Overview

The Commonwealth of Australia as represented by the Department of Industry, Science and Resources (DISR) coordinates the Commonwealth's national and international involvement in the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) project. The SKA Observatory (SKAO) is a separate legal entity to, and is not controlled by, the Commonwealth.

SKAO is responsible for managing the procurement process. Procurement processes undertaken by the SKA Observatory are not procurements undertaken by or on behalf of DISR is not responsible for the SKA Observatory's actions.

The SKA Project

The SKA Project is a global mega-science project to build the world's largest and most capable radio telescopes. During its more than 50-year lifetime, the SKA Project will expand our understanding of the universe and drive technological developments.

Australia will host SKA-Low, which will have 131,072 antennas receiving low-frequency radio waves. Each antenna will be 2 metres tall and shaped like a Christmas tree. SKA-Low will be constructed at Inyarrimanha Ilgari Bundara, the CSIRO Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia.

South Africa will host SKA-Mid, which will be made up of 197 dish antennas receiving mid-frequency radio waves.

The Australian SKA site is:

• in remote Western Australia, around 800 km north of Perth
• part of the ancestral lands of the Wajarri Yamaji
• in the Australian Radio Quiet Zone WA to protect the telescope from radio interference from electronic devices.

Construction on the SKA telescopes has started and is expected to finish by 2028.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3oq4rSUTX5k

Indigenous land use agreement

The Wajarri Yamaji played an important role in enabling Australia to host an SKA telescope. The indigenous land use agreement for the site allows construction and ensures the Wajarri Yamaji will benefit through community development, infrastructure, training and education.

The SKA Observatory

The SKA Observatory (SKAO) is the Intergovernmental Organisation headquartered in the UK that leads the SKA Project. The SKAO will undertake construction, operation, and maintenance of the SKA telescopes.

Sixteen countries currently participate in the SKA project. These are:

Australia, Italy, Spain, Canada, Japan, Sweden, China, The Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Portugal, The United Kingdom, Germany, South Africa, India, South Korea

Procurement

For low value procurements, the SKAO will request and evaluate quotes from the market. For large and/or complex opportunities, potential suppliers will be required to engage with up to three stages in the procurement process:

• Market Survey - Suppliers will be asked to express an interest in pre-qualifying for an opportunity. Typically, only businesses that respond to a market survey will be invited to pre-qualify and tender.
• Prequalification Questionnaire - Suppliers that respond to a market survey will be sent a prequalification questionnaire, which will assess capability and capacity, relevant past experience and performance, willingness to include local content and ensure indigenous participation.
• Invitation to Tender - Businesses that successfully pre-qualify will receive an Invitation to Tender.

All market surveys and requests for quote, open to Australian suppliers, will be listed below as they are released to market.

Industry Support

Please contact the Australian SKA Project Industry Liaison Officer.

Artist's impression of the SKA-Low telescope site.