ASCA - Contract Management Support

The purpose of a Mission is to accelerate the development and delivery of innovative and disruptive technologies into tangible Defence capabilities.

Rather than conducting research in isolation, Missions are oriented toward achieving practical outcomes, ensuring that capability solutions are aligned with Defence strategy and can be effectively transitioned into acquisition pathways.

This approach enables Defence to respond more quickly and effectively to emerging threats and strategic challenges.

Missions can vary significantly in scale and complexity, ranging from smaller initiatives involving a limited number of participants to large, multi-partner programs delivering integrated and high-value capability outcomes.

Regardless of scale, they are characterised by strong alignment to Defence priorities, a high level of collaboration across stakeholders, and a clear focus on delivering measurable capability outcomes.

Through this model, Missions form the backbone of ASCA’s approach to accelerating innovation and strengthening Australia’s Defence capability system.

Role: This role will be contributing to the planning and execution of co-design activities by developing co-design strategies, supporting stakeholder engagement, and facilitating onboarding of Mission leadership roles.

The Service Provider will also be responsible for capturing lessons learned, maintaining relevant registers, and driving continuous improvement across Mission Integration and enablement processes.

Finally, the Service Provider will be required to participate in regular reporting and governance activities, including attendance at branch meetings, provision of status updates, and delivery of agreed artefacts in accordance with Defence standards, policies, and systems.

All work is to be conducted using Defence ICT systems and aligned with Commonwealth requirements for security, record management, and data handling.

Essential Requirements: Demonstrable ability to deliver the following: 1. Conduct Mission Initiation activities to support decision by HASCA. - Support Co-Design team with development of problem statements and project charters/mission planning documents, identify potential procurement approaches and support problem statement workshops. - Develop relevant artefacts for decisions by HASCA. 3. Lead the Approach to Market process for Missions - Lead/co-ordinate Missions involvement in the development of Procurement Plan, Probity Plan, Evaluation plan, and related procurement artefacts (such as RFP documentation). - Co-ordinate relevant financial documents and approvals as required. - Co-ordinate Market briefings, draft addenda to industry clarification requests. - Develop or contribute to Tender Evaluation Plans and on-board the evaluation organisation. 4. Establish delivery framework for each Mission - Support development of the Mission Execution Strategy - Provide advice on suitable contract deliverables and develop Data Item Descriptions as required. - Support contract management oversight where directed including assisting of contract change proposals. - Support the transition into service requirements for each Mission. 4. Conduct and coordinate tender evaluation and contract negotiation activities - Manage tender screening process and develop tender screening and compliance report. - Develop evaluation report templates and coordinate evaluation processes, including tender evaluation working groups. - Develop proposal or evaluation summaries to support decision making. - Provide secretariat support to Tender Evaluation Board. - Develop Source Evaluation Report for endorsement. - Lead and/or support contract negotiations with preferred tenderers. - Prepare notifications for non-preferred tenderers. - Deliver written or verbal debriefs for tenderers. - Capture relevant information to support ASCA’s Benefits Management Framework. 5. Contribute to future planning and activities - Develop future strategy as directed by CDB Head in consultation with Defence stakeholders. - Support data and governance requirements, which may include Business Management tools that are being implemented. - Contribute to the use of ASCA BMS, CRM, JIRA, Confluence and the PM/Scheduling tool EP3M. 5. Capture Lessons Learned - Record Lessons learned in register and follow up with meeting for discussion and next steps. - Ensure any actions arising from Lessons learned register are implemented. 7. Participate in Branch meetings and provide status on activities - Attend relevant Branch meetings. - Provide status report on Mission Enablement