TAS Defence Industry Tender Support Program

Purpose and Program Overview

The TAS Defence Industry Tender Support Program, a flagship initiative under the Tasmanian Government’s Tasmanian Defence Industry Strategy 2029, is uniquely designed to assist Tasmanian-based advanced manufacturing and technology enterprises. It offers these businesses the opportunity to access professional bid and tender writing services, a crucial support in preparing competitive submissions for defence and security contracts.

This grant is designed to support Tasmanian businesses in entering or expanding their presence in the defence industry supply chain. By providing financial assistance for specialist services, the program helps reduce the financial burden of preparing complex defence tenders. This increases the capability and competitiveness of Tasmanian businesses in a significant national industry sector.

The broader role of the program is to foster growth and strengthen the defence industry within Tasmania. It contributes to diversifying the state’s economy and creating jobs by enabling local businesses to secure high-value defence contracts.

Key Grant Details

• Grant Amount or Funding Range: Maximum grant of $30,000 per applicant.
  • Tier 1: Maximum $15,000 for procurement values between $3 million and $10 million.
  • Tier 2: Maximum $30,000 for procurement values over $10 million.
• Application Open and Close Dates: Applications are open and accepted on an ongoing basis. The program remains open until all allocated funding is exhausted.
• Eligible Industries or Business Types: Tasmanian-based advanced manufacturing and technology enterprises.
• Required Co-contributions: Grants are provided on a co-contribution basis, with up to 50% co-funding required for engaging external consultancy services.
• Location/State/Territory Applicability: Tasmania, Australia.

Priority Sectors

This program targets the defence and security sectors explicitly. It supports Tasmanian-based advanced manufacturing and technology enterprises seeking to supply goods or services to these industries.

Funding Scope

The program provides financial assistance to support the tender submission process:

• Minimum and Maximum Amounts per Stream:
  • Tier 1: Up to $15,000.
  • Tier 2: Up to $30,000.
• Categories or Streams of Funding: The program has two tiers based on the value of the defence procurement opportunity. Funding is specifically for professional services related to tender preparation.
• Project Timeline or Eligible Funding Duration: Not explicitly defined for project timelines, as funding is for the tender preparation process.

Eligibility Criteria

Key requirements for applicants include:

• Registered Business Location: Must be a Tasmanian-based advanced manufacturing or technology enterprise.
• Project Focus: Seeking to engage professional bid and tender writing services for preparing defence tenders.
• Co-contribution: Must provide a 50% co-contribution for eligible expenditures.
• Target Opportunity: Must be responding to a specific defence or security tender opportunity.

Eligible Activities and Expenses

The grant funding primarily supports professional services related to defence tender preparation:

• Engaging specialist bid and tender writing consultants.
• Third-party product or service testing.
• Third-party review of tender submissions.
• For Tier 2 applications only: Internal procurement project management wages and salaries, up to 25% of the total grant value.

Assessment Process

The TAS Defence Industry Tender Support Program operates on a competitive grant basis, underscoring the importance of early application. This approach ensures that applications are assessed in the order they are received, with a focus on the program’s objective to support Tasmanian businesses in securing defence contracts.

Applications are assessed in the order they are received. The primary evaluation criteria involve:

• Alignment with the program’s objective to support Tasmanian businesses in securing defence contracts.
• The relevance and necessity of the proposed professional services for the specific defence tender.
• The applicant’s ability to provide the required 50% co-contribution.
• For Tier 2, the value of the defence procurement opportunity is over $10 million.

The program remains open until all allocated funding is exhausted.

Recent Program Updates

The TAS Defence Industry Tender Support Program is an ongoing initiative under the Tasmanian Defence Industry Strategy 2029. With an allocation of $100,000 for 2025 and another $100,000 for 2026, the program accepts applications on a continuous basis until the annual funding is fully committed.

Application Tips

• Clearly identify the specific defence or security tender you are targeting and its procurement value to determine the appropriate tier (Tier 1 or Tier 2).
• Outline how engaging professional bid and tender writing services will directly enhance the competitiveness of your tender.
• Detail the costs of the external consultancy services and demonstrate your capacity to provide the 50% co-contribution.
• For Tier 2 applications, ensure you clearly calculate and justify any eligible internal procurement project management wages and salaries.
• Submit your application promptly, as it will be assessed in the order it is received.

Where to Get Help

Consider consulting with a professional grant specialist, such as Pattens Group. We offer initial assessments to review your business’s eligibility and evaluate how well your project aligns with the grant’s objectives. You can also visit relevant government websites for application templates and further guidance.