Key Focus Areas

About the submission and evaluation process

Submissions aligned with a key focus area can be made through the Defence Innovation Hub portal by responding to the Priority Innovation Notice (PIN), Call for Submission.

This is a two-stage process to select a number of tenderers to enter into an innovation contract with Defence.

Stage one: Call for Submission, consists of a high level overview of your idea. You will be asked to specify in your submission which focus area it aligns with.

To help you align your submission with a specific and in demand Defence capability, a detailed scope of work has been developed for each key focus area.

To be eligible for the allocated funding, submissions aligned to IAMD or USW key focus areas must be lodged by 1400 (AEST), 31 August 2022.

Note: The closing time for submissions aligned to GWEO is still to be confirmed, further information will be provided in due course.

Stage two: If your initial submission is successful, you will progress to, stage two and be asked to provide a more detailed proposal (Request for Proposal).

Key focus area proposals will be grouped together for evaluation. This means all IAMD proposals will be evaluated together and all USW proposals will be evaluated together.

Evaluation outcomes for key focus area proposals are expected from early 2023. This may be subject to change depending on the volume of submissions received.

Proposals aligned to IAMD and USW key focus areas lodged after 1400 (AEST), 31 August 2022 will still be evaluated, but will not eligible for the allocated key focus area funding, and your proposal will be assessed against other submissions received through the Hub’s open call for submissions, covering the broader operational domains.

The Hub accepts submissions form organisations registered in Australia or New Zealand only.

You may need to satisfy security requirements regarding this key focus area to review and hold information classified up to Secret or above. Specific material may have limited release to Australia, Canada, New Zealand, United Kingdom and the United States of America.

Key focus area submission and evaluation overview – IAMD and USW only

Integrated Air and Missile Defence scope

You must read the IAMD Scope prior to making a submission.

To be eligible for the allocated funding, submissions aligned to key focus areas must be lodged by 1400 (AEST) 31 August 2022. If you submit after this time, your submission will still be considered but not within the key focus area timeframes or funding allocation.

IAMD supplementary resources and recommended reading

• Force Structure Plan 2020
• Defence Strategic Update 2022
• Hypersonic Weapons: Background and Issues for Congress. CRS Report R45811
• Centre for Strategic and International Studies: Complex Air Defence Countering the Hypersonic Missile Threat
• RAND Corporation: Air Base Attacks and Defensive Counters: Historical Lessons and Future Challenges
• Air Power Manual, 3.16 Counter Air
• Tudor, C.G. (2019) ‘Camouflage, Concealment and Deception in Military Operations’ International Scientific Conference "Strategies XXI". Issue 1 pp.350-361
• U.S. Department of the Army (2010) ATTP 3-34.39 (FM 20-3) Camouflage, Concealment, and Decoys. U.S. Department of Defence;
• Distributed Defence: New Operational Concepts for Integrated Air and Missile Defence Centre for Strategic and International Studies

Undersea Warfare detailed scope

You must read the Undersea Warfare Scope prior making a submission.

To be eligible for the allocated funding, submissions aligned to key focus areas must be lodged by 1400 (AEST) 31 August 2022. If you submit after this time, your submission will still be considered but not within the key focus area timeframes or funding allocation.

Supplementary resources and recommended reading

• Force Structure Plan 2020
• Defence Strategic Update 2022
• Mercator Maritime Domain Strategy 2040

Guided Weapons and Explosive Ordnance

This key focus area is not yet live.

More detailed information about the capabilities being sought for the GWEO focus area will be provided in due course.

If you have an idea that aligns with a GWEO capability, you can still submit your idea at any time through the Hub’s PIN solicitation under the Defence Enterprise domain stream.

Support and exemplars

There are a range of resources to help you make a submission, including, tips and tricks, exemplars and information about how the Hub operates and evaluates submissions.

Video summary and key timings

You might like to speak with a business advisor from the Office of Defence Industry Support (ODIS) to understand how they might be able to assist you throughout this procurement. See https://business.gov.au/odis for further information.