical suite/sickbay, depending on the class.
An RFT is due in 2017 and if the rule of thumb can be applied, (i.e. release in approximately six months from First Pass, which occurred in mid-November) Parsons said it could be released any time between the present time and the second quarter of that year.
Parsons said under the support contract, which will have an initial term of six years, plus three 3-year extensions, Navy’s equipment will eventually be replaced to match what is in use with the other two services. This will drive commonality and reduction in the supply chain for the Fleet, particularly within the System Program Offices (SPOs).
According to Parsons, the tendency of SPOs to reduce in size as Defence hones efficiencies within the organisation means they won’t have a contract management capability to continue managing 200 plus suppliers on an ongoing basis.
“Defence is looking for a prime that can not only manage all of the hundreds of subcontractors that can provide a capability like this, but that can also generate replacements in a much faster turnaround time, while also looking out for new technology and advising whether this could fit with requirements,” he said.
The requirements for the various types of deployable health facilities (i.e. Roles 1 through 3) are predominately based upon the NATO standard, with some deviations. There will also be requirements to provide environmental health for patients and staff; for instance radiation detection and pathology identification equipment.
The Saab-led consortium comprises Philips Australia, Aspen Medical and Marshall Land Systems. Saab is seeking SMEs to supply the wide range of various medical equipment, MEDEVAC equipment, simulation/training systems, infrastructure elements, and support systems. There will also be opportunities to support Defence units in and around Australia, perhaps via a Field Service Representative, and local SMEs are being sought to provide such a service.
Parsons said interested OEMs and distributors should express interest at the company’s industry portal. There will be a briefing in Brisbane on January 24.