The Commonwealth of Australia (CoA) launched the LAND 159 Lethality System (the ‘Lethality Program’) in 2017 to modernise a range of Australian Defence Force (ADF) Small Arms and Direct Fire Support Weapons. The Program includes seven Capability Streams: ADF Sniper System, ADF Close Combat System, ADF Close Combatant Assault Rifle, Family of Machine Guns, Direct Fire Support Weapon/Family of Grenades, Munitions and Emergent Weapons Technology.
Over the course of the Lethality Program, the CoA raised a Request for Information (RFI) in November 2017 through which it sought a Program Concept Statement to understand Industry’s ability to generate the capability outcomes for the Lethality Program under strategic and innovative arrangements. NIOA responded to the RFI with a detailed Concept Statement and Project Considerations for capability delivery.
In January 2019, the CoA released a Lethality Program Request for Proposal (RFP) to solicit from Industry Supplier Engagement Models to deliver the Program, and provide cost data on capability solutions to inform Gate 1 Capability Considerations. NIOA responded to the RFP as Managing Contractor with detailed capability solutions and system pricing. In June 2019, NIOA was down-selected as one of three Industry Partners to potentially deliver the Lethality Program.
NIOA submitted a comprehensive response to the CoA’s Limited Request for Tender (LRFT) on 12 March 2020, which resulted in the CoA appointing NIOA as the Prime Contractor for delivering the first stage of Tranche 1.