Defence’s new Headquarters Joint Operations Command project has reached a major milestone with three consortia chosen to tender for the construction contract.

Defence Minister Robert Hill made the announcement today with the Member for Eden-Monaro, Gary Nairn, and Senator Gary Humphries during the first public inspection of the site for the new facility near Bungendore in New South Wales.

Senator Hill said the three consortia, made up of Australian and overseas firms, were shortlisted by Defence from a list of seven that submitted expressions of interest to build the facility and deliver services.

The three shortlisted consortia and their members are:

• Australian Defence Capability Partnership (Bilfinger Berger, Baulderstone Hornibrook, United KG);
• Praeco (Leighton Contractors, Leighton Services, Boeing Australia); and
• Synersec (Multiplex Group, Multiplex Infrastructure, Multiplex Constructions, Multiplex Facilities Management, Westpac Banking Corporation).

All seven expressions of interest were rigorously assessed against a range of criteria to ensure they were capable of delivering value for money to the Australian taxpayer.

Shortlisted tenderers also needed to comply with a set of mandatory requirements such as the National Code of Practice for the Construction Industry and Australian Government Industry Guidelines, security, and equal opportunity legislation.

"The successful tenderer will be responsible for the design, construction, financing, operation and maintenance of the new headquarters as well as providing infrastructure and ancillary support for the 30 year term," Senator Hill said.

"The Government will now put out a Request for Tender to these three consortia to submit detailed bids to procure the building and infrastructure under a private financing arrangement. This is the first time the Government has sought to privately finance the construction and maintenance of a major facility on a greenfield site."

Mr Nairn welcomed the announcement, saying it came soon after the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Public Works recommendation on August 11 that the project proceed and Parliament’s approval on 12 August.

The new headquarters will combine seven existing military headquarters and agencies situated in and around Sydney, strategic staff from Canberra and some logistics staff from Melbourne.

Construction of the new facility is scheduled to start in the middle of next year. Preliminary engineering and design studies have been undertaken. It is expected the new headquarters will be fully operational in 2007-08.